tokyo, MUSIC & VINYLS - living as part of the culture

A fully music-inspired 30㎡ apartment with a view of the one and only Shimokitazawa from its 4F balcony. Comes with fast and unlimited optic fibre wifi. 3 mins from Shimokitazawa Station in the heart of its creative culture.

Beyond a stay, living the culture — The apartment is equipped with a set of kitchen equipment, utensils, a washing machine, even a vinyl player and a 'guitalele' (a ukulele with two more strings, or a small guitar tuned like a ukulele).

The space pays homage to the soul of the town itself — music, shared expression, and creativity. You will find retro Japanese magazines, books and vinyls that hint at the rich history and culture that Japan and Shimokitazawa have to offer.

A small part of each stay supports music education for children in conflict-affected communities. Because where music travels, so does hope.

Arigato, for playing it forward.

guest access

You have access to everything in the room, cleaned and maintained by a professional cleaning company. Sleeping arrangements can be made on :

・Double Bed x 1 (Up to 2 adults + 1 small child)
・Single Size Futon with Extra Bottom Mattress x 1 (Up to 1 adult or two small children)

The sleeping situation has been set up also with the philosophy as a living space beyond a temporary stay:

BED

• To maximise comfort across various preferences, the bed is made up with three layers of mattresses, plus a bed pad and a bed sheet.

• The single size futon also comes with an additional mattress to lay in between the floor and the futon

• The bed also comes with legs that are tall enough to slide in most suit cases underneath with the hopes to solve one of the larger headaches making use of space while travelling.
  

PILLOWS

There are also two types of pillows in the apartment — one smaller and less dense, and the other larger and more dense to suit a variety of sleeping styles (when you check-in one of those pillows will be set up with a pillowcase. Guests can change this personally by accessing the other pillows in the closet by the kitchen).

LIGHT & CURTAINS

The curtain shuts out light very effectively. Most people should be able to sleep through the day (if they want to!) without an eye mask.

living the culture

A list of music and culture-inspired features in the apartment:

MUSIC

• A vinyl player

• A curated selection of records by Japanese and international artists purchased locally

• A map of local vinyl stores in Shimokitazawa and Shibuya

• Wooden bluetooth speaker

• Water resistant bluetooth speaker in the shower

• A guitalele (with tuning instructions)

• A guitar head-inspired pick holder with picks

• LED floor lamp with music-responsive features

VISUAL ART

• A set of coloured pencils and sketch pads

GASTRONOMY

• Kitchenwares, utensils and cutlery curated from the perspective of actually cooking and presenting. The local supermarket Oozeki is an unmissable experience for all food lovers, and it's just down the street

• Coffee pot and electric kettle with a thermometer

• A fridge and freezer

• Microwave and toaster

REMOTE WORKING

• Laptop stand for people working on the go

• Fibre optic Wi-Fi with unlimited data

CULTURE

• Shop cards and flyers of local bars and shops who are personal mates of ours, and/or pillars of the local creative community

LAUNDRY

• Washing machine

• Laundry clips and a full set of hangers

• Laundry pole in balcony for hanging. The bathroom also comes with heating and ventilation features that can be used to dry clothes during wet or cold weather.

HOLISTIC WELL-BEING

• A humble set up for meditation, stillness, and holistic embodied health, including a singing bowl and a yoga mat.

• Three cacti, real living plants to keep you company. Each named after the band members of The Pillows.

SAFETY

• Emergency kit

• Fire extinguisher

what is shimokita like?

A nice intro to Shimokitazawa can be found here, and in general the town is full of dive bars, comedy clubs, craft beer and natural wine, live music, theatres, indie cinemas, izakayas, locally owned restaurants, cafes, sweets, etc.

If you’d like to get in the spirit, pre-travel, the neighbourhood is featured in this lovely film 'Perfect Days (2023)' by the German director Wim Wenders.

Some further cultural, historical, and creative background about the town:

Shimokitazawa: Tokyo's laid back, creative center is the perfect antidote to hectic city life (Japan National Tourist Organisation)
Shimokitazawa: How Tokyo’s Funky Neighborhood Has Kept Its Cool (Unseen Japan)
The Story of Shimokitazawa — There's history behind this hipster 'hood, once dubbed the coolest neighborhood in the world (Gaijin Pot)
Tokyo’s Top 20 Vintage Stores (Time Out)

If you’re a fan of vinyls, Shimokita is full of amazing vinyl stores as well. Mmm.

LOCAL VIBES

A snapshot of the pleasantly local and unordinary vibes:

INTRIGUED?

We love all things culture-derived and related, so regarding whatever you’re into and some local insight may help, don’t hesitate to let us know.

Regarding pricing, or anything we missed or you would like clarified, you’re always welcome to drop us a message here:

ryo@returnthisway.com

For time-sensitive inquiries, please send a WhatsApp message to the number +81 90 9814 6806, or send a message on Instagram @returnthisway. When messaging, please add your full name and details about your inquiry. Thank you :)

address

Kitazawa 2−7−6, Setagaya

TOKYO, JAPAN

a local with a traveller’s heart:
TRAVELLING, ART & CULTURE AS A BRIDGE

Through travelling ourselves, we also know from experience that there really is nothing like getting to know a place like a local person would. While we are far from a perfect host or accommodation, as “a local mate” for you in Japan — we also have a recommendations list for neighbourhood, and a playlist of Japanese music so you can feel the culture that way as well. Specially curated for our guests.

Thank you for stopping by. Wishing you a beautiful day in your part of our shared world.