Kagurazaka has so much going for it. History and tradition as one of Tokyo's last geisha districts; topography, rising above the city with quaint backstreets and alleys winding across its slope; and above all restaurants, lots of them, many of them superlative.
Few visitors bother to climb right to the top of Kagurazaka's hill, though. Fewer still venture further, down the other side. Until recently there was little incentive to do so. There is now: Akomeya has arrived.
This is big news for anyone who knows the original Ginza branch of Akomeya. More than just a grocery store, it's a treasured source of foodstuffs and cookware from around the country. It also has a superb little restaurant, Akomeya Chubo, that should be on the bucket list of anyone craving simple, satisfying Japanese cooking.