I apologize in advance — there are going to be several Japan posts. I haven’t felt so inspired by a place in a long time. Every few seconds I would be digging my camera out of my Keith Haring Uniqlo bag to photograph an outfit, a sign, a meal… which was fine because picture-taking is part of the culture. I definitely wasn’t the only one!
The first night we arrived I needed a wrist strap for my Sony ZV-1 and stumbled into several very brightly-lit camera stores along Memory Lane/Omoide Yokocho. The combo of using Google Translate, jet lag (I felt so dizzy the first few hours), and walking up several flights of stairs was quite a strange experience. Everything felt so mega-watt, dizzying, and delightful.
I explain/show more in this vlog…
Kimpton Shinjuku Hotel in Tokyo
We loved our stay at this hotel but FYI it’s a little bit of a walk to the nearest subway (which was only challenging the one day when it rained). The rooms, however, were lovely and so was the room service (peep it at the end of the video). They also allowed dogs, so there were always really cute canines there (including a famous Japanese one which Abe is now obsessed with — stay tuned in the next vlog).
We also went right next door on our last day to the Park Hyatt which was 4x the ¥, but I will tell you from what I saw of the common areas — I can understand the cost (and also why Sofia Coppola wanted to film there).
Japanese Depachika Food Market
I can’t remember the name of the one we went to because we walked through so many and they all have started to blur together! Basically, head downstairs at any major department store and you will be treated to quite a culinary and grocery shopping experience.
Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden and Greenhouse
There are many, many parks in Tokyo but this one was within walking distance from the Kimpton Shinjuku. I could not get over how beautiful the grass was. Inside, there were few trash cans (like the rest of the city) but plenty of bathrooms — so I had to carry my garbage around with me for a lot of our stroll. We averaged 5-8 miles a day!
Also, the weather could not have been more perfect. We were there the second week of October and it was warm (low 70’s). Not humid, either (but I did get some mosquito bites). I did find that I needed my jacket first thing in the morning, and once again after the sun went down.
The Tokyo Subway
I love a good city transit system and Tokyo’s may be the best I’ve ever ridden — so clean, so efficient, so affordable, so punctual — and every station plays its own unique, adorable song (eki-melody).
We had our Suica cards downloaded to our Apple Wallets before the trip and the leftover balance I just used at conbini (convenience stores) like 7-Eleven. I recommend downloading the city in Google Maps while on WiFi — it can take a while. Abe was the one in charge of navigating, and the turn-by-turn directions (precise up to where to stand on the platform) were very helpful.
Gluten Free T's Kitchen
I’ll do a future post more about how I prepped for my celiac safety in Japan, but mostly I stuck to places like this one that I knew were 100% dedicated to gluten-free food or understood what wheat allergies were. The space is tiny so you may want to make reservations, but since we were the first ones there when they opened at noon, it wasn’t a problem.
It’s the first restaurant in Asia to receive certification from GIG, The Gluten-Free Intolerance Group. The owner/chef, Takako Iino started the restaurant after noticing GF places in the States and wanted to help!
Chicago Harajuku Thrift Store
I found this place via YouTube by watching Sam & Victor’s Channel (they love to shop) and they did not steer us wrong! By far this was the best thrift shopping experience I’ve ever had. I wish I had packed an extra bag to buy more!
GYRE.FOOD coffee
This stunning coffee shop/restaurant is at the top of a mall called GYRE along Omotesando, a luxury shopping area. It was the perfect place to escape the rain and people-watch. The entire space is covered in fresh plants and wood, reminiscent of being in a forest.
P.S. Here were a few places on our list that we didn’t end up going to: J’Antiques (a vintage store), Loopwheeler (sweatshirts/T-shirts), Shibuya Crossing (I still can’t believe we didn’t see it but I don’t do well in crowds), the Jimbocho Neighborhood (used bookstores), Kapital (Japanese casual wear), Kyu Asakura House (a historic home), and Senso-Ji (Buddhist temple).
Also I didn’t want to spend our short time in Tokyo indoors for more than a few hours, so we decided to skip the museums that everyone recommended: Ghibli and teamLab Planets.
Part 2 of our Japan Trip: Kyoto
My aim is to keep these posts sponsor-free, so if you’d like to support me directly with a paid subscription, that would be very helpful. Please note: I do use affiliate links and may earn a commission when you purchase something. If you’d like to read my other Substack publication, check out The Yellow Pages (Asian/AAPI culture).
Okay that thrift shop looks incredible!!!!
Thanks for sharing Part 1 of your adventures in Tokyo! Their subway system is like my holy grail of public transit. I need to get over there and just spend some time riding it around town.