A CITY TO REDISCOVER
Imadojinja
© Takahashi Hiroko
Tokyo breathes with the tradition of four hundred years since the Edo period. It’s a city that never stops and embraces the future. Tradition and innovation meet and evolve to create new value here in Tokyo. Old meets New It’s the energy and excitement of Tokyo. Experience the surprises that start here.
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A City to Redi scover Explore Tokyo from the perspective of Canadians and other North American visitors. Go beyond the major tourist sites to discover hidden treats, fresh attractions and the myriad ways this global metropolis will surprise and delight with its intricate interweaving of old and new.
04 Find Your Own Tokyo by Michael Kanert 06 From the Air to There by Air Canada Flight Crew 08 International Man of Matsuri Interview by Michael Kanert 10 Tokyo Villages by Steve Gillick 12 Hidden Edo by Yumi Nishio 16 WHERE THE STYLE THINGS ARE by Alexia Panakos 18 The Izakaya Way of Life by Steve Gillick 20 Rise of a Sake Samurai by Michael Tremblay 22 Tokyo’s Corner of Refinement by Michael Kanert 24 Reflections on Tokyo by Michael Kanert 26 Shapes of Tokyo by Johnny of Spoon & Tamago 30 Tokyo in the Now by Michael Kanert Editors: Michael Kanert, Yumi Nishio | Proofreading: Nina Hoeschele Writers: Alexia Panakos, Johnny Waldman, Michael Kanert, Michael Tremblay, Steve Gillick, Yumi Nishio Designers: Midori Yamamoto, Fumino Enokido | Production coordinator: Shingo Natori Publisher: Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau
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“
Find Your Own
Tokyo”
by Michael Kanert
From the historical to the futuristic, Tokyo is a city of enticing surprises. Join us and discover your Tokyo.
©PIXTA
©momo / PIXTA
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Tokyo people don’t jump out at you. You have to take a moment to stand still to create those little moments of interaction: Sit for a tea ceremony. Take a taiko drumming lesson. Sign up for a cooking class.
In the late afternoon, staff at the VR arcade walk me through the controls so I can shoot a kamehameha. In the evening I chat with travellers and residents from a dozen countries in a British pub in the heart of Shinjuku. Later, I’m greeted with an upbeat “Irasshaimase” as I wander into a convenience store for a snack—and maybe another beer.
Go beyond the obvious. Duck around the bustling Kaminarimon Gate at Sensoji Temple, then slip past Nakamise Shopping Street and its souvenir-seeking tourists, and you come upon Denboindori Street, an almost quiescent avenue seemingly frozen in time. Two more turns down the interconnected streets, and the giant floats of a festival emerge to fill the narrow roadways, completely unobserved by the crowds back at Tokyo’s oldest temple.
Behind a noren half-curtain, the yakitori shop in Omoide Yokocho is alive with voices as Tokyo lets down its hair. I amble inside, indicating on my fingers how many people are in my party, and sit at the bar beside a pair of businessmen on their third or fourth pint. Pointing to the first item on the menu placards on the wall—whatever it might be—I let myself sit still long enough for Tokyo to find me all over again.
An organizer emerges to explain the event’s history. Five minutes later, she insists that I take selfies with the participants, and I soon find myself having to rush back for my shamisen lesson at the Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center. My instructor is kind enough to act impressed that I can plonk out the notes to “Sakura” after 15 minutes of instruction. Then I drop back down to street level to catch the ultrahigh-tech Hotaluna ferry and ply the Sumida River south to Tokyo Bay.
Michael Kanert Michael Kanert is a writer, editor and designer living in Toronto. Since his wife became pregnant, he's been posting comics about their shared journey at thekanert.com/ writing.
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F ind you r ow n Tokyo
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I take one of the city’s spotless subway lines to Tsukishima, seeking out a taste of monjayaki, a Tokyo specialty akin to a runny okonomiyaki pancake. At one of the 100-plus restaurants in the area, the staff demonstrates the correct way to mix, pour and cook the ingredients on a hotplate built into my table, forming a sort of cabbage atoll before filling it with batter and then mixing it all up to be eaten with tiny metal spatulas called hera. It’s intimate, personal. I’m so relaxed I nearly burn my hand as my hera idles too long on the pan.
he people of Tokyo don’t get enough credit in the travel guides. Whether it’s pointing you to the right train line in the baffling halls of Shinjuku Station or dutifully taking your dropped wallet to the nearest police box, they’ve got a quiet decency that can often be overshadowed by the extroverted exuberance of Osaka to the south.
From t he A ir to T he re To kyo T i ps f r om A ir lin e Staf f Airline staff travel the world every day for work—which means they know the best spots to visit no matter the destination. From bespoke dining to unforgettable cultural experiences, here are the beloved sites frequented by Air Canada staff when they visit Japan’s most vibrant metropolis. Jean-Pascal Duchesne In-Flight Service Director
Asakusa Umaimon Azuma 1-32-1 Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo One of my favourite restaurants in Asakusa, Azuma has been offering authentic Japanese cuisine since 1952. I’ll see both foreigners and locals enjoying a meal here. I love sitting in this space, where I can feel and taste the history of Japan right next to Sensoji Temple, the oldest Buddhist temple in Tokyo.
01 Jamie Sun Flight Attendant
OOedo-Onsen Monogatari 2-6-3 Aomi, Koto-ku, Tokyo I had a wonderful time with my family in Tokyo. We tried an onsen, which is a Japanese hot spring bathhouse. Ooedo-Onsen Monogatari offered us a hot spring theme park experience like nowhere else in the world. After checking in, we went to our respective change rooms and put on yukata, which are like cotton kimono. We then met up again on the other side, where we found ourselves in an area offering food and beverage services, similar to a small food court, with local beer on tap. Our children were entertained by a variety of games, and the area also provided an opportunity to take photos. After spending about half an hour there, we proceeded to another change room to disrobe and wash up before entering the hot spring. Sauna facilities were also available. It was an interesting experience for children and parents alike. And yes, the water was very hot and therapeutic! The atmosphere provided a sense of calm and relaxation. It’s not to be missed!
