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Japan
Tower Records in Shibuya gleams like a beacon, calling out to music and book lovers across the city and its inhabitant nationalities. It has recently gone under construction, so that what was once a peaceful book haven on the seventh floor has become a cool, sophisticated book/coffee shop on the 2nd. There are spaces for you to sit and read, with chargers for your laptop or phone, wooden floors, the best foreign book selection I’ve yet to see, and music which makes you stop and say “I LOVE that track!” The coffee shop serves taco rice, cakes, make-your-own hamburger sets and is decked out in a comfy, earthy style.
www.tower.jp
apan, Tokyo, Shibuya, Jinnan, １−２２−１４
+81 3 3496 3661
Google map: bit.ly/11odpBl
* Hollie is our Been there local for Tokyo. You can check out her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/tokyo-local-hollie-mantle.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/HollieMantle
Tower Records in Shibuya gleams like a beacon, calling out to music and book lovers across the city and its inhabitant nationalities. It has recently gone under construction, so that what was once a peaceful book haven on the seventh floor has become a cool, sophisticated book/coffee shop on the 2nd. There are spaces for you to sit and read, with chargers for your laptop or phone, wooden floors, the best foreign book selection I’ve yet to see, and music which makes you stop and say “I LOVE that track!” The coffee shop serves taco rice, cakes, make-your-own hamburger sets and is decked out in a comfy, earthy style.
www.tower.jp
2F, 1-22-14, Jinnan, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, 150-0041
+81 3-3496-3661
Google map: bit.ly/164yvHC
* Hollie is our Been there local for Tokyo. You can check out her profile here:
www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/tokyo-local-hollie-mantle.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/HollieMantle
All over the globe the world is seeing a rise in the ingenious idea of a book and coffee shop fusion. In a land where boundaries are pushed to the limits of imagination this idea goes one step further.
The three two-tiered Tsutaya bookshops in fashionable and serene Daikanyama are designed with a theme of ‘home away from home’ in mind. Read, relax, have a coffee, listen to music; this is a space in which you can be at home without being alone. Choose from “Ajin”; the lounge-bar where you can recline on a leather sofa and place a drinks order via ipad for a taste of life in the future, or Starbucks where you can sit inside at one of the breakfast bars and charge your laptop or phone, or alternatively outside with the patio heaters and cosy Starbucks blankets. If you enjoy a spot of people watching then you’ll enjoy this vantage point as the local well-to-do walk past with their dogs and offspring.
With the winter chill setting in and the outdoors becoming more and more a mission impossible, this is a place you can keep warm and toasty whilst relaxing in the cool breeze and early setting sun.
store.tsutaya.co.jp
+81 03 6738 3838
Google map: bit.ly/TUfgKi
* Hollie is our Been there local for Tokyo. You can check out her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/tokyo-local-hollie-mantle.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/HollieMantle
Tokyo offers every possible shopping experience, from the achingly cool to the seriously quirky.
Try the traditional-style Nakamise Market in Asakusa for reasonably priced souvenirs, and the Harajuku district for off-the-wall fashion. The vast department stores in Shinjuku and Shibuya are great for designer accessories, and often have basement food halls that are a feast for the senses. They are also one of the best places to buy kimonos - usually cheaper than those in souvenir shops. The noisy, garish electronics district, Akihabara, is worth a visit even if you aren’t buying. However, be aware that some goods are exclusively for the domestic market, so check voltages etc. To experience the latest innovations in technology, check out the Sony Building in Ginza.
The power of the yen means that bargains are hard to find - but try the ‘100 yen’ shops, where you can pick up cheap souvenirs such as chopsticks, kites and fans.
Google map: bit.ly/vvfiW9
This shop stocks the best tshirts ever - many of them designed by artists, all of them graphically striking and the prices are great - they tend to start at £18. They last forever and don't fade.
www.graniph.com/en/index.html
171-8557, Tokyo-Prefecture Ikebukuro PARCO 6F, 1-28-2
+81(0)3-3980-3007
Odaiba is a man made island that sits right next to Rainbow Bridge in Tokyo Bay. There are great views of the city from here and you can enjoy lunch looking out over the bay from one of the many restaurants in the Tokyo Decks shopping center.
Nearby there are a number of museums (not the stuffy kind) to choose from as well as a huge game center Joypolis and Toyota Megaweb. This is an all-in-one day out in Tokyo.
Omotesando - A sophisticated tree-shaded boulevard often referred to as "Tokyo's fifth avenue".
This fashion avenue has stores such as Armani, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Christian Dior and many more.
A walk down Omotesando is like a compressed tour in contemporary architecture. All the designer label stores compete whose store is the most lavish, and up to date.
Omotesando
It happens every Sunday in Harajuku. Tokyo teens dress up in 'Harajuku Fashion'.
It is very amusing to see rebellious Tokyo teens dressed as Gothic Lolita, "fruits" or Anima characters.
They are just hanging out with friends, hoping their picture will be taken by one of the many magazine photographers in the crowd.
This takes place on Jingu Bridge (a pedestrian bridge that connects Harajuku to Meiji shrine).
Very trendy and very affordable discount store in the Shibuya-ku district of Tokyo. This is a great shop to stock up on trendy Tokyo fashions for presents back home, or just to treat yourself. Prices start from £1!
3-5 Udagawa-cho (Shibuya-ku)
They may still be more expensive than supermarkets but the lush Harrods-style food courts in the big department store Isetan are a great place to pick up Japanese delicacies for much cheaper than restaurant prices.
