RED° TOKYO TOWER
Tokyo Tower is truly an icon of Japan’s capital, its bold blocks of white and international orange peeking through between buildings from all over the city. It’s beautiful to look at, and to look from – both the Main Deck at 150m and the Top Deck at 250m have panoramic views of the city, taking in the bay, Skytree and on clear winter mornings even Mt Fuji.
Though the tower dates back to 1958, RED° Tokyo Tower on the 3rd to 5th floors opened in April 2022. It’s a great addition, giving you a chance to try out immersive VR and AR games, e-sports and even e-motorsports. The tower has always been a romantic spot – local legend says that if a couple watches the tower illuminations turn off at midnight, they’ll stay together – but adding three floors of competitive and co-op gaming means that it’s now a really exciting tourist spot, too.
RED° Tokyo Tower is also great with friends – we enjoyed playing red light green light, as well as an AR game which combined bouldering with pong. Difficult, but fun!
RED° TOKYO TOWER
Standing at 333 meters tall, Tokyo Tower is one of the most iconic symbols representing the great city of Tokyo.
RED° TOKYO TOWER is one of Japan’s largest eSports parks and the tower’s newest attraction that just opened in April of 2022. Floors one and three through five were jam-packed with attractions that utilize technologies such as AR, VR, and projection mapping to augment an assortment of physical challenges. I tried the VALOCLIMB, a fast-paced AR experience where players compete in what I can only describe as air hockey meets bouldering. While I claimed victory in that, other games proved quite a bit harder to win.
My next stop was the Top Deck to peer over Tokyo from a height of 250 meters. It had a fascinating scent that, according to the guide, apparently changed at night for evening guests. While sipping my complimentary welcome drink, I looked out over the expansive Tokyo skyline and was awestruck by how big Tokyo really was.
20 minutes by train (non-JR lines)
Azabu-Juban
After tiring ourselves out with AR sports, we strolled over to nearby Azabu-Juban to refuel. This district is great to explore on foot, with chic cafés, independent shops and live music venues doted around its small side streets.
We opted for Hanabusa, which serves a la carte and set menus focused on eel. Though the food is traditional the surroundings are modern: the frontage is raw concrete offset with a subtle sign and potted plants; and inside, warm lighting and clean lines combined with classic Japanese aesthetics create a cool but cosy feeling.
The restaurant specializes in eel, usually served in a dark, umami sauce. I decided to order shirayaki, where the eel is simply grilled and served with a wedge of citrus – bright and refreshing.
After lunch, we spent some more time strolling through the district. After picking up some senbei (crispy rice cakes) at Tanuki Senbei and watching nuts being deep fried at Mamegen (the smell was mouthwatering!) we stopped for dessert at Azabu Yasaigashi. The shop/café makes snacks and sweets out of seasonal vegetables. As we were there in autumn, we chose two Mont Blancs – one made with Japanese pumpkin and the other with chestnut – and ate them at one of the outdoor tables.
Azabu-Juban
Azabu-Juban Hanabusa is a restaurant that specializes in Japanese eel dishes. Rather than go all out to appear ornately luxurious, the splendor of the interior was present in the details, such as the golden placemats and the carefully crafted lacquerware bowls.
They use the “jiyaki” style of cooking, where the eel is slowly grilled without any steaming. This ensures that the inside of the eel will be soft and tender, while the outside will be beautifully crisp and textured. Each bite tasted better than the last! I also enjoyed the fried eel spine - crunchy, providing a different texture from the saucy main eel dish.
After lunch, I couldn’t help myself from buying some snacks. Even though it was the middle of a weekday, the shops in Azabu-Juban were all quite crowded! I particularly liked the shop Tanuki Senbei because I could see the staff frying fresh rice crackers from outside.
15 minutes on foot
Mohri Garden
The transformation of Roppongi into a hub of arts and culture over the past several years has included the opening of several new galleries, venues and shopping complexes. The glitzy Roppongi Hills complex is one of the highlights, with high-end shops and one of the city’s top art museums. At the base of the tower, Mohri Garden adds a splash of green – plus a heart-shaped sculpture in the pond, which perfectly frames Tokyo Tower from the right angle. Visiting in the evening, we had the chance to watch the city light up as the sky darkened, the lights reflected in the calm waters of Mohri Garden.
