The 22,000km Trip (32) Tokyo: Nezu Musum

Nezu Museum is one of those tiny gallery-type museums so it's quite small and not as flashy as the other metropolitan museums. But it's well liked by locals for 2 reasons 1) They have small but interesting exhibits here and there (They had an exhibit on the history of Buddhism when I was there) 2) The inner garden & cafe is gorgeous, especially during spring and autumn. Unfortunately it was still cold in Japan when I was there but many women come to this museum in kimono specifically to look at the garden and have tea in the cafe. If you want to get away from the business of the city, I highly recommend it!

The 22,000km Trip (31) Tokyo: Toast Brunch and Shrine Amongst Skyscrapers

The unique thing about Japan via other Asian countries is that we're not really a "breakfast" bunch. If you go to China or Thailand, you see porridge shops or street stands swarmed with people, waiting to have a bite before going to work or school. Japan for some reason, there is none of that. That is not to say we don't eat breakfast. In fact, we eat quite a lot, and considered one of the most important family meals of the day (especially as dads are at work until late and don't come back after the kids are asleep) but we tend to eat at home. I still have fond memories growing up and surrounding a table to eat a whole course of food (rice, soup, fish, pickles, fresh seafood, salad, simmer vegetables) before going to school. However, with recent times things are changing. There's special breakfast menus at fastfood restaurants and Seven Eleven sells coffee and pastries. Brunch is becoming big too, copying SATC and other American shows. When I told my friend where I was staying in Tokyo, he recommended me a good... toast shop. A place known for toast? Now this was a first. I had to check it out.

The "toast store" is more known for its coffee is in a modern office building in Toranomon. According to the many reviews I've read, they're traditional European style coffee is well-loved by coffee-connoisseurs and hard-to-please coffee lovers. They're also known for serving special toast with fermented butter. Sounds fancy huh?

Toranomon Koffee

And voila! The infamous toast which comes in an artistic box

The butter is what I've been missing.. European style butter! Ever since I moved to Europe, I don't think I can no longer eat butter other than French ones. It's so much flavorful.. I can understand French cuisine takes such pride and uses a whole lot of butter. Paula Dean... your sticks of butter recipe do no good! It's slightly salty, slightly creamy, and you can even smell the aroma.

After a nice little brunch (I love having brunch amidst of salarymen and women busy looking through their schedules... ah yes student life) I decided to take a stroll to the infamous Miseki Shrine nearby. It's quite amazing that this shrine is atop a steep hill surrounded by nothing but skyscrapers. It's not wonder that this shrine has been sacred grounds to wish for good business and promotions for centuries! It's a great little hidden gem in the smack middle of a business district.

Picked out one of those fortune telling sticks...I got "middle luck" which is rather good.. but really? I'm still in pain here

The 22,000km Trip (30) Tokyo: Changing Faces of Harajuku, Shibuya, and Omotesando

Living 5 minutes train ride away from Shibuya-station, the areas surrounding it bring the most memories but it also never fails to mesmerize me. Shibuya, as you know is a colossal metropolis as you've probably seen on TV or movies. It's chaotic, loud, and busy. But it's also the best place for shopping, eating, and practically do anything. It was my playground the 6 years I was there. Then there is Harajuku with the crazy teenage and cosplay girls. What many tourists don't know that if you go in the back alleys, there's some pretty chill and retro cafes and second hand shops. Omotesando is the most sophisticated, possibly one of the most high-end districts in Tokyo mimicking Champs-Elysee. It's funny that all three of them are neighboring each other and easily walkable from one to another. You can definitely see the change in style, people, and atmosphere and it never fails to surprise me as well really embrace the changing faces of Tokyo. It only takes 1-2 hours to walk around all of them (maybe 1-2 more extra hours to take pictures, and eat as well!) so it's definitely a must-go. There's also some really great restaurants and fantastic cafes.

Harajuku

Harajuku

Harajuku

Shibuya

Shibuya

Omotesando

Omotesando - looks eerily similar to a typical cafe in Paris no?

Omotesando

Extra: LINE store in Harafuku :P

borderline between Harajuku/Omotesando

borderline between Harajuku/Omotesando

The 22,000km Trip (29) Tokyo: Paying Respect at Meiji Shrine

I'm not particularly superstitious but there are 3 spiritual locations in Asia that I have to stop by whenever I'm in that city: Erawan Shrine in Bangkok, Won Tai Shin in Hong Kong, and Meiji Shrine in Tokyo. Spiritual or not, Shinto or not, reiligious or not, you won't be sorry to stop by here. It's a huge forest oasis in the smack middle between Shibuya and Harajuku. There's crazy people dressed up in cosplay 500m away, yet once you enter through the giant shrine gate, you're in another world. There's so many tourists and worshipers that go in and out of this place, yet it's so serene and so tranquil. I used to come here whenever I wanted to clear my mind. There's a special sort of sacred atmosphere that's hard to describe. And if you're lucky you'll be able to see a wedding or blessing ceremony. I happened to stumble upon a baby-blessing!

The 22,000km Trip (28) Tokyo: Yanaka

For the average Tokyo citizen, Yanaka is just one of the more well-known local neighborhood for its traditional-style stores. Its cemetery is well known for a few historic celebrities buried there. But that's about it. You won't think of really going there unless you lived in the area. For the average tourist, Yanaka is virtually unknown. That is, until now. Apparently, the Yanaka community is trying to "sell" the neighborhood as a hidden gem that preserves the traditional 1960-1980s style of Japan. And it some ways it is. I can see how it can appeal to foreigners.

But on the other hand, I honestly felt like it was "too" made up. It almost felt like they renovated the stores to look retro, but it seems oddly out of place. The shotengai, or the row of stores were attractive but many were overly accommodating to foreigners and losing its local touch. Don't get me wrong, you'll have a marvelous time there and the ambiance is nice, but I'd prefer the smaller shotengais in Arakawa, Musashi-Koyama areas. You only see locals shopping and so naturally it feels more authentic. Nevertheless, I slipped in through a few of the smaller alleys and a few stores that were actually targeted towards locals. The backdrop of the sunset makes it look a little more authentic...right?