Eat:
Din Tai Fung - Little dragons in a bun - Xiao Long Bao walhalla - Blog article
Fresh xiao long bao dimsum. Short of going to Taipei or Shanghai, this is the best place to try out these hot dumplings. Din Tai Fung has branches in major cities so you can plan in a visit also when you are in Osaka or Kyoto. However, due to their popularity, in most cases there will be lines. Try to make a reservation by via their online system. It's in Japanese so you might want to ask for some help. One thing I noticed about their reservation system, the Tokyo station branch limits your order to the lunch or dinner course menu when you reserve seats. In that respect, it may be better to go at the beginning of the lunch or dinner period and wait for table. That way you have freedom to select items from the menu. See my blog article for more details.
Guenpin Fugu - Your life in the hands of the fugu chef
Feeling brave? Go to Guenpin Fugu in Asakusa to sample the famous lethally toxic puffer fish. It is completely safe. Millions of Japanese enjoy this delicacy each year and I don't hear much about fatalities. Well the number is not zero but it is quite safe. In fact the famous fatality of 1975 reported on the wiki page was actually the grandfather of my brother's classmate. Talk about six degrees of separation. So by knowing me, you are only 4 degrees separated from an actual fugu fatality.
Fresh xiao long bao dimsum. Short of going to Taipei or Shanghai, this is the best place to try out these hot dumplings. Din Tai Fung has branches in major cities so you can plan in a visit also when you are in Osaka or Kyoto. However, due to their popularity, in most cases there will be lines. Try to make a reservation by via their online system. It's in Japanese so you might want to ask for some help. One thing I noticed about their reservation system, the Tokyo station branch limits your order to the lunch or dinner course menu when you reserve seats. In that respect, it may be better to go at the beginning of the lunch or dinner period and wait for table. That way you have freedom to select items from the menu. See my blog article for more details.
Guenpin Fugu - Your life in the hands of the fugu chef
Feeling brave? Go to Guenpin Fugu in Asakusa to sample the famous lethally toxic puffer fish. It is completely safe. Millions of Japanese enjoy this delicacy each year and I don't hear much about fatalities. Well the number is not zero but it is quite safe. In fact the famous fatality of 1975 reported on the wiki page was actually the grandfather of my brother's classmate. Talk about six degrees of separation. So by knowing me, you are only 4 degrees separated from an actual fugu fatality.
When you are at Guenpin Fugu, try the sashimi, the fried Fugu skin and crab leg sashimi! People wonder why the sashimi is sliced so thin that you can see the underlying plate through the translucent meat. Well, it is not out of stinginess. Fugu meat is rather tough, so a thick slice will not be pleasant. Also unlike, regular sashimi, this one is dipped into the provided sauce with sliced spring onions, some lemon and other condiments that are provided. 
Hibiya Matsumotoro - birthplace of the Japanese curry craze
Situated in the middle of Hibiya park, this establishment dates back to 1903. They are famous for introducing curry and hayashi (hashed beef) rice to the Japanese. You can order a serving where you get the best of two worlds, to the left, beef in a dark savoury gravy and to the right a rich curry. Also try out their delicious cream crab croquettes. Famous figures such as Soseki Natsume and Sun Yat-sen have frequented this establishment. For myself, eating curry at Matsumotoro brings back memories of my late father who took me there.
Katsu Kichi Suidobashi or Katsu Kichi by Tokyo Station - Sublime succulent Japanese schnitzels
Order the Tokujoh Rohsu Katsu Teishoku and ask for rice with Shiso (Japanese basil). Then you get a sublime juicy fried pork cutlet, nearly 2 cm thick, succulent inside and delightfully crunchy outside. Miso soup, 3 assorted pickles, cabbage salad, a variety of dips and hot tea are all included in the set menu. I think they charged around 3500 yen for this set menu. A bit on the pricy side, however, it is every bit worth the spending. They also give you seconds for the rice, cabbage and pickles. However, we never got around to asking for seconds because we were absolutely stuffed after finishing the first round.
