Kagurazaka

It is a part of the Waseda-dori Street in the Shinjuku Ward in Tokyo, and the slope, which connects the Sotobori-dori Street and the Okubo-dori Street and its surroundings is called Kagurazaka. Kagurazaka's origin was in 1633, dating back to the Edo period (1603-1868), and is said to be named as people heard the sound of kagura, Shinto music and dance, played in a shrine. Despite it being in a big city, the area has an atmosphere with tasteful stores and multiple shrines and temples with long histories. It is also known as an active entertainment quarter with five ryotei (high-class Japanese restaurants) and 25 geisha entertainers, and you can enjoy watching geisha dancing while having a kaiseki (traditional Japanese multi-course) meal. There is a custom in ryotei in Kagurazaka that services to first-time customers are declined. However, some restaurants provide counter seats these days, and those seats are available without a reference from a long-time ryotei patron. It is within walking distance from the Iidabashi Station on the JR lines, the Ushigome-kagurazaka Station on the Toei Oedo Line, and the Kagurazaka Station on the Tozai Line.