Originally Posted by
CanuckFlyHigh
I am going to take a look at Setagaya-ku and beyond.
Just to clarify, Setagaya-ku is a precinct with cachet as a desirable place to live but probably would not interest most visitors, generally speaking. I only brought it up because I raved about Jiyugaoka but with caviat that I personally love Setagaya-ku (which Jiyugaoka is part of). Having said that, there are some neighbourhoods within Setagaya-ku that I think you'd enjoy such as Jiyugaoka and Sangenjaya. Moreover you'll be relatively close to Tamagawa (Tama River) and its trail. Have you been to Sangenjaya, Kichijoji and Nakameguro? If you enjoy Japanese shopping arcades/streets, Kichijoji, Asagaya and Nakano all have good ones and they're all close to each other.