Most markets like this have long since been redeveloped into supermarkets. The one in Shimokitazawa is such a rarity that many people come especially to revisit the atmosphere of the markets they remember from their childhoods.

Just a few steps from this example of living history is a trendy corner of Tokyo that appears to be populated entirely by young people. What gives Simokitazawa its unique vibe is the eight theaters concentrated in the area around the station, which include the Honda Theater and the Suzunari (site is Japanese only).

Shimokitazawa is a mecca for modern and underground theater and is where many young directors first reveal their ambitious, challenging works to the world. This hotbed of creativity has been a springboard to big-stage success for quite a few theatrical performers. Young people are drawn to the unique vitality of a place that is at the frontline of the creative arts and could even be described as the "Off-Off-Broadway" of Tokyo.

Of course, this district has much more to offer besides theaters. The shopping streets around the station are lined with gourmet restaurants, Japanese-style pubs, and boutiques stocking the latest cutting-edge fashions. Unlike the crowded streets of areas like Shinjuku and Shibuya, Shimokitazawa has a relaxed, at home feel. The young people who flock here from all over the Tokyo region exist in harmony with the local residents.

But, perhaps with one eye on Shimokitazawa's transformation into a trend-setting hotspot, Sangenjaya is changing. It all started seven years ago, when a 26-story orange-colored building called Carrot Tower was constructed in the center of the district. This complex contains a department store, a restaurant floor, and commercial offices, as well as the Setagaya Public Theatre. The Carrot Tower development has played a major role in revitalizing the whole Sangenjaya area.

The theater, which has a large auditorium, a small auditorium, and three rehearsal spaces, has played an especially big role in changing Sangenjaya's image. Under its talented artistic director, it has hosted a wide range of performances, from traditional Japanese theatrical forms like noh and kyogen (comic drama) to modern theater. Rather than becoming a rival to neighboring Shimokitazawa, Sangenjaya's well-crafted strategy seems to be to make the entire area covering both of these districts into one big theatrical hub.

On the first floor of Carrot Tower is a station on the Setagaya Line, a short local railway that takes 16 minutes to travel its full length of five kilometers, passing through tree-lined residential districts on the way. Some people come especially to ride this line, which is like a rare piece of twentieth-century heritage.

There is more to Jiyugaoka than meets the eye. Off the main streets, for example, it is quite common to suddenly come across chic French restaurants and other unexpected delights. Just past one of the area's old shrines, meanwhile, lies a shopping complex modeled on the city of Venice, featuring a canal surrounded by Italian-style buildings and even a gondola that was ordered especially from Italy. When night falls, and the buildings are reflected on the surface of the canal, you could easily be forgiven for thinking you really were in Italy.

Jiyugaoka has been described as an open-air shopping center, because in the small area surrouding the station there are some 1,500 shops of one sort or another. One unique feature is that none of these is a vast superstore of the kind that dominates many areas. Businesses that stress low prices at the expense of quality do not succeed in Jiyugaoka. Spurred by the strong preference among local residents for good, authentic products, stores and eateries place the emphasis firmly on quality and taste. Every shop strives to offer something unique, with the result that the whole district is brimming with originality.

Jiyugaoka is like a young girl whose tastes become more and more refined as the years go by. The latest development has been the opening of Jiyugaoka Sweets Forest (site is Japanese only), a food theme park bringing together 12 famous confectioners and cake shops. Visitors to this facility can sample freshly made cakes while watching the work of expert pâtissiers, including one who won an international cake contest and one who learned his trade at a three-star restaurant in France. Since opening in November 2003, the park has been attracting about 260,000 visitors a month and has given people yet another reason to visit Jiyugaoka.

New residential districts sprang up as the railway line passing through Futako Tamagawa was extended, and among the housewives of these districts the department store gained a reputation as more sensitive to changing trends than those found in the center of Tokyo. The influx of shoppers led to the whole area becoming more sophisticated, which in turn made it more attractive to young people. What used to be a peripheral place with a small-town image is now so popular that it regularly features in the top 10 of districts where people would most like to live.

There are plenty of opportunities to enjoy nature just a stone's throw from Futako Tamagawa. The banks of the broad Tamagawa River play host to families out for a stroll and to groups of young people enjoying a barbecue. The main event in the area's calendar is the summer fireworks festival, which is held on the river and attracts 400,000 spectators.

A little way to the north of Futako Tamagawa is the Seikado Bunko Art Museum, which holds 5,000 pieces of oriental art collected by the younger brother of the founder of Mitsubishi and his son. Of particular note is the museum's world-famous collection of ceramics. To the east, meanwhile, is the Gotoh Museum (site is Japanese only), which features Japanese and oriental art. Both of these museums have expansive Japanese gardens that offer visitors excellent opportunities for a relaxing walk.

Many writers have made Kichijoji their home over the years, and, with several universities also situated nearby, the district has long had a strong cultural flavor. A massive redevelopment program was undertaken 35 years ago, when a few department stores and major supermarkets moved into the area, transforming it into a commercial hub. But while its appearance may have changed, Kichijoji's cultural atmosphere remains the same as ever.

In one corner of Inokashira Park is the Ghibli Museum, Mitaka, whose director is Hayao Miyazaki, the world-famous anime (animated cartoon) director best known for his Oscar-winning film Spirited Away. Perhaps influenced by the presence of this museum, many manga (comic) artists have moved to Kichijoji in recent years.

To the north of JR Kichijoji Station is a shopping street featuring both large department stores and locally run mom-and-pop stores. Long-established eateries so popular that people line up to get in exist side-by-side with creative, trend-setting shops. Knick-knack stores are especially prominent, including one stocking over 6,000 kinds of buttons, some selling Japanese-style accessories, and some specializing in products from Indonesia and other Asian countries.

To the south of the station is an area dominated by young people. With its restaurants serving dishes from various countries, it is a popular choice for dating couples. Just a short walk away is the verdant natural haven of Inokashira Park, where visitors can hire boats for a relaxing row on the park's expansive lake.

Shibamata originally developed as a center of Buddhism, but nowadays many people come for a different kind of worship. They come here to pay tribute to Tora-san, the leading character of Japan's most popular movie series, Otoko wa tsurai yo (It's Tough Being a Man).

Tora-san was born in a rice cake shop on a street in Shibamata. He did not get married and instead became a vagabond, traveling aimlessly all over Japan. Whenever he tired of his travels, he would return to the place he was born, before leaving again suddenly as if blown by the wind. The series follows Tora-san through a succession of failed romances and other adventures. Although he is a constant source of worry for his sister, who is his only family, she is unable to blame him because of his straightforward, honest character.

The first Tora-san film was released in 1969, and the series ran for 26 years, racking up some 48 films before it finally closed because of the death of Kiyoshi Atsumi, the lead actor. Atsumi was awarded a posthumous People's Honor Award in commemoration of the success of the Tora-san films. In front of Shibamata Station today stands a life-size "Tora-san the Vagabond" statue to which fans of Atsumi come to pay their respects.

To the east of Taishakuten lies the Edogawa River, which acts as the boundary between Tokyo and Chiba Prefecture. The Yagiri Ferry, a service that has been carrying passengers across the river for over 300 years, still operates today. On the Chiba side of the river lies an expanse of farmland, and all that can be heard as the small boat crosses the water is the creaking of the oar. The ferry offers an opportunity for tourists to float back in time.