A few years back, I was reading the book, Shoe Dog, which talks about how the brand Nike was built. Before Nike became a household brand, it was actually known as Onitsuka Tiger, which is now a very famous Japanese sneaker brand. The founder like many of us had this dream to travel from a far-flung continent to Tokyo. I too in my heart thought that I want to go to Tokyo. In another instance, I entered an unknown store in Hong Kong and was mesmerized by the stationary offered. Every product from a pencil to a travel pouch to a hanger, everything had two elements: very high aesthetic and attention to detail. The brand was MUJI, again a very popular Japanese global brand. In my heart, this became another reason to visit Japan. In the same year, during winter, I happened to buy the most comfortable thermal wear by a brand called Uniqlo, again a very popular fast fashion Japanese brand.
My desire to visit Japan was not limited to retail therapy but also food. In the past few years, we have seen gastronomic explosions in all metros. Global cuisine has become very accessible and that gave a hassle-free way to dishes such as Miso Soup, Veg Kakiage, Sushis, Maki rolls, and Japanese Coffee. My taste buds succumbed to the edible Japanese seaweed(Sushis) or the aromatic Katsu sauce. Another reason to visit Japan(although finding vegetarian options isn't easy and this I realized upon reaching Tokyo)
During my master's in HK, I was also exposed to the Japanese culture. The Japanese crew in my class inherently carried a craft of adeptness, accuracy, hard work, care, and commitment. I was inspired to work with them on a few of the projects. This time my reason to visit Japan was to learn any of the above.
With these inspirations in my heart, finally, I embarked on my journey to Tokyo in 2019. I flew on All Nippon Airways from Delhi to Narita International Airport. The flight was comfortable and the Japanese aircrew was very cordial. An important travel tip for all vegetarians is to pre-order veg food while booking the air ticket. You can't make changes to the meal preference after the flight ticket is booked. As the cabin crew switched to mood lightning, I entered my slumberland only to imagine myself to be in Tokyo.
After a few hours, I reached the Tokyo airport, and my first level of excitement took me straight to the toilet not because my bladder was full but because I wanted to check out the high-tech Japanese toilet seat. I bet my life that a novice will take more time to understand the high-tech gadget(image below) than to empty his/her bowel. The temperature-controlled seat was indeed very comfortable.
Depending on which flight you take, you can either land at Narita International Airport or Haneda Airport. Tokyo City is about 66 km from Narita and just about 18 km from Haneda. The catch is there aren't too many air carriers from New Delhi, India that land directly at Haneda. Now, taxis are expensive in Japan but public transportation in Japan is very convenient. When you think of Tokyo downtown, the first name that should come to your mind should be Shinjuku. It's like one of those squares that every European city has. So let's now see how do we reach Tokyo downtown(Shinjuku) from Narita Airport. The easiest way is to take the Skyliner - it's not the bullet train! Please buy the tickets from the Skyliner counter and they will explain everything in detail. Please refer to the below infographic:
I found Tokyo a mirror image of what we all have seen in those magazines, movies, or in our own imagination. A lot of hustle and bustle yet no chaos, food explosion everywhere yet those petite frames, people always on the move yet so calm, there was so much to learn. With so much positivity around, I finally reached my hotel. I checked in at Hotel Villa Fontaine Shiodome, which is a pretty neat property and the location was very central. The hotel is in close proximity to Ginza Street, Roopongi, Shinjuku, and Shibuya.
Now for all my vegetarian readers, let me tell you if you getting vegetarian food needs some bit of planning. You should not expect that while mucking around in Tokyo you can just stop by a coffee shop or a departmental store to get a vegetarian sandwich or anything vegetarian. It's tough! Let me share some vegetarian restaurants:
1) Bon, 1-2-11 Ryusen Taito-ku, $$
2) Nagi Shokudo, Uguisudanchio, 15-10, Royal Palace Shibuya, $$
3) Curry House Coco Ichibanya, Shinjuku Station West Exit ,$
4) Sorano, 4 Sakuragaokacho 17, $$
5) Tsunahachi(Tempura), 13th Floor, Takashimaya
Few of the best coffee shops
1) Little Nap Coffee
2) Streamer Coffee Company
3) Fuglen, Shibuya
4) Cafe Kitsune
For my daily grind, I chose Tully's coffee. It was full of aroma and not too acidic. I liked it so much that I bought a few packs for home as well.
While in Tokyo, I did the following things:
1) Went to a speakeasy bar - imagine in a foreign country with Japanese signboards, one needs to discover a speakeasy bar mentioned on the web. It was like a treasure hunt. But in the end, we won. We went to an extremely cozy speakeasy bar called Roku Nana. It is located at Verde Roppongi 3F, 7-16-11, Roppongi, Minato-ku, Japan.
2) Shopping.- Almost all stores under the sun were craft fully lined up on Ginza street but the price points were too high for my pocket. Instead, I decided to go to the Gotemba Premium Outlets(yes this was mentioned in the movie, The House of Gucci), which is 90 minutes away from Tokyo Station by direct bus. There are about 1 to 5 buses going from Tokyo Station to premium outlets. Premium outlets follow a pretty standard US theme. This was no different but the prices for a few brands such as Gucci, Mont Blanc, Bally, Petit Bateau( a fine brand for newborns and children), and others were very appealing. I ended up buying an unplanned Gucci bag for my wife(The House of Gucci worked). You also have a few of the watchmakers lined up but the pricing was not the best. Oh yes and if it's a bright sunny day then you can see Mt Fuji from outlets too.
3) Lake Hakone & Owakudani - Early November and temperature slid down by a few degrees from Tokyo to Hakone. It was cold but the lake view was majestic! Surrounded by stunning mountains, hot springs, and lush greenery, Lake Hakone is a beautiful and serene natural lake located in the Hakone region of Japan. I highly recommend taking the Hakone ropeway as it provides access to the Owakudani volcanic valley, a geothermal wonderland with bubbling hot springs, active sulfur vents, and stunning views of Mount Fuji on a clear day. Enjoy the video below:
4) Japanese whisky is a trending topic in the world of spirits, and for good reason. Many Japanese whisky brands have limited availability, making them highly sought after by collectors and enthusiasts. Some of the most popular brands have long waiting lists, and bottles can sell for high prices at auctions. One such popular whisky which has not yet made it to the auction list but still can be categorized as a prized possession is Hibiki. Below are the images of a liquor shop that has meticulously arranged Hibiki bottles:
Hope you enjoyed reading it!
Follow @youshouldtraveltoo on instagram
Komentarze