Kitajimatei - Fine French Dining - Blog article
Refined French cuisine is Kitajimatei's specialty. Making the best of seasonal ingredients, the menu changes constantly depending on what they have in stock. If you can afford it, go for the 10,000 yen course to fully indulge in a hedonistic treat of 4 full-sized dishes of your choice. Each dish is a pleasure to the eye as it is to the palette. Like many of the entries in my blog, I was introduced to Kitajimatei by my father. A short walk away from our house in Kojimachi, this small exclusive restaurant was one of his favorites.
Sushi Zanmai Bekkan - Imperial sushi that doesn't max out your credit card - Blog article
Situated in the legendary Tsukiji market, there's a sushi chef working at Sushi Zanmai Bekkan who has actually made sushi for the Emperor Akihito. I've actually seen photos of the occasion. He was then working with master sushi chef Ito who was later decorated for his efforts to promote sushi abroad. Please read my article for details. I'm not kidding. While the quality is superb, the prices will not bankrupt you.
Other tips for Tokyo:
Soak:
Hibiya Matsumotoro - birthplace of the Japanese curry craze
Situated in the middle of Hibiya park, this establishment dates back to 1903. They are famous for introducing curry and hayashi (hashed beef) rice to the Japanese. You can order a serving where you get the best of two worlds, to the left, beef in a dark savoury gravy and to the right a rich curry. Also try out their delicious cream crab croquettes. Famous figures such as Soseki Natsume and Sun Yat-sen have frequented this establishment. For myself, eating curry at Matsumotoro brings back memories of my late father who took me there.
Katsu Kichi Suidobashi or Katsu Kichi by Tokyo Station - Sublime succulent Japanese schnitzels
Order the Tokujoh Rohsu Katsu Teishoku and ask for rice with Shiso (Japanese basil). Then you get a sublime juicy fried pork cutlet, nearly 2 cm thick, succulent inside and delightfully crunchy outside. Miso soup, 3 assorted pickles, cabbage salad, a variety of dips and hot tea are all included in the set menu. I think they charged around 3500 yen for this set menu. A bit on the pricy side, however, it is every bit worth the spending. They also give you seconds for the rice, cabbage and pickles. However, we never got around to asking for seconds because we were absolutely stuffed after finishing the first round.
Kitajimatei - Fine French Dining - Blog article
Refined French cuisine is Kitajimatei's specialty. Making the best of seasonal ingredients, the menu changes constantly depending on what they have in stock. If you can afford it, go for the 10,000 yen course to fully indulge in a hedonistic treat of 4 full-sized dishes of your choice. Each dish is a pleasure to the eye as it is to the palette. Like many of the entries in my blog, I was introduced to Kitajimatei by my father. A short walk away from our house in Kojimachi, this small exclusive restaurant was one of his favorites.
Luke's Lobster - pure indulgence in a bread roll
This actually an American import and not Japanese at all. However, lobster is my kryptonite and weakness. Presented with a chance to sink my teeth into heaps of lobster meat drenched in melted butter, how can I say no? Since there's nothing like this in my neck of the woods, when I get the chance, I will indulge in the 3000 yen lobster roll. Check out their site for locations in Tokyo and elsewhere.
Shogun Burger - Juicy wagyu burger
If you know the beautiful fat marbled wagyu beef, then it might feel almost sacrilegious to actual grind up a cut of wagyu into beef ground. However, we found out the wagyu works of us in every form, steak, yakiniku, shabu shabu and hamburger. The high fat content of wagyu results in an extra juicy patty.
If you are visiting the TeamLab exhibit in Azabudai Hills, go for a quick lunch or dinner at Shogun Burger. The wagyu burger costs around 3000 yen but is worth the price tag. Do bear in mind that the burger is large and quite messy to eat. It would be a challenge to keep a white silk blouse spotless while munching on one of these.
This actually an American import and not Japanese at all. However, lobster is my kryptonite and weakness. Presented with a chance to sink my teeth into heaps of lobster meat drenched in melted butter, how can I say no? Since there's nothing like this in my neck of the woods, when I get the chance, I will indulge in the 3000 yen lobster roll. Check out their site for locations in Tokyo and elsewhere.
