japan :: tokyo :: general

[herpsky]

beams boy is for girls, I think. counterintuitive but yes

 

also, the pool is still open.

Edited August 1, 2015 by herpsky

[pompadork]

In Isetan?

 

Also Great Burger is boring. I don't know what the best tokyo hypeburger is but it's definitely not that. Anything else popular is maybe better. Blacows or Fellows or whatever. 

[herpsky]

once again blacows is overrated. i just wouldn't fuck with anyone who says that place is goatie

[pompadork]

It's overrated re: the articles that literally have titles like "is blacows the best burger in the world??" but as far as overrated tokyo burgers go, blacows > great burger imo. 

[herpsky]

neither is good. great burger's fries are def. A+++ (unless they changed something). 

 

i feel like i've had better burgers in the states. the japanese burgers def. have better presentation. i just roll my eyes when people come to tokyo dying to cop burgs and ramen. they good but there's cooler shit out there.

[herpsky]

also, it's fucking ridiculous. burgers are like like 1,500+ yen if you add toppings. that one place in ikejiri kinda sucked. golden brown? fuck that place

[WillKhitie]

Yes, Pool is open but closing. Apparently also has a collab with Sacai coming out soon.

 

I'm partial to the ramen koolaid. Ivan Ramen consolidates it well via his IG and this article:

 

http://luckypeach.com/the-five-ramen-shops-you-can-and-should-visit-in-tokyo/

Edited August 1, 2015 by WillKhitie

[ShakeEmUp]

Decided to take the L on finding shoes here (wear a size 13). Went to multiple stores in Shibayu that had birks and docs and none had anything close. Jealous of anyone in a US 9 or 8 considering the resale shops here. 

 

Doing Ameyoko and Ginza tomorrow

[herpsky]

ameyoko is lame unless you are a denim daddy

[herpsky]

that list you posted is really good. those are the spots that in the know people actually go. hototogisu is like impossible to get in.

[herpsky]

ramen nagi in shibuya sucks. for whatever reason, the one in golden gai is the only decent one

[Kasper]

Decided to take the L on finding shoes here (wear a size 13). Went to multiple stores in Shibayu that had birks and docs and none had anything close. Jealous of anyone in a US 9 or 8 considering the resale shops here. 

 

Doing Ameyoko and Ginza tomorrow

Yeah, you won't find anything bigger than a 11....

[herpsky]

no one wears > 28 cm. i think nike in harajuku gets larger sizes especially with basket ball shoes but that's about it. 

also, domestic brands don't make anything over size ~10 / 28 anyway. 

 

Edited August 2, 2015 by herpsky

[conqueror]

i'm a US12 and during my first visit to japan (2008) i asked for a pair of am1's or something at atmos and the dude just looked completely stunned for a few seconds and then started laughing.

[beatplusmelody]

Speaking of which can't find Suicoke at any of its listed stockists. Anyone got a tip? Flying off to Europe on the 14th so would like to try em on for sizing rather than pick up off rakuten/amazon.

[WillKhitie]

ramen nagi in shibuya sucks. for whatever reason, the one in golden gai is the only decent one

 

Ramen nagi will never be the same–there are like 10 in Manila. (I am exagerrating, there are 8 )

 

Remember finding orthopedic sandals, I mean Suicoke, in Beauty and Youth Harajuku (or a collab at least). 

Edited August 2, 2015 by WillKhitie

[pompadork]

Minotaur had some a few weeks ago. 

[1M]

also, it's fucking ridiculous. burgers are like like 1,500+ yen if you add toppings. that one place in ikejiri kinda sucked. golden brown? fuck that place

the hypetrain in japan is for sure OD. but they have a way more interesting thing going on with burgers vs NYC. NYC burgers are easily $15-$20 at the wackest cornball brunch spots with the whole neo brooklyn steez. either way i fux with burgers wherever it's good

Edited August 3, 2015 by 1M

[herpsky]

shit in nyc is hella overpriced. when wypipo are like "i heard tokyo is expensive" im always like fuck no, go back to willyburg

[1M]

shit in nyc is hella overpriced. when wypipo are like "i heard tokyo is expensive" im always like fuck no, go back to willyburg

can't even tell you how many times i've told ppl that

[mydenvermax]

Speaking of which can't find Suicoke at any of its listed stockists. Anyone got a tip? Flying off to Europe on the 14th so would like to try em on for sizing rather than pick up off rakuten/amazon.

 

in harajuku near 'APC Underground' there's a place with a lot of Suicoke, You can see the shop when walking but it's one floor below street level. I think it's this building: https://goo.gl/maps/kuqVP

neither is good. great burger's fries are def. A+++ (unless they changed something). 

 

i feel like i've had better burgers in the states. the japanese burgers def. have better presentation. i just roll my eyes when people come to tokyo dying to cop burgs and ramen. they good but there's cooler shit out there.

Agree, I don't think burgers are worth the time for anyone spending a short time in Tokyo. Blacow's has great toppings but their beef, which is supposedly high quality, is pressed into a super-dense patty and is cooked longer than it should be. I also didn't like great burger but can't remember why. Fellows is another one that gets hyped but isn't anything special. The best I've tried is Burger Mania but I've still don't think if you're coming from outside east asia that it's worth a visit.

[raddy]

I'm no burger snob I guess. All those places are pretty good. All are SIGNIFICANTLY better than burger spots here in Shanghai. Even that Hawaiian burger chain spot is pretty legit. 

 

I'd rather stuff my face with lunch sets around Roppongi/Azabu though. (Hyoki, Matsurokuya)

 

Or Kuumba. 

 

Anyone got a Hawaiian rec actually? Poke, laulau, haupia, etc. 

