Kyoto Day 1: Homm Stay Nagi Arashiyama Kyoto + Chavaty + Itsuki Chaya Arashiyama Honten. Kyoto. Japan.

Here is another pro tip for you. Just ship your large luggage to your next hotel. I did it a day before my arrival in Kyoto and it's the best. You do need to be staying at a hotel for this service to work, and yes, they call your next hotel to confirm your reservation before shipping it. Many train stations in Japan are rather large and some may only have a few escalators/elevators if any at all. And often times you have to walk 5000+ steps to find it. I encountered this upon my arrival at Shimbashi with all my luggage and it was tricky carrying both up by myself to street level as I was unable to find an escalator/elevator after a bit of walking. And mind you, I public transport like a boss/local there. Only having only my carry on with me via Shinkansen to Kyoto was so nice! I am never lugging the large luggage again in Japan. It only cost ~$30 and your hotel front desk can handle this for you. Also, buses in many crowded cities, like Kyoto, do not allow large luggage on them.

Usually after 5 days of Tokyo I am ready to bounce to get myself over to Kyoto or another city that is less intense and crowded. I typically like to end my Kyoto stay for 2 nights in Arashiyama as it's quieter and close to nature to wind down my trip. However, this time around, I ended up doing my room finale in a different area (more on that in the end of this trip on its own post). I did look into the Tsukihashi Maisonette again at Hoshinoya Kyoto. However, without any confirmed traveling companions for this trip, it seemed an overkill for myself at $2100/night. I also looked into Arashiyama Benkei (another favorite of mine right next to the Katsura River that is more economical than Hoshinoya with onsens), but sadly it is going through a renovation. When I checked my credit card points, I was able to book the new Homm Stay Nagi Arashiyama for 2 nights with my points. This was a little bit up higher in Arashiyama closer to the bamboo forest, which I loved. It was also a newer hotel and it was excellent. The bed was so comfortable and the size of the rooms were on the bigger side for Japan. It felt so luxurious and relaxing. The room was the size of my apartment back home and it was a great way to unwind from Tokyo with an enormous bathroom. I would highly recommend you check out this hotel and their other locations.

After I checked into my room, I walked over to Arashiyama Park to enjoy the view. The cherry blossoms had started to bloom, but it was still rather chilly for them to be in full bloom in Arashiyama. When it is, that entire mountainside by Katsura River is pink.









I got a hojicha soft serve at Chavaty. I really wanted to try their tea service too but sadly they require a reservation for 2 and I was going solo in Kyoto this time around. 



I was a bit early for my dinner reservation at Itsuki Chaya Arashiyama Honten, but thankfully they were able to accommodate me then and I got this incredible seasonal tasting set for less than $30.

[Golden egg bowl]
Itsukichaya's most popular golden egg bowl. The dashi is mixed in at the perfect temperature to create a soft and runny egg. This special dish spreads the flavor of the dashi in your mouth.

[Torotaku hand roll]
An exquisite torotaku hand roll made with luxurious fatty tuna. Wrap it in seaweed with pickled radish and enjoy as a hand roll.

[Sukiyaki bowl with salmon roe and Japanese black beef]
Japanese black beef shoulder loin is sukiyaki-styled in a sweet Kansai-style sauce, garnished with grilled green onions and salmon roe. Enjoy the melting texture of the Japanese beef and the delicious flavor of the meat.

[Tendan bowl with sardines and spring vegetables]
Our proud tendan bowl is made with lightly flavored sardines and fresh spring vegetables, deep-fried and topped with our homemade tempura sauce. Please enjoy while it's hot.

[Sakura and bamboo shoot rice]
Fresh bamboo shoots and cherry blossom petals are cooked and garnished with firefly squid and chrysanthemum. Enjoy the aroma of spring that fills your mouth.

[Clam hotpot - spring vegetables and cherry sea bream shabu-shabu]
A hotpot with soup stock made with a generous amount of seasonal clams. We have prepared seasonal vegetables and cherry sea bream shabu-shabu. For the final dish, add rice to the soup stock packed with the flavor of seafood and enjoy it as a rice porridge.



Then I took a leisurely stroll back to my hotel.

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Tokyo Day 5: Tsukiji + Uni Labo Marusyu + Jugetsudo + Pâtisserie Asako Iwayanagi. Tokyo. Japan.

