Category Archives: Tokyo

Navigating the World of Japanese Snacks

Posted in Kyoto, Osaka, Tokyo by

When I travel, my favorite souvenirs are food. Wherever I travel, I will no doubt come back with cases of snacks. I love to try snacks from different countries because what’s unusual in one country is the norm in a different country. Plus, it allows me to experience different flavor combinations I would never think to go together i.e. butter flavored chocolate.

I tried my best to taste all the snacks, amongst all the meals I ate, but it was a hard feat since there was such a large variety. Japan takes their snacks seriously. Chips, chocolates, and cookies in every flavor combination possible. And then there’s the matcha; it is not JUST matcha. There’s Uji matcha, sakura matcha, matcha with soybean powder, etc. It’s like snacks on steroids. The ones I didn’t have time to try, I brought home to savor. Below is a picture of all the snacks I bought.img_2590
Yes, I fit all the snacks above, 1.5 weeks of clothes, and a bottle of whiskey all in ONE carry on suitcase. I know I’m nuts, but I LOVE my snacks. Here is a breakdown of the snacks I think are worthy of trying:

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Shirohige’s Cream Puff Factory

Studio Ghibli and My Neighbor Totoro fans can now fawn over Totoro cream puffs. Yes, a Totoro cream puff factory does indeed exist! It was opened in 2008 by Shirohige, also known as white bread in Japanese. Sources says this factory is also owned by the Miyazaki family. Hayao Miyazaki is the founder of Studio Ghibli and director of My Neighbor Totoro. Miyazaki also created a pig nosed animation of Shirohige, the baker.

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This will also be the cutest place you visit. The inside is adorned with everything Totoro and Studio Ghibli. Even the bathroom has a Totoro smiling at you. Sadly, I forgot to take pictures.

You can buy your Totoro cream puffs downstairs if you choose to consume them later. If you choose to eat them there, there is a cafe upstairs. However, they do require each person to buy one drink minimum.

The flavors are seasonal and are indicated by the type of decoration Totoro adorns.

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I got the strawberry cream (pink flower) and matcha green tea custard (yellow hat). My favorite was the strawberry cream because there were chunks of fresh strawberry in it.

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Hello my neighbor Totoro! 🙂

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The factory is located in Setagaya, about a 20 min train ride from Tokyo. When you get out the Setagaya station, make a right. Pass Lawson and make another right into the neighbor and follow the path until you reach Shirohige’s.

(5 Chome-3-1 Daita, Setagaya-ku, Tōkyō-to 155-0033, Japan)

Yamaga Honten (山家)

Posted in Tokyo by

Izakaya is a popular informal Japanese cuisine for those looking to enjoy good food and drinks after work. Meat is cut into bite size pieces, placed on a skewer, and grilled. The type of meat can range from chicken to cow to parts like hearts, gizzards, and liver.

The food here is tasty but the menu is only in Japanese and the staff only speaks Japanese. So I trusted Google translate to decipher the menu. Boy, was I in for an cultural experience.

We ordered the kobe beef but didn’t realize it comes raw. We ate it anyways. 

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The bacon wrapped asparagus were delicious.

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We ordered a combo skewer set of chicken wings, chicken liver, chicken skin, chicken thigh, and chicken heart.

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I enjoy eating chicken heart so I wanted another skewer of hearts. On the menu, it says chicken hearts (5). When I placed my extra order with the waiter, he asked if I wanted 5 and I said yes. I thought that it mean 5 hearts on a skewer. When the chicken hearts came out, I soon realized it meant 5 skewers of heart, which the waiter was trying to that explain to me.

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On second thought, these look to big to be chicken hearts despite what google translates says. Either way, I forced myself to eat three skewers out of respect for my mistake. 

(1-5-9 Dogenzaka, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo)

patisserie Sadaharu Aoki

Despite having traveled to Paris before, I never heard of patisserie Sadaharu Aoki until now. Aoki was born in Tokyo but moved to Paris to learn the art of French baking. He opened his own shop in Paris before expanding in his homeland. I give him an A+++ for mastering French baking. Above is the matcha eclair incorporating the French pastry with his Japanese background. The eclair is filled with a matcha custard and topped with a matcha ganache. Aoki did a wonderful job in bringing out the true matcha flavor. It was so supremely divine that to this day, I still dream of having another bite.

Look out for it at the Shinjuku Isetan on level B1F.

The location I went to was Japan〒160-0022 Tokyo, Shinjuku 新宿3-14-1, but there are plenty of other locations in Tokyo. See the map below.

Mentsu-Dan (東京麵通团)

If you’re a noodle lover like me, I highly recommend Mentsu-Dan. The fresh handmade noodles will elevate your udon standards. The noodles are chewy and have the perfect bite. I haven’t been able to appreciate udon anywhere else after this. Being the tourist I am and willingness to try new things, I ordered natto with a fresh egg. I soon learned natto was fermented soy beans. I don’t recommend this unless you are a fan of fermented soy beans. It was difficult for me to overcome the fermented flavor despite how great the noodles were. I recommend the beef udon with broth instead. The beef is yummy, and the broth is clear and easy on the taste buds.

