Where to Eat, Sleep and Play in Tokyo in 2020
Where to Eat, Sleep and Play in Tokyo in 2020
One of the best times to visit Japan, cherry blossom season, is expected to arrive earlier than usual this year, around late March. So, here's a T&C tested and approved guide to get you started on your first trip to Tokyo. Keep in mind that spring and fall are the best months to visit the city, because the summers tend to be hot and humid. As a bonus, visiting a ryokan, or soaking in an onsen, the country’s famous hot springs, are more enjoyable in cooler months. After dates are selected, it is best to book hotels as quickly as possible. Tokyo is a large city, so picking a hotel near the sights at the top of your list is wise (a few favorites, below). Once the hotel is booked, its concierge can make restaurant reservations for your trip; most of the fine dining experiences in Tokyo are reservation-only and—in most cases—the reservation can only be made by the hotel. Send a list of restaurants to the concierge once the booking is confirmed. From there, you are ready to plan the rest of your trip.
Go: New York Bar at the Park Hyatt Tokyo
Yes, this is that bar from Lost in Translation but it is an excellent stop for a first-timer in Tokyo. Go after 8 p.m. for the live jazz and indulge in a martini and the wagyu burger. Stay until the late hours admiring the sprawling view of the city from the 52nd floor.
Go: J’Antiques
One of the most famous vintage shops in the world, J’Antiques has an inventory of American vintage that would make Ralph Lauren weep. The two rooms are piled with everything from vintage American military uniforms to French linens and deadstock. After, wander around the charming Nakameguro neighborhood, which runs along the Meguro river and has tons of great restaurants and vintage stores.
Go: Ginza Six
No trip to Tokyo would be complete without a visit to the high-end Ginza shopping district. Make sure to stop into Ginza Six, a mall unlike any in the U.S., with the famously beautiful bookstore Tsutaya Books and an array of clothing and home décor stores. But the real must-stop is the spare and chic Mixology Salon on the 13th floor, which only seats a handful of people and specializes in cocktails made from Japanese tea.
Go: Coffee in Shibuya
Move away from the famed Shibuya crossing to the neighborhood’s winding, leafy streets filled with boutiques and third wave coffee shops. Stop into Path bakery for its famous pain au chocolat (or virtually any of patissier Yuichi Goto's creations) and an espresso and enjoy the people-watching in Shibuya and neighboring Harajuku (Note that Path, and most other coffee shops in Japan, open at 8 a.m. or later).
Eat: Sushi Shin at the Mandarin Oriental
This is not standard hotel sushi. Sushi Shin by Miyakawa is the second restaurant of the three-Michelin starred Chef Miyakawa of Sushi Miyakawa in Sapporo. Located on the 38th-floor of the Mandarin Oriental, guests step around a wooden Edo Komo screen by the artist Nobou Tanihata (a living legend in Japan for his woodworking), and sit at a 350-year-old cypress sushi counter to enjoy a multi-course sushi lunch or dinner with fish sourced fresh daily.
Eat: Yakitori Imai
While sushi takes a starring role in Westerner’s eyes, yakitori, meat and vegetable skewers prepared on a charcoal grill, is another famed Japanese cuisine. This 30-seat counter pairs its dishes—ranging from French-style pate and asparagus with truffle to chicken patties and Japanese steak—with a wide selection of craft beer and natural wine, ensuring a cozy, satisfying experience.
Eat: Seirinkan Pizza
Many aren’t aware that Tokyo is also home to some of the best pizza in the world, and Seirinkan is at the top of the list. Make sure to arrive by 11:30 a.m. when it opens and pick one of two pizzas—margherita or marinara as well as a selection of appetizers.
Eat: Sumibiyakiniku Nakahara
A Tokyo institution, it can take months for even the top-rated hotel concierges to get a spot at the counter here. The owner, Kentaro Nakahara, is a master of beef, sourcing his wagyu directly and serving it grilled and raw for a wholly Japanese eating experience.
Stay: Hoshinoya Tokyo
Guests are immediately whisked into Japanese culture at Hoshinoya Tokyo, as they are asked to remove their shoes upon entering, stepping onto the tatami-mat floors of this modern-day ryokan (shoes are stored for guests in the entry for when they leave). The rooms, with sliding shoji screens and futon-style beds, incorporate traditional Japanese elements into a modern setting. Each floor offers a lounge area with tea or coffee, and different snack offerings throughout the day (crucial for late-night jetlag cravings). But, the most memorable aspect of the hotel is the rooftop hot spring. While there are thousands of hot springs in Japan, it is rare to find them in the center of Tokyo. Hoshinoya, located in the Otemachi area near Ginza, is in this spot specifically for its hot spring access. The water is drawn up to the roof of the 17-story property and guests can soak in the hot springs within soaring walls that open up to the Tokyo sky for a surreal, blissful experience.
Stay: Trunk (House)
Since Trunk (Hotel) opened in 2017, it has become one of the buzziest hotels in Tokyo. Impress even the most jaded friends with its more exclusive outpost, Trunk (House), which opened fall 2019. This one-room hotel (that’s right, one room) in the charming Kagurazaka neighborhood feels more like a sumptuous private apartment than a hotel, with 24-hour private butler service and a chef to take care of any whim, from a tea ceremony to multi-course kaiseki-style dinner, both of which should not be missed. The building itself, a former geisha house, has been completely restored with a private garden and suite, and even houses the tiniest disco in Japan (a private, bright-pink bar on the first floor). It is one of the few hotels that truly warrant not ever wanting to leave.
Stay: The Ritz-Carlton Tokyo
The Ritz-Carlton Tokyo is in the Midtown Tower, one of the tallest in Tokyo. It boasts all the beloved Ritz-Carlton trimmings with roomy Western-style hotel suites and a sprawling (over 21,000 square feet) spa and fitness center with Japanese elegance. New this year is the Wellness and Relaxation Spa retreat, which offers personal training and a deep muscle massage—an thoughtful perk after a long flight. Those with access to the club lounge can enjoy breakfast and cocktails with views of Mt. Fuji on a clear day; later at a night, the lobby bar offers live jazz and an over-the-top like the Diamonds Are Forever martini, served with a one-carat diamond.
Eat, sleep, and play in the Japanese capital with this T&C tested and approved guide, just in time for an earlier than expected cherry blossom season.