On my last full day in Tokyo, I returned to Tsukiji, one of my favorite food wonders of the world. I ALMOST didn't come in trying to force myself to do different things. But since I realized I never had the unidon here,  I changed my mind. Also, I found an uni distributor that has a large selection of premium uni. I grabbed a hojicha latte from Matcha Stand Maruni and walked around to see all the old and the new at Tsukiji.











I ended up at Uni Labo Marusyu for a decadent uni filled lunch. It is hidden in an alley in the midst of bustling Tsukiji and an uni wholesaler that offers at least 20 different types of uni at their restraint each day. I had their unidon with 5 types of premium uni in addition to a tasting of 3 more types of uni. This was definitely a premium uni experience with a price tag to match. Since this is in an alley, it is also away from the hustle and bustle of the Tsukiji crowds. If you want the liveliness of Tsukiji and a more wallet friendly option, then get the unidon outside in the market instead.









On my way out of Tsukiji, I stopped by Jugetsudo to get some tea to bring home as it's across the street. Jugetsudo has been making premium Japanese teas since 1854. I got a matcha to sip on, which came with its own wagashi. 





For my last reservation I opted for the afternoon tea at Pâtisserie Asako Iwayanagi. Pâtisserie Asako Iwayanagi is famous for her artful layered parfaits with delicate flavors and textures that compliment each other. They are definitely the most expensive parfaits in Tokyo at $45-$80+ each. I decided a while ago that I was not going to try these parfaits albeit curiosity. During my many years of research realized that is far too much sugar for one person to consume, and they require each person to order their own. Unless you buy one to go from the bakery to share with a friend elsewhere. However, upon the release of their March afternoon tea menu, I could not resist their sakura tea set. I have also heard that her pastries are actually even better than their parfaits and it comes with a Parfait Bambi (small). I am English. I love high tea. A Japanese high tea with French sensibilities? Yes. Please. I got myself a seat at the counter to see the magic happen right in front of me. You can also go the store and get some pastries to go. I loved the tea set, but I was unable to finish the Parfait Bambi as it's too much food/sugar. That was also why I booked this for 4PM as I knew this would be my last meal of the day.

If you decide to make a reservation to dine here, be sure to have the correct link as there are multiple possibilities across their 3 shops (thankfully near each other). It will become clear as you make it if you don't see what you are trying to make a reservation for. 

Jambon Beurre Sakura
Shrimp & Taro Mash
Purple Daikon & Barley Râpées 

Sakura Mont Blanc
Butterbur Miso Crèmeux
Matcha Scone
White Miso Cheesecake Tart
Matcha & Sakura Opera Cake
Sakura Choux à la Crème
Sakura Mochi

Parfait Bambi Sakura

This here below is their famed CréA with Anko in their pastry case.















Scroll right to see video.

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Then I walked half way back to Shimbashi from Setagaya to burn off calories and to enjoy my last Tokyo evening with cherry blossoms. It was a long but lovely stroll at sunset through many miles of Tokyo. I loved every minute of it.

Tokyo Day 4: Amam Dacotan + Memento Mori + Pizza Strada. Tokyo. Japan.

The other bakery that caught my eye for this Tokyo trip was Amam Dacotan that originated in Fukuoka. Since this is in Omotesandō, there is always a long line. I would recommend you go on the earlier side as the line can take 1-2 hours otherwise even on a weekday. There were definitely more to choose from than étéco bread as they have close to 150 types of baked goods daily. It also has some indoor and outdoor seating for on site consumption in addition to having a small selection of beverages. I got a variety of goodies here: mortadella sandwich + anko & pistachio condensed milk + hojicha & azuki bread + matcha raspberry bread.  All of which I found inventive and enjoyable and the baby sandwiches they sell were the most adorable in addition to being delicious. Their signature sandwich is the Dacotan Burger and for sweets they are famous for their maritozzos (cream buns). Since I was on another long walking adventure, I did not get a maritozzo. What I also found interesting is that its founder Ryota Hirako started doing "sustainable bread" since the pandemic in an attempt to make his baked goods last a few days longer.

















Then I had a leisurely stroll around Omotesandō and Harajuku and found the most perfect cat lamps ever.



