tokyo summer guide to shopping, eating and coffee

@Sam and Victor

Sam and Victoryoutubethe post

A month-long summer stay in Tokyo, exploring various neighborhoods for unique cafes, vintage shopping, local food, and hidden gems, from Ueno to Shimokitazawa, Akihabara, and Ginza.

41 places · 1 experience

1
Gyukatsu Motomura Ueno
Tonkatsu restaurant · Taito City
4.8 (8,292)Closed · opens tomorrow 11 AM
Creator's voice
A popular Tokyo spot for breaded beef cutlets that you sear yourself on a hot stone grill. It's often very busy with 45-60 minute wait times, so the creator recommends only going if you've never tried it or if there's no queue.
Gyukatsu Motomura Ueno Branch, 手塚ビル 2F 4 Chome-10-17 Ueno, Taito City, Tokyo 110-0005, Japan
- Breaded beef cutlet — A breaded beef cutlet that you sear on a hot stone grill right at your table. It's a unique and popular Tokyo experience.
2
Kielo Coffee
Coffee shop · Taito City
4.7 (2,003)Closed · opens tomorrow 8 AM
Creator's voice
A friendly neighborhood coffee shop in Ueno, compact but offering a wide selection of drip coffee. It's a good spot for a quick coffee.
KIELO COFFEE Akihabara, 第一共和ビル 1F, 1 Chome-29-4 Taito, Taito City, Tokyo 110-0016
3
Handmade Soba Restaurant (Ueno)
Soba noodle shop · Taito City
4.1 (2,067)Closed · opens 11:30 AM
Ueno Yabu Soba, 6 Chome-9-16 Ueno, 台東区 Taito City, Tokyo 110-0005, Japan
- Handmade soba — Handmade soba noodles in different colors, served on bamboo trays. After eating the noodles, you mix the dipping sauce with soup stock and drink it.
4
Shimokitazawa
Creator's voice
A favorite neighborhood for vintage clothes in Tokyo, known for its curated selection of cleaned vintage items, though not at thrift store prices. It also features outdoor plazas with shops and cafes.
Kitazawa, Setagaya City, Tokyo 155-0031, Japan
5
Rojiura Curry SAMURAI. Shimokitazawa
Japanese curry restaurant · Setagaya City
4.4 (1,560)Open · until 9 PM
Creator's voice
A curry restaurant in Shimokitazawa where you can try soup curry with a medley of vegetables. The creator had previously visited their Hokkaido location.
Rojiura Curry SAMURAI. Shimokitazawa, 3 Chome-31-14 Kitazawa, Setagaya City, Tokyo 155-0031, Japan
- Soup curry with vegetables — A hearty soup curry served with a medley of fresh vegetables. A comforting and flavorful dish.
6
Reload Shimokitazawa
Shopping mall · Setagaya City
4.2 (277)
Creator's voice
An outdoor plaza in Shimokitazawa featuring various shops and cafes, with a rooftop overlooking the neighborhood. It's a great spot to explore for unique finds.
Japan, 〒155-0031 Tokyo, Setagaya City, Kitazawa, 3 Chome−19−20 reload
7
Ogawa Coffee Laboratory Shimokitazawa
Coffee shop · Setagaya City
4.3Closed · opens tomorrow 9 AM
Creator's voice
A very minimal coffee shop located in Reload Shimokitazawa, where coffee orders are made in the back but presented in front of you. They also sell tableware and coffee beans.
Ogawa Coffee Laboratory Shimokitazawa, reload1-1 3 Chome-19-20 Kitazawa, Setagaya City, Tokyo 155-0031, Japan
- Tableware and coffee beans — This coffee shop sells a selection of tableware and coffee beans, perfect for coffee enthusiasts.
8
APFR Tokyo
Flavours fragrances and aroma supplier · Setagaya City
4.7Closed · opens tomorrow 11 AM
Creator's voice
The only physical store in Tokyo for the Japanese fragrance brand APFR, which is also seen in department stores. It features calm, wabi-sabi interiors.
Japan, 〒155-0031 Tokyo, Setagaya City, Kitazawa, 3 Chome−19−20 reload 1 5 APFR TOKYO
- Travel size candle and closet tag — The creator purchased a travel-sized candle and a scented closet tag from this fragrance store.
9
Beams Shimokitazawa
Clothing store · Setagaya City
4.9 (3)Closed · opens tomorrow 11 AM
Creator's voice
A Beams store in Shimokitazawa with a unique selection that initially confused the creator, as it differed from what they expected.
BEAMS PLANETS SHIMOKITAZAWA, reload2-1 2F 3 Chome-19-20 Kitazawa, Setagaya City, Tokyo 155-0031, Japan
10
New York Joe Exchange Shimokitazawa
Used clothing store · Setagaya City
