From Takadanobaba to Shinjuku: Schools, Culture, and Wild Nightlife on Tokyo’s West Side

The stations on the Yamanote line stations loop. (© Pixta)

Big Box is one of Takadanobaba’s oldest landmarks. (© Gianni Simone)

Takadanobaba is famous for its many Burmese eateries. (© Gianni Simone)

Food lovers converge on Shin-Ōkubo’s Korean Town on a daily basis. (© Gianni Simone)

Walking around Shin-Ōkubo doesn’t even feel like being in Japan. (© Gianni Simone)

Toyama Heights is one of the more successful examples of danchi in Tokyo. (© Gianni Simone)

Toyama Park is a rare green oasis in the heart of Tokyo. (© Gianni Simone)

At night the entrance to the Kabukichō district promises glitzy good times. (© Pixta)

L’ambre’s retro atmosphere is a reminder of Shinjuku’s roaring sixties. (© Gianni Simone)