Foreign, Technically- Tokyo Again, Part One
Where I Went, What I Ate, A Note
Japan and I have history. Enough trips that the tourist list has been replaced by a personal one — specific restaurants, reliable stops, and the ones worth repeating. This time, two teenagers came along. The itinerary adjusted accordingly.
Where I Stayed
Hotel Indigo Shibuya — a deliberate change of pace. I’ve stayed at the major Tokyo hotels over the years, but this trip called for something livelier and more central. My room, called the Scramble Room, had a direct view of the Shibuya Scramble Crossing — endlessly watchable during the day and a surprisingly pleasant companion during jet-lag-imposed early mornings.
A practical base for exploring on foot: Omotesando, Cat Street, and Takeshita Street are all within twenty minutes.
Where I Went
Meiji Shrine — a return visit, this time with a friend experiencing Japan for the first time. Some places are worth repeating, and Meiji is one of them. From there, a walk down Takeshita Street for the full Harajuku experience: the fashion, the people-watching, the controlled chaos. Cat Street followed, at a slower pace, ending with a matcha at Tokyo Matcha — my standard, and the right call every time.
A 4am wake-up for the Bluefin Tuna Auction at Toyosu Market — one of those experiences that requires commitment and rewards it. One in three applicants win lottery access to observe the buyers at floor level. I was one of them. The auction moves fast and runs surprisingly quiet; buyers communicate entirely through hand signals. Worth every early minute.
After Toyosu, we made our way to Tsukiji Market for wagyu beef skewers topped with uni and fresh toro at Tsukiji Market, an appropriate follow-up.
What I Did
A ramen making class at Tsuta Soba Noodles, the only Michelin-starred ramen restaurant in Tokyo. We studied broth types and the mechanics of umami before the chef prepared a bowl for each of us. I chose the salt base. No notes.
An appointment at SOLAKZADE in Omotesando — the atelier holds over 3,000 deadstock frames, with more than 30,000 pairs dating back 200 years at the atelier down the road. You are assigned a specialist who studies your face and selects accordingly. Trust is key. I left with Tiffany frames from the 1990s customized with pink lenses. I love them.
They also stock vintage and antique jewelry. I tried on multiple vintage watches before confronting an uncomfortable truth: my wrists are considerably larger than most Japanese wrists. Sigh. The watches stayed.
What I Ate
First night in Tokyo: yakitori at a small spot in Omoide Yokocho, Shinjuku. The ordering is easy, the energy is electric — exactly what a jet-lagged person needs after a 13-hour flight. Nightcap at Bellwood for creative cocktails.
Lunch at Bill’s — an Australian outpost I’ve now visited in Sydney, Seoul, and Tokyo. Clean, easy, and intentional. Over many trips to Japan I’ve learned that cadence matters with Japanese food; as much as I could eat it for every meal, breaking it up occasionally makes each Japanese meal better. Bills is perfect for that.
Cold brew matcha latte at The Tokyo Matcha in Harajuku — a combination I'd never encountered before. The balance between cold brew and matcha is genuinely unique, and the caffeine payoff during an afternoon slump made the line worth it.
Wagyu beef skewers topped with uni and fresh toro at Tsukiji Market after the auction. An appropriate way to end a 4am morning.
Omakase at Sushi Akira. Highlights: steamed abalone, monkfish liver, and a sake so exceptional it arrived in a bottle with an embroidered fabric label — something I had never seen before. Among the best meals I’ve had in Japan. 10/10.
What I Bought
Multiple hauls at Mega Don Quijote in Shibuya — dangerously close to my hotel and open 24/7, which is either a convenience or a problem depending on the hour: all the current Tik Tok trends, bath salts, viral setting spray, Kit Kat bars in flavors that have no American equivalent, eye drops, face masks.
The standout purchase: an allergen spray I’m cautiously optimistic will resolve my ongoing buckeye situation in Paris. To be tested.
Phone cases from Cas:Space — a Japanese brand worth knowing. The cases are surprisingly well made and the designs lean into Japanese nostalgia: vintage cassette tapes, vending machine scenes, local references. A pop socket to match.
Also: Sonny Angels. I went back twice. And the softest socks I currently own, purchased at Family Mart.
One pair of 1990s Tiffany frames customized with pink lenses from SOLAKZADE. Happy is an understatement.
A Note
Cadence matters in Japan — particularly with food. Over many trips I’ve learned that pacing Japanese meals intentionally makes each one land harder. Not because the food isn’t extraordinary at every turn, but because restraint sharpens appreciation. A lunch at Bill’s between an omakase and a Tsukiji morning isn’t a concession. It’s the reason both are better.
It applies beyond food. Tokyo rewards a slower pace than it appears to demand. The city moves fast but doesn’t require you to. Some of the best moments this week happened in the margins — a matcha on Cat Street, watching the Scramble Crossing from bed at 5am.
Japan has always been my happiest place. This week reminded me why.
What My Dogs Did
Currently in the French countryside, covered in mud, and completely unbothered.
Notes from Kyoto, to follow.
Your writing is SO GOOD, Imane. Show us your frames!
Interesting