3.7 (64)Closed · opens tomorrow 12 PM
New York Joe Shimokitazawa, 栃倉ビル 3 Chome-26-4 Kitazawa, Setagaya City, Tokyo 155-0031, Japan
- Tinted glasses — Victor found and purchased a pair of orange-tinted glasses here.
- Tiger shoes — Victor also purchased a pair of tiger-print shoes.
11
Flamingo Shimokitazawa
Used clothing store · Setagaya City
4.4 (53)Open · until 9 PM
Creator's voice
A highly curated vintage store in Shimokitazawa, organized by color, also selling their own vintage-inspired clothes.
Flamingo (Shimokitazawa Store), リサビル 1Ｆ 2 Chome-25-12 Kitazawa, Setagaya City, Tokyo 155-0031, Japan
- Patagonia shorts — The creator tried on a pair of Patagonia shorts but found them to be a bit expensive.
12
Omoide Yokocho
Tourist attraction · Shinjuku City
4.2 (15,663)Closed
Creator's voice
Also known as 'Piss Alley,' this narrow alley in Shinjuku is a popular spot for dinner.
Omoide Yokocho Memory Lane, 1 Chome-2-2 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku City, Tokyo 160-0023, Japan
13
Yakiniku Restaurant (Omoide Yokocho)
Yakiniku restaurant · Shinjuku City
4.6Closed · opens tomorrow 11 AM
Creator's voice
A yakiniku restaurant in Omoide Yokocho where you can grill meat on a charcoal grill. Reservations are easy, but the space is compact, leading to diners bumping elbows.
Rokkasen Honten, 110ビル 10F 1 Chome-10-2 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku City, Tokyo 160-0023, Japan
- Yakiniku on charcoal grill — Enjoy grilling various cuts of meat on a charcoal grill. The experience is intimate due to the compact space.
- Cold noodles — Cold noodles served to balance the richness of the fatty yakiniku meat.
- Creme brûlée ice cream — A creme brûlée ice cream that was trending for a while and is now easily available.
14
Egg Baby Cafe
Cafe · Taito City
4.1 (2,342)Open · until 10 PM
Creator's voice
A cafe in Ueno that often has a huge queue, so the creator recommends going right before it opens. On one attempt, it was closed for an employee day.
Egg Baby Cafe, 5 Chome-10-9 Ueno, Taito City, Tokyo 110-0005, Japan
15
Cafe (Ueno)
Cafe · Taito City
3.8Closed · opens Monday 9 AM
Pancakes, coffee & typical bean paste desserts like dorayaki in a cozy, wood-lined space.
Usagi-ya Café, 西楽堂アネックス 1階 1 Chome-17-5 Ueno, Taito City, Tokyo 110-0005, Japan
- Furniture and tableware — This cafe also features a selection of furniture and tableware for sale in the back.
16
Akihabara
Creator's voice
Known for electronics, home appliances, novelty items, and cheap cables. The creator describes it as reminiscent of Mong Kok in Hong Kong on a Saturday afternoon.
Akihabara Electric Town, Tokyo, Japan
17
Yodobashi Akiba
Electrical supply store
4.2Closed · opens Monday 9:30 AM
Creator's voice
A large electronics store in Akihabara with six floors of electronics, home appliances, and novelty items.
Yodobashi Akiba, 1-1 Kanda Hanaokacho, Chiyoda City, Tokyo 101-0028, Japan
- Camera rings — Victor found camera rings he needed to replace old ones at this electronics store.
18
Cafe (Akihabara)
Cafe · Chiyoda City
4.9 (4,077)Open · until 11 PM
3 Chome Sotokanda
Maidreamin Akihabara Head Store, 住吉ビル 6階 3 Chome-16-17 Sotokanda, Chiyoda City, Tokyo 101-0021, Japan
- Pancakes — Pancakes that are described as being on the firmer side, in contrast to the popular soufflé style.
19
Train-themed Shop (Akihabara Station)
Transit station · Chiyoda City
3.9 (22,620)
Creator's voice
A shop stumbled upon in Akihabara train station, offering an insane amount of train merchandise, including conductor gloves and train-themed stationery.
Akihabara Station, 1 Chome Sotokanda, Chiyoda City, Tokyo, Japan
- Train merchandise — This shop sells a wide array of train-themed merchandise, from conductor gloves to stationery like tape, stickers, and notes. They even have train sound toys and handle bars.
20
Used Camera Store (Akihabara)
Camera store · Chiyoda City
4.4 (322)Open · until 7:30 PM
Lemon-sha Akihabara Store, 山中ビル 3 階 1 Chome-19 Kanda Sakumacho, Chiyoda City, Tokyo 101-0025, Japan
21
