Chinese Cafe 8CHINESE¥
(中国茶房8 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %03-5414-5708; http://en.cceight.com/restaurant; 2nd fl, 3-2-13 Nishi-Azabu, Minato-ku; dishes from ¥150; h24hr; v; bHibiya line to Roppongi, exit 1)
This cheap-and-cheerful Chinese restaurant is known for its cheeky decor, Peking duck (¥1280) served at any hour and abrupt service (in that order). Expect to wait in line for dinner at weekends.
oSougoVEGETARIAN¥
(宗胡 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %03-5414-1133; www.sougo.tokyo; 3rd fl, Roppongi Green Bldg, 6-1-8 Roppongi, Minato-ku; mains ¥600-2000, set lunch/dinner from ¥1500/5000; v; bHibiya line to Roppongi, exit 3)
Sit at the long counter beside the open kitchen or in booths and watch the expert chefs prepare delicious and beautifully presented shōjin-ryōri (vegetarian cuisine as served at Buddhist temples). Reserve at least one day in advance if you want them to prepare a vegan meal. Look for it in the building opposite the APA Hotel.
oHonmura-AnSOBA¥
(本むら庵 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %03-5772-6657; www.honmuraantokyo.com; 7-14-18 Roppongi, Minato-ku; soba from ¥900, set lunch/dinner ¥1600/7400; hnoon-2.30pm & 5.30-10pm Tue-Sun, closed 1st & 3rd Tue of month; W; bHibiya line to Roppongi, exit 4)
This fabled soba shop, once located in Manhattan, now serves its handmade buckwheat noodles at this rustically contemporary noodle shop on a Roppongi side street. The delicate flavour of these noodles is best appreciated when served on a bamboo mat, with tempura or with dainty slices of kamo (duck).
JōmonIZAKAYA¥¥
(ジョウモン MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %03-3405-2585; http://teyandei.com/?page_id=18; 5-9-17 Roppongi, Minato-ku; skewers ¥300-1000; h6pm-5am; v; bHibiya line to Roppongi, exit 3)
This wonderfully cosy kitchen has bar seating, rows of ornate shochu (liquor) jugs lining the wall and hundreds of freshly prepared skewers splayed in front of the patrons – don't miss the heavenly zabuton beef stick. It's almost directly across from the Family Mart – look for the name in Japanese on the door.
oKikunoiKAISEKI¥¥¥
(菊乃井 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %03-3568-6055; http://kikunoi.jp; 6-13-8 Akasaka, Minato-ku; lunch/dinner set menu from ¥5940/17,820; hnoon-1pm Tue-Sat, 5-8pm Mon-Sat; bChiyoda line to Akasaka, exit 7)
Exquisitely prepared seasonal dishes are as beautiful as they are delicious at this Michelin-starred Tokyo outpost of a three-generation-old Kyoto-based kaiseki (Japanese haute cuisine) restaurant. Kikunoi’s chef Murata has written a book translated into English on kaiseki that the staff helpfully use to explain the dishes you are served, if you don't speak Japanese. Reservations are necessary.
5Shiba-kōen
UramakiyaSUSHI¥
(うらまきや MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %03-5114-5590; www.uramakiya.com; 2-4-7 Higashi-Azabu, Minato-ku; rolls from ¥480, set lunch/dinner from ¥800/2000; h11.30am-3pm & 5.30-11pm Mon-Sat; bŌedo line to Akabanebashi)
Specialising in California rolls (there are 50 different types on the menu or you can invent your own), this cosy diner is very foreigner-friendly and does great lunch and dinner deals. Check out the wonderful cartoon mural of Tokyo in the back dining room.
Mornington CresentBAKERY¥
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; http://mornington-crescent.co.jp; 1-14-3 Higashi-Azabu, Minato-ku; cakes from ¥380; h11am until sold out occasional Sat; bŌedo line to Akabanebashi)
British baker Stacey Ward has caused a sensation with her authentic marzipan Battenburg cake and Victoria sponges – so much so that fans line up for anything up to an hour to purchase these and other sweet treats at her Saturday bake sales. Check the website for exact dates and for details of baking classes also held here.
oTofuya-UkaiKAISEKI¥¥¥
(とうふ屋うかい MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %03-3436-1028; www.ukai.co.jp/english/shiba; 4-4-13 Shiba-kōen, Minato-ku; lunch/dinner set menu from ¥5500/8400; h11am-10pm, last order 8pm; v; bŌedo line to Akabanebashi, exit 8)
One of Tokyo’s most gracious restaurants is located in a former sake brewery (moved from northern Japan), with an exquisite traditional garden, in the shadow of Tokyo Tower. Seasonal preparations of tofu and accompanying dishes are served in the refined kaiseki style. Make reservations well in advance.
