GLOBETROTTER 5 Days in Tokyo

TOKYO IN

DAYS

Explore the many faces of Japan’s capital

WORDS: KRYSIA BONKOWSKI

DAY 1 SHINJUKU & HARAJUKU

Dive headlong into two of Tokyo’s most colourful, must-visit neighbourhoods. Begin in Harajuku’s Omotesando Avenue and Cat Street where edgy boutiques rule and all things kawaii (cute) reign on Takeshita Street. Pick up a decadent crepe for breakfast from the stalls on Takeshita, find a spot to perch and indulge in top-notch people watching. If your visit falls on a Sunday, venture to Yoyogi Park to see Harajuku’s most dedicated cosplayers dressed to the nines. For a more traditional cultural display, discover Tokyo’s greatest Ukiyo-e woodblock print collections at the nearby Ōta Memorial Museum of Art.

Before a fun dinner in Shinjuku, wander through the serene Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden for a glimpse at cherry blossom trees and don’t forget to stop by the greenhouse. Futuristic Shinjuku buzzes with shoppers and salarymen by day and a playground of neon by night – it’s also impossible to go hungry here, on any budget.

From Michelin-starred sushi to vending machine ramen, night owls will feel at home in one of the many smoky izakaya (casual bar) of Memory Lane beside Shinjuku Station or the bars of the Golden Gai. For something extra special, see Shinjuku from above at the Park Hyatt’s New York Bar.

DAY 2 TSUKIJI & GINZA

Set your alarm for breakfast at Tsukiji Fish Market. Although the famed wholesale market relocated in 2018 and is now known as Toyosu Market, the Tsukiji’s outer market is still trading and is home to – according to the locals – Tokyo’s best street food. Going early is a necessity to get first dibs on the freshest seafood: meticulously prepared sashimi, huge oysters and scallops, and prawns seared on open grills.

If fish for breakfast isn’t your thing, wander the stalls for tamago (egg omelette) and hot pastries. Once you’ve had your fill, cross over into neighbouring Ginza which lays claim to some of the most expensive real estate in Japan. Between department stores like Ginza Mitsukoshi and boutiques peddling every imaginable luxury, you can do some serious damage to your credit card in Ginza. On weekend afternoons, the thoroughfare Chuo Dori is closed to cars to become a hokosha tengoku (pedestrian paradise). Once you’re all shopped out, experience the time-honoured art of Japanese Kabuki (dance-drama theatre) at Kabuki-za Theatre. The evening show begins around 4pm. Post-theatre, splash out on an omakase (chef’s menu) in one of Ginza’s legendary sushi bars.

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MAIN IMAGE: Exploring Shinjuku Bar Street; LEFT: Locals enjoying breakfast in Memory Lane, Shinjuku; ABOVE: Two geishas visiting Senso-Ji Temple DAY 3 UENO & ASAKUSA

Beat the crowds and head to Ueno Park for a morning stroll. Once the former grounds of the powerful Kan’ei-ji Temple, Ueno Park is a cultural hotspot and when in season, one of the most popular parks to view cherry blossoms. One of the few remnants of the former temple grounds is the lotus-filled Shinobazu Pond, with the five-storey pagoda Bentendo Temple at its centre. Cultural buffs will be in heaven visiting the many museums that now call the park home: The Tokyo National Museum, National Museum of Western Art, Ueno Royal Museum and National Museum of Nature and Science.

When your tummy starts rumbling, wander to Ameyoko, an open-air market under the Yamanote Line. This former black market specialising in sweets (ame) sprung up after WWII, and today hawks everything from vintage Americana clothing to fresh fruit. Look out for street food takoyaki (octopus balls), or score a stool at a cosy izakaya. When darkness falls, venture east to Asakusa to see the iconic Senso-Ji Temple minus the day crowds. Although the temple’s main buildings and Nakamise Dori shopping street close early, the illuminated complex is a magical sight. If you’re not ready to call it a night, visit Hoppy Street beside Senso-Ji for yakitori skewers and glass of the eponymous low-alcohol beverage ‘hoppy.’

DAY 4 AKIHABARA

Brace yourself for a day in Akihabara, home to Tokyo’s electronics hub and groups of obsessive otaku (manga and anime loving people). As soon as you emerge from the station, you’re confronted by emporiums plastered with supersize cartoon characters, howling arcade halls and costumed performers handing out pamphlets to themed cafes. Even the least tech-savvy individuals will find fascination in the geek culture oozing from every corner of Akihabara (or Akiba to the locals). In the Sega, Hirose Entertainment Yard (HEY) and Super Potato arcades, gamers chase glory at a mindboggling variety of consoles. The jam-packed shelves of Animate and Mandarake sell every imaginable kind of anime and manga, and the merchandise to go with it. If you need a breather, join the queue outside Tonkatsu Marugo to sample cheap tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlet) with Michelin cred. Or try one of the dozens of curry joints that make Akihabara Tokyo’s favourite place for the classic comfort dish, such as Karē wa Nomimono. End the day with a show at Dear Stage, where amateur performers pursue their dream of becoming pop idols.

DAY 5 SHIBUYA & DAIKANYAMA

Start your day in Daikanyama, a genteel enclave frequented by well-heeled Tokyoites. Within the leafy Daikanyama T-site, Ivy Place serves Western-style breakfasts from 7am (a bit of a rarity in the surprisingly late-rising Tokyo). Afterwards, explore Dainkanyama’s stylish boutiques or lose yourself in Tsutaya in Daikanyama T-Site, three interconnected buildings brimming with books, magazines and music. Wander Daikanyama Log Road – a peaceful strip of shops and gardens occupying an old train track. As you head northward out of Daikanyama, low rises give way to the skyscrapers of Shibuya proper. Fuel up with an espresso from About Life Coffee Brewers on Dogenzaka and stroll on to Shibuya Crossing and the thousands of retailers lining the busy streets. When hunger strikes, there are plenty of low-key eateries in the backstreets such as cheery Kaikaya by the Sea in the south or the tiny boltholes on Nonbei Yokocho alley near Shibuya Station. Finish with a nightcap of Japanese whiskey at Grandfather’s, a stalwart where the walls are lined with thousands of vinyl records.

MAIN IMAGE: Anime figures for sale in Akihabara; LEFT: Tokyo comfort food, tonkatsu; RIGHT ABOVE: Buzzing Shibuya crosswalk at night; BELOW RIGHT: About Life Coffee Brewers.

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CREDIT: INFANTRYDAVID/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM; SUPPLIED/ABOUT LIFE