Dinner: Gonpachi
Just a few minutes’ walk from Roppongi Hills, Gonpachi is a great spot for dinner. The food tends towards traditional Japanese cuisine, and the interior is reminiscent of an old, and quite grand, izakaya. Food aside, there are two major draws. Firstly, there are regular taiko performances on the elevated stage; there wasn’t one scheduled during our visit, but seeing the drums presiding over the room made me eager to come back to hear them! And secondly, this branch of Gonpachi features in the Quentin Tarantino film Kill Bill.
Accommodation: Mitsui Garden Hotel Nihonbashi PREMIER
The Mitsui Garden Hotel Nihonbashi PREMIER is in an excellent location, with a subway station a few steps away and Tokyo station – which links you to everything from slow local trains to shinkansen – under fifteen minutes’ walk away.
The hotel itself is very comfortable and stylish, from the lobby with plush chairs and a terrace, to the fully kitted-out rooms. I was lucky enough to have a view of the Skytree, and loved watching its colourful illuminations shifting each night.
In the morning, I was impressed to see the extensive breakfast buffet, all clearly labelled with allergens and served in a sleek, modern space with views of greenery and Nihonbashi’s tall glass buildings. I filled my tray with rice, seasoned seaweed, grilled salmon and miso soup – then added some yoghurt, fruit, honey and a cup of tea. Definitely enough to see me through the morning!
Mohri Garden
Amongst the seemingly endless sea of craziness in Roppongi, Mohri Garden offers a slice of respite and calm. This traditional Edo-style strolling garden is centered around a pond, which was encircled by dark ferns, large draping trees, and lanterns. It truly made me feel as though I had been transported back to Edo-era Japan.
What really made my time there interesting was learning about the 10,000 Japanese Rice Fish that called this pond home. In 1994, four Rice Fish were sent to outer space, mating and hatching eggs up in orbit. Their descendants were released into the pond at Mohri Garden where they continue to thrive today.
Dinner: Gonpachi
I immediately recognized the inside of Gonpachi as the inspiration for the “House of Blue Leaves'' scene from Quentin Tarintino’s 2004 film Kill Bill. It felt crazy to be walking right through a scene from one of my favorite movies!
I wanted a taste of everything, so I ordered the Gonpachi Course. While the fresh sashimi, fried shrimp dumpling with chili sauce, and assorted tempura were nothing to scoff at, the miso-glazed “gindara” black cod was the true star of the meal for me. It just fell apart in my mouth!
Accommodation: Mitsui Garden Hotel Nihonbashi PREMIER
My stay at Mitsui Garden Hotel Nihonbashi PREMIER was relaxing and magical. Not only did I get a dazzling view of Tokyo all lit up at night from the windows, I melted my stress away in the large public bath on the 9th floor. Breakfast mainly consisted of Japanese options with some Western selections like eggs, bacon, and croissants. I particularly enjoyed the freshly cooked tamagoyaki. One night and the scrumptious breakfast were all I needed to rejuvenate for another busy day of sightseeing!
40 minutes by train (non-JR lines)
Hama-rikyu Gardens
We started day two with a trip to one of my favourite places in the city: Hama-rikyu Gardens. Right by the water in Tokyo Bay, the garden dates all the way back to the early days of the city in the seventeenth century. Before then, the only settlement here had been a falconry site of the shogunate carpeted with reeds. But the shogun (military leader) decided to drain and reclaim land, expanding the area and establishing what would later become Hama-goten (now Hama-rikyu Gardens).
Walking through the elegant stroll garden, you can easily appreciate the scale of this achievement. What was previously marshland has for centuries been perfectly maintained grass segmented by meandering paths, punctuated with trained pines and maples, rustic buildings and seasonal flowers.
Lunch: Tsukiji Sushisay (Shinkan)
The Outer Market of Tsukiji is a thrilling, bustling place, its narrow streets the most crowded I experienced on this trip to Tokyo. Your senses are bombarded with exciting things: the scent of grilled fish at one shop morphing into coffee, freshly grated wasabi, yakitori; the sound of vendors calling out their wares, and flag-waving tour guides rallying their groups; the sight of the day’s freshly prepared catch, alongside shops selling kitchenwares, souvenirs, snacks.
We decided to indulge one more sense, and stop for lunch at Tsukiji Sushisay (Shinkan). Heading up to the second floor, we took seats at the counter so we could watch the chefs at work. The best way to eat at a sushi restaurant like this is to order an omakase set – we went for the Nagomi set – which allows the chef to serve you whatever fish is best that day.
You can make requests, of course; I asked for no wasabi, and also ordered gluten-free items, so nothing with soy sauce. They were very accommodating, and said a lot of people came in with their own gluten-free tamari soy sauce, like I did!
