Tokyo Express: 48 Hours in the Capital of Pop Culture
DAY 1
1.**KAWAII BREAKFAST IN THE FOREST (NATURE DOUGHNUTS)**
Located west of Shinjuku, Kôenji is one of the epicenters of Tokyo's underground scene and one of the youngest areas in terms of population. Its small local businesses (record stores, clothing and vintage items, live music bars...) and two or three-story residential buildings make it a a lovely oasis to stroll through before heading into the vibrant neon megalopolis . More than recommendable is the path that leads from the station to Floresta , a charming cafe where you can taste their artisan donuts, some of which are so downright adorable that, when you sink your teeth into them, you will feel like some kind of ruthless unicorn baby predator . Especially cruel and delicious, for example, is the donut that we have allowed ourselves to baptize as "chubby seal with baby on board"...
Floresta's delicious donuts
two. NAKANO BROADWAY
Just one stop on the Chuô line separates Kôenji from Nakano (a walk of about 25 minutes), where a decadent mall, bizarre and, therefore, extraordinary . His name can only predict unparalleled adventures: We are talking about Nakano Broadway. Let's imagine that an eccentric otaku tycoon, lover of watches, cosplay, the most unheard of pop collecting and the occult had decided to acquire an abandoned shopping center in Rivas-Vaciamadrid... Well, perhaps this comparison has gone a little too far for us hands... But what the hell! There you will find, among other fascinating gadgets such as d colorful Pokémon trading cards or tiny Ultraman figurines , numerous Mandarake packed with manga volumes, collectible figures and an invaluable amount of posters of, among other substantial genres, pinku eiga...
Kitchen specializing in vegetables;
3. TAKESHITA DORI PA´RRIBA, TAKESHITA DORI PA´BAJO
Takeshita Dori in Harajuku is the backbone of Japanese teen fashion. Walking through this pedestrian street you can find countless examples of the most incomprehensible urban tribes . A paradise of bloomers and petticoats, vertiginous platforms, disturbing and fluffy kigurumi and electrifying neon colors. You can take advantage of the walk to visit the famous Laforet shopping center. Or, simply, stand at the entrance eating a gigantic crêpe (there are a few places scattered around Takeshita Dori) and watch impassively as the slaves of Japanese fashion line up at the entrance before the opening...
When you are tired of seeing gothic lolitas and you have finished counting the hairpins and bracelets of some other decora girl, you can take refuge in the sensory paradise that it offers Yasaiya Mei , in Omotesando Hills; a restaurant specializing in vegetarian cuisine or, rather, in cuisine specializing in vegetable elements ; whose dishes are as aesthetically impeccable as they are delicious. A small sample of Japanese culinary savoir-faire ( washoku ). (It is advisable to call in advance to reserve).
Shibuya 109 shopping center
Four. SHIBUYA 109: GANGSTA PARADISE?
This little stop is just an excuse for you to enter the female Shibuya 109, the vertically dizzying mall For whose jobs it is said that authentic Battle Royale are fought between the coolest shop assistants in Tokyo. Specifically, the excuse is worth it if you visit Baby Shoop , the store dedicated to one of the most surreal urban tribes of the last decade: the Valhalla of the B-Stylers...
Perhaps we could understand (understanding is too ambitious a concept, I'm afraid) this trend within the context of Gyaru and Ganguro. Specifically, the latter have already borne some referential fruits within the most unprecedented popular culture. See, for example, this unspeakable and excessively gratuitous scene from "Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl" (Yoshihiro Nishimura, Naoyuki Tomomatsu, 2009).
Shimokitazawa, the hipster neighborhood
5. SHIMOKITAZAWA: JAPANESE HIPSTERLAND
This charming neighborhood, also known as "Shimokita", bears a certain resemblance to the aforementioned Kôenji and offers a more than pleasant evening stroll among its outlets, cafes, theaters and _ vintage _ fashion stores, including the popular Flamingo , with its unmistakable neon flamingos guarding the entrance. Of obligatory fulfillment is **the gastronomic visit to the Shirube izakaya** (Shirube Shimokitazawaten). Three basic concepts to gradually approach happiness: nikujyaga ( , meat and potato stew), aburi saba ( , roasted mackerel) and cheese tofu. You will enjoy a young and lively atmosphere thanks to the blessed effluvia of sake served in a bamboo trunk as a container.
The Womb nightclub
6. "NEON BOYS"
Shibuya at night is one of the most iconic images of contemporary Tokyo, especially thanks to audiovisual culture: a district bathed in neon lights and that kind of cybernetic halo emitted by the gigantic LED screens announcing all kinds of commercial products (video games, anime, idols...) . Once there, one of your greatest wishes may be to cross over and over again through the famous Shibuya multiple crossing, widely referenced in the cinematographic imaginary. It is normal. It will pass soon.
This area of Tokyo is one of the perfect enclaves to unleash nightlife and treachery if one likes. Here you will find numerous clubs such as the Womb [many of you will remember it for this scene from "Babel" (Iñárritu, 2006) ] or the Air . One of the most picturesque areas of Shibuya is Dogenzaka, also known as " Love Hotel Hill ", where many are concentrated " Love Hotels " ( ) in which you can romp (if that luck awaits you, ruffians) imbued in colorful settings and accompanied by different gadgets at your disposal for a modest price.
Akihabara, where the Manga rules
DAY 2:
1. AKIHABARA: THE MIDDLE OTAKU'S WET DREAM
"Akiba", for friends, has gone in recent decades from becoming the core of electronic commerce (its black market past after World War II is still sensed in the hive of small shops that offer bargains among the tangles of cables and various gadgets) to be recognized as the cornerstone of the fanatical subculture of manga, anime, and their by-products . Before being buried by thousands of figures and merchandising objects in establishments like _ Animate _ or _ Kotobukiya _ you can have the most insane coffee of your lives in a Maid Cafe or meido cafe ( ; yes, the atmosphere generates a bit of " meido " and confusion... It may even stir up some buried violence in your hearts...), run by young girls festively dressed as maidens; determined to delight their customers with a spirited and submissive attitude.