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From the Air to There
Lauren Borden In-Flight Manager
Terra B1F Marusho Kobayashi Building, 5-1-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo The food here is amazing, and the sommelierselected wines are unbelievable! This restaurant’s famous chef was head of a two-Michelin-star restaurant in Australia before returning to Japan, and he definitely knows how to captivate his customers. I really enjoy the exquisite and refined Japanese-fusion dishes at Terra.
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Savannah Mathieu Customer Service Agent
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Kyu-Furukawa Gardens 1-27-39 Nishigahara, Kita-ku, Tokyo One of my favourite places in Tokyo is the Kyu-Furukawa Gardens. While not a common tourist spot, they are very much worth a visit. The main appeal of the gardens is a large Western-style mansion that has inspired locations in popular media such as the guesthouse in the visual novel Umineko. Depending on the season, the gardens surrounding the mansion feature different flowers, such as cherry blossoms in the spring and a beautiful rose garden in the summer. Next to the mansion, a stairway leads to more gardens that feature a mix of Western and Japanese designs. I found myself at peace walking through the gardens, and look forward to visiting again during different seasons.
Veronica Cheung Customer Service Agent
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Kiharu B1F 5-1-38 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo I found this amazing Japanese restaurant in the busy Akasaka area. Located on the underground level, the restaurant has just eight seats and a small private room. There is no à la carte menu— it exclusively serves a seasonal full-course meal. Its variety of Japanese sake really adds a nice touch to the dishes!
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©Wil Yeung
“You could just feel the
energy of the festival
”
Int e rnational
Man of Matsuri Interview by Michael Kanert
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he Japan Festival Canada, held annually in Mississauga, is North America’s largest celebration of Japanese culture. We spoke to Khaled Iwamura, who has been the event’s MC since its first year, to learn more about the spirit of Japanese festivals and find out what makes Japan Festival Canada such a special occasion.
says. “It got read about 130,000 times.” While those are impressive numbers in a city of 800,000, Iwamura recalls the moment of tension when, at 11 a.m. that first Sunday in July, he and Wakasa stood onstage at Celebration Square wondering how many people would actually show up. Based on readership numbers, Iwamura predicted 15,000 to 25,000 attendees. He was only half off: in the end, some 40,000 people arrived, making Japan Festival Canada the biggest one-day culture event in Mississauga history. A year later, the second event drew 70,000 people over two days. Even in the rain, the third event attracted 80,000 attendees, who were regaled with modern and traditional music, dance, food, sake, martial arts and more.
“I'm half Japanese, half Egyptian, born in Montreal and now a proud resident of Mississauga. And I was super-excited, because I was like, ‘A Japanese festival is coming to my city.’ So of course I wanted to be involved.” The year was 2016, and Khaled Iwamura was speaking to Terry Wakasa, organizer of Japan Festival Canada. This would be the festival’s inaugural year, and Iwamura had signed on to be its master of ceremonies.
Iwamura’s path to master of matsuri—the Japanese word for festival—might be traced back to the Toronto International Caravan, a culture festival that was held annually from 1969 to 2004, where he fell in love with Japanese taiko drums. “They moved me because you could feel the percussion—you could feel it in your soul,” he says, clenching his fingers for emphasis. He signed up for lessons with the late taiko performer Chris Kano, then, six months later, joined Kano’s performance troupe, called Yakudo. The next 15 years saw Iwamura performing at clubs and cultural events from Toronto to Hong Kong.
A ubiquitous Mississauga media presence, Iwamura is the founder of insauga, the largest media company in the city. Combined with offshoot companies inbrampton and inhalton, his QuickBite News network boasts some 3.5 million monthly pageviews, with 1.2 million unique users centred on the western flank of the Greater Toronto Area. “When we put out an article about a Japanese festival coming to Mississauga, it blew up,” Iwamura
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©Wil Yeung
But it wasn’t until 2016 that Iwamura made his first pilgrimage to Tokyo. “We stayed in Shinjuku, and I could walk for hours and just be in awe,” he recalls. In the two years since, he’s already returned five times. “It grows every single time, because you realize that you haven't even scratched the surface of Japan.”
How does it compare to Japan Festival Canada? “I mean, the thing is—you’re in Tokyo. You're in the biggest city in the world, at one of the biggest festivals in that city, right? So I don't think it’s fair to compare.”
Iwamura timed his most However, he also believes recent trip to coincide You're in the biggest city that’s a matter of purpose: with the Sanja Matsuri, “Sanja Matsuri, it’s for one of the Three Great in the world, at one of the biggest tradition, it’s for the Festivals of Tokyo. “I didn't expect the area, it’s for history; festivals in that city. sheer madness,” he says. where the Japan Festival “Whenever a shrine in Mississauga is about comes by, literally everybody—let's just say, like, 20,000 showing off the Japanese culture for the people that people—flock to it.” don’t know anything about Japanese culture other than sushi and California rolls.” The centrepiece of the festival is a trio of portable shrines, or mikoshi, that are carried through the streets In multicultural Mississauga, Iwamura takes pride in of Asakusa, drawing some 2 million people to the area seeing so many people of different backgrounds come each year. “It's like the whole town, the whole area, together to find excitement in Japan. “We will look out the whole neighbourhood gets involved: everything’s in the crowd, and maybe there's like 2,000 Japanese closed outside of maybe the restaurants and stuff like people, but there's 18,000 other cultures,” he says. “And that. You could just feel the energy of the festival.” that’s what a cultural festival should be.”
© Y.Shimizu/© JNTO
Khaled Iwamura Khaled Iwamura is the founder of QuickBite News, a media company comprised of insauga.com, inbrampton.com and inhalton.com. He is also a TEDx Speaker, Tokyo Tourism Spokesperson, TV host/producer, MC and part-time pro wrestler.
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International Man of Matsuri
Ironically, he found himself performing taiko in Cairo before he even had a chance to visit Tokyo. The experience laid the foundation for Iwamura’s ease in the spotlight. “There's no way I would have been able to get up there with a mic and talk to the crowd if I didn't drum in front of thousands of people,” he says.
©JNTO
©PIXTA
Yanaka
Ameyoko
Tokyo V i l l ages
Shibuya
by Steve Gillick In his television series The Life-Sized City, Mikael Coleville-Andersen spoke about the best way to understand a huge city such as Tokyo. While 13.8 million people live in Tokyo (38 million reside in the Greater Tokyo Area), the city becomes more digestible when seen as “a cluster of tiny villages,” with each village or neighbourhood having its own personality comprised of local culture, unique attractions, festivals, history, entertainment, restaurants and shopping. Using the Tokyo Metro and Toei Subway Lines, visitors can pretty well disembark at any station and explore the area.