Shogun Burger - Juicy wagyu burger
If you know the beautiful fat marbled wagyu beef, then it might feel almost sacrilegious to actual grind up a cut of wagyu into beef ground. However, we found out the wagyu works of us in every form, steak, yakiniku, shabu shabu and hamburger. The high fat content of wagyu results in an extra juicy patty.
If you are visiting the TeamLab exhibit in Azabudai Hills, go for a quick lunch or dinner at Shogun Burger. The wagyu burger costs around 3000 yen but is worth the price tag. Do bear in mind that the burger is large and quite messy to eat. It would be a challenge to keep a white silk blouse spotless while munching on one of these.
By the way, they have a great sense of humor too. Zoom in on their text...
Sushi Zanmai Bekkan - Imperial sushi that doesn't max out your credit card - Blog article
Situated in the legendary Tsukiji market, there's a sushi chef working at Sushi Zanmai Bekkan who has actually made sushi for the Emperor Akihito. I've actually seen photos of the occasion. He was then working with master sushi chef Ito who was later decorated for his efforts to promote sushi abroad. Please read my article for details. I'm not kidding. While the quality is superb, the prices will not bankrupt you.
Tenkuni - crisp fresh tempura
The main restaurant that dates back to 1885 is situated in Ginza. However, they have other locations often in the restaurant floors of large department stores. We ordered two full dinner sets which include veg, shrimp and fish tempura with soup, rice and pickles PLUS a side of vegetable tempura. This is not normal Japanese behavior and our waiter was worried we wouldn't finish everything. But we sure did. It was delicious.
Note, there are two ways of eating tempura. The Edo or Tokyo style is to mix the grated daikon and ginger into the dashi sauce and to dip the tempura. In the Kansai area, they would only dip the tempura in a bit of salt. Tenkuni provides you both options so you can compare the two styles.
The main restaurant that dates back to 1885 is situated in Ginza. However, they have other locations often in the restaurant floors of large department stores. We ordered two full dinner sets which include veg, shrimp and fish tempura with soup, rice and pickles PLUS a side of vegetable tempura. This is not normal Japanese behavior and our waiter was worried we wouldn't finish everything. But we sure did. It was delicious.
Note, there are two ways of eating tempura. The Edo or Tokyo style is to mix the grated daikon and ginger into the dashi sauce and to dip the tempura. In the Kansai area, they would only dip the tempura in a bit of salt. Tenkuni provides you both options so you can compare the two styles.
Other tips for Tokyo:
Approximate a 15 min walk from Shinjuku stations, through the Kabukicho district and on to the area of Shin-Okubo stations, you reach an area that might as well be named 'Little Seoul' due to the high density of Korean food shops. If you explore the main shopping street, you will soon encounter a line of people patiently waiting for their turn to buy Hotteok. This is type of Korean rice pancake that is best consumed hot, either sweet or savory with a cheese filling. It is soooo good! And when you are in that area, look around for other Korean food like Bibimbap or Bulgogi.
Other tips for all over Japan:
The local supermarkets - Konbini
Go into any corner supermarket, called Konbini which is short for convenient store, and you find a wide variety of salads, sandwiches and other meals to go or to warm up and eat there. Due to this being available on virtually every city block, we often opted to eat breakfast at these stores or take fruits and other snacks back to the hotel. You can save a lot of money this way and the food is all pretty tasty. Most importantly we stocked up on our supply of instant coffee at these stores so we could have our hot cup of Joe, first thing in the morning in our room. I've even bought candy with strange flavors like royal milk tea and incredible fruit gummy candy at these stores to bring back home as souvenirs.
The fruit gummy candies are my favorite. Look for the following on the packaging 果汁100. This means they use 100% fruit juice and that ensures great flavor without any artificial flavoring. I've added a photo below of Satsuma mandarin candies. Most of the time, they have several flavors like cherry, strawberry, pear, apples and grapes.
The fruit gummy candies are my favorite. Look for the following on the packaging 果汁100. This means they use 100% fruit juice and that ensures great flavor without any artificial flavoring. I've added a photo below of Satsuma mandarin candies. Most of the time, they have several flavors like cherry, strawberry, pear, apples and grapes.