After you get your udon, head over to the tempura area where you can select from the vast varieties of tempura. I got the squash, katsu and squid. Overall, the freshness of the noodles makes this a must go when in Tokyo.

(7 Chome-9-15 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku, Tokyo 160-0023, Japan)

Ichiran

Like everything else in Japan, Ichiran is a chain restaurant. They specialize in ramen with tonkotsu broth. To order, buy your meal ticket at the vending machine. You have the option to add more pork, green onions or an egg for additional costs. Once you’ve purchased your meal ticket, the hosts will guide you to an open table. You have the option to sit at individual booth like eating area or at open tables. At the table, you fill out a form customizing your broth and noodle preferences. The broth was porky but not deep in flavor. The noodles were the perfect chewiness. One dislike was that they forgot our egg until I remembered at the end of meal. Overall, it was a satisfying bowl of ramen.

I went to this location Japan〒542-0084 Osaka Prefecture, Osaka, Chūō-ku, Souemonchō, 7中央区宗右衛門町７−１８, however they have lots of locations through out Japan.

Sushi Dai


Be prepared to wait for Sushi Dai, one of the two acclaimed sushi restaurants at the Tsukiji fish market. By wait, I don’t mean 1-2 hours. I mean over FOUR hours. You have to be committed, or just wake up super early to be first in line. I got to Sushi Dai around 5 am and was immediately told it will be a four hour wait. So I waited….and waited….and waited 4.5 hours for:

Fresh and smooth toro

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Robot Restaurant

Posted in Tokyo by

When my friend first recommended Robot Restaurant to me, my first instinct was pass. Too loud. Looks like Vegas on steroids in one room. However when my friend said “Let’s go!”, I went along and I’m glad I did. Throughout the show it was “Wtf are they thinking?,” yet I was amazed by their musical ability, taiko drumming abilities, and dancing. Overall, it was thoroughly entertaining.

First, you check in here. 

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Then you go down the street and turn right to the entrance of the restaurant. Go upstairs and redeem your free drink, admission includes one free drink. Take a seat, but don’t get too comfortable, and enjoy the pre-show concert of robotic guitarists and singer.

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After about half an hour, you are instructed to head downstairs. Take your seat and enjoy the show!

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Before the show, you are instructed to lean back if you are in the first two rows. The stages can swipe your head off as they come by. They are THAT close.

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Taiko drumming battle.

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Everything is measured to the inch. The stage drops down with barely an inch left between you and the stage.

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Robot vs. animal battle ends with pyrotechnics. 

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“Ssssss”- snake robot

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Superman peacing out with his robot friend.

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We booked our reservations from here. 

The show comes with a sushi dinner option for an extra 1000 yen but we opted out due to reviews stating that it’s mediocre.

( ロボットレストラン Japan〒160-0021 Tokyo, Shinjuku, Kabukicho, 1 Chome−7−1新宿ロボットビルB2)

Meiji Jingu

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Meiji Jingu is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the souls of Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken.

When you first enter, you will come across the huge Torii gate.

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As you follow the path, you will come across the sake and wine casks dedicated to Emperor Meiji. Each year a sake cask is donated by Meiji Jingu Nationwide Sake Brewers Association in hopes of prosperity.

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Emperor Meiji is known for embracing the Western culture and starting the modernization of Japan, which allowed Japan to become one of the world’s major power. Below are wine casks in commemoration of his radical actions of consuming Western food and enjoying wine with it. 

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Before you enter the shrine, it is custom to rinse your hands and mouth at the temizuya.

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Another Torii gate before you enter the shrine.

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Shrine entrance

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Alas the shrine.

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Write your wishes on an Ema, wooden tablet, and hang it under the tree.

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Shinto wedding procession at the shrine.

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Admission is free unless you plan on entering the treasure house, which displays the emperor’s and empress’ personal possessions, or inner garden.

(Japan〒151-0052 Tōkyō-to, Shibuya-ku, Yoyogikamizonochō, 1東京都渋谷区代々木神園町1)

bills Sydney

While researching for a brunch place, the name bills Sydney, a famous Australian brunch place that has made its way to Tokyo, kept popping up. We decided to give it a try. Our first attempt was unsuccessful. We arrived at 10 am and they told us to come back at 1 pm. The wait was THAT long.

The next day, we tried to go again and only had to wait 20 minutes for a table. Not knowing what the to expect, we were in for a surprise. The food was AMAZING!

Sweet corn fritters, roast tomato, spinach, bacon and avocado salsa– The corn was naturally sweet and perfectly seasoned. I had to stop myself from gobbling it all up at once.

Ricotta hotcakes, banana and honeycomb butter– The fluffiest pancakes ever! Heavenly and not overly sweet. I can’t wait to try to recreate these. Or travel to have these again.

Tip: You can make reservations in advance. It’s located on the top floor of Tokyu Plaza.

(Tokyu Plaza, Omotesando Harajuku 7F, 4-30-3 Jingu-mae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0001)

If you can’t go to Japan to try these amazing hotcakes but happen to be in Hawaii, check out their Oahu location. (280 Beach Walk, Honolulu, HI 96815)