A popular Tokyo shopping and nightlife district is slated to get a major face-lift, and some local residents are resisting, saying they want their neighborhood to stay as is.

Shimokitazawa in Setagaya Ward, at the junction of the Odakyu Line and Keio Inokashira Line, developed after World War II into an entertainment district, with small theaters and live music clubs.

Now the maze of alleys also contains many small shops and cafes and draws about 70,000 visitors daily -- many of them university students.