Nippon Department Store Akihabara
Souvenir store · Chiyoda City
4.2Closed · opens Monday 11 AM
Modern, spacious food mall divided regionally, offering unique local goods, sake & restaurants.
Japan, 〒101-0022 Tokyo, Chiyoda City, Kanda Neribeicho, 8−2 Nippon Department Store Shokuhinkan, CHABARA
- Playing card vending machine — A vending machine selling playing cards with illustrations of different prefectures.
22
Aki-Oka Artisan
Shopping mall · Taito City
4.0 (3,344)Closed · opens Tuesday 11 AM
Creator's voice
A row of shops hidden under the JR railway tracks in Akihabara, featuring small local businesses selling locally made products like denim, customizable umbrellas, and ceramics. 'Aki' and 'Oka' refer to the two train stations this street sits between.
2k540 Aki-Oka Artisan, 5 Chome-9 Ueno, Taito City, Tokyo 110-0005, Japan
- Locally made products — This unique shopping area under the railway tracks offers a variety of locally made products, including denim, customizable umbrellas, and ceramics.
23
Toumei
Home goods store · Taito City
4.2 (39)Open · until 7 PM
toumei, Q 3 5 Chome-9-16 Ueno, Taito City, Tokyo 110-0005, Japan
24
Shi-Ten Coffee
Coffee stand · Chiyoda City
4.8 (712)Closed · opens tomorrow 9 AM
Japan, 〒101-0021 Tokyo, Chiyoda City, Sotokanda, 5 Chome−4−12 SHI-TEN coffee
25
Whitesville Store (Tokyo)
clothing-store · Tokyo
Tokyo, Japan
- Whitesville t-shirts · ¥6490 — These t-shirts are made in Japan, come in four colors (white, navy, grey, black), and a 2-pack costs USD $40 (¥6,490). They feature a tubular knit with a reinforced neckline, a slim fit cut, and narrow sleeves. The creator bought both L and XL sizes due to potential shrinking after washing.
26
All-You-Can-Eat Sushi Restaurant (Ginza)
Sushi restaurant · Chuo City
3.7 (1,657)Open · until 10:30 PM
Hina Sushi Nishiginza, 西銀座デパート 2階 4 Chome-1-1 Ginza, Chuo City, Tokyo 104-0061, Japan
- All-you-can-eat sushi · <¥5000 — Enjoy over 50 types of sushi, including medium fatty tuna and sea urchin, with a maximum order of 20 pieces per round. The price reflects the quality of the fish.
27
Ginza
Chuo City
Creator's voice
A high-end shopping district in Tokyo, known for its luxury brands and pedestrian-only roads on public holidays like Marine Day.
Ginza, Chuo City, Tokyo 104-0061, Japan
28
Lunch Set Restaurant (Ginza)
Meat dish restaurant · Chuo City
4.4Closed · opens Tuesday 11:30 AM
Sukiyaki beef cooked on tabletop grills, plus meaty shabu shabu hot pot, at a cozy specialist venue.
Gyū-an Ginza, 6 Chome-13-6 Ginza, Chuo City, Tokyo 104-0061, Japan
- Lunch set — A customizable lunch set ordered via a digital menu. The creator ordered two eggs, while Victor ordered three. It can be eaten three ways: as sashimi, mixed with egg yolk, or in soup.
29
Cafe (Ginza)
Cafe · Chuo City
4.0 (427)Open · until 11 PM
Ginza Café, 土志田ビルヂング B1 1 Chome-6-11 Ginza, Chuo City, Tokyo 104-0061, Japan
- Matcha basque cheesecake — A delicious matcha basque cheesecake served at this minimalist cafe.
30
Muji Ginza
Hotel · Chuo City
4.3 (71)
Casual rooms, some featuring futons, in an informal hotel offering a bar, a restaurant & a library.
Muji Hotel Ginza, 3 Chome-3-5 Ginza, Chuo City, Tokyo 104-0061
- Packing cubes — The creator was looking to replace some of their packing cubes and found them at Muji.
- Mini sunscreen — The creator picked up a mini size of Muji's sunscreen to try.
31
Lemon Inc. Ginza
Camera store · Chuo City
4.2 (481)Open · until 7:30 PM
Japan, 〒104-0061 Tokyo, Chuo City, Ginza, 4 Chome−2−1 Lemon-sha Ginza-kyokai Store, 銀座教会堂ビル8F
32
Breakfast Spot (Ginza)
Breakfast restaurant · Chuo City
3.0 (3)Closed · opens tomorrow 7:30 AM
TASTE THE WORLD Ginza, 2 Chome-12-12 Ginza, Chuo City, Tokyo 104-0061, Japan
- Tiramisu — Victor rated the tiramisu here in his Top 10, and the creator found it pretty delicious.
33
Shrine (Aoyama)
Shinto shrine · Shibuya
4.1 (249)Open · until 4 PM
Aoyama Kumano Shrine, 熊野神社 2 Chome-2-22 Jingumae, Shibuya, Tokyo 150-0001, Japan
34
COS Aoyama
Clothing store · Minato City
3.9 (217)Closed · opens tomorrow 11 AM
4 Chome Minamiaoyama