Here are a few of my favourite “villages” to explore in the city.
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the lettuce in half to frame our tempura and then we boxed it up to take home for display. I’ll admit it looked good enough to eat! Kabuki experience in Ginza: One of the major attractions in the Ginza area is the Kabukiza, the theatre where Kabuki plays are featured. Kabuki is written using the characters for “sing,” “dance” and “skill,” and dates back to the early 1600s. While some plays may be several hours in length, we purchased one-hour tickets, rented the simultaneous translation earphones and enjoyed a short segment of the Kabuki theatre performance. But after a few such visits we were eager for a more interactive experience, so we signed up for the Kabuki makeup workshop at Kabukitaro near the Mitsukoshimae Metro station.
Once a year in springtime, Ningyocho is home to one of the best outdoor community sake festivals in the city. After lining up outside the liquor store to buy our sake tasting tickets, we were handed our tasting tools: a small white porcelain cup (so we could check the clarity of the sake) and a map of the neighbourhood on which the participating bars and izakaya pubs had been marked. Then we joined hundreds of fellow aficionados sampling sake, chatting with brewers, exploring the neighbourhood and meeting lots of new friends along the way!
The instructor began with an explanation of how to identify the different characters in a play based on the makeup used to enhance their facial expressions. We learned to speak like Kabuki actors as we copied the instructor’s vocal intonations from a low, gruff rumbling to a high-pitched falsetto.
Culinary Kappabashi: Kappabashi is known as the kitchen and restaurant supply neighborhood of Tokyo. You can purchase everything from chopsticks to frying pans to Japanese curry powder. But Kappabashi is also the “village” where you can purchase plastic food of the kind that many restaurants in Japan use to display their menu items.
After practicing a few basic Kabuki dance movements, two members of our group volunteered to be made up with kumadori Kabuki makeup. First their complexions were whitened, and then black and red lines were applied to emphasize their eyelines, cheekbones, noses and mouths. Both those who observed and those who participated were totally absorbed in the process. The workshop was a unique opportunity to get hands-on with one of Tokyo’s iconic cultural experiences.
For the adventurous traveller who likes to get involved, classes are available to make your own plastic food—which is what we did! We watched our teachers demonstrate the technique, and then it was our turn to ladle green wax into a heated vat, then scoop it up and roll it together so that it looked like lettuce. The technique was repeated with different colours to make shrimp and vegetable tempura dishes. At the end of the class we learned how to “plate” our creations: we cut
Kabukiza
©momo / PIXTA
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Tokyo Villages
Sake in Ningyocho: Ningyocho literally means “Doll Town.” In the Edo period, this area was home to doll makers and puppeteers, and today the bell towers still present little puppet shows when the bells chime the hours.
H i d de n E d o by Yumi Nishio
©Shingo Natori
Though Tokyo is a city of cutting-edge technology, it is also overflowing with historical sights you can see up close—if you know where to look for them.
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okyo has a long history. It’s the place where the Tokugawa Shogunate, the last feudal Japanese government, settled down during the Edo period (1603 to 1868). During this period, Japan enjoyed a long peace with less warfare among its samurai lords, and as a result of the governmental lockdown of the country, a unique Japanese culture flourished with very little influence from the outside world.
visit them and see the spectacular architecture that demonstrated the power of the shogunate at that time. But these grand buildings do not show you a complete picture of day-to-day life for commoners in the Edo period. Where did Edo commoners go to worship? The working classes’ places of worship were right in their neighbourhoods. These shrines are called ujigami, or chinjugami, meaning a guardian god or a patron spirit that protects a given area. Some of these places of worship can be traced back beyond the Edo period, and these holy places are still there to protect locals even in the busiest areas of the metropolis that is Tokyo.
As the centre of the shogun’s rule, Edo (as Tokyo was then called) boasts numerous big temples and beautiful shrines that were built to protect the government and its people. Most of these sights are listed in Tokyo guidebooks should tourists want to
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©Shingo Natori HIDDEN EDO
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Shibuya: Toyosaka Inari Shrine The Shibuya area boasts more than a few large shrines, such as Meiji Jingu and Togo Shrine near Harajuku Station, and Toyosaka Inari Shrine located right next to the popular shrine Konno Hachiman-gu. Konno Hachiman-gu was renowned for its lacquered main building, which was donated by Lady Kasuga (Kasuga no Tsubone) as thanks for Iemitsu becoming the third shogun. Next door, the Toyosaka Inari Shrine is closely connected to local worshipers. While the building at this shrine is relatively new, it represents many indigenous gods and spirits whose former shrines were moved here to meet modern-day worshipers’ needs. They are still worshiped and deeply revered by the locals. 3-4-7 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Directions: 5-minute walk from the east exit of Shibuya Station on the JR Line, Tokyo Metro Ginza, Hanzomon Lines, Tokyu-Toyoko Line or Keio Inokashira Line
ShInjuku: Inari Kiou Shrine
©Shingo Natori
The only shrine in Japan that has the King of Ogres in its name, Inari Kiou Shrine is located at the north end of Kabukicho Street, one of the busiest streets in Japan. Not only is it a place of worship, but locals believe the shrine helps to heal any kind of illness, especially skin problems. Patients dedicate tofu to the shrine, then stop eating tofu until their problem resolves. To make wishes come true, try touching the Kaeru Rock on the premises. Kaeru in Japanese means “frog,” and it’s also a synonym for the word “return,” “change” or “come back.” It’s said this rock helps loved ones as well as money you spent to find their way back to you, and that it can change bad fortune to good fortune.
