Tokyo/Meguro

Meguro (目黒) ward is a largely residential district in southwest Tokyo.

Tourist information site
The local tourist association has a Japanese-only guide site with integrated machine translation.

Get in
The JR Yamanote, Metro Namboku (N), Toei Mita (I) and Tokyu Meguro lines all pass through Meguro station.

Tokyu Toyoko line from Shibuya has 5 stations in the ward: Nakameguro (中目黒), Yutenji (祐天寺), Gakugei-daigaku (学芸大学), Toritsu-daigaku (都立大学) and Jiyugaoka (自由が丘). Metro Hibiya line (H) starts at Nakameguro.

Komaba-todaimae (駒場東大前) station on Inokashira Line exists in the northernmost part of the ward in front of Tokyo University Komaba campus.

Do
During cherry blossom season, the trees by the normally rather drab Meguro River bloom pink and Japanese congregate to picnic and drink by the riverside.

The local chamber of commerce and neighborhood association is very active here staging more modern and fashionable events and festivals on many weekends. See a beautifully decorated Christmas tree or maybe an opera singer performing arias on the street. During the September festival you can watch people carry a sacred portable shrine or omikoshi.

Eat
Meguro is famous throughout Japan for sanma (さんま), or Pacific saury, a type of ocean fish. It's obviously not fished in the area; rather, its fame comes from an old story. In September, there's a sanma festival where you can try it grilled by local vendors. If you need a cheap snack to sustain you go for a crepe, smoothie, or melon pan from one of the street vendors operating out of small trailers or funky old VWs. For many women in Tokyo, the neighborhood of Jiyugaoka is almost synonymous with sweets; it's impossible to list all of the many tea shops, cake shops, bakeries large and small, cafes, and chocolatiers.



Drink
For anyone looking below budget, exit the south side of the station, pick up a can at any convenience store, go to the tree-lined street one block south and sit on the benches. In the early evening you'll have plenty of company if the weather is good.