“Japan, you have stolen my heart with your grace and elegance” —unknown
The beauty of Japan is that it is a perfect melding of contemporary and traditional… The concept of less is more is perhaps the most obvious tenet. One perfect pear instead of a bag full. One beautiful flower, instead of a full bouquet. A small, but gorgeously presented dessert— seemingly meager, but then surprisingly more than enough because it is bursting with flavor. This philosophy is evident in everything from food, to design, to art.
With this credo in mind, here is a list of my favorite spots in Tokyo, as well as a few in Kyoto. As always, the list is design, art, and architecture-centric.
THINGS TO DO BY NEIGHBORHOOD
CENTRAL TOKYO
-Imperial Palace
-Takashimaya- Elegant department store
-Isetan- Elegant department store
MEGURO CITY
Off the beaten path/mostly residential area
-Yakumo Saryo- beautiful traditional tea house (gorgeous minimal interior) A 35-minute Uber/taxi from downtown, but very beautiful. Highlight for me.
ROPPONGI HILLS/SHIBUYA
Roppongi Hills is luxurious, while Shibuya is bustling and more touristy
-Jazz Blues Soul Bar- tiny bar in Shibuya where guy plays jazz, blues and soul. Fun, but chill
-Common- (in Roppongi Hills near Shibuya area (minimal coffee bar)
-Mori Art Museum
-Bricolage (bread store/cafe across from the Grand Hyatt)
OMATESANDO
A beautiful, luxurious area. Designer shops and small Japanese boutiques. A short walk to the madness of Harajuku.
-Prada store (beautiful/famous building for architecture)
-Dior rooftop looks spectacular in this area.
DAIKANYAMA
A nice, understated area. A lot of vintage shops and smaller artisans’ boutiques.
-Tsutaya Bookstore is great. Nice Selection of art/design books and magazines. Good place to charge phones.
-Log Road Daikanyama (similar to High Line in NYC, but much smaller). Converted rail line with shops/cafes. Peaceful.
-Lurf Gallery/cafe- Serene gallery/tea house. Nice place for a rest/tea/coffee.
-A lot of small vintage shops (we saw a lot of fashionable girls shopping here)
GINZA
Luxurious, urban area. Top designers, plus the usuals.
–Itoya– 8 floors of paper, pens, stationary.
-Muji- flagship store
-Ginza 6- Looks like a small version of Paris’ Bon Marche- nice shops with a cute bookstore on the top floor
-Dover Street Market- Many floors of Japanese street wear
FAVORITE CAFES
-Common
-Chigaya Bakery
-ARC
-Yakumo Saryo
-Bricolage
-Here (Kyoto)
-Zou (Kyoto)
-Astarte (Kyoto)
FAVORITE ART SHOPS
–Itoya– 8 floors of paper, stationery, pens, paper… Anything to do with writing and art.
–Pigment– More pigments than any artist could ever dream of, plus everything is beautifully displayed.
–Kakimori– Fabulous pens, pencils, stationery, and build-your-own journals.
FAVORITE BOUTIQUES
-Koha (Kyoto)- bags using contemporary Japanese fabrics designed by the owner
-Lurf Gallery
-Daruma Store- Japanese yarn for knitting and crocheting
-Nakagawa Masashichi Shop (tea cups, tea, embroidered napkins and handkerchiefs)
-Wakabaya (Kyoto)- gorgeous handmade ceramics from various Japanese artisans
-Douguya Nobori- Stunning shop filled with home accessories. I loved everything in this gem of a shop
CONCLUSION
I hope you like the list of things to see and do in Tokyo (and Kyoto). Let me know your favorites! For more design-related travel guides, check out our Mexico City Guide here and our Amsterdam Guide here.
