Coolie's Creek: What a great name for a Chinese restaurant. OK, it may not be the most politically correct moniker, but when you get there you know it feels absolutely right.
There really is a creek. The Furukawa River is little more than a concrete-lined storm drain perpetually overshadowed by a looming expressway overpass, but it's there none-the-less. Welcome to scenic Shirokane.
You're just minutes away from the affluent bustle of Hiroo, Takanawa and Azabu-Juban, but it feels like a totally different century. Largely overlooked by the developers, this low-key, low-rise neighborhood is now starting to get a new lease of life as galleries, craft workshops and eateries move in and do up some of the dingy, light-industrial buildings.