The chef kept track of all his customers without writing down a single word. He just knew who had ordered what, where they were up to in the set, how they’d reacted to each item so far. He made adjustments as we went, and served me an absolutely perfect meal – the melt-in-your-mouth scallop sashimi was a highlight.
Hama-rikyu Gardens
Originally constructed as a villa for a feudal lord during the Edo Period, this verdant Japanese garden provides a striking yet harmonious contrast with Tokyo’s curtain of towering skyscrapers, providing an oasis for relaxation. Its calm ponds draw water from the surrounding seawater canals, bringing saltwater species such as the sea bass to Hama-rikyu. As I explored the garden, other interlopers such as a great egret paid me little mind as I attempted to snap its picture from afar. It was a serene beginning to yet another day of Tokyo exploration.
Lunch: Tsukiji Sushisay (Shinkan)
Tsukiji Outer Market is one of Tokyo’s largest and most popular seafood hotspots. After wandering around the busy market, I had the pleasure of being seated at Tsukiji Sushisei Shinkan, a popular local sushi joint. A series of delectable morsels of sushi were placed in front of me one by one by the rather cheerful chef. I particularly enjoyed the tuna, but found every piece delightful. At the end of the course, I made sure to thank the chef for the incredible feast that he had prepared.
20 minutes by train (non-JR lines)
TOKYO CRUISE (Hinode Pier)
After our sushi lunch, we decided to make our way upriver to the traditional Asakusa district. Of course, with Tokyo’s rail network it’s easy to get there via the subway, but we decided on the more fun option: the Hotaluna water taxi.
Departing from Hinode Pier, this boat has been a popular sight on the Sumida River for years by now, its low, segmented design making it look like some kind of futuristic spaceship gliding up the Sumida River.
It also gives you great views of the city, and we kept exclaiming at the bridges we passed under, and excitedly keeping track of the Skytree as it loomed larger over us.
TOKYO CRUISE (Hinode Pier)
Bus, train, and subway are my typical transit go-tos when it comes to getting around Tokyo. But hopping aboard a futuristic water bus resembling a spaceship was a fresh way to get a view of the city from a new angle. The 40-minute glide down the canals of Tokyo gave me a new appreciation for Tokyo as a modern city integrated with nature and the sea.
Rickshaw rides in Asakusa
Rickshaw rides in Asakusa: The east bank of the river when you disembark from the water taxi has a cluster of modern buildings – including Skytree, the beer-like Asahi building, and one topped by a golden object which is officially called “The Golden Flame” but colloquially named for, well, other things the shape brings to mind!
But we were staying on the west, where you can find the traditional attractions of Asakusa. To get the lay of the land, we hopped into jinrikisha from Ebisuya, one- or two-person rickshaws pulled by extremely athletic and knowledgeable drivers. As they navigated around traffic and down side roads, they explained (in flawless English) what we were looking at. Here, a shop selling traditional wagashi. There, the handprints of famous stars. And here, a perfect photo spot under the Skytree, which would be even more attractive in spring when the surrounding cherry blossoms bloomed.
The standout sight is, of course, Senso-ji. With 1,400 years of history, this is Tokyo’s oldest temple, and you can feel its age and importance as you approach through huge red gates, flanked by the gods of thunder and wind, and each with a vast paper lantern hanging in the middle. We visited as the sun was setting, and the vermilion buildings and lantern-hung paths were very atmospheric in the golden light.
Dinner: Kappou Shimamura
To round out our day of traditional experiences, we went for dinner at Kappou Shimamura near the hotel. Since opening in 1850, this restaurant has left several of its recipes exactly the same, making it an amazing place to experience Edo-era Japanese dishes.
We ate in a private room, a kimono-class waitress bringing us each exquisite course – crispy tempura, tender grilled fish, refreshing yuzu sorbet. Kappou cuisine was originally developed as a more casual version of kaiseki cuisine, so it’s multi-course seasonal dining but slightly more accessible. As in most kappou restaurants, if you don’t fancy a private room you could eat in the main area, where you can see the chefs working in an open kitchen.
Rickshaw rides in Asakusa
My rickshaw driver was a high-spirited young man who thought of the job as a labor of love. As we zoomed around the streets of Tokyo, racing Corvettes and weaving around tourists, I grew to appreciate Asakusa on a deeper level thanks to his guidance. He mentioned some facts that only locals would know and introduced me to both classic and little-known spots for photos. While I had always thought that touring Asakusa by rickshaw was a tourist trap only used by those with sore feet, my first lap around town with him quickly changed my mind.
