The exciting thing about Tokyo is that it doesn’t feel like the biggest city in the world. It has an extraordinary vibe that comes from the combination of simplicity with a slow, relaxed rhythm that takes you through the day. Along with a sheer unlimited number of opportunities and possibilities.
I had the pleasure of spending last year in Tokyo and discovering some special places that are probably not on everyone’s must-visit list.
Are you ready? Then let’s go.
Basilico – going back in time once again
3-15-16 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
The first stop is a classic Japanese café, also known as a kissaten. The main focus in a kissaten is on the atmosphere. The menu normally features a small selection of coffee and tea, sandwiches and Neapolitan pasta, which is a Japanese pasta dish with spaghetti and ketchup (I know … but it’s not so bad after all!).
The owners of Basilico, Yukie and Youichi, are an older couple and both come from Japan. The last time I was in the small café in Ginza, Yukie took the time to tell me the story about their café. They opened it together 55 years ago and ever since then, it has been at the center of their lives and their pride and joy. They have hardly changed a thing over the many years, which is why you feel like you are going on a cozy yet exciting journey back in time.
My last order: A Coke float and ham-and-cheese toast.
El Fujiyama – sashimi Saturday with agave
2F, 1-6-4, Azabu-juban, Minato-ku, Tokyo
The next stop is a cocktail bar in Azabu-Juban, the city district where the Tokyo Tower and other landmarks are located. The bar is called El Fujiyama and focuses solely on cocktails featuring agave spirits. The owners of the bar are true agave fans – so much so that they have begun importing mezcal and tequila themselves. In addition to the various agave brands in the backbar, they put a high priority on their drinks. The last time I was there, the bar’s manager pressed fresh ginger on the spot for my drink. It is also the best place on Saturdays for bar food, because you can get fresh sashimi from the Tsukiji fish market. Which, by the way, is a great match for a Paloma.
My last order: Mezcal Negroni (unfortunately, it wasn’t Saturday).
Following agave and bar food in Azabu, it’s time for …
Ae – coffee cocktails and day drinking
1-5-2 Jinnan, Shibuya, 150-0041 Tokyo
… coffee. And drinks – okay, coffee cocktails. And for these, we go to Shibuya. This is Tokyo’s most well-known city district. You’ve probably heard at some point about the Shibuya Crossing, the world’s largest intersection? From here, you are in Ae, pronounced “ash,” in just about ten minutes. At this bar is where everything centers around the zero-waste specialty of coffee and coffee cocktails. For their desserts, the Ae team uses leftover coffee grounds and both regional as well as seasonal ingredients. In the drinks, you’ll find Japanese Shochu and brown sugar from Okinawa. A tip from a pro: Whichever form of jetlag you’re experiencing, this is the place to go.
My last order: Flat White Russian and Gyokuro Canelé.
Grandfathers – vinyls and whiskey highballs
1-24-7 Shibuya Shibuya Flat Bldg. B1F, Shibuya, 150-0002 Tokyo
We’re staying in Shibuya for our next stop. Grandfathers is a listening bar. If you’ve never heard of the term before: A listening bar is a bar where the focus is just as much on the sound system and vinyl collection as it is on the drinks menu. At Grandfathers, the music takes top priority. The bartender puts on 70s and 80s pop and rock while mixing refreshing highballs. It’s simply fun to sit in the small, smokey bar on the worn-down wooden benches, with a cold whiskey highball in hand while listening to the music.
The bar is a bit difficult to find: Look for the entrance to the Tokyo Rei Hotel and then go down the steps. The entrance to Grandfathers is a small, old wooden door on the right.
My last order: Kaku Highball and chips.
Jazz Spot Intro – jam sessions to forget the time
Shinjuku City, Takadanobaba, 2 Chome−14−8, 169-0075 Tokyo
Do you like jazz? Well, I hope so. The music scene in Japan is very lively, and there are lots of good jazz clubs. Jazz Spot Intro is one of them. It is located in Shinjuku, more to the north of the downtown area. The menu features highballs and long drinks – nothing crazy, nothing fancy, because the most important thing is the jazz musicians and their music. The club’s owner is an active jazz musician himself, and you’ll find him behind the bar over the course of the evening. He often has his saxophone with him and begins to play when he’s got the time between orders. Jazz sessions are set up every day to give unknown musicians the chance to play on stage. Because the club is very small, you are sitting almost directly next to the musicians. Which is more of an advantage than a disadvantage, since you can then enjoy the music in a completely different way. A very special place!
My last order: Screwdriver and Umeshu soda.
Marugin – Yakitori, Izakaya and late-night after-work
Chuo City, Ginza, 7 Chome−2, 104-0061
It’s now gotten a little late, but we have one last important stop ahead of us. One of the greatest advantages of Tokyo is that you can get very good food around the clock. In addition to the numerous ramen shops, you have Izakayas, which serve food late into the night. Translated, Izakaya means “sitting in the sake shop” and, basically, that is exactly what you do. We’re now visiting one by the name of Marugin, so we have to go back to Ginza. Not only half-liter Yuzu Ginger highballs, but also smaller dishes are on offer that invite you to simply put everything in the middle and share. If you want to do yourself a favor, then order their Yakitori – strictly speaking, it is simply Japanese chicken and vegetable skewers. I don’t know why, but they simply taste the best at Marugin. Because there are lots of offices in Ginza, you’ll also find many employees here on Fridays celebrating the start of their weekend.
My last order: Yakitori and Marugin Highball.
Marugin is just the right place for rounding off the long night in Tokyo, which is why I leave you here without any worries. These are just a handful of my recommendations for Tokyo. But more than anything else, I recommend that you go out yourself and explore the city. There are so many places I’ve stumbled upon and didn’t know just how much I would actually like it there. Now it’s your turn to write a list. Until then, you can borrow mine. Thank you for the great evening and see you soon.