While I have been to both Ben Fiddich and Bar Centifolia well before either got super famous, they are both near impossible to get into now. I ended up getting us into Memento Mori as they are another one of the best bars in the world with a focus on cacao drinks, in addition to them serving cocao desserts. Don't let the fact that this is located in the business building of Toranomon Hills fool you, some restaurants here have a 1 year wait list and is for members/regulars only. I knew I wanted to try the parfait and it was a one drink per person minimum, so my friend and I got mocktails: Gift Rose Fizz + Cacao Pulp Fizz. They also do tasting menus for their cacao drinks with dessert pairings. I can attest that the mocktails were made with the same amount of care as they do their cocktails and they were phenomenal. The parfait was also exceptional. So if you are in the mood to try one of the best bars Tokyo has to offer that you can still get into, this may be a great option. They also have their specialized cacao gin you can buy to take with you in addition to interesting things like blue cheese cognac on the menu. They also had a drink called Dead Inside, which was oh so tempting. They also served us cocoa tea at the end.

I have been joking with my friends for years that the best pizza in the world is not in Italy—it's in Tokyo. I have never gotten pizza in Japan yet, so I made it a point to check it out finally on this trip. I live near Tony's Pizza Napoletana here in San Francisco, which is always in the top 10 in the world in addition to a few trips to Italy where I ate the best pizzas as instructed by many of the best chefs in the world. I chose Pizza Strada as that it had both traditional Neapolitan pizzas in addition to some with wagyu beef. We got the Margherita and the Strada. I stand by my words that the best pizza is in Tokyo. Both were great; we preferred the Strada.



 

Tokyo Day 3: étéco bread + Tsujihan Ark Hills + Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden + Jomon. Tokyo. Japan.

First start of day 3 in Tokyo I made my way to étéco bread where clearly Kiki's Delivery Service operates from. It's a tiny a little out of the way bakery in Tokyo. I loved it. You will have to get it to go and find a place to eat it afterwards, which was a chore due to Japanese etiquette. I got a savory vegetable tartine and a strawberry tart. Both were delicious, once I was able to devour both after hopping back over to Shibuya Crossing in front of the Hachiko statue with people staring covetously. The tart was perfectly flakey like a proper French pastry. Yes. Please. 















Then I started slowly making my way over to Ark Hills. First, I sat down at Doutor, my favorite every daychain in Japan for a matcha latte as it was right next to the train station. If you have been following me for a while, you may remember that Tsujihan was one of the best meals from my entire Japan trip in 2023. If you are on social media, you may have come across posts that let you know the lines are much shorter if no line at all in their other locations. I decided to go to Tsujihan Ark Hills this time around as I was excited to have this kaisendon that I have been dreaming about again sans line. Once again, I got their tokuyjo. The kaisendon itself was as great as I remembered to my delight due to in a short line here for lunch, unlike their original Nihonbashi location. However, the ochazuke portion was where this meal fell flat. It was the ochazuke portion of the meal from 2023 that made this one of the best meals of my lifetime. Sadly, the broth was not the same and I was extremely sad. Needless to say, I will have to return to the Nihonbashi location on a future trip for an ochazuke redemption.







To get over my ochazuke sadness, I went to admire the cherry blossoms at Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden. Cherry blossoms started blooming in Tokyo upon my arrival. Only a few trees were in full bloom at that point in the garden and most people gathered around them. Which made for amazing people watching. Then I got a massage in Shinjuku before heading back to my hotel to rest for a bit before dinner. 

I decided to walked all the way to dinner in Shibuya through Harajuku to burn off all the calories before my small dinner. Also, Shibuya and Harajuku makes for amazing people watching due to the crowds after school and work in addition to all the tourists.



Jomon is Hakata-style yakitori and they have multiple locations in Tokyo. All I have to say is good luck finding the door to the one in Shibuya. Even I struggled and I had to wait for my friends to arrive to enter with them. I loved the vibe and the food here. The ebi with bacon was incredible and I would highly recommend you getting that. I also got most of the vegetables ones since I was not hungry.







After dinner, when we got in a cab to go back to our hotels in Shimbashi, I noticed that Club Asia was right by Jomon as James Curd was headlining there the Friday after I leave Tokyo. I was so excited that I texted him. Believe it or not, James and I been trying to coordinate our Tokyo dates for a year so I get to see him and his family. Sadly, the promoter had different dates available in the end. Oh well. We definitely tried.