Tokyo Vice: Highballs, Handrolls, & Late-Night Kabukicho.

[LaoFan]

(Fantastic show in Tokyo Vice - hope they figure out how to come back for another season.)

This city looks like the most futuristic place in the world...if you were looking thru a lens from the '90s. I don't think they kept up the pace and now basically anywhere in China is newer and more efficient tech.

Relevant Areas/Neighbourhood/Wards:

Ginza (Chūō):

Started my trip off here for one of our brands, écoute Audio, visiting the Tokyo Heaphones Festival. Met up with Korg. Productive meeting and was the justification for my trip. Outside that though... Ginza is too stiff. Hotel rooms run you $500 a night for a harry potter closet. Not the vibe I’m looking for, but if you’re looking to splurge at LV and the like, this is your best bet. 

Shinjuku:

This is the best look at hectic Tokyo. Kabukicho is world-class for shenanigans. 

Shibuya:

Perfect mix. Great food. Great shopping. Shibuya Crossing is worth it once in your life. Twice if you're holding your bb.
IMO, Ebisu has the best bars in Tokyo.

Minato:

I always stay here. Roppongi Hills or Akasaka. Better value. Can have peace and a normal life during the day, but things get turned up at night. 

2nd half of the trip was joined by wife, bb, and nanny. We stayed here. Great value. Awesome area.

 

Restaurants:

Tokyo feels like you could eat at a different restaurant every meal for the rest of your life and still not come close to eating them all. And the worst you'd come across was a 7/10. There are a few places I go back to, but for the most part, every time I go to Tokyo I'm trying new things.

They take their craft so seriously. This is probably my favourite part about Japan. Doesn't matter what you do with your life, sometimes the weirder the better, but whatever you do, do it proper.

The amount of fantastic yakiniku, yakitori, and izakaya places are unlimited.

Top Highlights this time round:

1) Gonpachi Nori-temaki - Harajuku - If you like handrolls, that’s all this place does. Brilliant business. Here’s your ingredients, roll it yourself lmao.

2) Ramen Takahashi - Ginza

Unreal yakiago broth. Did a video rating the top 5 ramen spots in Tokyo. This one takes the cake for me. Open 'til 4:30 in the a.m.

Ichiran is also a staple. Probably the best 'fast food' chain in the world IMO. They refuse to franchise. All family owned. Sharp business and brilliant standard, you'll get the same thing every time.

3) Umegaoka Sushi no Midori - Ginza

Great lunch time sushi. Sit beside a stranger and strike up a conversation. Solid fish.

4) Principio

Wasn't a picture taking place, but fantastic service, even better food.

5) Gonpachi Nishi-Azabu

Home to the best fight scene in cinematic history. Great vibe. Packed. Cool people watching. Solid food.

Bars:

1) Centifolia (Minato). The head bartender is a beast. The guy asked me what whisky I wanted in my cocktail, I asked him to see the list, he replied: I am the list. Worth watching this guy on IG. What a performer. Tough to get a seat. Worth the patience.

2) Trench (Ebisu)

What a haunt. Crazy selection of bitters and interesting liqueurs. Absinthe. Go for the Black Manhattan.

3) Bar Martha (Ebisu)

Not allowed to take pictures or talk (too loud). They'll literally kick you out. Happened while we were there. All the negative reviews on-line are Karens. Has the coolest sound system and record library I've ever seen in a bar. Cocktails are very well done. Don't miss this one if you are into music. Can smoke.

4) Tokyo Confidential (Minato)

Great views. Solid whisky line-up. Creative cocktails.

 

Don't Miss:

1) (Right outside Ginza) - Tsujiki Fish Market: As fresh of fish as you can hope for. Cut in front of you. Wagyu sandos grilled up right in front of you w/ Taketsuru poured as if it was draft beer.

2) Yamazaki Distillery: Didn't make it this trip, but have been twice. For the whisky lovers, it's an absolute banger of a tour. Great tastings. Beautiful location and build. Reservations required well in advance of your trip.

