Channeling a library in the woods, Tsutaya, part of a trio of interlocking buildings with latticed front, is a shrine to the analog age. Read more.
Everyone will tell you it's "the best sushi they've had in their entire life!" & they're right. Go earlier than you think you need to go. ASK SOMEONE to make sure you're standing in the right line.
In our 8 days in Tokyo, we tried 9 diff ramens & THIS ONE was our favorite. (I wish we went back!) It's a short walk north of Shinjuku Station. Look for the 4-5 steps you gotta climb to get in.
I'll say it too -- best airport sushi you'll ever have. If you don't go for Omakase (you should!) at least do all the diff toro + Blue Fin Tuna
Tuna Auction: By 3:30 we were already in group two. Cabs will not know to drop you. Make sure you lead them to the blue dot. Took us 30 minutes to find the entrance.
Locals form long lines to sample market-fresh fish at Sushi Dai, but there are plenty of other options. Enjoy sashimi at Nakaya, oyako donburi at Torito, or croissants at Orimine Bakers.
bring friends and try out all the different styles of okonomiyaki. wash it all down with a chilled mug of Kirin.
Splurge on the set course. Well worth it! And if you aren't an intestines lover, they'll swap them out for larger cuts of normal meat, like tongue and heart.
After you've seen the tuna auctions at Tsukiji, wander over here as it opens and get the garden all to yourself. Take a nap in the middle of it.
Phenomenally intimate bar in a phenomenally cool area. Both the sake and whisky were fantastic, as was the conversation with other patrons. If you're having trouble finding it, look for this sign.
Such an incredible Buddhist Temple. It has like a million types of moss, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Well... Chef David Chang was right. One of the best bowls of ramen in the world and likely the best tsukemen of them all! Look for it at the end of First Avenue Tokyo Station's "Ramen Street."
It's absolutely vital you get the burnt miso ramen. Whether you're a "Ramen? That stuff from a packet?" person or an "I wait for 2 hours at NYC's Ippudo" snob (like me), you'll freak out it's so good.
A somewhat hidden cocktail speakeasy. the bartender is incredibly meticulous and the "serendipity" is a great original cocktail.
Maybe one of the happiest places on Earth. Buy a ticket at the kiosks at AM/PM the same day, but have a Japanese person help you; there is no English UI.
Onsen in a suburban quiet Tokyo area. It's more original and cheap. You get a towel for some extra bucks. Has a restaurant, a zen garden, sauna, jacuzzi and a relaxing spring in the open.
Everyone who has gone to Tokyo has told me that this pizza is stellar. They are not wrong. Living in NYC we get tons of great pizza but man, this is maybe the best I've ever had. Get the Margherita.
