Archive for '50 reasons why Tokyo is the greatest city in the world | Map' Category

38. It’s home to the world’s best fashion chains

Japanese select shops — such as Beams, United Arrows, Ships and Tomorrowland — grew to fame and prominence thanks to the expert curating of the world’s best indie fashion brands. Read the rest of this entry »

37. You have to work for high-end tempura

It might take a while to find Motoyoshi among the backstreets of Minami-Aoyama, but its GPS-confounding location is part of the fun. The prize for actually arriving is perfectly crisp tempura. The chef is as picky about his ingredients — succulent scallops and tender asparagus in summer, hearty red carrots from Kyoto in winter — as he is about his technique. Read the rest of this entry »

36. The most bars per square-meter – Shinjuku Golden Gai

Bar hopping takes on a whole new meaning in Golden Gai: One only needs to step outside to stumble into another bar. Golden Gai packs over 200 tiny watering holes — some so small they seat a scant five — in half the size of a Costco. Less dense, but equally tight, are the bars in Omoide Yokocho near Shinjuku station and Nonbei Yokocho, the colorfully named “Drunkard’s Alley,” in Shibuya. Read the rest of this entry »

35. The cuddliest cafés – Nekorobi

At cat café Nekorobi in Takadanobaba (*Ikebukuro), you can relax after work with a cup of cocoa and a sleepy-faced Siamese, or let off some steam by tossing a toy around with a frisky tabby. Then be heartbroken when you leave. Read the rest of this entry »

34. Behold the least impressive statue of a giant monster – Godzilla

Standing in the shadow of the film company that unleashed Godzilla on the world, this bronze effigy of the giant creature in Hibiya park　(*Hibiya chanter) towers a whopping… half-meter high.
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33. Taste the teeniest, tiniest haute cuisine – Tapas Molecular Bar

In a city known for its diminutive dining spots, with only seven seats (タパス・モラキュラーバー) is one of the smallest. But its menu of fanciful concoctions, like cucumber ‘caviar,’ lime salt ‘foam’ and chocolate ‘pumice’ makes it worth the squeeze.
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32. Porn shops are like video games with increasing levels of freakiness

Like entering the 36 Chambers of Shaolin, every flight up the Ali Baba mini-skyscraper of pornography is another level of weirdness. As with many Japanese porn shops, the first floor sells a halfhearted selection of mainstream Hollywood and Japanese films for a thin veneer of respectability. Take the stairs one flight up and the real adventure begins, with fetishes organized by floor. Read the rest of this entry »

31. Water is just an excuse for the bridges – Rainbow Bridge

Connecting the Shibaura area with the futuristic Odaiba island, the Rainbow Bridge is one of the most recognizable landmarks in the city. With its pale shining towers and multicolored night lighting, the bridge provides a knockout frame through which to view the city’s skyline from a restaurant terrace in Odaiba. Read the rest of this entry »

30. The sommeliers don’t take … well, anything but “OK” for an answer　- Aquavit

In choosing wine, some guests are happy to give the sommelier full reign, and that’s exactly the way the head sommelier at Aquavit prefers it. Read the rest of this entry »

29. Religious experiences for cat lovers – Gotokuji Temple

This beautiful Buddhist temple is believed to be the birthplace of Japan’s ubiquitous beckoning cat statues. As you might expect, its display of the lucky ceramic felines, tucked tastefully behind a side building, is second to none. Read the rest of this entry »

28. Apartments are like MC Escher drawings – Reversible Destiny Lofts

No city on earth is as novel in its approach to housing. Exhibit A: the rainbow-colored, multi-shaped Reversible Destiny Lofts apartment complex. (三鷹天命反転住宅)
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27. It’s mod tailoring’s last stand – Yofuku no Namiki tailor

London boasts the high-end suiting of Savile Row, while Hong Kong and Bangkok are famous for their ultra-cheap bespoke factories. Tokyo’s Yofuku no Namiki (洋服の並木）tailor may be the world’s last great mod tailor — making slim suits for cool youngsters. Read the rest of this entry »

26. Cyberpunk infrastructure – Tokyo Metropolitan Expressway

Who but the Japanese would think to connect the major wards and neighborhoods of their capital with an ‘expressway’ that is perched several stories above ground and weaves in between office buildings and national landmarks?

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25. The most absurdly-priced retail establishments on one block – Ginza

Chanel, Louis Vitton, Gucci, Coach, Harry Winston — and many more — as far as the eye can see, each a dedicated storefront encased in a building of impeccable modern architectural design.
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24. You can ride the world’s shortest escalator 8,000 times a day – kawasaki　more’s

Kawasaki is not officially ‘Tokyo,’ but we’d like to claim the world’s shortest escalator — in Kawasaki More — as part of our urban experience.
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