6Drinking & Nightlife
oBrewdogCRAFT BEER
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %03-6447-4160; www.brewdog.com/bars/worldwide/roppongi; 5-3-2 Roppongi, Minato-ku; h5pm-midnight Mon-Fri, 3pm-midnight Sat & Sun; W; bHibiya line to Roppongi, exit 3)
This Scottish craft brewery's Tokyo outpost is nestled off the main drag. Apart from its own brews, there's a great selection of other beers, including Japanese ones on tap, mostly all served in small, regular or large (a full pint) portions. Tasty food and computer and board games to while away the evening round out a class operation.
oThe GardenCAFE
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %03-3470-4611; www.i-house.or.jp/eng/facilities/tealounge; International House of Japan, 5-11-16 Roppongi, Minato-ku; h7am-10pm; W; bŌedo line to Azabu-Jūban, exit 7)
Stare out from this serene tea lounge across the beautiful late-16th-century garden, hidden behind International House of Japan. There are plenty of tempting pastries and cakes, as well as more substantial meals should you wish to linger – and who could blame you!
oTheseLOUNGE
(テーゼ MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %03-5466-7331; www.these-jp.com; 2-15-12 Nishi-Azabu, Minato-ku; cover charge ¥500; h7pm-4am, to 2am Sun; bHibiya line to Roppongi, exit 3)
Pronounced teh-zeh, this delightfully quirky, nook-ridden 'library lounge' overflows with armchairs, sofas, and books on the shelves and on the bar. Imbibe champagne by the glass, whiskies or seasonal-fruit cocktails. Bites include escargot garlic toast, which goes down very nicely with a drink in the secret room on the 2nd floor. Look for the flaming torches outside.
oSake PlazaSAKE
(日本酒造会館 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.japansake.or.jp; 1-6-15 Nishi-Shimbashi, Minato-ku; h10am-6pm Mon-Fri; bGinza line to Toranomon, exit 9)
Sake Plaza isn’t a bar, but who cares when you can get 30mL thimbles of regionally brewed sake (some 36 types) or shōchū (16 types) for as little as ¥100 a shot. There are four tasting sets of three glasses from ¥200 to ¥500. This showroom and tasting space is an ideal place to learn about the national drink.
It’s on the ground floor at the back of the Japan Sake Brewers Association Building (日本酒造会館).
oSuperDeluxeCLUB
(スーパー・デラックス MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %03-5412-0515; www.super-deluxe.com; B1 fl, 3-1-25 Nishi-Azabu, Minato-ku; admission varies; bHibiya line to Roppongi, exit 1B)
This groovy basement performance space, also a cocktail lounge and club of sorts, stages everything from electronic music to literary evenings and creative presentations in the 20 x 20 PechaKucha (20 slides x 20 seconds) format. Check the website for event details. It’s in a brown-brick building by a shoe-repair shop.
AgaveBAR
(アガヴェ MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %03-3497-0229; www.agave.jp; B1 fl, 7-15-10 Roppongi, Minato-ku; h6.30pm-2am Mon-Thu, to 4am Fri & Sat; bHibiya or Ōedo line to Roppongi, exit 2)
Rawhide chairs, cruzas de rosas (crosses decorated with roses) and tequila shots for the willing make Agave a good place for a long night in search of the sacred worm. Luckily, this gem in the jungle that is Roppongi is more about savouring the subtleties of its 400-plus varieties of tequila than tossing back shots of Cuervo.
PRACTICAL TIP
ROPPONGI WARNING
Roppongi is quite innocent, even upmarket, during the day. However, at night the footpaths along Gaien-Higashi-dōri, south of Tokyo Midtown, become populated with hawkers trying to entice patrons into clubs, promising age-old entertainment such as massage and liquor. Some of these touts can be aggressive, others just chatty. Use caution if you follow them, as instances of spiked drinks followed by theft, beatings and blackouts have been reported, to the point that Western embassies have issued warnings. Exercise common sense and healthy scepticism. If someone offers you illegal drugs, leave.
3Entertainment
National TheatreTHEATRE
(国立劇場, Kokuritsu Gekijō GOOGLE MAP ; %03-3265-7411; www.ntj.jac.go.jp/english; 4-1 Hayabusa-chō, Chiyoda-ku; tickets from ¥1500; bHanzōmon line to Hanzōmon, exit 1)
This is the capital's premier venue for traditional performing arts with a 1600-seat and a 590-seat auditorium. Performances include kabuki, gagaku (music of the imperial court) and bunraku (classic puppet theatre). Earphones with English translation are available for hire (¥650 plus ¥1000 deposit). Check the website for performance schedules.
