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東
京
TOKYO IS A CITY OF CONTRASTS./
ANCIENT-LOOKING TEMPLES NESTLE ALONGSIDE SLICK, MODERN SKYSCRAPERS./ THE BUZZ OF CRACKLING NEON + BUSY CITY TRAFFIC LIE JUST STREETS AWAY FROM SEEMINGLY-DESERTED ALLEYWAYS./ HI-TECH INNOVATIONS SHARE THE SPOTLIGHT WITH HISTORIC TRADITIONS + CUSTOMS./ IT’S THIS INTERPLAY BETWEEN OPPOSITES – (OLD + NEW, BOLD + SUBTLE, MODERNITY + TRADITION) – THAT MAKES THE PLACE SO SPECIAL./
OUR TOKYO IS A CITY THAT PRIZES TRADITION, HERITAGE + CUSTOM, BUT ALWAYS HAS ITS EYE ON THE FUTURE./ IN THIS GUIDE, WE BRING YOU PLACES THAT REFLECT THE CHARACTER OF THE CITY – QUIRKY BARS, BEAUTIFUL GARDENS, BOLD ARCHITECTURE, QUAINT TEAHOUSES, INTERESTING GALLERIES, COOL STORES + STUNNING RESTAURANTS./
THIS IS A CITY THAT WILL CONTINUALLY SURPRISE YOU./
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NONBEI YOKOCHŌ
THIS ATMOSPHERIC ALLEYWAY LIES JUST A FEW STEPS AWAY FROM THE BLINDING NEON OF SHIBUYA’S FAMOUS SCRAMBLE CROSSING./ THE LANE IS FILLED WITH TINY BARS, EACH WITH ONLY A FEW SEATS./ A WANDER DOWN THIS LANE FEELS LIKE STEPPING BACK IN TIME. //
Shibuya //
RECOMMENDED BY:
F1FTY //
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FARET TACHIKAWA
LAUNCHED IN 1994, FARET TACHIKAWA WAS AN URBAN REGENERATION PROJECT, DOTTING ARTWORKS THROUGHOUT THE TOWN CENTRE./ IT FEATURES ARTWORKS FROM OVER 92 ARTISTS, INCLUDING HEAVYWEIGHTS SUCH AS ROBERT RAUSCHENBERG. //
en.faretart.jp/ //
RECOMMENDED BY:
F1FTY //
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WAGYUMAFIA
THE WAGYUMAFIA BRAND OPERATES A NUMBER OF RESTAURANTS ACROSS TOKYO (MOST OF WHICH ARE MEMBERS-ONLY), WITH EACH OUTLET OFFERING A UNIQUE CONCEPT FOCUSED ON WAGYU./ YOU CAN EXPERIENCE THE MAGIC YOURSELF AT ‘WAGYUMAFIA – THE CUTLET SANDWICH’ IN NAKAMEGURO. //
@wagyumafiasando //
RECOMMENDED BY:
F1FTY //
SHIMOKITAZAWA
TRENDY AREA TO THE WEST OF SHIBUYA, KNOWN FOR ITS NIGHTLIFE, LIVE MUSIC VENUES, VINTAGE STORES + QUIRKY FASHION./ RAPIDLY CHANGING, BUT IT STILL MANAGES TO RETAIN ITS UNIQUE CHARACTER. //
Shimokitazawa //
RECOMMENDED BY:
F1FTY //
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SCAI THE BATHHOUSE
THIS FANTASTIC CONTEMPORARY GALLERY SPACE IS HOUSED IN A CONVERTED BATHHOUSE IN YANAKA./ THE BUILDING’S TRADITIONAL FAÇADE BELIES AN OPEN, MODERN EXHIBITION SPACE. //
@scaithebathhouse //
RECOMMENDED BY:
F1FTY //
ICHIBANCHŌ TERUYA
THIS INTIMATE BASEMENT RESTAURANT IS THE PERFECT PLACE TO ENJOY EXQUISITE SUSHI PREPARED RIGHT BEFORE YOUR EYES./ IT’S AN ALMOST HYPNOTIC EXPERIENCE TO WATCH SUSHI CHEF TERUYA IIDA AT WORK BEHIND THE SMALL COUNTER. //
restaurant.ikyu.com //
RECOMMENDED BY:
F1FTY //
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YAKATABUNE
PHOTOGRAPHER ALEX KNIGHT RECOMMENDS TAKING A TRADITIONAL YAKATABUNE HOUSEBOAT DINNER TOUR AROUND TOKYO BAY./ AS WELL AS THE ‘FANTASTIC’ VIEWS OF THE RAINBOW BRIDGE, ALEX SAYS ‘WHAT’S NOT TO LOVE ABOUT TAKING A 2-HOUR CRUISE WHILE EATING OKONOMIYAKI + ENJOYING FREEFLOWING DRINKS?!!’ //
