Looking for somewhere unique to explore? Head to Home/Work Village in Ikejiri-Ohashi, a new cultural complex built on the site of the former Setagaya Municipal Ikejiri Junior High School. While Tokyo is full of sleek new buildings, it’s fairly rare to see older ones repurposed – in most cases, they’re torn down to make way for something shinier and, most of the time, taller. Home/Work Village is a refreshing exception, transforming the abandoned school into a multi-purpose hub filled with offices, restaurants, a café, an art gallery and various shops.
The project is the brainchild of a group of creatives including Shinya Manaka of Old Fashioned Store, Shintaro Uchinuma of Sanposha (the team behind Shimokitazawa’s Bonus Track), and Miho Koshiba of Mirai Institute, which operates the shared office Midori.so.
Home/Work Village makes use of the entire school grounds, from the classrooms to the gymnasium. There’s even a rooftop communal farm and beekeeping zone, Art Farm Ikejiri, open to anyone interested on a membership basis.
One of the first venues you’ll come across is To Tsu To Tsu To, a book lounge and coffee stand created by design firm Takram Japan and secondhand book dealer Value Books. Here, you can browse a curated selection of books highlighting a particular theme. The coffee stand serves brews from nearby Sangenjaya's Obscura and you can also order beer and fruit juices.
One of the largest spaces at Home/Work Village is dedicated to Marked Ikejiri and Good Tempo – Music, Bar & Plants. The cafeteria-style venue serves up healthy set meals like salads and curries, alongside a variety of freshly baked pastries and ice cream. Music playing throughout the space is courtesy of Good Tempo's excellent sound system and impressive LP collection, while the back corner doubles as a shop for beautiful plants and greenery.
Come evening, the space transforms into a music bar where you can enjoy tunes ranging from jazz and hip hop to bossa nova and pop favourites. Keep tabs on Good Tempo’s Instagram, as they have plans to host regular DJ events and acoustic live performances.
Another must-visit is Apéro Village, a wine bar and shop stocked with over 300 different bottles of vino. You can enjoy a glass in-store from a rotating selection of about ten varieties, and the shop also plans to host wine-focused events like lectures, tastings and workshops in the future.
Roman Hanaten is a beautiful flower shop at Home/Work Village where you can browse a rare selection of flowers you might not see at your run-of-the-mill florist. You can also order custom bouquets here – perfect for gifting.
Leather craft shop Unroof showcases beautifully made goods by artisans from diverse backgrounds, including those with mental and physical disabilities. Many items are crafted on-site, letting you watch the artisans at work in real time.
Shoe store Naot Setagaya also finds home here, offering their collection that’s celebrated for unbeatable walking comfort.
The upper floors of Home/Work Village house offices and co-working spaces like Midori.so Ikejiri, which also runs an on-site art gallery.
There’s more to look forward to soon, as craft beer spot After School Brewery is set to open by the end of the year, alongside Home/Work Studio, a new recording hub for podcasts. To keep tabs on the latest news and shops, visit the website.
More from Time Out Tokyo
Tokyo ranked the best city in the world for a workation in 2025
Tokyo dessert restaurant Haruka Murooka specialises in sweet omakase courses
This Tokyo bar was just named a must-visit by Time Out Worldwide
Japan’s first flagship Harry Potter Shop has opened in Harajuku
The Mt Fuji barrier at Lawson in Kawaguchiko is back up again
Want to be the first to know what’s cool in Tokyo? Sign up to our newsletter for the latest updates from Tokyo and Japan.