“My favourite place for ramen is Kagari. It’s a tiny restaurant tucked down a narrow Ginza back alley, and has the best creamy tori paitan (chicken broth) ramen.”

“Besides parks and gardens, I like to go to an onsen (hot spring) or sento (public bath) for some quiet time in Tokyo. I love the whole ritual of sitting down to shower, soaking in the different baths, and then having some cold water or milk afterwards. And if you go alone, it’s just you with your thoughts — no digital distractions — for an hour or so. I think it’s one of the most therapeutic things you can do.

Tokyo isn’t exactly known for its hot springs, but there are still a few good options. I like Yuen Bettei Daita (pictured) — it’s a luxury ryokan (traditional Japanese inn) and day spa with a sense of tranquillity to it that takes you out of Tokyo once you step in. It also offers tea and mochi or alcohol and snacks in its onsen packages.

In the cooler months, I also like hiking to Lake Okutama in western Tokyo. The hike isn’t too difficult and the wasabi gelato they sell near the lake is an unexpectedly good treat at the end!”

“Rather than local designer boutiques, I prefer to shop at vintage and thrift stores in Tokyo. Shimokitazawa, Koenji, and Harajuku are probably the three places with the highest concentration of these shops. I love browsing vintage shops because they always have beautiful items – but most of the time the tradeoff for their careful curation are the steeper prices.

For me, half the fun in shopping for second-hand fashion is the thrill of the hunt and the rush of scoring a deal, so I also like going to chain recycling shops like Book Off, Treasure Factory, and 2nd Street. These shops have a larger and less curated selection of items. It’s more exciting when you find something you like and the prices are great.”

“I think Tokyo is pretty underrated when it comes to experiencing traditional Japanese culture. It’s not Kyoto, but it has plenty of quiet spaces you can slip away to for, say, a tea ceremony, an incense ceremony, or a meditation session in a temple. There are also places like modern tea house Takizme (pictured) or Vowz Bar (a bar run by monks) that have put their own spin on some traditional activities – so you get to try some experiences that are truly unique to Tokyo.”

“The Nijubashi Bridge (Eyeglasses Bridge) at the Tokyo Imperial Palace is quite a striking photo spot. Another photogenic place is Jimbocho, a second-hand bookstore mecca that is just overflowing with an old-world, Showa-era charm.”

“I like the Sumida Hokusai Museum and the National Museum of Modern Art (pictured). The Biscuit Gallery in Shibuya is also a good place to check out works by emerging contemporary artists.”

“My favourite places for coffee are Iron Coffee (pictured) in Gotokuji, Bear Pond Espresso in Shimokitazawa, and Fuglen in Shibuya. For cafes that are less hole-in-the-wall and more of where you can sit down for some actual food, I don’t have a particular favourite but I like the ones on the banks of the Meguro River at Nakameguro, because the area is pretty cool and the cafes’ alfresco seats are perfect for people watching.”

“Both Shimokitazawa (pictured) and Koenji are well known for their youth subculture and underground music scenes. And also Nakano Broadway for otaku subculture.”

Text: Cherry Tan/Female

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