Ebi Burgers at McDonalds and Mos Burger
If you get the chance go in and taste their Ebi (shrimp) burger. They are both equally delicious. A juicy shrimp patty fried to a crisp on the outside with tartare sauce in a bun. OMG! It's a great backup when hunger hits you and you don't feel like going to a restaurant or if you're in a hurry.
I don't understand why McD doesn't sell these in Europe. Or better yet, it would be nice if Mos Burger would open stores here. They also have other very Japanese burgers like Ebi Ten (shrimp tempura) burger and Beef Teriyaki burgers as well as burgers where they have two compressed rice patties instead of the bread bun.
I don't understand why McD doesn't sell these in Europe. Or better yet, it would be nice if Mos Burger would open stores here. They also have other very Japanese burgers like Ebi Ten (shrimp tempura) burger and Beef Teriyaki burgers as well as burgers where they have two compressed rice patties instead of the bread bun.
Soak:
Spa LaQua onsen in the heart of Tokyo
Spa LaQua is a complete onsen nestled in an amusement park in center Tokyo. You get all the luxury and ambiance of a natural hot spring, soaking in an open-air bath, looking up at the passing clouds. The zen feeling of utter peace is however punctuated by the roller coaster rattling past with all the accompanying screams of thrillseekers.
Spa LaQua is a complete onsen nestled in an amusement park in center Tokyo. You get all the luxury and ambiance of a natural hot spring, soaking in an open-air bath, looking up at the passing clouds. The zen feeling of utter peace is however punctuated by the roller coaster rattling past with all the accompanying screams of thrillseekers.
Onsen at Haneda Airport Terminal 3
The Spa at Villa Fontaine Grand pricier than LaQua and smaller but with a fantastic view of the Tama river, Tokyo and Mount Fuji on a clear day. If you have hours to kill at Haneda Airport, I recommend taking a last Onsen break. They are also open all night until 10:30. The restaurant serves affordable and delicious food with the same view of Mount Fuji.
The Spa at Villa Fontaine Grand pricier than LaQua and smaller but with a fantastic view of the Tama river, Tokyo and Mount Fuji on a clear day. If you have hours to kill at Haneda Airport, I recommend taking a last Onsen break. They are also open all night until 10:30. The restaurant serves affordable and delicious food with the same view of Mount Fuji.
General notes on Onsen:
Since I can't take photos inside the bathing area, I've added thumbnails of screenshots from the onsen website. Other photos taken in the resting area or restaurant areas are ours.
Since I can't take photos inside the bathing area, I've added thumbnails of screenshots from the onsen website. Other photos taken in the resting area or restaurant areas are ours.
Most spa's will not grant entry if you have tattoos. Please check in advance if they make exceptions for foreigners.
All high-end spas normally include towels, loungewear and a large variety of amenities such as soaps, conditioners, moisturizers, make-up remover, cotton swabs, Q-tips, scrub towels, shaving gear, toothbrushes and so on.
All high-end spas normally include towels, loungewear and a large variety of amenities such as soaps, conditioners, moisturizers, make-up remover, cotton swabs, Q-tips, scrub towels, shaving gear, toothbrushes and so on.
In fact in Onsen hotels, you will find the lounge wear (pyjamas) in your room. Inside the hotel, wear these loose fitting garments to go to and from the bath and to sleep in. Most hotels will give you a fresh set of towels and lounge wear each day. So no need to pack a bathrobe.
However, what you do need to pack is a set of swimwear. When the spa has mixed gender onsen and pool area, you can't go in naked. The bathing areas are always separate and swimwear in the onsen pool is forbidden.
Note: I've listed only tips that are not usually listed as tourist attractions.
Other tips for the Tokyo area
If you are going to a public bath or Onsen for the first time, please read the information page on Japanese Onsen etiquette.
See:
We bought tickets in advance via the Ticket Pia site and really enjoyed the experience. You can walk in and out during the entire day with lesser wrestlers starting in the morning and the major names wrestling from mid afternoon onwards. The Masu seats near the Dohyo are more expensive and have no chairs. You'll have to sit Japanese style on the floor. That may not be very comfortable. So go for the cheaper seats with chairs in the upper levels. Check the tournament schedule and buy a ticket via the official sumo site. Tournaments in Tokyo are usually held in January, May and September. Other locations are Osaka in March, Nagoya in July and Fukuoka in November.