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2-17-5 Kabuki-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo Directions: 3-minute walk from Higashi-Shinjuku Station on Toei Subway Oedo Line or Fukutoshin Line; 15-minute walk from JR Shinjuku Station north exit
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Ginza: Mimeguri Shrine Ginza Shusse Jizo-son Thirty-one metres (102 feet) above ground level, there sits a jizo guardian deity. On the ninth floor of the Ginza Mitsukoshi department store, there is a resting space called Ginza Terrace built for the relaxation and comfort of visitors where this guardian also rests. The statue, known as Ginza Shusse Jizo-son, was initially enshrined here from 1870 to 1902. It was then moved to a roadside location in Ginza 4-chome until partway through the postwar period, and later relocated to the Ginza Mitsukoshi rooftop following a complete renovation of the store. (This explains its name, Shusse, which means “moved up” in Japanese.) Mimeguri Shrine houses the guardian deity of the Mitsui Family, the founders of the department store. It is believed to be an auspicious shrine whose deity grants any wish that visitors bring to it. 4-6-16, Ginza Mitsukoshi 9F, Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo Directions: Direct access from Ginza Station on the Tokyo Metro Ginza, Marunouchi or Hibiya Lines; 2-minute walk from Higashi-Ginza Station on the Toei Asakusa Line or the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line; 5-minute walk from exit nine of Ginza-Itchome Station on the Tokyo Metro Yurakucho Line
©Chuo City Tourism Association
©Shingo Natori
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HIDDEN EDO
©Chuo City Tourism Association
04 Ginza: Asahi Inari Shrine This shrine is one of the most modern takes on shrines in Japan. Due to the earthquakes in the late Edo period, this shrine sunk into the ground and collapsed. Later on, in 1917, the shrine’s spirits were rediscovered and enshrined again. This shrine went through the firebombing of Tokyo during World War Two and three reconstructions, and is now settled on a rooftop overlooking Ginza. The first and second floors of the building are “connected” to the rooftop via a pipe that is filled with soil, as well as with a speaker system, so that prayers from the first floor will reach the main shrine on the top. The rooftop shrine can be visited Monday through Saturday. 3-8-12 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo Directions: 3-minute walk from Ginza Station on the Tokyo Metro Ginza, Marunouchi or Hibiya Line; 3-minute walk from Higashi-Ginza Station on the Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line or the Toei Subway Asakusa Line
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©Chuo City Tourism Association
Ginza: Toyoiwa Inari Shrine Sitting quietly between the buildings in upscale Ginza, Toyoiwa Inari Shrine is believed to be home of a god of marriage and prosperous business. If you don’t know where to look, you are likely to miss the entrance path to the shrine. As you head through a dim alleyway, votive lights will welcome you. People say the history of the shrine goes back about 400 years, but it came to prominence when a famous kabuki actor worshiped passionately there during the Tokugawa Shogunate era. 7-8-14 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo Directions: 10-minute walk from A2 exit of Ginza Station (Ginza Yonchome intersection exit) on the Tokyo Metro Ginza, Marunouchi or Hibiya Lines
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WHE RE T HE ST Y LE T H I NGS AR E b y A le x ia Pan akos
Tokyo's avenue of the avant -garde
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mong the many exciting things that Japan has to offer, from advanced technology to amazing cuisine, you may have heard of something called "Harajuku fashion."
influence some Japanese styles. Meanwhile, the funkier and more colourful fashions are actually more sought out by foreigners these days, and some brands are clearly reaching out to that market.
Japanese street fashion is known to be among the most colourful, expressive and unique styles in the world. Sandwiched between Shinjuku and Shibuya, Harajuku is Japan’s youth fashion hub, and with many different sub-styles on display here, you'll find a number of looks, from colourful and crazy to sweet and frilly.
As founder of Ghost Girl Goods, I use my passions for music, dance and Japanese culture as inspirations for my brand and my garments. And during my recent travels through Japan—this was now my fourth trip!—I was able to get the inside scoop on various Harajuku spots and events as I ventured through its stylish Takeshita Street and similarly fashion-soaked backstreets.
I do find, however, that young people are now tending to gear toward neutral and lighter colours, wearing styles that may look more mature, soft and sweet, or even Korean style as the rising popularity of K-pop music and Korean fashion continues to
My adventure first took me to the Laforet Museum, a sixth-floor gallery space on top of the Laforet Harajuku shopping mall. While I was there, the museum presented a number of special galleries marking the 40th anniversary of Laforet Harajuku,
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favourite brands due to its "sensational kawaii" concept. The shop staff all love the colours of Harajuku fashion, and are lucky enough to be able to wear their personal styles to work! It’s always a delight to visit!
The former featured an archive of dress designs from the popular Angelic Pretty Lolita fashion brand. (For those unaware, Lolita fashion is inspired by the rococo era, and uses lace, ribbons and printed fabrics to create beautiful dresses with different themes like “gothic,” “sweet” and “classic.”) Founded in 1979, Angelic Pretty is one of the largest Lolita brands, and you can still see some people around Japan wearing Lolita fashion from time to time.
Moving a few stations farther north, I also had a chance to visit Bunka Fashion College in Shinjuku. Begun as a dressmaking school in 1919, this renowned college has produced celebrated avantgarde designers from Yohji Yamamoto to Junya Watanabe. I got to attend the school festival and watch as the graduating students showcased their collections. Their work was absolutely stunning, and I felt like, in comparison to my personal experience in fashion college in Canada, the students’ skills were much more advanced after their studies, and students were offered even more avenues for creative freedom.
“Vivienne Westwood: Get a Life!” showcased the British designer's views on society and how she created collections reflecting her ideals. She’s credited with popularizing the modern punk and new wave looks of the ‘70s and ‘80s while promoting awareness of subjects like deforestation and climate change.
I feel that fashion can do so much for people. It can help someone feel stronger and more confident, build connections with people around the world, and help people express their views. My personal vision on fashion is that, as it evolves, we should never be afraid to wear what we want, no matter what’s trending. We should aspire to be strange and stand out from the crowd because that is what asserts our individuality. As the motto of my brand says: Be strange. Fear the norm.
Next on my agenda was the 71st Harajuku Fashion Walk. On the last Sunday of every month, both Japanese and foreign fashion lovers gather in front of Takeshita Street dressed up in their most stylish outfits and set off on a mini-walk around Harajuku and the adjacent high street of Omotesando. Located in a backstreet between Takeshita Street and Omotesando, 6%Dokidoki is one of my
Alexia Panakos Alexia Panakos is a Toronto-based fashion designer, performer and founder of GHOST GiRL GOODS.
