The Yotsuya, Ichigaya and Kagurazaka area is an academic district that retains a sense of history and calm despite its central location. Beside Yotsuya Station, served by both JR and subway lines, stands Sophia University, which attracts international students from around the world and offers degree programmes taught in English; its cosmopolitan campus has become a symbol of the neighbourhood. Yotsuya, once the site of the Yotsuya Okido checkpoint on the old Koshu Kaido highway, retains an international atmosphere to this day. The Sotobori outer moat stretching from Ichigaya Station is a beloved cherry-blossom spot, and in spring the waterside comes alive with colour. Kagurazaka, which once flourished as one of Tokyo's six geisha districts, is an atmospheric quarter of cobbled lanes and temples such as Bishamonten Zenkokuji, where Japanese tradition blends with modern establishments to delightful effect on a stroll. Arakicho is dotted with jazz bars and hidden-away restaurants, home to a diverse cultural life. Walking and running along Sotobori Park are popular with residents, and supermarkets and restaurants around Yotsuya Station keep daily life convenient. With good access to Tokyo's main stations and schools and parks close at hand, this area suits expatriates and their families seeking a quiet, culturally rich life.