Lower portion of Kagurazaka street.

Akagi Shrine, at the top end of Kagurazaka.

July 2007 Awa Odori in Kagurazaka. The is held from 12 to 15 August as part of the Bon festival in Tokushima city (徳島市 Tokushima-shi the capital city of Tokushima Prefecture on

Kagurazaka (Japanese:神楽坂) is a trendy neighbourhood in Tokyo, near Iidabashi Station. is a major interchange station that straddles Tokyo 's Chiyoda, Shinjuku and Bunkyō wards. It has a sloping street at its center, lined by numerous cafés and restaurants. In the early 20th century, the area was renowned for its numerous geisha houses, of which several remain today. or are traditional female Japanese Entertainers whose skills include performing various Japanese arts such as classical music and dance Currently, Kagurazaka is experiencing a popularity boom due to its traditional, sophisticated atmosphere in the middle of modern Shinjuku. is one of the 23 Special wards of Tokyo, Japan. It is a major commercial and administrative center housing the busiest train station in the world ( Shinjuku Station

While it retains a traditional Japanese atmosphere, Kagurazaka now boasts a significant French presence with many French expatriates living in the area due to the proximity of l'Institut Franco-Japonais de Tokyo and the Lycée franco-japonais de Tokyo's primary section. Legal residents and citizens To be French according to the first article of the Constitution is to be a citizen of France regardless of one's origin race or religion (

Kagurazaka is also widely regarded as an important center of Japanese cuisine within the Kanto region. Several old and famous "ryotei" are to be found in the winding back streets, often accessible only by foot. A is a type of luxurious traditional Japanese restaurant Traditionally they only accept new customers by referral and feature entertainment by Geisha, but in modern times this These ryotei provide expensive "kaiseki" cuisine, which is generally regarded as the pinnacle of Japanese food. or is a traditional multi-course Japanese dinner analogous to Western Haute cuisine. Ryotei also allow diners to invite geisha to provide entertainment during the course of the evening. or are traditional female Japanese Entertainers whose skills include performing various Japanese arts such as classical music and dance

The Kagurazaka Awa Odori (Japanese: 阿波踊り) festival is held the fourth Friday and Saturday each July. The is held from 12 to 15 August as part of the Bon festival in Tokushima city (徳島市 Tokushima-shi the capital city of Tokushima Prefecture on

At the top end of Kagurazaka is Akagi Shrine (Akagi Jinja/赤城神社).

External links

• Akagi Shrine Official Website in Japanese