Like New York, it's a work hard, play hard lifestyle. It's bustling but incredibly clean, the people are beyond polite, and the style is amazing. Just waiting for the subway you'll see high heels and girly dresses, a plethora of boyfriend-style trench coats paired with funky platforms, and vintage getups accented with designer accessories. No workout gear to be seen (including the chic mamas with strollers), and the women are all skincare-obsessives, too. Tokyo has a quirky side, in an amazing way. I visited a cat cafe, went to a sexy robot show, and ate skewered chicken liver (okay, I could do that one at home). For an overnight trip, Kyoto is a more traditional city about a three hour train ride away, which I would also recommend if you have at least a week or so in Japan. We were lucky enough to stay for most of our visit with friends who have lived in Tokyo for nearly a decade, and were able to see the city from much more of an insider's perspective than if we had visited on our own. We were beyond grateful to have such gracious hosts to show us around, particularly ones who are fluent in Japanese.
Where to Stay: You can’t go wrong with the Peninsula or Park Hyatt. The Prince Park Tower Hotel is in an amazing location, adjacent to Tokyo Tower and right on Shiba Park, which has a beautiful garden, large rooms and gorgeous views.
Where to Eat: I could go on and on about the food in Tokyo. Both the high end and hole in the wall restaurants are incredible--Tokyo has the highest number of Michelin starred restaurants in the world, but there are plenty of casual options as well. One of our best meals of the trip was at Irifune. The restaurant is relatively casual, it's specialty is tuna and the menu has an omakase featuring the fish exclusively. The chef actually has the best cuts of tuna reserved for him at the Tsukiji fish market each day. We had every cut and presentation imaginable and unfortunately I'm fairly certain I will never have sushi-style tuna that tops it again. Japan is also known for it's delicious, humanely raised beef. We ate at Ishigaki Yoshida, currently the only Michelin starred teppanyaki restaurant. Our friends preselected the cow and it's cut prior to the meal, eliminating the need to order anything aside from drinks. The steak was incredible and the service above and beyond--we were the last party in the restaurant, and the entire staff actually followed us down the elevator and into the street to thank us for visiting. For a more wallet-friendly option, Kaikaya is a well-known izayaka (small plate) restaurant, with a creative menu and divey, laid back feel--perfect for drinks and plate sharing. I even found a Polaroid of Leo staring at me in the bathroom. Another izakaya restaurant we visited was Zipangu, on the top floor of a hotel with views of the city and a textbook-sized menu. We were a little put off by the wide variety (I may or may not remember seeing pizza on the menu), but the food was surprisingly good. Our fellow diners were nearly all locals and it was a great way to try the remainder of Japanese foods on our bucket list. For a super casual option, visit the restaurants under the train tracks in Yurakuchu. You'll find locals from all walks of life sitting on crates, drinking and eating well into the night. It's a great way to enjoy cheap and authentic Japanese street food in a relaxed and lively atmosphere. For quick and delicious beef and chicken bowls, stop by the chain restaurant Yoshinoya. And wherever you try it, don't miss out on Japanese chicken--it's some of the most flavorful chicken I have ever had. Finally, if you're like me and enjoy an American style breakfast or brunch after you’ve been away for a while, Beacon is a nice upscale option, and Good Honest Grub has a more homey feel. Make sure you order an egg dish--the eggs in Japan are super fresh with orange yolks, the color they are actually supposed to be.
Where to Play: New York Bar at the top of the Park Hyatt has gorgeous views of the city and live jazz to start your night. For a slightly less tame environment, we had a lot of fun at Trump Room, which you may know as the "fetish bar" from Girls with all of the mirrors and chandeliers. Unlike it's depiction on the show, however, it's actually a dark, lively, fairly normal lounge with some interesting people watching. Though you can certainly find a S&M club in Tokyo if you're looking for that sort of thing. The Robot Restaurant show was completely ridiculous and quintessentially Japanese--a must-see. We also went to Womb, a long standing megaclub in Shibuya, which was fun with good music. For the bar scene, head to Golden Gai--hundreds of tiny bars along old, narrow alleyways in Shinjuku. Make sure to end the night with a few friends at a Karaoke bar.
Where to Shop: Across from the Shibuya Station intersection, you'll see a couple of cosmetic shops with 30% off SK-II, plus tax-free with a foreign passport... Heart-Eyed Emoji. The department stores carry Shiseido and Clé de Peau, and the drugstores have their own Shiseido lines as well. I think the real treasures in Tokyo can be found at the drugstores: Family Mart, Lawson, etc. You'll find cloth face masks of all sorts, perfect powder-dry sunscreen (Anessa), cooling eye drops, the best eyelash curlers and falsies, matcha powder and warming scented eye masks. See my post on Tokyo Beauty Favorites for my best skincare finds. Clothing-wise, there's a ton of high end shopping in Ginza, great vintage shops in Harajuku, and cute clothing boutiques in Nakameguro. I loved Moussy, which reminded me a bit of Japanese Zara.
