japan :: tokyo :: general

[pompadork]

http://1ldkshop.com/blog/?p=24178

http://waltz-store.co.jp/

 

New. Can't w8 to see the prices on some of the equipment lol. 

[herpsky]

best shabu i had in japan was at a friends place in gunma under a kotatsu with all locally grown produce. highlight being the veggies at not the meat.

 

skip the shabu and find a decent sukiyaki place. also this thread is filled with recommendations for particular restaurants and bars, just gotta look 

it's fucking crazy that all these californians and hawaiians (i don't mean the aboriginals) always tell me how much they like shabu. it's like a sunday dinner you'd have with your folks with sazae-san on in the background. i’ve been to imahan for sukiyaki lunch, and it was great. 

 

i'm probably doing a bunch of lunches this time. nothing crazy for dinners. 

 

People eat shabu at home, and pass out under the kotatsu.  Kind of a waste to spend 20000-30000yen to par boil some A5 Saga gyu  

 

If your GF is fluent, she should know about 2chome, tabelog and how to make reservations over the telephone.  FYI you will probably need to have a japan local phone number to confirm reservations for most Michelin starred\high Tabelog ranked places as well(only a few places will take a foreign number for confirmation), otherwise you got to stay at 5 star like the Tokyo Station Hotel and make use of their concierge.  Also you probably should had made reservations 1-2 months ago.  Oh yeah bring cash, one of the stupidest thing about Japan is paying cash for 80000yen meal in cash, the 2nd stupidest is going to the ATM to get cash for said meal and find out that ATMs shutdown at 9pm.  

 

Not being a dick, okay maybe I am but a lot of your questions could have been answered by using common sense and google.

i had no idea that was the reason why people always told me that they had to use hotel concierge to book. i usually go with my folks so it's never been a problem. interesting. i think it has a lot to do with the fact that the mainlanders (sorry to be judgmental but yeah) just make reservations at a bunch of michelin starred restaurants and choose one based on their mood for the day, and totally ditch the other outstanding reservations. may not be true but from i've been told that's the reason why they stopped taking reservations from farrin people. the japanese are inherently polite and like to adhere to schedule – no show is more like a westerner phenomenon. 

[herpsky]

Hi herpsky,

 

See my comments in red and let me know if you can please address them. I am from LA and going to Japan in 2 weeks... will be 4 days in Tokyo, 2 days in Kyoto, 4 days in Osaka and then 4 more days in Tokyo. I cut things out of your post that did not relate to what I'm talking about... hope you don't mind.

 

Also, I should say that usually when I go to foreign countries... my favorite thing to do is to go out to a bar, talk and make friends with random strangers that wanna have some fun, end up bar hopping with them and find other really cool spots that i would have never found on my own. I am not asian and definitely don't speak Japanese, but my gf is fluent. I have heard/read that japanese people are not the type that I can just instantly make friends with and go bar/club hopping with... what's my best plan for this or what are the neighborhoods where this is more likely to happen?

 

Oh and one more question that isn't on your list... what's THE spot to go to for shabu shabu and/or sukiyaki? I want authentic as fuck please.

 

Your help (and ANYONE else's input) is very, very highly appreciated!

it was simply a list of things that i like to do. tokyo has so many great places and the retail / restaurant turnover is simply insane. there's no such thing as a go-to place IMO though there are some spots that truly have stood the test of time. the aoyama yakiniku place called yoroniku is hella hype. never been and probably won't ever get to go. most of the IT restaurants are pretty much impossible to book unless you plan months ahead. you know, just like making a reservation at Noma except tokyo has like 500 restaurants of similar caliber.

 

i usually go to neighborhood spots. they are usually between 3 and 4, proably closer to 3.5 on tabelog. if a place is over 3.5 on tabelog, it's proably a fraud.

Edited September 4, 2015 by herpsky

[Method]

i had no idea that was the reason why people always told me that they had to use hotel concierge to book. i usually go with my folks so it's never been a problem. interesting. i think it has a lot to do with the fact that the mainlanders (sorry to be judgmental but yeah) just make reservations at a bunch of michelin starred restaurants and choose one based on their mood for the day, and totally ditch the other outstanding reservations. may not be true but from i've been told that's the reason why they stopped taking reservations from farrin people. the japanese are inherently polite and like to adhere to schedule – no show is more like a westerner phenomenon. 

 

My ex is chinese but fluent in Japanese and was living there for a bit. Whenever she made reservations using the name "Chu-san" they would ask where she was from. They would then ask if anyone speaking fluent Japanese would be accompanying the party attending, and even requested a Japanese address. I thought it was pretty bizarre at first but a friend told us that it was because high-end Japanese restaurants can be very traditional in customs and most of the employees don't speak english. They don't like dealing with customers that can't make requests in Japanese and rather not deliver a bad dining experience that could ruin their reputation. 

[herpsky]

got a date with a girl who works for toga

 

-=YES=-

[DaBestSpoona]

it's fucking crazy that all these californians and hawaiians (i don't mean the aboriginals) always tell me how much they like shabu. it's like a sunday dinner you'd have with your folks with sazae-san on in the background. i’ve been to imahan for sukiyaki lunch, and it was great. 

 

i'm probably doing a bunch of lunches this time. nothing crazy for dinners. 

 

i had no idea that was the reason why people always told me that they had to use hotel concierge to book. i usually go with my folks so it's never been a problem. interesting. i think it has a lot to do with the fact that the mainlanders (sorry to be judgmental but yeah) just make reservations at a bunch of michelin starred restaurants and choose one based on their mood for the day, and totally ditch the other outstanding reservations. may not be true but from i've been told that's the reason why they stopped taking reservations from farrin people. the japanese are inherently polite and like to adhere to schedule – no show is more like a westerner phenomenon. 