 

3) Yomiuri Giants home game. 

Absolute electric factory. Top 10 sporting events I've ever been to. Regular season game. We bought jackets and didn't realize we were seated in smack middle of the only Hiroshima Carp section. I did find it a little ridiculous that the logos were exact rip-offs of the Giants and the Reds. Non-stop 9 innings of team songs, drums, and instruments. 

Also awesome to have doubles of Hakushu with a hot dog (suspect).

4) TeamLab Planets

Assumed this would be all hype. Unbelievable, full-immersive, AI + edge tech art throughout. Can't wait to do another one.

Cigars & Smoking:

Kikusui - Ginza

Cool shop for accessories and NCs. Cuban selection is minimal. One final box of Regentes. Snagged.

Le Connaisseur – There are 5 in Tokyo. I went to 4. The ones in Shibuya and Ginza were Cubanless with the exception of a few little sticks. The one in Roppongi was ok.

Ginza Branch: Cubans completely picked over. Nodda.

Akasaka Branch: Easily the best. Got a decent deal on a box of Monterreyes 4 ELs.

Shibuya Branch:

Not much... and overpriced.

Cigar Club – Cool spot and manager is solid dude. No stock worth mentioning. Walkable to Cohiba Atmosphere. 

Cohiba Atmosphere – Easily the best stock I found in Tokyo. Lots worth browsing thru. Decent mojito. Good crowd.

This bar had this sign in the entrance way and didn't let you smoke inside...

Overall, if you’re patient and have a wad of cash, you can find most of what you want. You’ll pay top dollar. It’s not as free as China in terms of smoking, but its reasonably easy to find a place. When you do find the place, it’ll be top notch and memorable. Tough to beat top Japanese whisky.

Smokeability Index: 8.5/10

The places you can smoke are far and few between, but when you do find one, they are so cool that it makes up for the lack of decent buying and smokeable locations.

Pro Tips:

Both Tokyo airports have as good of whisky offerings in their duty free as any airport in the world. Can make some major scores at great prices. This trip’s pickups. 

The best part of travelling in a party is the duty free allowance 🤣

Watch Shopping – Nakano Broadway. Nowhere else, with the exception of maybe Hong Kong, can you find basically any watch @ any year in the space of an hour. Prices used to be awesome, but its overshopped and the sellers know intl prices. If you’re looking for a Japanese piece though… this place is unmatched.

Fire Kids is my favourite:

The Trinity of Konbini: 7-11, Lawsons, FamilyMart. There isn’t a country in the world that has better RTD cocktails or snack food in their convenience stores. Highballs FTW.

Vintage shopping in Harajuku is world-class.

Surprisingly the cash/ATM situation is still pretty whack. Most places will take a credit card, but occasionally only cash. ¾ of the ATMs won’t work with your card. Eventually, you’ll find one. Take a picture and remember which ATM it is.

Regular occurrence:

[tbelle7]

Good stuff.

[Dlowil]

As always, a solid write up. Definitely on the list of places to visit. Matcha, sushi, scenery? And extreme attention to detail are some of the draws.

[Redgoldband]

Nice! Thanks for this review.


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[Stanislaw]

WOW, was not expecting this and seriously fun read. Thanks for this.

[Lucas Buck]

Awesome!

[SUP8333]

I also picked up a half box of Monterreyes, although at Cigar club. They are pretty nice if you ask them when is restock day and come back around then, early. This place is also the newest PCC shop in Tokyo. Also for the atm card thingy, use the 7-11 ATMs with your Union card, I've never gotten declined and the exchange rate is great. 

[Rhinoww]

Great write up. I spent about five days in Tokyo with my family 1.5 years ago - this is a great write up and condenses weeks of good research. Well done! Oddly, I found the 7/11 ATMs to be a great place to grab cash for my US ATM, but things could have changed. Lawson’s too for that matter. 

Tokyo was well worth the time to visit, and your write up makes me want to go back.