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WHERE THE STYLE THINGS ARE
and I was interested in two in particular: “Angelic Pretty Museum” (Oct. 26–27, 2018) and “Vivienne Westwood: Get a Life!” (Nov. 2–18, 2018).
T h e I z akaya Way of L i f e by Ste ve Gillick Get to know Tokyo by experiencing one of the city's many warm and lively izakayas.
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mouth frantically to cool down the heat as the wasabi root took effect. And then when my two friends and I started to eat this delicious dish, our eyes welled up with tears. The entire izakaya was crying and laughing. The chef started to hand out bananas in order to quell the severe burning sensation in our mouths. So now, the seven or eight people in the izakaya were crying, laughing, eating bananas and developing a bond— a camaraderie—that turned the evening into one of the most pleasant and memorable I’ve experienced in Tokyo. And then there were a few meals at Wasuke, an izakaya in Tokyo’s Kappabashi district. The owner, Noburo Shibata, studied ikebana (flower arranging) many years ago as part of the preparation for presenting food to his clients. Now when you order dishes such as the assorted sashimi, it’s presented as an artistic creation. And then as we got to know Noburo and his wife, Michiko, and even their kids, Ayumi and Hajime, over the years, we learned about his love for Tokyo’s festivals, where huge floats are carried by hundreds of men down the city streets—and Noburo is usually front and centre. And we also learned of the family’s love for the tradition of the izakaya when, after we treated our hosts to a few sakes, they proudly showed us their antique “Uguisu Tokkuri”: a decorated container used for serving sake, and when you pour it, a ceramic bird whistles! It was another friendly, warm evening.
as tiny neighbourhood izakayas that may have six or seven seats at a counter and one or two small tables set up. Those in the know can tell you (and here’s where “counter intelligence” comes in) that when you sit at the counter, you interact with the izakaya. You meet the chef (and usually their family), you see how the food is prepared and you meet other patrons. The net result is that your drinking and dining experience becomes one of personal involvement. At Tsuzuku, near the Ushigome-yanagicho Metro Station, we had a memorable evening of melt-in-your-mouth seafood, mixed with great conversation and laughter with the owners. And then the final dish, Wasabi Meshi, was served. This is a bowl of steamed rice under a layer of freshly grated wasabi root (and, therefore, is extremely hot). We were told to grab a fistful of nori (strips of dried seaweed) from a container and sprinkle this on top of the wasabi root to dull the effects of the heat. When I took a polite fingerful of nori, the owner jokingly lectured me, then grabbed a whole fistful and placed it on my dish.
The izakaya way of life is one of relaxed informality where you enjoy the atmosphere, the food, drinks and conversation. I’ve met locals, briefly, and ended up with Facebook friends for years afterward. So, be brave! Make a reservation through a tour guide or hotel consierge. Visit a neighbourhood izakaya and see what a great time, with great food, is all about!
Now the two businessmen sitting at the small table behind me asked for tissues, as they had started eating their Wasabi Meshi and tears were freely flowing down their cheeks. They were laughing and crying at the same time. Then the woman to my left started waving at her
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The Izakaya Way of Life
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he expression “counter intelligence” has a very specific meaning when it comes to visiting Tokyo’s izakayas. An izakaya is simply an informal place to get together for food and drink. The word relates to the term sakaya, referring to sake—when food was served along with the sake, the izakaya was born! In Tokyo there are commercial chain izakayas as well
R i s e of a Sa k e Sam u r ai b y Michael Tremblay
Michael Tremblay travels from Toronto’s Financial District to be recognized for contributions to sake at a 1,300-year-old shrine in Japan.
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was first introduced to sake in 2007 when I began working at Ki Modern Japanese + Bar, a restaurant in Toronto’s bustling Financial District.
me to Japan more than a dozen times. On my first visit, I spent a week in Tokyo attending the Advanced Sake Professional course held by the Sake Education Council. Despite the jet lag, I was mesmerized by the frenetic energy that pulsated throughout the city and the distinct food culture that was woven into Tokyo’s fabric. I explored eye-opening sake bars, fish markets and hole-in-the-wall izakaya (Japanese-style pubs). I tasted flavours that were new to my palate and many new sake brands that all had their own personality. Tokyo is one of those places, I quickly realized, where you could wander its streets forever and constantly discover new restaurants and bars that will be permanently ingrained into your psyche.
Back then I didn’t know anything about sake— actually called nihonshu in Japan—and I quickly became fascinated with this unique ricebrewed beverage. I started absorbing all of the information I could find on the regions where sake was brewed, the history and culture that birthed it, and the unique stories behind each brand we carried at the restaurant. I put maps of Japan on our sake fridges so I could picture where exactly in the country each bottle was from. Before presenting a guest with their sake of choice, I honed a story that would enthrall, excite and leave them wanting more. I became a storyteller, and I realized how interested people were to learn more about this ancient drink.