COS, 4 Chome-21-26 Minamiaoyama, Minato City, Tokyo 107-0062, Japan
- Black skirt — The creator found a black skirt they liked while browsing in COS.
- Croissant sandwich with pickled onion — A crispy croissant sandwich with delicious pickled onion, enjoyed at the cafe within COS.
- OBEY brown shirt — The creator tried on an OBEY brown shirt, noting that the brand's new stuff looks good.
- Light blue knit shirt — A light blue knit shirt made of very soft material, which was 30% off. The creator preferred it over another option despite it being a bit thick for Tokyo's summer heat.
35
Dollar Store (Tokyo)
Dollar store · Chuo City
4.2Closed · opens Monday 11 AM
Japanese variety-store chain featuring Japanese beauty products, housewares & snacks.
Daiso Marronnier Gate Ginza Store, マロニエゲート銀座２ 6階 3 Chome-2-1 Ginza, Chuo City, Tokyo 104-0061, Japan
- Packing cubes — The creator was looking to buy more packing cubes from the dollar store but couldn't find the desired size.
- Karaage keychain — A cute keychain shaped like karaage (Japanese fried chicken).
- Public bath collection — A collection of items themed around Japanese public baths.
- Kissaten collection — A collection of items themed around retro Japanese coffee shops (kissaten).
- Tissue keychain / cardholder — A keychain that looks like a tissue pack, which the creator wondered if it could also function as a cardholder.
- Natto bean collection — A collection of items themed around natto beans.
- Salad roll bag and baguette pouch — A salad roll shaped bag and a baguette shaped pouch.
36
Tonkatsu Restaurant (Tokyo)
Tonkatsu restaurant · Shibuya
4.4Closed · opens tomorrow 11 AM
Tonkatsu Maisen Aoyama, 4 Chome-8-5 Jingumae, Shibuya, Tokyo 150-0001, Japan
- Tonkatsu — A classic Japanese dish of breaded and deep-fried pork cutlet.
37
Retro Kissaten (Tokyo)
cafe · Tokyo
Tokyo, Japan
- Drip coffee — The barista is deeply passionate about his beans and coffee, using a unique drip technique.
38
Loft Shinjuku
ライブ会場 · Shinjuku City
4.2 (1,211)Closed · opens tomorrow 6 PM
Shinjuku LOFT, タテハナビル 1 Chome-12-9 Kabukicho, Shinjuku City, Tokyo 160-0021, Japan
- Erasers in shape of 'Beam' foods — Nostalgic erasers shaped like various food items.
- Cosmetic pouches in jelly colors — Cute cosmetic pouches available in jelly-like colors.
- Tokyo edition Ralph's Cafe mug — A Tokyo edition mug from Ralph's Cafe, which caught the creator's eye.
39
Used Camera Store (Shinjuku)
Camera store · Shinjuku City
3.8 (281)Open · until 7 PM
Shinjuku used camera market, 松原ビル 1 Chome-13-2 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku City, Tokyo 160-0023, Japan
- Used camera — The creator found many used cameras here, describing the feeling as finding a dream Chanel bag. The camera comes with a 1-week warranty.
Experience · 0 places
Watching lanterns light up at Ueno Park
Head to Ueno Park around 7pm to watch the lanterns light up around the pond. It's a beautiful sight, like 'Tangled' in real life, though some lanterns might get stuck along the shore. It's a lovely summer festivity in the neighborhood.
40
Ueno Park
Park · Taito City
4.4 (34,978)Open · until 11 PM
Creator's voice
A large park in Ueno where people gather around the pond to watch lanterns being lit up in the evening.
Ueno Park, Uenokoen, Taito City, Tokyo 110-0007
41
Duck Ramen Shop (Ueno)
Ramen restaurant · Taito City
4.5Closed
Ramen Kamo to Negi Ueno Okachimachi Main Store, 6 Chome-4-15 Ueno, Taito City, Tokyo 110-0005, Japan
- Duck ramen — A famous duck ramen dish served in a beautifully designed space. The creator appreciated the organized and calm atmosphere.
- Tatami bar table — The restaurant features a beautiful tatami bar table, adding to its gorgeous interiors.

4 extraction issues

experience "Watching lanterns light up at Ueno Park": a stop names no place in the post
experience "Watching lanterns light up at Ueno Park": happens nowhere: no stops
item "Twemco clocks": belongs to no place or experience in the post
item "Converse Reacts": belongs to no place or experience in the post