Pro tips from the last 2023 trip are still relevant and that is extremely useful for reference if you need it.
Additional tips from this time around:
- More places have online reservation options now. Be sure to check that before your trip as that may be the only way you can go.
- There are well known credit card processing issues when you are booking tickets and reservations. You may need to dig deeper to see if your card is the issue and go about using a different one. Some are random in what process though from time to time, which can prove frustrating. Some will only be successful with foreign debit cards. Pay attention to see if the charge actually goes through all the way to secure your reservation, because sometimes it doesn't. Fun problem.
- Beautifully shot images/videos and amazing storytelling for an episode of (insert whatever here) does not equal delicious. I would know because I do casting and produce these stories for many people professionally. They are typically only great for storytelling and for "trends." I don't do "trends" in general and like finding both the extraordinary and unexpected magic, especially for myself. Get tips and inspiration from those that share similar sensibilities to yourself rather than influencers.
- Anywhere "viral" or "trendy" in crowded areas will likely require a long queue. I don't like standing in line too much, so plan and choose wisely.
- I like to plan each day according to neighborhood or near by if I can help it as Tokyo is enormous.
For almost live musings (as I always later gram) you can follow me on Instagram and see my Stories during the trip. There is a Japan 2025 highlight on there as well. Those have videos unlike my blog.
Day 1 of Tokyo is actually combined of my first evening there with actual full Day 1 since it makes more sense than breaking these out into 2 days. Here we go.
I stayed in Shimbashi in Tokyo this time rather than my usual of Shibuya and surrounding areas. Mostly because I found this business hotel chain that has an onsen that allows people with tattoos to soak in it that seemed decent for a good price. The extra bonus was that I had enough credit card points to redeem for all my Tokyo nights there. You will be walking close to 20,000 steps each day in exploration (sometimes more). You will want to soak your body in a tub to help your body recover. I ended up staying at Candeo Hotels Tokyo Shimbashi (sorry for the lack of my own images, but seeing that it's Japan and it's a small room, their pictures will always be better than mine). Upon arrival, I did ask front desk for patches to cover up my tattoos so I can partake in the onsen. To my delight, they said I didn't need them. This has NEVER happened before except for the more private ryokans that allowed me the same privilege. Even if they didn't, they do provide guests with tattoo covers. During my research, their Roppongi location allowed guests with tattoos in the onset without covering (almways check to see if rules changed first before booking anything). Opt for the bigger room if you can, as Japanese rooms are teeny tiny in general if you are used to having more space.
Now that I have stayed in Shimbashi, I would HIGHLY recommend it for these reasons:
- It is a business district and not in the craziness that is Shibuya or Shinjuku, which means I did not need to navigate regularly through those 2 train stations that get millions of riders per day and get lost for hours in those stations in that madness. Shinjuku Station will always be my arch nemesis.
- It is near 3 different train stations for ease of getting around that is still center of most things in addition to ample bus lines.
- Mellow on the weekends. On weekdays you will see salarymen/salarywomen going to and from work and them having group work meals afterwards. Quite lively during the week with ample options in addition of seeing them nice and roasted the later it gets.
- There was an abundance of massage options due to all the office workers and the intense work culture. Which is great for all your achy muscles from your long travel and many steps for exploring.
After I checked into my hotel and checked in with my sacredly starred Google Maps, I decided to have a quick dinner at Uogashi Standing Sushi Bar. Uogashi is a great standing sushi bar chain for affordable sushi. There was one near me and I was delighted. I got the special, which was essentially a simple 12 piece omakase and added the seared toro for a whopping $24 for high quality sushi.
After my first night of sleep then we are officially off to my transformative Japan adventure. The first reservation I had was the coveted Azuki to Kouri, one of the most difficult reservations in all of Tokyo. Miho Horio was the pastry chef at Florilège prior to opening famed Aziko to Kouri that only serves gourmand shave ice to perfection. There are also toasts and soups you can order along with teas to go with the shave ice. Getting this reservation was like winning the lottery. My friend and I got the Azuki and meringue + strawberry and meringue + potato (small) + burnt lemon toast. The Azuki and meringue was the winner and we tried the potato out of curiosity, and it turned out neither of us like starch in our desserts. To have this as my first reservation was setting the bar incredibly high. However, this trip delivered beyond my wildest dreams.
Then we headed over to Shimokitzawa as we have dinner plans that way and that was my friend's old neighborhood when she lived in Tokyo. Since she had a blown ACL from a skiing accident the Monday before, I walked around by myself. I made a pilgrimage to Shiro-hige's Cream Puff Factory to get us Totoro cream puffs. Miyazaki's sister-in-law runs this so she actually has his permission to create these Totoros. The line to get cream puffs to go was short, but the line for dine in at the cafe upstairs was rather long.
Then I went on a walk over to Gōtokuji Temple since it's nearby and I have never been.
It turns out that Totoro is a Nameki-Neko lover too.
Tama-san that lives there and the official temple mascot came right up to me for a petting. I had no idea who he was but I'd like to think that I got blessed by the Cat God himself.
For dinner we headed over to Namida as my friend highly recommended it and it's one of the top restaurants in Setagaya. It was also my friend from Belgium's last night in Japan so her and her boyfriend met up with us for a lively and hilarious dinner. Namida has 8 seats at the counter and does 1 seating each night they are open. This goes for quite a bit of Japanese restaurants and the reason why some are impossible to get into: simple math. Chef Tajima was hilarious and spoke English and we had a grand old time cracking jokes while having a great Japanese meal over the 3 hour dinner. It's difficult to find as it's in a super hidden alley within a tiny alley. The bill: $70 per head. He will be moving his restaurant later this year so be on the look out for that new location. I also learned the most obscure old man Japanese phrase from my Belgium friend during this dinner which I later modified in the most Amy way possible and put to great use when I was in Kyoto. Even the chef was asking us why do we know that Japanese phrase. Which we then modified at the rest of the dinner and laughed our heads off. My favorites were the sashimi and the shiitaki mushroom. This is not everything from the dinner shown below. No menu as he cooks with fresh seasonal ingredients that is available.
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