postcards from japan

I finally had the time to sit down and collect my thoughts, feelings, and reflections on my first trip to Japan. For those of you who followed along on Instagram, you know that I visited Tokyo, Kyoto, and Hakonne. I wanted to share a comprehensive round up of all of my favorite stores, places, and restaurants should you ever find yourself in Japan.

For me, visiting Tokyo was like visiting the future. As a native New Yorker, I always thought that city life was synonymous with certain experiences- say litter or just the genuine chaos that comes with living in dense spaces. But Tokyo proved to me that that doesn’t have to be the reality. In fact, with ~1 million more people than in New York City, Tokyo is pristine; there is virtually no litter on the streets. Their trains run on time- to the minute. And perhaps, most noticeably, everyone follows “the rules” for the greater good. [What a concept] This was definitely a trip I will never forget, and I hope to be able to return to Japan again. One trip, albeit for 2.5 weeks, was not enough! 

Now, on to some reccs! For the purposes of this guide, I’m going to share my highlights from Tokyo & Kyoto.

On food.

I had some of the best food I’ve ever had in Japan. Not just sushi and ramen but also… a sandwich? It felt like all meals were prepared with such fresh ingredients, attention to detail, and care that every meal was simply a hit. I quite literally had no bad meals. After visiting, I really feel like you could walk into any local spot and have a delicious meal. So I don’t think it's mandatory to have to hit these exact spots. That said, sharing some of the meals that were a highlight for me below.

Sushi Takehan Wakatsuki (Tokyo): Let me start off by saying, I love sushi. I truly feel like I could eat sushi everyday. And that's what C and I did for 4 days straight. And it was phenomenal. My all time favorite omakase meal was here. Between the monk liver, the urchin and closing out with homemade ice cream. I truly have no notes and will truly and wholeheartedly cherish this meal for years to come. Reservation needed.

Sugari (Kyoto) and Ramen Kokuu (Tokyo): I ate ramen 6 times while in Japan, and while I Iiterally devoured them all, these were my top spots. We popped into Sugari after a day of shopping. The space alone is incredible. And the ramen was delicious. We also had ramen at Ramen Kokuu. We ordered from a machine and, again, it was also so so so incredible. Shout out to Rakkan (Tokyo) honestly, also a hit.

Kappo Sanoya (Tokyo): Maybe one of the most unique meal experiences of my life. The staff was absolutely incredible and the presentation and attention to detail for every single round is something I have never encountered in the US. Reservation needed.

Junidan-ya (Kyoto): Let me tell yah, I’ve had shabu shabu here in the States, or at least I thought I had. None of those experiences even come close to this one. This spot was incredible. It’s also known to be the first shabu-shabu restaurant in Japan, with photos of top figures having visited this very restaurant. 100% recommend. Reservation needed.

Cafe Bibliotic Hello! (Kyoto) When abroad, I don't usually frequent cafes that I feel are seemingly catering to Americans. But not only was this space magical, the food was incredible. We ordered two sandwiches: a BLT and a wagyu beef cutlet. Dare I say it was one of the best sandwiches I’ve ever had. Like ever.

This could easily turn into 15 more spots…so I’m moving on (but message me if you’d like more recs!)

On fashion. 

My biggest takeaway is that American fashion right now is mehhh. I know I’m not the first one to say this but, especially as of late, it really feels like fashion has been about dressing to be a part of the “in crowd”, resulting in everyone dressing the same. Whereas, in Japan, I felt like the whole point was to get dressed to be unique - to stand out. It felt like everyone had their own approach to style even if there was a mutual agreement on closet staples. And this pertained to everyone- women and men, older and younger. Drip was literally everywhere. And I loved it so much. 

I also think retail in New York needs a breath of fresh air. As expected Japan delivers, with concept stores, galleries and cafes in stores, pop ups in department stores.[See Trading Museum Comme des Garcon and Graphpaper Kyoto.] It’s just all chefs kiss.

Below are the brands and stores that have a forever spot in my heart.

UN3D- I stan. I can honestly say that there isn't a store in New York that I walk into and love everything in it. And when I say everything I mean everything. There are a couple of locations throughout Tokyo, my favorite is at Shibuya Parco. Say hi to my new found friend (and fellow Pisces) Mina.

Beams (Kyoto)- Listen, I truly did not put enough respect on the Beams name. In my mind, I equated it with a regular degular department store, say Nordstrom. But honey, it’s so much more than that. Their location in Kyoto in the Nishiki Market is by far my favorite in terms of curation.

Sacai- Definitely on the pricier end. Their location in Omotesando Hills is everything. And yes, I do currently have a Real Real notification set for all womens clothing items.

Dover Street Market- I know there is a Dover Street Market in New York [and truth be told I still have never been], but the curation, selection, layout, just everything of the Dover Street Market that I visited in Ginz reminded me of how exciting retail can [and should] be.

2nd Street (Tokyo)- I'd be remiss if I didn't include a second hand vintage store in my round up. 2nd street, and particularly the one in Koenji, was my favorite. [It took me 20 min to reconfirm the location on Google Maps because it’s only in Japanese, so here you go.] I literally found a Gucci skirt for something like $100 but blacked it out because I couldn't fit into it. Honorable mention goes to TreFac Style 1, another hit in the neighborhood where I grabbed a jacket and top.

On things to do.

There is no limit to what you can do on your trip to Japan. So much so that I know I’m manifesting a second visit because there’s no way to get it all done in one trip. Personally, I also think that sort of mentality makes travelling really overwhelming, and so we committed to a finite (but also thorough) list of activities. Below are my highlights:

The Golden Temple (Kyoto): This was truly breathtaking. On the day that we went it was also perfectly sunny and it just made for the perfect backdrop for the gold. My photos feel like a Window 98 screensaver.

Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art: There was a Gucci Cosmos exhibit that traces the House's over 100-year history in celebration of the 60 years of Gucci in Japan. This was meant for me haha.

21 21 Design Sight: There was a phenomenal exhibit featuring the collaboration between HOMME PLISSÉ ISSEY MIYAKE and designer / artist Ronan Bouroullec.

Tokyo Skytree: Yes, it's touristy but also wow. When I got to the top, it really hit me just how massive this city is. [Hot take, I actually think you can skip the trip to the tippy top (floor 445-450), I think the view from floor 350 is way better.]

That’s it! My trip to Japan was truly an experience I will never forget and one I will continue to cherish. I’m oh so grateful. Message me if you find yourself heading to Japan or need any more recs.