Suntory HallCLASSICAL MUSIC
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %03-3505-1001; www.suntory.com/culture-sports/suntoryhall; Ark Hills, 1-13-1 Akasaka, Minato-ku; bGinza line to Tameike-sannō, exit 13)
This is one of Tokyo's best venues for classical concerts with a busy schedule of accomplished musicians. Its 2000-seat main hall has one of the largest organs in the world.
7Shopping
oJapan Traditional Crafts Aoyama SquareARTS & CRAFTS
(伝統工芸 青山スクエア MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %03-5785-1301; http://kougeihin.jp/home.shtml; 8-1-22 Akasaka, Minato-ku; h11am-7pm; bGinza line to Aoyama-itchōme, exit 4)
Supported by the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, this is as much a showroom as a shop exhibiting a broad range of traditional crafts, including lacquerwork boxes, woodwork, cut glass, paper, textiles and earthy pottery. The emphasis is on high-end pieces, but you can find beautiful things in all price ranges here.
Souvenir from TokyoGIFTS & SOUVENIRS
(スーベニアフロムトーキョー MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %03-6812 9933; www.souvenirfromtokyo.jp; basement fl, National Art Center Tokyo, 7-22-2 Roppongi, Minato-ku; h10am-6pm Sat-Mon, Wed & Thu, to 8pm Fri; bChiyoda line to Nogizaka, exit 6)
This shop, in the basement of the National Art Center Tokyo, sells an expert selection of home-grown design bits and bobs that make for perfect, unique souvenirs: a mobile by Tempo, a bag made from fabric dyed using the shibori technique or a fun face pack with a kabuki design.
Tolman CollectionARTS & CRAFTS
(トールマンコレクション MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %03-3434-1300; www.tolmantokyo.com; 2-2-18 Shiba-Daimon, Minato-ku; h11am-7pm Wed-Mon; bŌedo line to Daimon, exit A3)
Based in a traditional wooden building, this reputable gallery represents nearly 50 leading Japanese artists of printing, lithography, etching, woodblock and more. Quality prints start at around ¥10,000 and rise steeply from there. From Daimon Station, walk west towards Zōjō-ji. Turn left at the shop Create. You’ll soon see the gallery on your left.
Blue & WhiteARTS & CRAFTS
(ブルー アンド ホワイト MAP GOOGLE MAP ; http://blueandwhitetokyo.com; 2-9-2 Azabu-Jūban, Minato-ku; h11am-6pm; bNamboku or Ōedo line to Azabu-Jūban, exit 4)
Expat American Amy Katoh sells traditional and contemporary items such as tenugui (hand-dyed towels), indigo-dyed yukata (light cotton kimonos), bolts of nubby cloth and painted chopsticks. Pick through dishes of ceramic beads or collect bundled-up swatches of fabric for your own creations.
Axis DesignDESIGN
(アクシスビル MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.axisinc.co.jp; 5-17-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku; h11am-7pm; bHibiya line to Roppongi, exit 3)
Salivate over some of Japan’s most innovative interior design at this high-end design complex of galleries and shops selling art books, cutting-edge furniture and other objets d’art.
2Sports & Activities
Tokyo CookCOOKING
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %03-5414-2727; www.tokyo-cook.com; 3rd fl, Roppongi Green Bldg, 6-1-8 Roppongi, Minato-ku; classes from ¥8640; bHibiya line to Roppongi, exit 3)
Among the several types of cooking classes on offer here in English are ones focusing on making vegetarian dishes, the temple food shojin-ryori and soba noodles. It's held inside the restaurant Sougo.
Ebisu, Meguro & Around
Sights
Eating
Drinking & Nightlife
Entertainment
Shopping
Ebisu, Meguro & Around
Neighbourhood Top Five
1Daikanyama & Naka-Meguro Exploring the boutiques, cafes and leafy lanes of these fashionable neighbourhoods, far removed (spiritually, at least) from central Tokyo.
2Beer Museum Yebisu Learning about the history of beer in Japan at the site of one of the country's first breweries.
3TOP Museum Catching an exhibition at Tokyo's leading photography museum, where the collection includes both the icons of Japanese photography and the up-and-comers.
4Bar Scene Squeezing into a space at one of Ebisu’s popular after-work watering holes, such as Buri.