Dinner: Kappou Shimamura
Founded in 1850, Kappou Shimamura has a refined vibe, with clientele ranging from businessmen to young couples. With many of the recipes basically unchanged since the Edo Period, the quality of the ingredients is what made each and every dish pop. Every course featured a rainbow of colors that were every bit as good as they looked. My favorite dish was the steaming bowl of ochazuke, which is green tea or broth steeped over steamed rice. While rather simple, the hearty bowl reminded me of a home-cooked meal made with love and effort.
90 minutes by JR Tohoku Shinkansen
Though day three started early, it went very smoothly, too. We walked along to Tokyo Station and, picked up ekiben (boxed meals to eat on the train) before our journey. We travelled the 350 kilometres to Sendai smoothly and in comfort, watching the scenery zip past the windows.
I left for Sendai quite early and didn’t have time to eat at the hotel. After scoffing down my breakfast while riding a train, I settled down to watch the Tohoku scenery fly by and eventually drifted away into a restful nap. It was a comfortable experience that I’d love to repeat!
Sendai Daikannon
When we arrived in Sendai, we decided against exploring the city centre, heading instead for one of the area’s more peculiar sights. After 25 minutes in a taxi (there’s also a bus which takes 35 minutes), we reached it: Sendai Daikannon, as 100-metre-tall statue of the Buddhist deity of mercy, serenely surveying the surrounding parks and buildings.
We went inside, taking a lift to the viewing floors and then the stairs back down, so we could stop and examine the other, smaller statues along the way.
Jogi Area
Sticking with our spiritual theme, we headed next to the 800-year-old mountainside Jogi Nyorai Saihoji Temple . The precincts were beautiful, from the gilded decorations inside the main hall to the elegant five-storey pagoda. We stopped for tea at Yasuragi Teahouse, then made our way to the street which approaches that side of the temple.
Lunch: Hayatomi
Over the centuries, shops and restaurants have opened here to cater to pilgrims, and you can still enjoy the same local specialities today as travellers did then. Hayatomi is a large and welcoming restaurant, with a tatami mat area and plenty of art and decorative items linked to the area. Go for a big bowl of imoni potato broth with noodles of you’re very hungry, or perhaps the ever-popular curry udon, or a huge triangular sankaku-age (deep-fried tofu) brushed with soy and sprinkled with shichimi togarashi spice mix.
Sendai Daikannon
From a distance, the Sendai Daikannon statue looks photoshopped, clearly not blending in with its surroundings with its height of 100 meters. My favorite part of the visit was not actually the statue itself, but inside where 33 other intricately crafted Buddha statues were housed, symbolizing the many forms that the Daikannon can take. There were 108 additional Buddhist statues that represented the various forms of human emotion and desire as well.
LUNCH:Hayatomi in Jogi Area
Hayatomi had a retro charm to it that stole my heart. There were lots of little toys scattered around the restaurant, giving it a playful atmosphere. I found myself ordering a bowl of imoni noodles(right-hand photo), a regional specialty of noodles served together with potatoes and other local vegetables in a rich soup. What showed up on my table was a heaping mountain of hearty delight that tried as I did, I couldn’t even come anywhere close to finishing!
40 minutes by car
The Nikka Whisky Sendai Factory Miyagikyo Distillery
The Nikka Miyagikyo is located in an idyllic forested valley northwest of Sendai, at the confluence of the Hirose and Nikkawa rivers. The soft, clear water is the reason why Nikka founder Taketsuru Masataka chose this place (which his adopted son recommended) for his second whisky distillery, which opened in 1969.
The red-brick buildings are all fairly low-rise and unobtrusive, fitting in well with the landscape. We spent almost as much time admiring the grounds and buildings as we did learning about the distillery’s history and products while we were on the tour!
Even without the beautiful surroundings, though, the tour would have plenty to hold our attention. It goes over the history of Nikka as a whole and this location in particular, and explains the basics of how whisky is made – useful for novices like me. I was particularly interested to see shimenawa (rope used for ritual purposes in the Shinto religion) around each of the stills; Taketsuru’s father was a sake brewer, so he brought some of those traditions with him into whisky-making.
The tour ends with a tasting, of course. We had the basic set of three, in our case Super Nikka, Miyagikyo Single Malt , and Apple Wine. Apple juice is available for non-drinkers, and additional whiskies available for the connoisseur – there are three which you can only try here.
