Best of Japan.

Japanese creative neighborhoods reward close attention - the scale is intimate, and the best things are often behind unmarked doors. Shimokitazawa in Tokyo packs vintage shops, 50-seat live houses, and exceptional curry into streets too narrow for cars. Nakazakicho in Osaka converts prewar wooden townhouses into single-room cafes and galleries. Nishijin in Kyoto still has working textile looms clattering behind the same facades that now house specialty roasters. Precision at every scale.