Magome is not really a place people choose to live in. It’s not particularly convenient for transportation or shopping. Most people in Tokyo don’t even know where it is. Although the area is known as a place where many famous historic writers and artists used to live (More here) I was walking through the area on my way to Magome station, to catch the train to Asakusa yesterday. Magome has lots of hills and stone staircases that lead nowhere, and rundown shops (1) like this drugstore, the condoms in that condom machine looked fresh although I don’t think I would try them (2) Amongst the decay, there was a beautiful temple which had a parking lot in the back for these trucks. That wicker fence and bamboo forest is quite nice but wasted on these trucks. Would be better to create a small park with benches.
(1) People fill pet bottles with water and place them in front of their houses not for thirsty passersby, but to keep cats away. I don’t know if it works or not but this is overkill. These pet bottles makes the garden look cheap and ugly. Why even bother? (2) Inside the station, there was a book shelf in the shape of the Asakusa-line where commuters can take free books to read on the train and return them here after they are finished. First time for me to see this in Tokyo.
I’ve never seen a bookcase in the shape of a train, cool! However I’ve seen such free trading bookcases at some stations (including the one near my home) and also at large post offices.
Patrick, you’re right I think they are more common than I thought. I just never paid much attention to them.
Looks like Magome is Japan’s version of a ghetto, luckily without the dealers and skanks hanging out on all the street corners. Can’t imagine “ghetto” in Japan yet though. Even the most pachinko overrun places don’t aren’t exactly ghetto yet for me.
I wouldn’t go so far as calling Magome the ghetto since there are a lot of big houses around there, but it isn’t exactly den-enchofu either. I believe Kita-Senju in Adachi-ku is considered close to ghetto, it’s the cheapest property on the Japanese version of Monopoly.