This week on the 29 stops of the JR Yamanote Line i visited Gotanda, this was the first time i’d been to Gotanda and exactly the reason behind visiting all 29 stops, to go to places i ordinarily wouldn’t have thought to visit.

Gotanda (五反田, Gotanda) is described as a busy but unfashionable neighborhood in the Shinagawa ward of Tokyo, Japan. The name “Gotanda” can be literally translated as “a (rice) paddy of half-hectare’s size”. The district straddles the Meguro river, and is located between the Meguro and Ōsaki stations on the JR Yamanote Line.

Gotanda on first impression would be what i would describe as very Japanese, lots of small bars and restaurants big enough for only a handful of people, something that has vanished from many other areas. Gotanda lacked the big name brand stores otehr places i’ve been in Japan have had but there were still plenty of shopping opportunities, miso paste and obscure Japanese knives being some of the more unique items available.