You could spend a lifetime getting to know a megalopolis like Tokyo, and there are so many things you could do when you?re on holiday here. But you might like to try starting with this list.
1. Visit a Depachika
A matcha eclair found at Patisserie Sadaharu AOKI, Tokyo, Japan (photo by City Foodsters CC BY).
If the apocalypse ever comes to pass, a depachika is where I?d like to live out the remainder of my days.
Depachika are basement food halls in department stores, and they?re some of the best places in Japan to experience a wide range of foods in a single place. All major foods in Japanese cuisine, from yakitori to tempura, are represented here, but there are also sections for Chinese, Korean, and Western cuisine ? not to mention Japanese wagashi, Western-style confectionery, and the many rotating regional food festivals throughout the year. Everything is pure eye candy ? a real visual feast. Stacks of simmered meats and deep-fried croquettes, jewel-colored salads, and cakes as delightful as Wayne Thiebaud paintings. The best part is sampling all the food on display.
There are too many fabulous depachika in town to recommend. Start with Shinjuku Isetan (eat Sadaharu Aoki?s fine matcha eclairs), Daimaru in Tokyo Station (get the butter Kit Kats, or queue for the NYC Sand), or Ginza Mitsukoshi (just eat everything).
2. Walk Around a Garden
Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden in Tokyo, Japan (photo by NatalieTracy CC BY).
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