Chofu travel guide

Chofu, Japan

By the Travel Wiki editorial team

Chofu

Introduction

Chōfu is a city on the western side of Tokyo Metropolis, Japan. It is compact in area, and its population density is high, giving it the settled, built-up feel of the wider metropolis around it.

Before you go

Before you go, it helps to know that most of the practical information for this city is published in Japanese. The local tourist association runs a guide site in Japanese only, though it includes integrated machine translation, so you can still use it to plan. The city also maintains information pages in English through Guidoor, which is the more straightforward option if you don't read Japanese.

Getting there

Chōfu is easily reached from central Tokyo by train. From Shinjuku station, take the Keio line's special express or semi-special-express service; Chōfu is the second stop, about 15 minutes away. If you are arriving by air, Chōfu Airport handles flights from the Izu Islands.

Getting around

Chofu Station is your base for getting around: the Keio Line runs through the city and the Keio Sagamihara Line branches off there toward Keio-tamagawa. From Shinjuku, take a Keio Line special express or semi-special-express and Chofu is the second stop, which makes Shinjuku the natural gateway from central Tokyo. Rail, buses and taxis all converge on the station, so plan your day around it.

The headline sights, Jindaiji Temple and the Jindai Botanical Gardens, are not on top of the station, and buses are the sensible way to reach them. Buses leave from the north side: bus 34 from bus stop 14 goes directly to Jindaiji Temple, while buses 05, 06, 31 and 56 from bus stop 13 stop at "Jindaiji Iriguchi," a short walk from the temple. All five serve the Jindai Botanical Gardens. Keep small change or an IC card handy, as these buses charge a flat fare. The distance from the station to Jindaiji Temple is short enough that walking or taking a taxi are realistic alternatives, and you can also reach the temple and gardens by bus from Kichijoji or Mitaka. Chofu Airport handles domestic flights to the Izu Islands if your trip continues there. Summers are warm and winters cool with little to no snow, and September is the wettest month, worth bearing in mind if you plan to walk.

Where to stay

< p>Chofu's sleeping options are limited, and the source material names only one: Chofu Creston Hotel. It sits on the eighth floor of the Parco department store, north of the station, in the Kojimacho area. Because the hotel elevator is shared with the store, reaching your room means carrying your luggage through a department store — an unusual arrival, but a convenient one if you plan to shop or eat before checking in.

Room configurations cover the usual range, from single to double to twin, so solo travellers and pairs are both catered for. Given how thin the accommodation listings are, book ahead if your dates are fixed.

Food & drink

For a lively meal, head to an izakaya specializing in pork served on skewers, much like yakitori. The friendly staff will help you sample almost any part of the pig, including heart, liver, head meat and oesophagus, pointing to their own body to describe it if necessary; usual pork and beef dishes are available too. Some restaurants in the city also offer fresh seafood from the Izu Islands, transported by air. If you fancy curry, seek out the restaurant that serves several versions putting the usual Japanese fare to shame. Order the set menu with dessert, where rum-topped ice cream is a nice finish after a spicy curry; the owner may try to speak some English with you.

What to see and do

Jindaiji Temple is the anchor of a visit to Chofu: a Tendai sect foundation from the 8th century and one of the oldest temples in the Tokyo area. The temple building itself is modest, but the village around it, with its food stands, soba restaurants and waterwheels, evokes Edo-period Japan. Inside the complex you'll find a bronze statue of Shaka Nyorai, kept in its own concrete building. Next door, the Jindai Botanical Gardens are planted to have something in bloom in every season, with plum and cherry trees, a Japanese azalea garden and an English-style rose garden among the highlights; you can enter from the main gate on the west side or through the gate adjoining the temple on the south side. Elsewhere in the city, Fudaten Shrine holds satokagura performances, a traditional Shinto dance and music form, on the 25th of the month. For sport and entertainment, Ajinomoto Soccer Stadium is home ground for Tokyo Verdy and FC Tokyo and also hosts American football, rugby and flea markets, while Aeon Cinema Theaters Chofu, a large multiplex, sits across the station square from Chofu Station.

When to go

Chōfu has a humid subtropical climate, with warm summers and cool winters that are mild enough that snow is light or absent. Summer is warm and humid, with temperatures peaking on average in August — the hottest stretch of the year, when heat and humidity will shape your daytime plans. Winter is cool rather than snowy, with January the coldest month on average, so pack for chill rather than snow.

September is the wettest month of the year, making rain more likely then than at any other time, so be prepared for wet conditions if you visit in that period.

Three days in Chofu

Day one: Arrive in Chōfu from Shinjuku on the Keio Line and settle in around Chofu Station, where the Keio Sagamihara Line also stops. Use the rail network to get your bearings, then spend the afternoon at Jindaiji Temple and the Jindai Botanical Gardens. Buses run to Jindaiji Iriguchi, so keep an IC card handy for the ride. In the evening, eat around Kojimacho and stay at the Chofu Creston Hotel.

Day two: Head out toward Chofu Airport, which serves the Izu Islands. Summers here are warm and humid, and September can still be sticky, so plan around the heat. Back in town, browse Parco near the station. Because English signage is limited, a Guidoor app can help you navigate. For dinner, look around Kojimacho again.

Day three: Take a short rail trip to Kichijoji or Mitaka for a change of pace, then return to Chofu. Before you leave, pick up any last items near Chofu Station. If you have time, revisit the Jindai Botanical Gardens. From Shinjuku, the Keio Line makes the trip back to Tokyo straightforward.

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