Asagaya is great for street photography
Is Suginami City’s Asagaya one of Tokyo’s lesser-known spots for street photography? It might be. I’ve never seen too many photos of it on the internet. You mightn’t believe the reason why I went there recently to photograph it. Do you want to hear the story? Well, you are going.
I’m not much of a drinker, so I rarely go there at night. If I go, it’s during the day. I associate the area with Asagaya Pearl Center and Asagaya Shinmeigu. And as I like Burger King, I go for that too!
Anyway, let’s get back to why I went. I a big fan of the program Adomachiku Tengoku (アド街ック天国). TV Tokyo broadcasts it on Saturday night at 9 pm. It’s a talk show. Yoshihiko Inohara, a member of the now-defunct boyband V6 hosts it. He is joined by a panel of celebrities.
They talk about local areas in Tokyo, but sometimes other places in Japan. Many topics are places to eat and drink. But they also talk about sightseeing spots and people. It’s a lighthearted and good way to pass a Saturday night.
I’ve been watching it religiously for several decades. Yes, it has been going for a long time. It’s very rare for me to miss it. If you want to learn about Tokyo, it is a good place to start. You won’t go wrong with it.
Anyway, on March 25, 2023, they chose Asagaya. I was pleasantly surprised. As I said, I don’t drink much so I had no idea there were so many bars and izakayas. Many of them are tiny, only holes-in-the-wall types of places. Others are more upmarket.
Of course, it has music. You can enjoy everything from jazz and rock to traditional Japanese music. And there are often special events and festivals held throughout the year. Asagya has a lot of nightlife to enjoy!
It is also easy to get to. Asagaya is on the Chuo, Sobu, and Tozai Lines so it has easy access to other areas in Tokyo. Kichijoji, Shinjuku and Shibuya are all near. Additionally, the area is well-connected by bus. It’s no wonder many people want to live there.
Adomachiku Tengoku did a good job. Asagaya at night looked good! I decided to go there and take a few photos. Luckily it was only a thirty-minute walk for me.
As it was my first time, I didn’t know where to go. So I wandered the streets aimlessly, but I remembered the TV show said Star Road was very popular. After going there, I can see why. Some of the restaurants looked great. One day, I will dine there for sure.
One day, I will also go back for more photos. The area around the station is interesting. It’s a pity I neglected it for so long. Now I know better! Asagaya is more than Pearl City and its Tanabata Festival. It is great for street photography.
I kind of feel pretty ignorant, to be honest. There was a place literally next door to me, but I knew little about it. But maybe, I’m being a little harsh on myself.
Tokyo is a huge city and it is impossible to know everything about it. And there are over 800 train and subway stations. Many parts of the city are culturally different from each other. There is still so much for me to learn. I’m glad I have Adomachiku Tengoku to help me out.
How about you? Have you been to Asagaya? Let us know what you think of it if you have. Please leave your questions and comments below.
Asagaya is great for street photography photo gear:
Camera body: Fujifilm X-T3
Lens: Fujifilm XF 35mm f/2 R WR
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