Take advantage too of the constant free samples…
3-14-1 Shinjuku
See some of the coolest new technology at Honda’s flagship store. Ride the motorcycle simulator or see the demonstrations of ASIMO, the humanoid robot (daily at 10.30am, 11.50am and 3pm). Best of all, it’s free!
2-1-1 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku
A great place to stock up on bargain souveniers and gifts before heading home. You can find anything from origami paper, crockery and toys not to mention all manner of household goods
They're everywhere. There's a nine story one in Funibashi on the outskirts of Tokyo.
If you want to know what the Japanese do on a Sunday afternoon, then head off to Yoyogi Park. The whole of Tokyo seems to descend on this wonderful park. Families come for a picnic, unsigned pop bands play inpromptu gigs, theatre groups practise their latest plays and people just hang out letting the world go by! Everything seems to happen in this one place! When I went there a year ago, I felt like I saw the real Tokyo - seeing the Japanese at play.
Don't miss it!
Adjacent to Yoyogi-koen and Meiji-jingumae Stations on the subway Chiyoda Line, and Harajuku Station on the JR Yamanote Line
Kiddy Land, one of Tokyo’s largest toy stores, is a shrine to all things “kawaii” (cute). Spread over six floors, the shop features all major global toy brands and characters, including Dick Bruna’s Miffy, Disney and of course Hello Kitty. Character-branded stationery, cards, stickers, stamps, and gift wrap can be found in the basement.
The first floor offers an eclectic mix of fancy dress gear, watches and accessories. The second floor features a fabulous array of stuffed animals, while the third floor concentrates of American characters such as Barbie and Spiderman. The fourth floor is geared towards pre-school kids and toddlers, and the fifth is full of games and gadgets. With such a fantastic range of toys, this Tokyo institution will win over even the most jaded of shoppers.
ADDRESS: 6-1-9 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku
PHONE: +81 (0)3 3409 3431
WEBSITE: www.kiddyland.co.jp/index2.html (Japanese language only)
It is not so well known that Tokyo shelters geisha communities that are as old as their Kyoto counterparts. The streets behind Asakusa temple provide a glimpse of the 'flower and willow world’ and offer possibly the best chance you’ll get in this sprawling metropolis of spotting one of these elusive, enigmatic creatures.
Head down the nameless side streets that lead off the touristy Nakamise dori at Asakusa temple to discover high-class kimono parlours and discreet booths selling slender hand-painted bamboo fans, delicate tortoiseshell hair ornamentations, 10-inch-high ‘geta’ sandals and the white face make-up for which geisha are famed.
With a bit of luck you’ll also see a hooded rickshaw and black-clad puller with his distinctive wide brimmed hat and split-toed tabi shoes transporting one of these ethereal women to a nearby theatre or discreet teahouse. Squint your eyes and it looks like a scene from the 17th century.
Take the Ginza or Toei Asakusa subway lines - alight Asakusa station. If you feel like being more romantic take a boat-trip from Hinode Pier or the Hamu Rikyu gardens along the Sumida river alighting at Azumabashi bridge.
For more information about Tokyo's geisha district see www.asakusa-e.com
Asakusa Information centre (2-18-9 Kaminarimon) has English speaking staff 10-8pm daily)
There are traditional coffee houses all over Tokyo. Small - usually air-conditioned - places of calm from the hustle, bustle and summer heat. Your glass of ice cool water is constantly topped up, a cloth to refresh you, coffee, cakes and in many perfect toasted cheese. Excellent people-watching places too. Don't even think about using Starbucks or any of the chains.
Once you experience the service in Japan, going back to Britain will never be the same. Expect the finest courtesy and graciousness from bars, hotels, stores.
It is recommended we remember our manners in return, best to keep your irritations and road rage at home, it does not have any standing here.
We have lived here for 6 years and I have met 3 rude Japanese people compared to the useless attitude I experience when I come back each year to Britain.
I have walked home late at night after a Girls Night Out in Roppongi and never encountered any loud mouth louts, I could not do that anywhere in Scotland.
Tokyo is a wonderful place for those with a heart for adventure, we love it.
Basically Tokyo-on-sea, a big slab of reclaimed land in Tokyo bay where you can go and chill out, eat/drink/shop, enjoy sea breezes, even go to the (artifical) beach! There are stunning views of Tokyo (especially at night), and it's one of the few places in Tokyo where you can enjoy the great outdoors. There's a massive ferris wheel for even better views and you can even rent a dog to walk!! One of the best things about it though is the journey there - it's worth going just to enjoy the monorail ride across the enormous Rainbow Bridge.
Yuirkamone monorail from Shimbashi. A one-day ticket gives unlimited travel on the monorail all day for around £7.
One of dozens of department stores in the Ginza area; this is my personal favourite, mainly because of the food hall. You can find an absolutely stunning range of local and international delicacies here and best of all a lot of it is out on cocktail sticks for you to try - helpful where you're not sure what it is - so you can wander around, enjoy the frenetic atmosphere and have your lunch at the same time!
Ginza or Higashi Ginza subway
Visit the Ginza district on a Sunday.The streets are closed to traffic and it's a great time to stroll around the area with it's many shops. Perfect for people watching!
Ginza is well connected to both underground and overland train services. The nearest station is, not suprisingly, called Ginza.
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