A Japanese Maid Cafe
But if there is a dream place that you must visit, especially if retro-gamer nostalgia shakes your spine, this is Super Potato. : three floors invaded by a magical 8-bit soundtrack and crammed with Game Boy, Super Nintendo or Sega Megadrive cartridges and merchandise of blessed plastic; one of which is exclusively dedicated to the use and enjoyment of the Arcade and the compulsive consumption of sweets... Hadooouuuuken !!! (Sophisticated attack also known in the arcades of my neighborhood as the "Abuken" of all life, come on).
To put the finishing touch to your hours in Akihabara , nothing better than a restorative tonkatsu at Marugo : a juicy breaded and fried pork cutlet. Oishii!
two. SIMPLY: ODAIBA.
Let us imagine for a moment Las Rozas rebuilt as an artificial island after having suffered a dystopian catastrophe in the year 3000. Let's add to this concept a Statue of Liberty, one of the largest Ferris wheels in the world, the impressive futuristic building that architect Tange Kenzo designed for the headquarters of Fuji TV (the scene of numerous Digimon battles, such as the one fought against Myotismon) and a giant Gundam guarding the entrance to a shopping center (which is called Diver City... watch out for detail). Well, something like that is Odaiba. To access this extravagant enclave you must follow the yellow brick road... No, much better! You have to take the Yurikamome automatic line, a kind of retro-futuristic roller coaster that will offer you some very special views of Tokyo.
Tokyo also has a Statue of Liberty
It is recommended that you get off at Daiba station so that your tour is something like: Statue of Liberty (with views of the famous Rainbow Bridge) and views of Tokyo Bay from the Fuji TV building. Once you are done with what we could call "the basics of Odaiba", we invite you not to stop visiting or one of the funniest malls in the universe known to man: Deck's Tokyo Beach . There, on the second floor, an indescribable surprise awaits you: the Daiba 1-chome shotengai, a small retro paradise inspired by the Shôwa era, a period that spanned the years in power of Emperor Hirohito (from the late 1920s to the late 1920s). of the 1980s). There you will find recreational machines of various kinds from the 80s and 90s, figurines and other collectible objects of the mythical Astroboy (and for even more nostalgic people) or indecipherable souvenirs, such as postcards of seventies groups or photographs of Japanese marriages who could well have participated in one of the eighties productions of Eloy de la Iglesia...
Right there you can find a shop (whose name I can't remember...) run by a Japanese man who is a feverish fan of Michael Jackson, from the 90s (so, as a concept, I suppose) of the twilight western and the American thriller of the 70s (among other delicious filias) that, at least in September 2014, had a talking doll of Macaulay Culkin for sale in Home Alone (1990) (in its original box) ... This gif is almost a moral obligation.
3. YURAKUCHO AND GINZA: THE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE
After kissing Macaulay's feet and to whet our appetite, we can take a pleasant walk at dusk through the area where the imposing buildings of the most exclusive fashion firms on the planet: Ginza. From there, and as a (necessary) contrast, we can head towards Yûrakuchô and look under the train tracks. There, between the fumes from the kitchens and the incessant murmur of the drunk and de-stressed sararîman, we will come across one of the most special izakayas in Tokyo: ** Andy's Shin Hinomoto. **
To go shopping: Ginza
Who really is Andy, folks? Why has a joint been set up under the train tracks where you eat so devilishly well? Who the hell is his webmaster? Isn't it true that someone with this page can't be a bad person? Andy selects his product directly at Tsukiji, the world's largest fish market, for 25 years and in his tavern you can enjoy delicious dishes of fish, shellfish, chicken and vegetables made with very fresh and high quality products. You can't stop trying his wonderful culinary metamorphosis: "Chicken wings stuffed gyoza"; some stuffed chicken wings as if they were a Japanese dumpling... An innovation that would leave David Muñoz in his underwear? Genetic mutation? Aren't we, perhaps, playing God? Don't stop trying them.
Four. TANK GIRL VS ROBOT GIRL
No self-respecting night owl should leave Tokyo without first setting foot in Kabukichô, the red-light district, located northeast of Shinjuku station. Kabukichô unfolds to the east through an avenue baptized by the hypnotic glow of neon: Yasukuni . Since then, practically we can see how the district throws up izakayas, karaoke bars and different venues dedicated to adult entertainment in its widest diversity. A pair of locals, competing noisily, inevitably attract the attention of even the most unbelieving and stoic. Tank Girls and _ Robot Restaurant. _ Perhaps in dementia and nonsense the second will win. We could tell you many things about the Robot Restaurant. Some of them probably exaggerated reinterpretations or disjointed fragments of implanted memory. Therefore, we invite you to watch this video carefully. No problem .
*** You may also be interested in...**
- Reasons to idolize Tokyo, today and in 2020 - Tokyo Guide
- Kyoto, on the hunt for geisha - What does a sumo wrestler eat? - Small Japanese Vanguard
- Zen for Beginners: The Best Japanese Gardens Outside of Japan - Guide to Getting Your Tip Right
- Japan: to the reconquest of the Spanish tourist - Suitesurfing IV: to Japan, without pajamas - Atlas of the customs of Tokyo
- Emerging Food Powers: Tokyo - Life Beyond Sushi: 11 Japanese Dishes You Don't Know - The ABCs of Sake
- 14 things you should know before traveling to Japan for the first time
Robot Restaurant in Kabukicho