Episode #29: Tokyo City Guide

 

The previous article—written right after a whirlwind “3 nights and 4 days” trip to Japan that felt over in 3.4 seconds—was basically the desperate flailing of three travelers who could barely string together a single Japanese sentence. (Word has it, among us, Seol-san’s Japanese was the most impressive.)

Following that playful experiment in Japanese-style narration, this time we return to the magazine’s core mission: to share a few ways to savor Tokyo in May with a little more intention. May in Tokyo may not come with cherry blossoms, but the weather is perfect—where a gentle breeze lingers even at 2 a.m., and heading to Don Quijote at 7 a.m. Maybe it’s the air, but our hearts felt doki-doki, and ready to take in Tokyo’s corners more closely than ever.



 

① Imperial Palace Running Course "What's hip thing to do in Tokyo these days? Imperial Palace Running."

ASICS Run Tokyo ⊳ Tokyo Imperial Palace ⊳ GLITCH Coffee

 

 

One habit I’d love to pick up while traveling through a city is running. The only things you need are a pair of running shoes—and the willpower to wake up a little earlier than usual. Around Tokyo Station, in the Marunouchi district, you’ll find ASICS Run Tokyo, a store that offers a clever service: for about ¥1,000, you can rent a pair of running shoes tailored to your stride and actually test them on the spot. I picked out a pair of lemon-yellow GEL-Kayano 31s and set off for the Imperial Palace.

*Marunouchi (丸の内): A representative business and commercial district of Japan located in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo, between Tokyo Station and the Imperial Palace.


A full lap around the palace moat is 5 kilometers, but we only did half, since our next destination was GLITCH Coffee. Along the way, while tourists lined up to enter the palace grounds, runners slipped past under rows of zelkova trees. To the left, the historic palace walls; to the right, Tokyo’s glass-and-steel skyline. It’s a rare view—past and present unfolding at once—as your stride carries you forward.

From there, we veered back into the city. A 10-minute walk led us to GLITCH Coffee, a temple for coffee devotees. Ordering here isn’t a quick transaction—it’s a process. The baristas begin by asking about your flavor preferences, then recommend beans accordingly, carefully explaining how the profile shifts depending on whether it’s brewed hot, poured over ice, or transformed into a latte. The whole exchange easily took 15 minutes, but it felt more like a ritual than a delay.

Tokyo has a way of elevating the everyday with this kind of obsessive care. Even a single cup of coffee becomes an experience—and, perhaps, the perfect reward after a palace run.

 

 

 

 

② Want to taste a special drink?

Jikon sake ⊳ Jura wine ⊳ Suntory draft beer


Located somewhere in Shinjuku's Arakicho district, this bar, unlike its name (All That Jazz Bar), welcomes you with a owner wearing a T-shirt featuring a certain old rock band. And contrary to its name, the bar is surprisingly bright and quiet. This allows you to relax and enjoy a variety of sake. Oh, come to think of it, despite its name, it actually sells sake!

This unusual combination allowed us to further explore the topic of drinking. While debating which sake to try, we decided to try the recommended Jikon sake. Jikon is a premium sake brand produced by Kiyasho Brewery in Nabari, Mie Prefecture, Japan. Sake varies in flavor and price depending on the rice polishing ratio, which is typically divided into Junmai Daiginjo and Junmai Ginjo. Junmai Ginjo is made by polishing the rice to less than 60%, while Junmai Daiginjo is further polished to less than 50%, resulting in a very refined and clean flavor. Tasting Jikon's Junmai Daiginjo and Junmai Ginjo, the differences in aroma and cloudiness made it feel like we were drinking two different types of sake. Our first night in Tokyo, exploring the polishing ratio at the oddly-combined All That Jazz Bar, was quite academic.

 

 



In the basement of Akasaka, behind a stark black door that warns—strictly reservation only, lies a wine bar devoted exclusively to the wines of France’s Jura region. Step inside, and you’ll find shelves lined with bottles glowing under the dim light of the bar counter—a small, secretive space.

Among Jura’s unique offerings, we chose to taste Vin Jaune, a white wine aged for more than six years in oak barrels. Despite its category, this wine is nothing like a conventional white. The long maturation gives it a complexity that recalls maple syrup on the nose, with layers that shift dramatically with each vintage.

We tried three different Vin Jaunes: one with assertive fruit notes tapering into a caramel finish; another that carried the clean, crystalline sharpness of baijiu; and a third that seemed to weave whiskey, baijiu, and aged cheese into a single glass. For those who love whiskey or baijiu but find themselves craving something new, Jura’s Vin Jaune offers a bridge: a white wine that feels at once familiar and entirely unexpected.

 

 

 

 

  • Suntory Draft Beer: 📍everywhere in Tokyo

There's no one in Tokyo who hasn't had Draft Beer(Nama Biru), right? Just go anywhere and drink it.

Nevertheless, I would like to lightly recommend “Samurai Izakaya”, which decorated the last memory of a cool Tokyo night when I was still reluctant to go home. I wanted to try a place that was hard to find on Google Maps, so I wandered around Akasaka shouting “Gyoza wa Arimasuka?” (餃子 はありますか). Finally, an izakaya answered back: “Gyoza wa arimasu.” Victory.

The place was nearly empty except for us—definitely no tourists. At midnight, the promise of late-night gyoza alone was enough to make us grin. plus an average of 3.6 glass of Suntory draft beer per person, and we had found the perfect way to close out Tokyo’s breezy night.

 

 

 



 

③ Shopping Course “Must Buy When You Come to Tokyo”

 

  • Ebisu ⊳ Shibuya ⊳ Omote-Sando ⊳ Harajuku

: This is a day-long shopping course that begins at Kapital in Ebisu and continues through Shibuya, Omotesando, and Harajuku. There are so many brands to see, I've shared a Google Maps list. (Google Maps list here)


  • Ginza

: If you want to see a variety of brands in one place, from Dover Street Market to Mitsukoshi Department Store, Ginza SIX, and Hankyu Men's, you can spend half a day in Ginza.


  • Nakameguro ⊳ Daikanyamacho

:This course features small shops and well-curated showrooms of Japanese brands along the river. We especially recommend the showroom of Visvim, a high-end Japanese street brand. Crossing the river to Daikanyamacho, you can take a leisurely stroll through a quiet, upscale Japanese neighborhood reminiscent of the back alleys of Hannam-dong or Buam-dong in Korea.

 

 

 

In fact, anyone with a keen eye for fashion will likely already know or have visited the courses above. The real shopping mecca in Tokyo is Don Quijote. Here are some Don Quijote tips:

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This Tokyo trip was a little clumsy at times, but that only made it more fun. The perfect May weather, the people I was with, and the joy of having friends who never hesitate to say “Yes!” kept everything easy and full of laughs. Our second YBP workshop was a hit too. 

 

 

 

 

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