Since that first trip to Tokyo, I’ve had many phenomenal experiences all over Japan. I’ve visited or worked at sake breweries in many of Japan’s 47 prefectures. I’ve judged sake for the International Wine Challenge in Kobe and Yamagata. My fond memories of Japan have been important to my growth as a sake expert, in no small part because they provide me with
Little did I know back then that this would be the beginning of a sake journey that would take
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I continue to teach, taste and talk sake with guests at Ki, striving to engage students who are beginning their own sake journeys, and meet new sake enthusiasts at events like Kampai Toronto, the largest sake festival in Canada. Since my initiation into sake more than a decade ago, the Toronto market has come a long way, exploding with knowledge and enthusiasm for this unique drink. There are now countless sake brands available, an increasing number of restaurants and bars that serve sake, and consumer sake knowledge has increased tenfold. It only makes me curious—and excited—to see what the next decade will bring. To cap it off, I was inducted as a Sake Samurai in September 2018 at Matsuo-taisha Shrine, a 1,300-year-old shrine in western Kyoto sacred to sake brewers. The Sake Samurai is a title given yearly to a handful of individuals by the Sake Samurai Association, which acts as a junior council of the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association. The title is awarded to individuals who have contributed to the promotion of sake and its appreciation both in Japan and around the world. There are currently more than 70 Sake Samurai doing great things for sake in their respective markets. It is a tremendous honour to be included in this esteemed group and recognized for something I love doing, especially by sake brewers themselves. It has been a truly amazing sake
journey, and I have never lost my love of being a sake storyteller and introducing whoever will listen to the world of sake. The great thing about sake is that it can be enjoyed in different environments, from Michelinstarred restaurants to small, rambunctious izakaya. It can be savoured in a wine glass or an ochoko, a small ceramic sake cup. My suggestion for those who are new to sake is to hold a sake party: buy a few different grades and styles of sake, and have some friends over to discover and appreciate the subtle flavours and elegance that await in each bottle. Tokyo Sake Guide Tokyo is renowned for its culinary tapestry, with hundreds of Michelin stars spread among its ramen shops, sushi counters and domestic and international cuisine. Woven into this fabric of fine dining and easygoing izakaya is Japan’s iconic drink: sake. Whenever I visit Tokyo, I always make a point of checking out new spots and what they have in store when it comes to sake. Here are my recommendations for places to buy, try and experience sake in Tokyo in a variety of ways. Tokyo bars Gem by Moto 1-30-9 Ebisu, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo | +81 3-6455-6998 Peshi 1F Swan Building, 1-8-7 Nihonbashi Horidome-cho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo | +81 3-3663-1061 Sake Bar Otonari B1F Otonari Building, 5-35 Kagurazaka, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo +81 80-7954-5357
Where to Buy Sake in Tokyo Ajinomachidaya 1-49-12 Kamitakada, Nakano-ku, Tokyo Suzuden 1-10 Yotsuya, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo Hasegawa Sakaten Tokyo Station City GranSta, B1 1-9-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Ozawa Shuzo (Sawanoi) 2-770 Sawai, Ome City, Tokyo | +81 428-78-8215
Rise of a Sake Samurai
authentic stories of Japan that I can share when I open a bottle. Ultimately, before a guest takes their first sip of sake, I want to share the brewer’s history, their unique story and the painstaking efforts that shaped the drink into something so visceral and elegant.
Tok yo ’ s Co r n e r of
Refinement b y Michael Kanert
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gourmet tour including a cooking lesson. Some tours require advance reservations, while others can be joined on the spot.
hile it may be little-known among tourists, Nihonbashi is a melting pot of Japan’s regional cultures. This stately area just northeast of Tokyo Station stands as the zeromile point of the Gokaido, the Five Routes that stretched across Japan in the Edo period (1603-1868), making it the nexus where goods from all across the country converged.
While Ginza, located just to the southwest, is the longstanding byword for high-end shopping in Tokyo, Nihonbashi exudes a classic refinement that you won’t find elsewhere in this bustling metropolis. Traditional lanterns line stone-paved Naka-dori, the district’s central avenue, with designs rotated to match the seasons. Rarefied merchandise can be found among the various shops of Mitsukoshi, Japan’s first department store, and the three stately Coredo Muromachi buildings, home to both modern styles and centuries-old businesses specializing in everything from high-end chopsticks to old-fashioned wagashi sweets.
We first learned how to purify ourselves at Fukutoku-jinja, a historic site known for providing good luck in lotteries, then saw a knifesharpening demonstration at Kiya, a knife-making shop dating back to 1792. We tried our hands at making katsuobushi (bonito flakes) at Ninben, a shop that revolutionized Japanese home cooking by being the first to seal these essential flakes in airtight packages so people would no longer have to shave them by hand to make miso soup every day. We then played with unique chopsticks at Hashicho, including a massive sumo-sized set and an unscrewable portable pair, and gaped at a paired
To get the most out of the district, we signed up for an area tour at the Nihonbashi Information Center in Coredo Muromachi 1. Programs range in price from ¥1,000 (about CAD$11) for a 90-minute “cultural experience” tour to ¥8,000 (CAD$91) for a 3.5-hour
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The Noh performance lasted about 50 minutes, including a subtitled introductory video and live explanation of the impending content. We caught the 7:15 dinner show, but there are also two performances over lunch. Evening performances are typically supplemented with Kyogen, a form of comedy sketch normally presented between Noh pieces, and traditional Japanese dance, called Nihon Buyo.
set of lacquered and gold-leafed chopsticks valued at ¥1 million (over CAD$11,000). Our kimono-clad, English-speaking guide also took us through Tsuruya Yoshinobu Tokyo Mise, a maker of traditional Japanese sweets, or wagashi, dating back to 1803. Just as striking as the shop’s signature yumochi and kyokanze confections was a life-sized window display of cosmos made entirely of sugar and rice flour brought up from the store’s head office in Kyoto. Back at the information centre, we decided to finish off with an origami experience using elegant washi paper. We then carried our satisfyingly folded Japanese helmets and kimono to our next destination: Suigian, a funkily modern bar-lounge with an authentic Noh stage set in its midst, complete with a painted pine backdrop, or kagami-ita, imported from Kyoto and dating back to the Edo period.
While the chant-sung Noh performance was entirely in Japanese, we didn’t need words to feel the power of the performance. Though we had been forbidden from taking photos during the show, as soon as it ended we were encouraged to come close to the stage for selfies with our impressively masked and posing main performer. Then the performers disappeared and ambient techno again filled the room and we returned to our succulent sushi sets, followed by green tea and traditional wagashi sweets, thus capping off a date night of rare refinement in the heart of old Japan.
This unique dining-and-culture experience was just opened in March 2018. Meal sets were listed at ¥3,500 (about CAD$40) apiece, but the real cost value was in the seating, which ranged from ¥3,500 at the wooden bar to ¥10,000 (CAD$114) in the two sunken VIP boxes
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Tokyo’s Corner of Refinement
right below the stage. Drinks were generally a very reasonable ¥1,000 (CAD$11) by the glass.
R e f l e c t i on s on To kyo I nt ervie w by M ich ae l Kan e r t We asked these Tokyo visitors to tell us: what surprised you most about your trip to Japan's capital?
Toby Lau
Robert Wakulat
I left my backpack containing all my money and my passport at the subway station. I noticed straight away, and went back to the station about 10 minutes later. The station manager had my bag and had already listed down all the contents. I managed to get it back with all the money (around CAD$2,000)!
Located west of the main ring line in Tokyo, Shimokitazawa is awesome: funky, great food and a very non-touristy vibe. People even bought us drinks! Also, Tokyo’s mixed expat/ local Ultimate frisbee club, Iku, provides a great way to keep fit and make new friends while travelling or living abroad in the city. It’s even open to drop-ins and beginners!
