Most of Tokyo's main business districts are inside or around the JR Yamanote Line, but Kichijoji is a notable exception, being a part of Tokyo that's beyond the city's 23 wards.
But being outside the loop has its benefits, and this town, within the Musashino city area, is renowned for its casual, laid-back atmosphere.
"Kichijoji is closer to the people in the community," said Kazu Ohashi, 61, managing editor of Kichijoji Weekly, a community paper of 28 years' standing. "When you go to Harajuku, for example, you have to wear your 'Harajuku face' to enjoy the place. But in Kichijoji, there's no pressure to be anything but your self."