[DaBestSpoona]

shit in nyc is hella overpriced. when wypipo are like "i heard tokyo is expensive" im always like fuck no, go back to willyburg

 

NYC is home of 20 dollar ramen +extra for nitamago and lunch for two at Ootoya is 60 bucks. We do have 80% off Hermes sample sales though.  I gotta fucking move.

[herpsky]

NYC is home of 20 dollar ramen +extra for nitamago and lunch for two at Ootoya is 60 bucks. We do have 80% off Hermes sample sales though.  I gotta fucking move.

Have you heard about that new tempura place opened by Ootoya group? I heard it's like $200+ per person (factoring in drinks and tip – that's more like $300). "High-end" in the US is very expensive. My friends and I did a trip to Vegas, and we were like "even if you go all out, you just CANNNOT spend this much in Tokyo."

 

I live in a pretty shitty area right now. Nowadays, I go out for lunch even in a city that is considered "affordable". I'm still paying close to $20 for a lunch wo boozing. Then again, I was astonished to learn places like Portland, OR where beers are like $3, oragnic smoothies are $3.50, and artisananl burgers are $9, did still exist in America. 

 

What I think makes Japan expensive is all the ä½æ°‘税 and other misc. taxes you have to pay. It's hard to assess this b/c I have compared the tax deduction from a Japanese salaryman's paycheck (who makes comparable $) vs. mine, but their net income is more than mine. 

 

I know a bunch of Eigo Sensei who post curated pics on IG and get hundreds of likes for posting everyday food. Japanese food that might cost you $30+ here can be had for <$10. Shit, there's like simply NO food option that can be had for less than $10 in the US now (unless you go to BK, or McD). Eating out in Japan is "easier" than it is here, I think. Also, most of the time, I go to restaurants here expecting to walk out with disappointment and throw my money away.

 

Life in America is overrated, but work condition in Japan, from what I've heard through my family and friends, is dire (can't speak for Gaishi-kei ballers). To me, the only benefit of living in the US is the access to deeply discounted clothes that won't ever go on (or make it to) sale in Tokyo.

 

Then again, EC sites have gotten so good that you could do window shopping in Tokyo and buy everything from end, mrporter, or the corner (it's basically what I do). 

Edited August 5, 2015 by herpsky

[Layne]

Shit, there's like simply NO food option that can be had for less than $10 in the US now (unless you go to BK, or McD). 

 

 

TACOS.  Real tacos not ones that are white people'd the fuck up.  I don't need truffle dust on my barbacoa or whatever the fuck.  But seriously there are SO many places around Houston where I basically have to order more food to meet a credit card minimum.

 

I found that certain things were very expensive in Tokyo, notably beer and cocktails.  Maybe in comparison to Vegas or pricey NYC cocktail bars Tokyo is reasonable... but not compared to life in Tejas.  Craft beer was stupid expensive too... like $15-20 for "pints" of shit from America.

[herpsky]

TACOS.  Real tacos not ones that are white people'd the fuck up.  I don't need truffle dust on my barbacoa or whatever the fuck.  But seriously there are SO many places around Houston where I basically have to order more food to meet a credit card minimum.

 

I found that certain things were very expensive in Tokyo, notably beer and cocktails.  Maybe in comparison to Vegas or pricey NYC cocktail bars Tokyo is reasonable... but not compared to life in Tejas.  Craft beer was stupid expensive too... like $15-20 for "pints" of shit from America.

once again, coffee and beer subpar in tokyo. i dunno. i think it's just htown being goatie. christy's, tierra caliente, and etc. pretty much sucks everywhere else.

[kicks79]

I have to argue with you there about the coffee.

When I first started coming to tokyo in 08 I was hard pressed to find an expresso machine anywhere.I found one at this outside no name stall next to Stussy in Shinjuku. 

Now the so called 3rd wave of coffee spots in Tokyo Fuglen, Nozy, Padlers Talk and Come Again ect are just as good if not better than some of the most hyped cafes in Sydney. 

At the end of the day its all about personal taste and what you know and are used to. 

[WillKhitie]

Wish I could chime in more on the coffee disc. but I've had barely enough to give a fair assessment. Judging from what I had (Little Nap, Omotesando, Blue Bottle, Streamer, Deus), the coffee scene in Tokyo is okay.

 

I'm pretty surprised to be saying that. I probably couldn't be anymore eager to go balls deep into it. Cup-to-cup, nothing really jumped out and jarred which is what my expectation always is for anything in the 3rd wave bracket.

 

It's probably litmus to how far the coffee scene in Manila is chugging along (WBC participation, and a friend who runs a small shop placed second in the Aeropress championships?). 

 

If anything though, the coffee shops that I went to in Tokyo were more experiential? Little Nap was cozy AF. Omotesando felt heavily meditative. But I don't know, maybe that's just me travelling.

[herpsky]

I have to argue with you there about the coffee.

When I first started coming to tokyo in 08 I was hard pressed to find an expresso machine anywhere.I found one at this outside no name stall next to Stussy in Shinjuku. 

Now the so called 3rd wave of coffee spots in Tokyo Fuglen, Nozy, Padlers Talk and Come Again ect are just as good if not better than some of the most hyped cafes in Sydney. 

At the end of the day its all about personal taste and what you know and are used to. 

i mean, all these australians always hate. pipo from sydney always insecure bout shit on this forum. i mostly talking bout bay area roasters and etc. 

[kicks79]

Ha ha sorry what am i hating on ?

You said Tokyo coffee was sub par, I disagreed.

Like I said it depends on where you go in Tokyo and what your past experience is.

But you are right Aussies do love to hate on shit.