Inside Loop - Dispatch #6 | My unmissable spots in Tokyo

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Welcome to dispatch #6 of “Inside Loop” - a bespoke travel consultancy, tailored just for you. This newsletter will be arriving in your inbox once a month, and all the editions will be archived and live here. I have decided to stop the “Inside loop” Instagram as it’s quite a bit of work and I don’t have the bandwidth at the moment, so for now this newsletter is all the content I will be pushing out! Please share with friends to subscribe.

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This sixth newsletter is one for the wish-list as you wouldn’t want to be visiting Japan anytime in July or August due to the scorching heat, but I was thinking about Japan this week and all the amazing places I discovered in Tokyo. I wanted to round up a few of them! This was no easy feat, as I have a list of 45 places I saved in Tokyo alone… so if you are planning a trip to Japan, beyond Tokyo too, let me know! In no particular order…here we go:

1. THESE

Pronounced “Teh-Zeh”, this was my favourite bar in Tokyo. While I thoroughly enjoyed going to the very serious vinyl bars in Shibuya, where you sit in silence and listen to an old school Japanese disc jockey “perform”, while sipping on quite simple cocktails (reach out if you want a list of these purist vinyl bars), These was much more relaxed and vibey. They greet you with a bowl of exotic fruits, you pick one, and they make you a delicious cocktail. I arrived at 10pm and was there until 4am…enough said! The interiors, the service, the attention to detail and the overall atmosphere is Japan cocktail culture at its best. I also loved the Roppongi neighbourhood and loved how conveniently easy it was to get there from the busier parts of Tokyo.

🧡 Perfect to pair with: an INSANE dinner at Jomon, also in Roppongi - they specialize in skewers and the food was some of the best we had the whole trip. Let them drive the wheel and do the tasting menu - very affordable and the food doesn't stop coming. If you can figure out the Morse code of how to book ahead on TableCheck, definitely do. Walk-ins are not so easy as this is a very local spot too.

2. Kaikaya by the Sea

From the outside it looks totally unassuming, down a bustling street, but it’s one of the best seafood izakayas in all of Tokyo, recommended to me by a local. It’s right in Shibuya so perfect for a late dinner on the night you arrive in Tokyo if you are staying in the Shibuya area. The atmosphere is laid back, the crowd is very trendy and cool, and the food DELICIOUS. You sign up for a course meal and the plates come out family style - you get a bit of everything you’d want! Can be reserved online easily.

🧡 Perfect to pair with: For the younger traveler, head to JBB nearby after for a proper bar vinyl experience - the owner is 60+ and has a collection of 1000+ records. Seriously cool place.

3. Athletia Beauty

I fell in love with the Omotesandō district of Tokyo, and was completely overwhelmed by how much parts of it reminded me of Venice, California (if that is even possible). The buildings are all low rises and the architecture is SO different and cool. I roamed around here for hours shopping (there is some great vintage) and eating. I came across a Japanese brand I’d never heard of called Athletia which has one of the most beautiful stores I have ever seen (both inside and out). It smelled like a million-dollar spa and the product presentation was SO Japanese and so perfect. I spent $100 on a body oil and still don’t regret it! It was such a unique experience, and off the beaten track, that I’d highly recommend to anyone who loves beauty or architecture, or both.  Start on cat street and then navigate here.

🧡 Great to pair with: a pit-stop next door at The Matcha Tokyo Omotesandō - best matcha I had in Japan, and the aesthetic was just amazing. So clean!!

4. Yakoi Kusama Museum

Despite seeing A LOT of Kusama in Naoshima, I had not had enough, and made a point to visit her museum in Tokyo. It’s north of Shinjuku and slightly out of the main areas but it was worth it. Very few tourists visit and they limit the amount of tours a day - you have to book far in advance but you have the whole museum practically to yourself once you are inside. The infinity room they have here is one of the coolest ones of Kusama’s I’ve experienced. Highly recommend if you follow her work.

🧡 Great to pair with: a post-museum / pre-dinner drink in the famous Golden Gai district which has more pubs / bars per square meter than I’ve ever seen - all in a very Japanese way. You could also go for a less boozy option and instead visit the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, which is a 144 acre park with tons of artwork, floral exhibits and a beautiful pavilion.

5. Okonomiyaki Kiji

I love all Japanese food (sushi, teppanyaki, yakitori, donburi, udon…the list goes on!) but I feel like one gets very little love in general - okonomiyaki, aka Japanese pancakes. When served well, there is nothing better! I was determined to find THE place to have them for lunch, and I am confident I did. We walked in and we were the only non-locals there, were quickly ushered to our small booth, and the pancakes came out quickly. The serving process is also very cool - they heat up right in front of you! If you find yourself in the fancy Ginza area and want a break from overpriced tourist-trap restaurants, make a stop at Kiji for a quick bite. You won’t be disappointed.

🧡 Great to pair with: a general wander around Ginza for the day, and the Imperial Palace. Make sure to stop at Ginza Itoya - the 7 floor stationery shop to blow your mind away! They have the most beautiful things. I never knew you could have so many different types of pens!

6. Dengama

If you are as dedicated to ceramic and homewares then you will want to make the pilgrimage to the north of Tokyo to to Asakusa (easy to do on the metro) to Kappabashi Street - the kitchenware and ceramics mecca of the city. We rushed here on our last day as we knew we’d have to haul a bunch of purchases back, and arrived with only 1 hour until closing (maybe this was a good thing since I could have spent all day there…) Dengama is a traditional store with the best selection; they showcase a large range of beautiful pottery pieces from all throughout Japan. I’d been searching for the perfect sake set since I had arrived in Japan, and bought it here! Definitely give yourself time to explore the whole street. This is also the place to buy knives if you are not going to Osaka…but be wary as some knife shops are real tourist rip offs!

🧡 Great to pair with: not exactly close (Asakusa isn’t really close to much…) but we stopped off on the metro en route back to Pizza Marumo in Roppongi - which was some of the best pizza I’ve ever had! We were weirdly craving this after 3 weeks of just Japanese food. They also had amazing wines.

…and that’s all! If you enjoyed reading this newsletter, please do encourage friends to also subscribe. And don’t hesitate to reach out if you want tailored travel tips on any upcoming trips!

🧡 Camilla