Setagaya

Setagaya is among the largest of the 23 wards by area, and its character changes completely from district to district. The two places covered here have nothing to do with each other: a temple carrying the beckoning-cat tradition, and a fringe theatre in Shimokitazawa.

Gotokuji holds several hundred beckoning cat figures. It is known now as a photo spot, but the figures are what people bring back in thanks when a wish has been granted. They are offerings, not merchandise — and because some visitors try to take one home as a souvenir, the temple posts guidance about it.

Shimokitazawa is dense with small theatres. Actors hand out flyers on the street before going on stage, and the same actors see the audience out from the lobby afterwards. Here that is not a special gesture but standard practice. Same-day tickets are often still available, making this one of the few places where you can wander in and catch a play.