 

I know quite a few people in the restaurant business.  Never heard about mainland chinese but I dont doubt it lol mostly wealthy Americans who will probably go to Tokyo try to book the "best" with a few backups and hope they get lucky with scoring a reservation and never go back so they dont give a fuck.  Mizutani told me he doesnt like Americans because they complain they want no hikarimono, no shellfish, when he has a planned menu based on whats best available, ask for wine pairings when he doesnt have wine, bitch that he only has one type of sake,.  When my wife used to book michelin starred restaurants, she used to give her US number, now she has to give her home address and phone in Kyushu.

[WillKhitie]

^ I perfectly understand why that's the case–my recent trip was with a person who had "diet constraints" and it was difficult to say the least. Go into sushi place, ask if they can cook sushi, is there a non raw option, can you torch this more until it's cooked? Go into yakiniku place, ask for no medium rare, cook well done but make sure it doesn't have any burn marks, is the meat grass fed? can you not use soy? Is this sea salt? do you have olive oil? (all of this was happening in pantomime aided English)

 

Tried to just build a wall of patience and respect around it, but resent still managed to find its way through. I can imagine how much more of a problem this could be with wypipo, 1st worlders, etc. (Sorry for the rant, I just needed to get that out of me.)

[conqueror]

i broke up with my now jp ex and will miss the aforementioned tablelog translations and restaurant hookups, esp the ones she was able to get through her advertising work. long distance relationships involve too much sadness and heartache (nh). not recommended.

 

edit: will probably miss using line stickers multiple times a day more than tabelog.

Edited September 4, 2015 by conqueror

[beatplusmelody]

i broke up with my now jp ex and will miss the aforementioned tablelog translations and restaurant hookups, esp the ones she was able to get through her advertising work. long distance relationships involve too much sadness and heartache (nh). not recommended.

 

edit: will probably miss using line stickers multiple times a day more than tabelog.

paging relationship advice thread

 

that sucks homie. coming back though?

[Warakia]

If you're just after data check out B-Mobile. Else I dunno if Japan finally started offering prepaid data and calling sims, I still remember when you had to buy a fucking phone just to get a prepaid sim card. Fucking annoying. 

[poopie boy]

it was simply a list of things that i like to do. tokyo has so many great places and the retail / restaurant turnover is simply insane. there's no such thing as a go-to place IMO though there are some spots that truly have stood the test of time. the aoyama yakiniku place called yoroniku is hella hype. never been and probably won't ever get to go. most of the IT restaurants are pretty much impossible to book unless you plan months ahead. you know, just like making a reservation at Noma except tokyo has like 500 restaurants of similar caliber.

 

i usually go to neighborhood spots. they are usually between 3 and 4, proably closer to 3.5 on tabelog. if a place is over 3.5 on tabelog, it's proably a fraud.

 

Thanks man

[conqueror]

paging relationship advice thread

 

that sucks homie. coming back though?

 

i met her last year and that was my first jp trip in 5 years. i still plan to try and go every 2-3yrs but i guess i'll have less 'incentive' now.

[herpsky]

see u there

 

http://goodcoffee.me/未分類/tokyo-coffee-festival-2015/

 

Tokyo coffee festival

[s.a.j.s]

Anyone know any epic recs for curry rice in Tokyo? Knew some place in Sendagaya but was closed last time I was there.

[raddy]

see u there

 

http://goodcoffee.me/未分類/tokyo-coffee-festival-2015/

 

Tokyo coffee festival

 

AMEN

[jstavrin]

Would it be possible for me, an American, to extend (or, "reset") my tourist visa? My girlfriend and I will be staying there for the 90-day limit, but our jobs are such that we don't *have* to come back that soon if we don't want to. Would traveling a bit outside of Japan for a week or two suffice to reset the count?

[Warakia]

Yes, but only once. The second they're gonna give you a hard time. 

[herpsky]

AMEN

lal don't b a hater

[herpsky]

Anyone know any epic recs for curry rice in Tokyo? Knew some place in Sendagaya but was closed last time I was there.

yogoro is kaggy. not sufu approved

 

curry up is

Edited September 11, 2015 by herpsky

[s.a.j.s]

yogoro is kaggy. not sufu approved

 

curry up is

Yep that was the one, will scope out curry up! cheers mang

[beatplusmelody]

I didn't mind Curry Up actually. Was a pretty good meal.

 

Took some pics at: http://blog.careyciuro.com/food/curry-up/

 

see u there

 

http://goodcoffee.me/未分類/tokyo-coffee-festival-2015/

 

Tokyo coffee festival

 

Thanks for sharing. Will be there.

[herpsky]

kimoi

[herpsky]

ghee' kima curry and gakudai's voo is what's up tho

[jstavrin]

Where should I buy Kalita stuff in Tokyo? I won't be living within walking distance of any good cafes (unless there's something near Meidaimae station I don't know about), so I'd like to buy a kettle and some filters. I already have the Wave and a hand grinder. 

 

edit: and thanks, warakia

Edited September 12, 2015 by jstavrin

[boomtime8]

jstavrin check out any Tokyu Hands they should be able to set you up with a few options.

[donburi]

did someone mention Blue Star Donuts in Daikanyama? Good shit

[raddy]

Those maple bacon ones are ridiculous. Serious fat kid + cake syndrome. Nice people watching too, though that's pretty true everywhere in Daikanyama. 

[pompadork]

Was at graph paper today, it's nice but fukkn weird. Everything is being a drawer that's pushed I to the wall and none of them are open so you have to open them yourself and the store looks empty. It's like a weirder version of cosmic wonder store.

Want an mwc watch from them tho

[Marw]

Does anyone have any recommendations for photobook stores?

[pompadork]

new or used? to Ito utrecht and SBPS and 百年 anyway