Tokyo, the ever-changing metropolis, offers tons of exotica night and day to satisfy any appetite for the latest trends coming out of its edgy scene. For more than 400 years, Tokyo has been a cultural center of Japan, and now it is glittering more than ever, despite competition from China and Korea. With relaxing restaurants to serve you to your heart’s content, here are some ideas about how to enjoy the city’s emerging movements.
Looking for the truly edgy spots in Tokyo? Get off at the Harajuku Station of the Yamanote Line and walk along the Omote Sando Street, the seismic center of the nation’s latest fashion. The Nezu Museum (6-5-1 Minami-Aoyama, Minato) has long watched the history of the street, where luxury brands including Louis Vuitton, Dior and Prada opened at the turn of the millennium. Cutting-edge brands such as Undercover (5-3 Minami-Aoyama, Minato) and A Bathing Ape (5-5-8 Minami-Aoyama, Minato) by Nigo, which recently opened a shop in New York, are some of the more charismatic residents of the designers’ village. Comme des Garçons bowed on Kotto Dori Street with a shop under the direction of Belgian artist Jan De Cock. The shop, called Jan Comme des Garçons (5-12-6 Minami-Aoyama, Minato) is part of Rei Kawakubo’s temporary shop concept. The avant-garde exterior and interior harmonize with the neighborhood’s sizzling atmosphere. For those who want a more private shopping experience, Yukari Ikemoto, an FIT graduate who now designs for celebrities and musicians in Tokyo, will welcome you into her relaxing, intimate atelier (1-10-22, Nakameguro, Meguro).
Make some stylish friends at Maduro, a bar in Grand Hyatt Tokyo (6-10-3 Roppongi), where magazine editors chat about the latest trends or steep themselves in the elegant but exciting ambiance.
Iroha Zushi (1-22-13, Kamimeguro) is a sushi bar that is always crowded with foreign fashion folk, and fresh raw fish is served in a cozy environment reminiscent of a Japanese inn. Also in Nakameguro, the French-inspired Brasserie Huit (1-10-23, Nakameguro) takes full advantage of the view of trees along the Nakameguro River as a background, and dining here al fresco is fast becoming a neighborhood habit.
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When it’s time to relax, swing by Claska (1-3-18 Chuo, Meguro). This fully renovated and refurbished hotel has only nine guest rooms, but the events here—from fashion shows and private parties to concerts and photography exhibitions—are often held by the city’s hippest event planners. The first-floor lobby operates both as a cafe-lounge and DJ event/party space, and the rooftop lounge offers stunning panoramic views of the city. For something more centrally located, try Hotel Seiyo Ginza (1-11-2 Ginza), which is as proud of its proximity to Ginza’s shopping as it is of the top-shelf service in its 77 guest rooms. This hotel—the only one on the luxurious Ginza Dori Street—has put up lots of Hollywood stars as well as business executives, and was the first hotel to introduce concierge service in Japan.