The world's biggest Tower Records is just a few minutes walk from Shibuya station. If they don't have the CD you're looking for, chances are it doesn't exist. The top floor is dedicated soley to English books and magazines, especially useful if you want to quickly browse through a few Tokyo city guides without having to buy one.

1-22-14 Jinnan, Shibuya-ku.
Nearest Station: Shibuya.
www.towerrecords.com

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Mother is a grimy basement bar in Kabuchicho which has space for at most 12 svelte people. It has a CD menu (that's right menu!!) that anyone with a love of alternative music or metal would crawl over glass to look at and request from. Which figuratively you may have to, to find it. It's a great place to chat to Tokyoites (between songs obviously) about shared musical loves.

Exit JR Shinjuku Station's East Exit and pass Alta then cross Yasukuni Dori, go down the narrow street which has a Scottish Pub on the right about a third of the way down. At the end of the block on the right is a great bar, Shuffle Beat (also worth a visit), Mother is on the street to the left and almost right in front of you, look out for a small sign and plunge down those darkened stairs.

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Not what you'd immediately think of when visiting Tokyo, this wonderfully friendly restaurant in Shinjuku 3(san)-chome is well worth looking out if you've had your fill of rice, fish or noodles. It happens!! The owners and staff are friendly and the food is cooked almost in front of you. If you phone ahead larger parties can be accommodated. Being a Japanese or Turkish speaker would be advantageous here. It's probably a good idea to phone ahead anyway as the restaurant is popular especially when the belly dancer is doing the rounds! Opposite Istanbul is the semi-legendary Rolling Stone (immortalised in 'Angry White Pyjamas' anyway), a fine bar if you like dark bars, vinyl, drag queens and top quality tunes.

T160-0022, Shinjuku 3-8-2, Kurosu biru B1 (basement). Open between 5:00pm-12:00pm. Telephone 03 3225 4080. From JR Shinjuku Station head east along Shinjuku-dori. The large Isetan is on the right and Marui on the left. At Meiji-dori in front of you across from Isetan is a cinema and a branch of Sanwa Bank, between them is a narrow street. Go down this street until the last block and on the left down in the basement is Istanbul.

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