Fernando Gonzales With 20 hours’ layover in Japan on a flight back to Canada, we decided to spend some time in Tokyo, and part of the itinerary was to go to Mandarake (a popular anime figurine store) as requested by our daughter, who is a big anime fan. After several minutes looking for the store to no avail, we asked a Japanese gentleman we bumped into for assistance. Instead of just giving directions, he accompanied us up to the front of the store, which we realized was actually a few blocks away from where we started. Not only did we get to where we wanted to go, but we also had a nice chat with the kind man on the way. What a wonderful guy indeed!
Anne Marie Kanert I discovered that the ubiquitous tea shops have surprisingly good, inexpensive food, and I didn't need a single word of Japanese to order: there were pictures I could point to! On top of which, the breakfast bar at our hotel had the best ginger tea I had ever tasted!
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Monica Maltman There are so many options in the vending machines that you can get a different drink every time you’re thirsty for the duration of your trip!
A concrete jungle: that’s what I expected of Tokyo. And while it does have those neighbourhoods, the city is surprisingly green. Part of this is due to a generous sprinkling of shrines and temples, which often have groves of trees or gardens on their grounds; but beyond those sacred spots, the city has a fabulous network of parks. From traditional Japanese gardens, to wide-open green lawns dotted with cherry, willow and plum trees, to vast combination parks, there’s a huge number of spots to re-energize and sneak in some “forest bathing” (or shinrin-yoku, as the locals call it) right in the city.
Ghiselle Camacho Tokyo is very clean, with safe trains and helpful staff and locals. For a large, densely populated city, there are also tons of parks and little green spaces tucked away in unexpected corners. As for food, lunch is cheap—we like Marugame Seimen udon, which can feed a family of four without putting much strain on the pocketbook!
Khaled Iwamura
Ewa & Peter Kasinski
It’s my first time in Japan, and my wife and I are drinking at a bar in Asakusa. Then some young Japanese businessmen come in, so we start drinking with them. Soon enough there are about 15 of us drinking— locals and tourists. Now, I’m wearing this T-shirt that has the Japanese poster of Return of the Jedi on it, and one guy says in Japanese: “Where did you get that? I've been looking for that shirt all my life.” And I'm just like, “Really? I found it at Square One in Mississauga.” And he's like, “I'll be right back.” So he goes into town, picks me up a T-shirt, comes back and goes, “Can we do a T-shirt exchange?” And I'm like, “Yes, please!” So in front of about 20 or 30 people, we took off our shirts and exchanged them. He didn’t just ask for it—he went literally half an hour into town and bought me a shirt.
Many things surprised us in Tokyo. Washrooms everywhere were ultra-clean and high-tech. It was surprisingly easy to order in restaurants— with many menus having photos, we didn’t have to worry about not reading Japanese. At times we may have confused a soup with a dessert pudding, but heck: that was part of the adventure! As for advice for a fabulous MENU feast? Takeout from the underground "food court" of Shibuya Hikarie. We loved buying all sorts of delicacies in small quantities, having them wrapped in gorgeous packages, then eating them in our hotel room. The selection was incredible! Maki sushi
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Maki sushi
Maki sushi
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Maki sushi
Maki sushi
Nigiri sushi
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Gunkan sushi
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Nigiri sushi
Nigiri sushi ......
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Maki sushi
Uramaki sushi
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$4
Nigiri sushi
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Reflections on Tokyo
Helen A. Langford-Matsui
S ha pe s of Tok yo b y Johnny Waldman of Spoon & Tamago Tokyo is a unique city where old and new, past and future, are seamlessly intertwined. One of the threads of consistency is monozukuri: a spirit of craftsmanship that is as alive today as it was hundreds of years ago. Johnny Waldman, founder of Japan-focused design site Spoon & Tamago, guides us through some of his favourite designs in the city.
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Food Waste Ware For years, Japanese designer Kosuke Araki has been exploring plant-based materials and the techniques for processing them in an attempt to find alternatives to synthetic plastics. In particular, he has focused his exploration on techniques rooted in Japanese culture. This eventually led to a project documenting the food waste we produce on a daily basis, and making a series of tableware from it. Araki acknowledges that food is a part of life: we eat to survive. But it was the lack of appreciation for our food that led him to create Food Waste Ware in 2013, updating the series with new designs under the name Anima in 2018. The process incorporates urushi (Japanese lacquer) into the tableware, which adds a polished look, but also practical strength. “Historically, urushi craft has a close relationship with food,” the designer explains on his website, as the natural lacquer had antibacterial properties that made it suitable for serving. kosuke-araki.com
©Kosuke Araki
©Kosuke Araki
Skeleton Cutlery What happens when you reduce an object to its bare-bones minimum? That was essentially the idea behind a new line of cutlery created by Japanese design office Nendo. “Skeleton” is a line of cutlery that includes four items: a tablespoon, fork, knife and teaspoon. Each has been reduced to the absolute minimum, “limiting the amount of material used whilst still retaining its functionality,” as Nendo explains. The result is an outline almost reminiscent of a skeleton from an X-ray image but, ironically, with renewed functionality. The resulting form actually allows the cutlery to be hooked onto various things like the rim of a cup, or a small display wall hook. The set, which was created for Belgian brand Valerie Objects, actually comes with a dedicated stand and wall hook display. nendo.jp valerie-objects.com
©Akihiro Yoshida
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Amezaiku: The Art of Japanese Lollipops Amezaiku is the Japanese craft of lollipop-making, which dates back to the 700s when artisans made mouthwatering and artistic lollipops to be presented as gifts. Carrying on the tradition is 29-year-old Shinri Tezuka, the owner of a small shop in the Asakusa district of Tokyo called Ameshin. The store combines a studio and workshop where Tezuka not only fashions his realistic creations, but also holds workshops and demonstrations for the public. Some of Tezuka’s latest creations include too-goodto-lick lollipops of goldfish, frogs and tadpoles. He makes them only from sugary syrup and starch, as well as organic colouring, so they’re completely edible. ame-shin.com
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Shapes of Tokyo
