Insanely cute and delicious to boot, animal doughnuts have become synonymous with Japanese bakeries since capturing the Internet a decade ago. While wandering through Ikebukuro Station, I chanced upon a popup counter by Ikunimama Animal Doughnuts, a local doughnut store located in Kawasaki.
According to their Instagram page, the store can often be found roving around various train stations in Tokyo, so you might just stumble upon one if you’re lucky!
Modern food trucks are all the rage in Tokyo, with several offering various cuisines from Mexican and Middle Eastern, to even Singaporean. Mrs Charlotte is one such food truck known for its eclectic, pastel-themed desserts.
Not only is Mrs Charlotte a hit among locals, it’s also fairly elusive, open only on selected weekends for up to five hours. One reviewer reportedly took three attempts before being able to get her hands on the sought-after crepes and ice cream.
While ramen and sushi are the first things that come to mind when Japanese food is mentioned, Tokyo is no stranger to hip, new places with all sorts of cool foodie creations to try.
American work clothing brand, STABLER, marked its foray into F&B with the opening of STABLER Meatsand. Its second outlet, STABLER Shimokitazawa Meatsand 2nd, is situated in reload, an enclave of hipster cafes and eateries in trendy Shimokitazawa.
Leave it to social media to unearth another “hidden gem”. Once Tokyo’s best-kept secret, Tsujihan Zeitaku Don‘s fame has exploded online, thanks to the proliferation of its one and only dish – kaisendon piled high with chopped tuna and shellfish, and topped with overflowing ikura and uni that would make a seafood lover weep.
While Tsujijhan is one of the numerous food chains to dot Tokyo’s foodie map, its Nihonbashi branch is the most famous and visited among locals and tourists. Queues are known to run around the block, with average wait times spanning over two hours.
Fancy eating a piece of Japan’s history? Ginza Wakamatsu is a traditional dessert shop whose history spans over 100 years. Tucked away in an unassuming corner of Ginza Core Building, right next to the Prada store, this storied place was the very one to introduce anmitsu.
A classic dessert comprising agar gelatin, sweet bean paste, and black sugar syrup, anmitsu used to be exclusively available at Ginza Wakamatsu, which first created it in 1930, about four decades after it opened.
Mecha fans, fancy living out your fantasy as a Gundam pilot in Tokyo? Well, you can’t (yet) but here’s the next best thing – getting up close and personal with a moving Gundam at the Gundam Factory in Yokohama.
Currently stationed at Yamashita Pier in Naka Ward, Gundam Factory Yokohama is a time-limited installation whose lease was recently extended a second time till 31 March 2024.
While many associate Japan’s Edo era with the likes of Kyoto and Kanazawa, you can experience the traditional side of Japan not too far away from modern-day Tokyo. Located an hour from Tokyo Station by train, Kawagoe is a former castle town that’s commonly known as Little Edo, due to the preservation of traditional-style buildings amidst more contemporary neighbourhoods.
Here are 7 must-try experiences to make the most of your day trip to Little Edo.
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