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World’s ‘Coolest Neighbourhoods’ ranking revealed

Second place on the list went to Borgerhout in Antwerp
Second place on the list went to Borgerhout in Antwerp (AFP/Getty)
  • Tokyo's Jinbōchō district, known as "Book Town", has been named the world's coolest neighbourhood for 2025 by Time Out magazine.
  • The district is celebrated for its dense concentration of around 130 second-hand bookshops, retro cafés, and popular curry houses.
  • Jinbōchō secured its top spot based on criteria including culture, community, liveability, nightlife, food and drink, and its unique "sense of nowness".
  • The area developed as a literary hub in the early 20th century and has been immortalised in popular culture, notably in Satoshi Yagisawa's novel Days at the Morisaki Bookshop.
  • Other top-ranked neighbourhoods include Borgerhout in Antwerp, Barra Funda in São Paulo, Camberwell in London, and Avondale in Chicago.
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