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Apple Kendama It is perhaps one of the most famous anecdotes in the history of science: in 1666, a young Isaac Newton is sitting in his garden when an apple falls on his head. In a stroke of brilliant insight, he comes up with a theory of understanding gravitational force. Applying that anecdote to play is artist Yasuhiro Suzuki, who came up with the idea of replacing the ball of a kendama with an apple. And commodified later with forest conservation organization, More Trees. A kendama is a traditional Japanese toy that dates back to at least the beginning of the 19th century, inspired by a 16th-century European toy called a bilboquet. Inherently relying on gravity, the user pulls the ball upward and tries to land it on one of three cups or a single spike, each varying in difficulty. Ken means sword, and refers to the main body, while dama (or tama) means ball. mabataki.com more-trees-design.jp
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The Omoshiroi Block The Omoshiroi Block (loosely translated as “fun” or “interesting” block) utilizes laser-cutting technology to create what is, at first, a seemingly normal square cube of paper note cards. But as the note cards get used, an object begins to appear. And you’ll have to exhaust the entire deck of cards to fully excavate the hidden object. Produced by Japanese company Triad, whose main line of business is producing architectural models, the Omoshiroi Block features various notable architectural sites in Japan like Kyoto’s Kiyomizudera Temple, Tokyo’s Sensoji Temple and Tokyo Tower. triad-japan.com
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Shapes of Tokyo
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A Bicycle Bicycle Stand Motivated by the chaotic and often ugly way bicycles get parked in Japan, rendering serene environments into heaps of spokes and metal, Japanese industrial designer Yuma Kano created a steel bicycle stand that’s shaped like a bicycle. At 362 millimetres wide and 219 millimetres high (roughly 14 by 8.5 inches), the bicycle-shaped stand can be drilled into the ground, creating an adorable, easy-to-identify parking area. yumakano.com
Flower Pencils
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Japan has a rich appreciation for flowers like sakura (cherry blossoms) and kiku (chrysanthemums), which are practically national symbols. Deeply ingrained in the culture as part of the country’s appreciation of the four seasons, Japan even has a language of flowers, or hanakotoba, that associates different emotions with plants. Hanairo Enpitsu (literally, flower-colouredpencils) is a set of five pencils that are shaped and coloured like five of Japan’s traditional flowers and leaves: bellflower, evergreen, dandelion, plum and cherry. When sharpened, the shavings mimic the flower petals as they gently fall to the ground. trinus.jp
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Tokyo in the Now
by M ich ae l Kan e r t
Discover some of the newest and most mind-blowing attractions the city has to offer.
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okyo is constantly reinventing itself: visit the same neighbourhood 10 years down the road, and you may barely recognize it. This is a city so constantly on the move, it can be hard to keep up!
just north of Shinjuku Station. The 15 showcased VR games let you fire Dragon Ball energy blasts, pilot a giant Gundam or Evangelion unit, or reach up to grab items as your race through Mario Kart Arcade GP VR. But you’ll have to hurry: VR Zone Shinjuku will close on March 31, 2019!
The city’s hottest new attraction will make you feel like a kid again. Opened in June 2018, the Mori Building Digital Art Museum: Epson teamLabBorderless in Odaiba is a 10,000-squaremetre playground of interactive light. Its 520 computers and 470 projectors create a delightful world that you can not only touch, but even climb and bounce through, with floating lamps that change colour as you approach, wall art that turns and waves at the touch, an aquarium filled with wacky fish drawn by visitors, and light shows that can be manipulated with a free smartphone app. Finish up with one of four green tea drinks at the dimly lit En Tea House, where the light show continues to play out across the liquid in your cup.
Opened in March 2018, Tokyo Midtown Hibiya is directly connected to Hibiya, Yurakucho and Ginza stations. The glamorous complex is home to some 30 fashion, beauty and interior design stores, as well as over a dozen cafés and restaurants. And if you’ve got time for a movie, Toho Cinemas can be found on the fourth and fifth floors as well.
If you’ve ever wanted to live in the worlds of anime and video game heroes, head to VR Zone Shinjuku
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Tokyo in the Now
©BANDAI NAMCO Amusement Inc.
©Hoshino Resorts
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1. Mori Building Digital Art Museum: EPSON teamLabBorderless | 2. Hoshinoya Tokyo | 3. VR Zone Shinjuku | 4. Edo Noren 5. Tokyo MidtoWn Hibiya
If you’d like to take a bite out of some history, try Edo Noren, a collection of a dozen eateries established in the old station building just west of Ryogoku Station. Established in late 2016, the shops are arrayed along a mock streetfront done up in the style of the Edo period (1603-1868), an era that took its title from Tokyo’s former name. Since Ryogoku is also home to the Ryogoku Kokugikan, host to three of Japan’s six annual Grand Sumo tournaments, it’s only natural that a sumo ring—or dohyo—rests in the midst of the old-fashioned storefronts, adding ambience as visitors sample sushi, soba, tempura, green tea and, of course, chanko nabe hot pot, the sumo wrestler’s staple meal. For a unique sake experience, head to the back of Tokyo Shoten, where three vending machines offer sake from local Tokyo brewers. At just ¥300 per cup, it’s a great way to create your own sampler set (just be aware that the more expensive bottles pour out a little less).
Tokyo Station. Opened in July 2016, this 17-storey “luxury ryokan”—a traditional Japanese-style inn— offers a surprisingly intimate experience in the heart of the big city. For more cost-conscious travellers, Hoshino unveiled a more budget-friendly brand called OMO Hotels in spring 2018. Promising a personal touch in time with the local rhythm, Hoshino Resorts OMO5 Tokyo Otsuka is located in a retro pocket of north-central Tokyo, right beside the Yamanote loop and adjacent to the last remaining streetcar line in Tokyo. Travellers looking for a longer sojourn might consider Mimaru Tokyo Ueno Inaricho, found a few blocks east of Ueno Station. Just opened in September 2018, this “extended-stay” hotel offers a true livein-Japan experience, complete with in-room minikitchen and direct-to-room takeout for ordering online. Multilingual support is also available.
If you’re looking for accommodations in Japan, Hoshino Resorts is the big name in luxury resort hotels. While typically ensconced amid beaches and mountains outside of major cities, one property, Hoshinoya Tokyo, can be found just northwest of
With so much ongoing renewal and change, any time is a good time to rediscover Tokyo!
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Published by Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau January 2019