yakatabune-kumiai.jp //
RECOMMENDED BY:
ALEX KNIGHT //
RIKUGIEN GARDENS
THIS LARGE PARK CLOSE TO KOMAGOME STATION IS ONE OF THE BEST PLACES IN THE CITY TO CATCH THE STUNNING COLOURS OF MOMIJI (AUTUMN LEAVES)./ IT IS FAMOUS FOR ITS LIGHT-UP EVENTS IN AUTUMN + SPRING, WHEN THE TREES ARE CLEVERLY ILLUMINATED AT NIGHT TO GREAT EFFECT. //
tokyo-park.or.jp/ //
RECOMMENDED BY:
F1FTY //
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CAVEMAN
LOCATED IN A FORMER BANK BUILDING IN NIHONBASHI, CHEF ATSUKI KURODA’S RESTAURANT, CAVEMAN, HAS BEEN RECEIVING RAVE REVIEWS SINCE OPENING IN 2020./ THERE IS ONE SET MENU OFFERED EACH NIGHT, WITH A DRINKS PAIRING WITH A FOCUS ON NATURAL WINES + SAKES. //
@caveman_tokyo //
RECOMMENDED BY:
F1FTY //
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SHIROIKURO
AMAZING JAPANESE SWEETS CRAFTED WITH INCREDIBLE ATTENTION TO DETAIL./ ‘SHIROIKURO’ (MEANING ‘WHITE + BLACK’) TAKES ITS THEME SERIOUSLY, WITH ALL ITEMS ON THE MONOCHROME MENU CREATED WITH BLACK SOY BEANS. //
shiroikuro.com //
RECOMMENDED BY:
F1FTY //
REIYUKAI SHAKADEN
REIYUKAI SHAKADEN IS HOME TO A JAPANESE NEW BUDDHIST MOVEMENT, FOUNDED IN 1925./ THE MAMMOTH CONSTRUCTION OF BRAZILIAN RED GRANITE + STAINLESS STEEL, DATING BACK TO 1975, DOMINATES THE LOCAL LANDSCAPE. //
reiyukai.jp/ //
RECOMMENDED BY:
F1FTY //
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SHINJUKU GOLDEN GAI
A MAZE OF ALMOST 200 TINY BARS, CRAMMED INTO SIX SMALL ALLEYWAYS, GOLDEN GAI FEELS LIKE YOU’RE IN ANOTHER ERA./ INCREASINGLY POPULAR WITH VISITORS, IT’S OFTEN BUZZING AT NIGHT. //
goldengai.jp/ //
RECOMMENDED BY:
F1FTY //
CAFÉ REISSUE
MAKING THE WORLD OF LATTE ART MORE PERSONAL, THE BARISTAS AT CAFÉ REISSUE WILL EVEN RECREATE YOUR FAVOURITE PHOTOGRAPH ON TOP OF YOUR COFFEE./ IF YOU’RE LACKING INSPIRATION, YOU CAN CHOOSE FROM A SAMPLE BOOK OF 3-D CREATIONS. //
@cafe_reissue //
RECOMMENDED BY:
F1FTY //
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YOUR RECOMMENDATION!
BECOME A PART OF OUR GROWING F1FTY COMMUNITY./ SHARE ONE OF YOUR FAVOURITE PLACES IN YOUR CITY + HELP US CREATE A TRULY UNIQUE CITY GUIDE! //
#share_your_city
RECOMMENDED BY:
YOU //
F1FTY TOKYO // City Guide
This article has been edited with great care. Content was compiled based on facts available at the time of going to press. But cities live and breathe, and information is subject to change, so travellers are advised to check for updates from the respective location before your visit. All of the businesses mentioned in this guide were chosen at the discretion of F1FTY or its contributors. None of the brands or businesses featured paid for mentioning in any way.
All photos featured in this guide are copyright F1FTY, with the exception of: WagyuMafia Sando (Credit: Instagram @wagyumafiasando); Yakatabune (Credit: Alex Knight on Unsplash); Reiyukai Shakaden (Credit: Denys Nevozhai on Unsplash). Some images have been edited.