TeamLab Azabudai Hills
This a full immersion interactive digital art experience consisting of many rooms and spaces, each with a different mind-blowing installation. The entry ticket was not cheap, however, it was worth every yen. We ended up meandering through the art, mesmerised for 3 hours. This includes time we spent drawing our own marine critters that came to life as digital entities swimming in the room and beyond as well as the time we spent gazing at flowers blooming and petals dispersing in our tea bowls. The still photos we took do no justice to the moving magic that takes place. So instead, I've inserted footage of one my favorite images that remind me of the giant wave ukiyoi-e by Hokusai.
Read also the entry on the TeamLab Botanical Garden installation in Osaka.
Edo-Tokyo Museum - See how life was in the Edo period
This a full immersion interactive digital art experience consisting of many rooms and spaces, each with a different mind-blowing installation. The entry ticket was not cheap, however, it was worth every yen. We ended up meandering through the art, mesmerised for 3 hours. This includes time we spent drawing our own marine critters that came to life as digital entities swimming in the room and beyond as well as the time we spent gazing at flowers blooming and petals dispersing in our tea bowls. The still photos we took do no justice to the moving magic that takes place. So instead, I've inserted footage of one my favorite images that remind me of the giant wave ukiyoi-e by Hokusai.
Read also the entry on the TeamLab Botanical Garden installation in Osaka.
Edo-Tokyo Museum - See how life was in the Edo period
The museum has a lot of maquettes and installations that depict in great detail how life was in the Edo period. Below, the photos I took of the exhibit of Echigoya, the kimono shop established in 1683 that later became the Mitsukoshi Department store in Nihonbashi. London has Harrods, Tokyo has Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi. This museum also has a great souvenir store and sometimes live performances of musicians playing traditional instruments.
Other tips for the Tokyo area
Feeling you need to see more nature? Take the train out to Mount Takao on the edge of Tokyo (1 hour from the center) and hike up to the summit 599 m above sea level. Or take a stroll through the Shinjuku Gyoen park or the old palace garden of Hama Rikyu. Upper left shows the view of Tokyo in the distance from the top of Mount Takao. Lower left is a view of the Hamarikyu palace gardens. Right side shows the Shinjuku Gyoen Park.
Day trips from Tokyo
Another possibility is taking day trips out to Nikko, Yokohama China Town, Kamakura with the large buddha statue (not as massive as the one in Nara) and the beach. And you can take the local train from Kamakura down the coast to the island of Enoshima where they also have a hot spring bath.
Read more on the Day trips from Tokyo page.
Other tips for anywhere in Japan
This Neko (cat) cafe was in Tokyo. However, it doesn't matter which city you are in. Google and there will be Neko cafes nearby. If you don't like cats, there are other cafes with critters like hedgehogs and owls. However, I'm not enthusiastic about these since they are not really domesticated animals which are used to being around humans. Cats and dogs on the other hand have a long history of living together with humans.
Buy:
If you are in the Harajuku Omotesando area, these two locations may be worth visiting for souvenirs. The New York Museum of Modern Art Design Store may not be a logical go-to place in Tokyo. However, I love that MoMA museum shop for all the beautiful and funny functional design objects large and small. Since I don't get around to visiting New York, this is the next best thing.
And close by, you can find the Oriental Bazaar which is chock full of traditional Japanese souvenirs ranging from second hand kimonos, porcelain and ceramics to touristic kitsch. They used to be on the Omotesando but recently relocated to a smaller location nearby.
Ito-ya in Ginza (est 1904) is a the Harrods of office supplies. Not an ordinary office supply store but one that is both most exclusive and most extensive with a staggering assortiment of wares. It is floor after floor devoted to paper, bags, pens, greeting cards, craft supplies, gadgets of all sorts and so on. This is a bit like Tokyu Hands but higher end. However, like Tokyu Hands it is fun place to find quirky paper clips (e.g. shaped like cats) or post-its in the shape of a sumo wrestler.
