Destination Desire: Tokyo
Destination Tokyo. It's hard to know where to start, a city that seems to have no beginning and no end. We may appear to be giants here, but our height is no match for the sheer volume of people, places and opportunities on offer. All we can do is dive in, begin our day and see where it takes us.
Shibuya is the area we choose to setup our diving board and launch our day. Dipping our toe into D47, a design-centric space recommended to us by a stylish friend. Over its many floors and spaces, there are many lovely things to look at, buy, and eat. Of all the good ideas on offer here, we choose just one to take home — a bottle opener; an object of desire, utility, and art. A triple threat. We didn't have a chance. Nor would you and so we'll not be publishing a photo here. Consider it a favour, from us to you, IOU's pending a return address.
Our day takes an abrupt turn into Shibuya crossing, perhaps the Time Square of Tokyo. An overexposed cross-roads packed with pedestrians. Lights, camera, action.
Powered by our triple-threat, our logical next step was the Monocle store. We've both been readers and fan-boys of Monocle magazine for years. I have difficulty writing about them, I'm on the cusp of waffling and devoting an entire post to them. But in the interest of holding your interest, I'll move on swiftly — we came, we saw, it was small but deeply satisfying and when it was over we were famished.
3pm has rolled around quickly and all the fine eating establishments around us are closed. For greater men than us, those who weren't lured in by objects of desire — lunch is over. We need food fast, our stomaches are churning. Hello Freshness Burger! The guilt of eating fast food in Japan lasted about five minutes... three minutes if we're honest — the time it took from ordering to the first bite. Delicious beef, our long lost friend. Large onion rings, sized for mice not men. Lettuce, worth mention just for it's colour. So green, freshness personified.
We popped into a dirty bookstore called Rythm & Books. The Playboy pictured is not — the first book I picked up, the last, a reflection of the contents of the store... Nor my reading habits, if I really must spell it out. Dirty instead, because the books are used. But no less fabulous. A small but well-curated collection that has depth. It's a shame we can only scratch the surface here. I spent many an hour with my mother in bookstores like these. Smell the nostalgia in another language.
Sakura, cherry blossom season is a great time to visit Japan and the trees in Tokyo are on the verge of blooming. We hear the Yoyogi park is a great spot to see them and so we go in search of this massive park in the Harajuku area. On this cold but fine Sunday, the park has many blossoms in bloom but many many MANY more people. Under the trees, family and friends congregate in pockets, around food and drink. They cover the ground in a blanket of festive cheer. We're only passing through but feel like we must join the festivities, so we a buy can of hot sake for the walk and leave the park with warm hands and stomachs.
We read Tokyu Hands is a must-stop-shop in Japan and although the sun is setting we venture to the nearest store. Amazing! Unlike typical department stores full of shiny designer labels that are desirable, but perhaps less useful. Hands' origins as a DIY store is clear, very handy indeed — an all-can-eat buffet for life — excluding the food. Layer upon layer, floor upon floor, of anything you can think of, in a shape, size and colour of your choosing. A toothbrush? Here's 400. Creative minds must go mad here... As must cat lovers. Time to leave before I am committed for the night here.
Tempura is perhaps the most accessible Japanese cuisine for those with less adventurous appetites. Vegetables or meat, fried in a batter that is light as air. Perhaps it needn't an introduction or translation, but we are in Japan. Restaurants here, even if serving the seemingly simple, like Tempura, are an adventure. Particularly if you're like us and look to eat local. Upon entry to Tempura Tsunahachi, I was clearly directed with hand signals to stand outside the door. The learning curve ensued, Tempura here comes fresh from the chef, standing at your table. A set menu, that comes with three styles of eating any fried morsel — flavoured salts, topped with grated radish, or dipped in radish/soy. A delicious adventure indeed.
After dinner we're after a little extra taste of Japan. So we head to a bar, impossibly small and difficult to find, despite the guidebook. This place seems as local as they come. Every available corner has cat ornaments. Lucky we found it and even luckier with these felines!