5Happō-en Finding peace at the bottom of a bowl of matcha or alongside the koi (carp) pond inside this centuries-old strolling garden, now an urban oasis.
Explore Ebisu, Meguro & Around
Bookmark this area for a day when you're looking to take it easy. Ebisu and Meguro, both nodes on the Yamanote loop line, are gateways to largely residential (and often upscale) neighbourhoods, where Tokyo takes on a more human scale. Ebisu, named for the prominent beer manufacturer that once provided a lifeline for most of the neighbourhood's residents, is now a hip district anchored by Yebisu Garden Place. Attractions here include the TOP Museum, the city's principal photography museum, and the Beer Museum Yebisu, in the old factory, which traces the history of beer in Japan.
From here it's a short walk to Daikanyama and Naka-Meguro. These adjacent neighbourhoods, with their uncrowded streets, are favourite haunts of fashion, art and media types, whose tastes are reflected in the shops and restaurants here. Alternatively, take the train one stop south to Meguro, where you can sip tea in a garden, light incense at a historic temple or examine the centuries-old pottery used in tea ceremonies – and see nary another traveller.
Ebisu makes for a fun night out. The bars here, mostly tiny and clustered on a few strips, are a beacon for young professionals, which gives the neighbourhood a definite buzz.
Local Life
AEating Locals pile into retro arcade Ebisu-yokochō for grilled fish, fried noodles and copious amounts of beer.
AEvents Yebisu Garden Place, with its wide open plaza, hosts weekend events year-round, including a twice-monthly farmers market (first and third Sundays) and open-air movie screenings during the summer.
AShopping Meguro-dōri is Tokyo's design district and is lined with furniture and homeware shops.
Getting There & Away
ATrain The JR Yamanote line stops at Ebisu, Meguro, Gotanda and Shinagawa Stations. The Tōkyū Tōyoko line runs from Shibuya to Daikanyama and Naka-Meguro; some Fukutoshin subway trains continue on the Tōyoko line.
ASubway The Hibiya line runs through Ebisu to Naka-Meguro. The Namboku and Mita lines stop at Meguro and Shirokanedai. The Asakusa line runs from Gotanda Station to Takanawadai and Sengaku-ji.
Lonely Planet's Top Tip
Daikanyama and Naka-Meguro get a late start; don't expect cafes or boutiques to open before 11am (and sometimes not until noon). The exception is Daikanyama T-Site, which opens from 7am.
Best Places to Eat
A Tonki
A Afuri
A Ouca
Best Places to Drink
A Nakame Takkyū Lounge
A Buri
A Bar Trench
Best Places to Shop
A Okura
A Kapital
A Daikanyama T-Site
1Sights
1Ebisu
Yebisu Garden PlacePLAZA
(恵比寿ガーデンプレイス MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.gardenplace.jp; 4-20 Ebisu, Shibuya-ku; dJR Yamanote line to Ebisu, east exit)
This shopping and cultural centre was built on the site of the original Yebisu Beer Brewery (1889) that gave the neighbourhood its name. Unlike most modern Tokyo malls, this one is short on shops and big on public space: the large central plaza regularly hosts events, including a farmers market on Sundays.
TOP MuseumMUSEUM<
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(東京都写真美術館; Tokyo Photographic Arts Museum MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %03-3280-0099; http://topmuseum.jp; 1-13-3 Mita, Meguro-ku; ¥500-1000; h10am-6pm Tue, Wed, Sat & Sun, to 8pm Thu & Fri; dJR Yamanote line to Ebisu, east exit)
Tokyo's principal photography museum reopened in 2016 after a two-year overhaul. In addition to drawing on its extensive collection, the museum also hosts travelling exhibitions. In autumn, it curates a show of up-and-coming Japanese photographers. Usually several exhibitions happen simultaneously; ticket prices depend on how many you see.
The museum is at the far end of Yebisu Garden Place, on the right side of the complex if you're coming from Ebisu Station.
Beer Museum YebisuMUSEUM
(エビスビール記念館 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %03-5423-7255; www.sapporoholdings.jp/english/guide/yebisu; 4-20-1 Ebisu, Shibuya-ku; h11am-7pm Tue-Sun; dJR Yamanote line to Ebisu, east exit)F
Photos, vintage bottles and posters document the rise of Yebisu, and beer in general, in Japan at this small museum located where the actual Yebisu brewery stood until 1988. At the ‘tasting salon’ you can sample four kinds of Yebisu beer (¥400 each). It's behind the Mitsukoshi department store at Yebisu Garden Place.
Lonely Planet Tokyo Page 12