The fact that it is an esteemed specialty store shows in some sections catering to professionals. One entire section was devoted entirely to white paper only but with all shades of white, different textures and different weights. Here you are helped by their 'Paper Concierge'. It was fascinating just to see this array of simply white paper.
Further up in the building there's an extra surprise. There is an actual functional salad farm (not joking) and a cafe above it that serves the salad from this farm. For price, they even let you 'harvest' your own salad leaves. They will bring the lettuce plants with a pair of scissors on a trolley to your table. If you consider the exorbitant real estate price of the Ginza district, this could well be the most expensive agricultural plot in the entire world.
My favorite, if I am dining in this cafe is the Eggs Benedict smothered in Hollandaise sauce on a bed of this most exclusive salad.
Other Tips for Tokyo:
Explore the hip bohemian Shimokitazawa area which is full of second hand vintage clothing shops or go to Nakano Broadway shopping street where the upper level is full of anime and manga related stores.
Shops with branches all over Japan:
The following stores have branches all over Japan, so you can duck into one wherever you are and whenever you have some time.
Muji is short for Mujirushi Ryohin which literally means Good Products with No Brand. This is the Japanese version of the Dutch Hema chain with simple practical clothes, home accessories, office supplies and food. I always browse through their store to see what I can find. The last time, I found some nice organizer pouches made of lightweight thin parachute textile. Very handy for organizing the contents of my backpack. Luckily, like Uniqlo they are slowly expanding overseas. As far as I know there's one in Dusseldorf. Check out their EU website to get an idea of what they sell.
Tokyo Hands is a walhalla for crafts, office supplies, health gadgets, home accessories and DIY supplies. I usually go to the office supply floor to buy weird and funny post-its and stickers, the travel goods section to buy ultra lightweight foldable bags and umbrellas (300g !) as well as the health section to get a fresh supply of nylon body towels which are great for showering and exfoliating.
See the photo below for an example of funny stickers I got. We use them to mark our phones and other items. Edvard Munch's Scream sticker is on my husband's wallet. Maybe that's what he experiences when he has to pay for our dinners.
Uniqlo
Kasuga no Yu Dormy Inn Korakuen
Normally I don't need a hotel in Tokyo since I'll sleep over at my parent's place in my old room. However, I did stay here once when I needed to be closer to Tokyo station and I just wanted to soak in an onsen bath. This hotel was full of surprises. A very well-stocked manga library, free ice cream to snack on after a hot bath and in the morning, a sumptuous Japanese and Western breakfast buffet awaits. I paid 192 for a twin room with breakfast for two and booked via booking.com The photo below is our actual breakfast...well...the first round before we headed back for seconds and thirds. Only the bath photo, I borrowed a screenshot from their site since I can't take photos inside the bathing area.
Villa Fontaine Grand and Premier
See note on onsen above. This hotel located at Terminal 3 is very handy for staying the night before an early flight. The Grand is 'Tourist class' and the Premier is more exclusive and quiet.
In any case, if possible, book a room with a river view. We were treated to a spectacular sunset vista of Mount Fuji. We were able to book 1 night at the Premier and paid 248 euro for a river view deluxe twin.
Uniqlo has reached Europe but shopping there is cheaper. If you like their simple and practical clothes, it is worth going with a half-empty suitcase and buying a new wardrobe there. Our favorites are:
- Airism bra shirts which are sleeveless tops with a built-in bra. Great for hot days thanks to the high-tech textile that wicks the moisture away and keeps you cool.
- Heattech-line T-shirts and Pants. The thin long sleeve heattech shirts are a great thermo layer that keeps you warm under a shirt or blouse. The jeans and pants are also great for frosty weather.
- Air sense suits and jackets. These business jackets and pants are a godsend if you need to wear suits for work. They don't wrinkle when packed and you can rinse them out in the hotel sink and dry it using a towel at night. By morning, it will be dry and fresh.
- They also have nice T-shirts featuring artsy graphics or Japanese old ukiyo-e.
