D's place made our stay in Tokyo and especially in Shimokita so enjoyable and convenient. It is very close to the Shimo-kitazawa station with the Odakyu line (which connects to Shinjuku) and Keio Inokashira line (which connects to Shibuya) both running. It made it very convenient to get to places as far as Kamakura with the trains :)
The apartment is fairly compact (even for two adults) - but given that we spent most of our hours outdoors, it makes it very functional. It was nice to come back to a warm shower and a comfy bed.
Shimokita takes the cake with regards to the highlight of our stay in the area. It begs curiosity and discovery and D's apartment made it so convenient to stay out early and/or late and still have a pleasant walk back to the apartment building. So much to discover - 10 days wasn't enough! Eclectic people and places, very warm and welcoming, great supermarkets and convenience stores for staples. It was very crowded during the weekend, as many artists (musicians, painters, etc) and younger folks flock to Shimo-Kita to spend their time. So navigating down tight alleyways becomes a new kind of fun activity!
Thank you D for your hospitality, the welcome snacks and for making our stay informative! We hope to see you in future :)