I don’t ask for much. Just a decent cup of coffee, a cold beer at the end of a long day, and a good soundtrack to sip to. Japan delivers on all fronts, every time.

Planning a trip? Bookmark this list curated from friends, locals, and internet explorers. Then report back. 

Stay

 

K5 Hotel, Chuo City, Tokyo

 

Hotels, like other things in Tokyo, are endless, but these three were personal favorites:

• K5 Hotel (Chuo City): Located in the business district—which ironically enough felt local—K5 has huge rooms with records players and moody lighting (what, that’s important). Switch Coffee is in the lobby, along with a great restaurant and beer hall. It’s also close to a few different metro stations, which will come in handy as you’re navigating the city.

• Trunk Hotel (Shibuya) - If you’re looking to be in a lively neighborhood close to bars, restaurants, and shopping, Trunk is for you. The lobby comes to life in the afternoon and evening, making it a cool spot to grab a coffee or a drink before a night out.

• Onsen Ryokan Yuen Bettei Tokyo Daita (Setagaya City): A more traditional ryokan-style hotel in the heart of Shimokitazawa, a neighborhood known for espresso shops, vintage clothing stores, and plenty of curry parlors and ramen joints. Between the spa, the traditional food, and the location, you can't go wrong with this one.

Shop:

YAECA APARTMENT STORE, Meguro City, Tokyo

 

• Super Potato (Akihabara): Go here for vintage consoles, games, Tamagotchis, or to get lost in kid-like fun. While you’re in the neighborhood, hit up the camera stores, arcades, and superstores.

• YAECA APARTMENT STORE (Meguro City): A super-curated collection of denim and minimalist homewares. It’s a bit hard to find, located in an apartment-looking building in Meguro City.

• B-Side Label (Shibuya City): Sure, you can get lost in Don Quijote for hours, filling your cart with souvenirs and beauty products (still very much recommend this), or you could go to B-Side Label and stock up on stickers drawn by the store staff, and other local artists.

Eat:

Ramen Nagi, Golden Gai, Tokyo

 

Trust me, you don’t need food recommendations. Anywhere you find yourself will be bar-setting good, but if you want a few to keep in your back pocket, here are some that made the memory book.

• Ramen Nagi (Golden Gai): It’s definitely hyped, but Ramen Nagi is kind of the perfect place to end up after a night of bar hopping through Golden Gai (see 3:40am time stamp above).

• Ishiusubiki Teuchi Kyōrakutei (Shinjuku City): Serving up housemade soba noodles and tempura, this ended up being one of the highlights in the soba/tempura category. The neighborhood was quaint yet lively, if that makes sense?

• The Blind Donkey (Koto City): Farm to table French-Japanese, and so, so good. The restaurant is small and intimate, the wine list is on point, and each course was better than the last. You’ll need reservations for this one.

Drink

• Grandfather’s (Shibuya): Go for drinks, records, and vibes.

• Japanese Sake Stand 85 (Chiyoda City): I love standing bars. We need more of them, in my humble opinion. Casual and local-feeling, Sake Stand 85 has some great drink options, and will make you feel at home.

• SR Coffee Roaster & Bar (Chuo City): Around the corner from the K5 hotel, SR is a great spot for coffee, and equally as good for a glass of natural wine. Head to the back and get a glass of whatever they’re pouring. The tunes are sure to be good.