Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Recession Chic
After two decades of economic stagnation, Louis Vuitton is out and Uniqlo, Japan's
ubiquitous budget clothing chain, is in. Tokyo may have earned more Michelin stars
than any other city in history, but these days Tokyo foodies are more interested in
parsing the minutiae of
rāmen
. Closet-sized
tachinomi-ya
(standing bars) and
tachi-
gui
(standing restaurants) do away with seats to fit more customers into a small space
- passing the savings on to customers - and proving to be incredibly popular.
After the Quake
The 2011 earthquake and its aftermath - particularly the Fukushima nuclear power
plant meltdown - had Tokyoites shaken like nothing else in recent memory, although
there was scant damage to the city itself. The future of nuclear power and food safety
became hot topics, though with time radiation fears subsided significantly. In the
months after the quake, Tokyoites invoked the age-old mantra of
ganbaru
(to do one's
best) and donated time and money. Two years later, the city is much as it was, though
efforts continue to make buildings as quake-resistant as possible.
Onwards & Upwards
As if anticipating the cycle of destruction and reconstruction, Tokyo is always building:
In the past decade, Marunouchi has traded in its tired, almost Soviet-style structures
for a host of shiny new skyscrapers. Roppongi buried its signature lowbrow nightlife in
the shadow of several high-profile commercial and cultural complexes. Shibuya is the
next neighbourhood in line for a makeover, a process that started with the opening of
Shibuya Hikarie (
Click here
)
in 2012 and Tokyo Sky Tree (
Click here
).
9
Donjaka
$$
IZAKAYA
OFFLINE MAP
GOOGLE MAP
This is a fantastic
izakaya
with a vintage mid-20th century feel. There's no English
menu, but it's cheap enough that you can go
omakase
(chef's choice) without fear-