The Nikka Whisky Sendai Factory Miyagikyo Distillery
Tucked away in a foggy mountainous glen, Nikka Whisky’s Miyagikyo Distillery was established in 1969 for making grain and malt whiskies. During my tour around the distillery, I saw how every step of their whisky-making process was a testament to their pursuit of excellence. I also got to taste three of their whiskies and liked the Super Nikka the best because of the little kick it had at the end.
25 minutes by car
Akiu Area (Akiu Onsenkyo Hot Springs, Akiu Otaki Falls, Rairai-kyo Gorge etc)
Having moved from spiritual sights to, well, spirits, we stuck with the alcohol theme for our next destination: Akiu Winery. On the way, we paused at Rairaikyo to admire the gorge, a popular date spot due to its small, natural heart-shaped pool.
Under five minutes’ walk from the Nozoki Bashi bridge , said to be Lovers’ Sanctuary.
over the gorge is Akiu Winery. The owner, Mohri Motochika, is working to make sure the winery is an asset to the local community, presenting his wine with pairing suggestions incorporating local foods. Before his determination to run this winery, Mohri was an architect, and his design sensibilities come through in the clean lines and warm lighting of the on-site restaurant and tasting area.
Before the earthquake and tsunami of 2011 there was only one winery in Miyagi prefecture – and it was lost in the disaster. After opening Akiu Winery, Mohri decided that rather than keeping his techniques a secret, he would share them. Now there are eight wineries in Miyagi, and seven more in the works – many of them thanks to Mohri’s mentorship.
That sense of openness which you can feel in everything from the environment to the training methods also includes collaborations with other industries. Wine tasting, refreshments at the café, tours of the wine cellar and wine bottling process are always available for visitors to experience. In addition, Mohri organizes a variety of event, from wine-pairing dinners with the farmers and chefs in attendance and even events with local sake brewers.
Following our time at the vineyard, we headed just down the road to enjoy Tenshukaku Nature Park’s annual evening illuminations. It truly felt like stepping into another world, where rocks are splashed in blue or green and illuminated lanterns reflect in still ponds. A calm, relaxing end to the day.
Dinner: Matushima
You could stay overnight in Akiu, enjoying the town’s hot springs (onsen). Or you could book a room in the centre of Sendai City, so the next day you’d be ideally located for exploring the city’s covered shopping streets and arcades of restaurants, its Date Masamune links at the old castle site, and of course its many galleries.
For our part, we made our time in Sendai a higaeri (day trip), stopping in the station for dinner at Matsushima restaurant. The star of the show here is fish and seafood served in “don” style, which simply means over rice – hearty without being too heavy.
Akiu Area (Akiu Onsenkyo Hot Springs, Akiu Otaki Falls, Rairai-kyo Gorge etc)
Visiting Rairaikyo Gorge really put Sendai into perspective for me. Even though Sendai is Tohoku’s largest city, the gorge was less than an hour away - a pristine, untouched pocket of nature that transported me to a completely different world. The contrast encapsulates the essence of Tohoku - a place where modern life and natural wonder coexist.
Dinner: Matushima
My last meal of the trip was “harako meshi” at a restaurant called Matsushima on the bottom floor of Sendai Station. Even at 8:30 PM, this place was boisterous with energy and every seat was filled!
Harako meshi is a regional food of rice topped with salmon belly and salmon roe. I loved the savory taste of the salmon which is in season in the fall. I devoured it in what seemed like less than a minute!
40 minutes by car
90 minutes by JR Tohoku Shinkansen
This Tokyo x Tohoku Regions trip makes a great introduction to Japan. With bullet train links, it’s so easy to take a day-trip to Sendai from the capital (although you could enjoy the city even more with an overnight stay!), and it really gives you a taste of a different side of Japan. In Tokyo, the ultra-modern and the centuries-old sit cheek by jowl, and the crowds in spots like Tsukiji Outer Market and Senso-ji’s Nakamise-dori are exciting but exhausting! I found a day in Sendai, visiting spiritual sites and then tasting delicious locally produced whisky and wine, left me refreshed enough to face the crowds once again the next day.
What I think makes cities like Sendai and Tokyo so special is the dynamic of new meeting old. This unique balance creates a rich tapestry of experiences where you can stroll through ancient temples and shrines and then, just around the corner, witness cutting-edge technology and contemporary art. They both have also retained pockets of nature, bringing in a calming sense of depth and complexity to the urban landscape. If you’re looking to experience multiple dimensions of these two big cities of Japan, try this tour.