If you are in Tokyo, go to the HQ in Ginza. 12 stories of shopping fun! And if you're not in the area, you can visit the stores in Amsterdam, Den Haag or Dusseldorf, or order online. However, I always have a feeling that the Ginza store has more items.
Zoff
This is a chainstore for cheap and fast glasses. If you do not have a complicated prescription, you can select a frame from around 5000 and have the optometrist check your eyes. Once that is all done, most of the time, the glasses will be ready for pickup in about 1 hour. I have myopia (-1.5) and astigmatism and my glasses were ready in 30 min on two occasions. Both glasses cost only 5000 yen including the standard lenses. Only for my third pair they were out of lenses that I needed.
This is a chainstore for cheap and fast glasses. If you do not have a complicated prescription, you can select a frame from around 5000 and have the optometrist check your eyes. Once that is all done, most of the time, the glasses will be ready for pickup in about 1 hour. I have myopia (-1.5) and astigmatism and my glasses were ready in 30 min on two occasions. Both glasses cost only 5000 yen including the standard lenses. Only for my third pair they were out of lenses that I needed.
Sleep & Soak:
Normally I don't need a hotel in Tokyo since I'll sleep over at my parent's place in my old room. However, I did stay here once when I needed to be closer to Tokyo station and I just wanted to soak in an onsen bath. This hotel was full of surprises. A very well-stocked manga library, free ice cream to snack on after a hot bath and in the morning, a sumptuous Japanese and Western breakfast buffet awaits. I paid 192 for a twin room with breakfast for two and booked via booking.com The photo below is our actual breakfast...well...the first round before we headed back for seconds and thirds. Only the bath photo, I borrowed a screenshot from their site since I can't take photos inside the bathing area.
Villa Fontaine Grand and Premier
See note on onsen above. This hotel located at Terminal 3 is very handy for staying the night before an early flight. The Grand is 'Tourist class' and the Premier is more exclusive and quiet.
In any case, if possible, book a room with a river view. We were treated to a spectacular sunset vista of Mount Fuji. We were able to book 1 night at the Premier and paid 248 euro for a river view deluxe twin.
PS. Unless I've noted otherwise, all hotels I recommend also have coffee/tea making facilities in the room, a refrigerator, shower soap, shampoo, conditioner amenities and laundromats which allowed us to pack light. No need to pack detergent, since a wash to dry cycle includes detergent. The prices are what we paid at the time of travel before 2025 and will fluctuate depending on your travel dates.
Fun tip for adults only:
Today while chatting with an acquaintance about her upcoming Japan trip, I realized there is one thing couples without kids could try for fun. Try checking into one of the love hotels. They are discrete and mostly clean and you can have a good laugh. Of course these hotels get used by sex workers and by lovers who are cheating on their partners. However, they also are a godsend for young adults who are still stuck in their parents home. With very little privacy where else can you hook up or spend time with your girl/boyfriend?
As students, we just used the space to hang out in since there were daytime student deals where you get a room from 10:00 to 17:00 for the price of an hour or so. Once inside the hotel, you'll see a photo display of the rooms which are decorated according to various themes ranging from kinky to vanilla. All the rooms come with a fabulous bathing area.
Inside, as youngsters, we used to have fun with the 'music' channels. Some channels were only background noises of busy offices, stations, monks chanting at a funeral and so on. I guess this comes in handy for cheaters and liars.
One thing that did freak us out when we were students, was the way some rooms have a lot of mirrors on the ceilings and on the walls. That did make us all wonder if the hotels had a second business catering to voyeurs. Seems like a win-win business model so I wouldn't be surprised if some hotels are discreetly catering to voyeurs as well. Don't let this stop you from having fun, but just keep this in the back of your mind if you do visit a love hotel.
When travelling around in Japan you can spot these love hotels by the way they look on the outside. There's a weird sleazy feel to the name, the advertising sign and/or the design of the building, e.g an outlandish castle-like building with pink neon lettering sticking out like sore thumb among otherwise regular office and residential buildings.
Nowadays, you can even book some of these hotels on booking.com. When you come across a rather affordable hotel in Japan, some going for as low as 60 euro per night, with the caveat 'Adults Only', it is probably a love hotel.
