Karen Walker | July 20th, 2012
Ginza is traditionally somewhere where only tourists and established money go but it’s suddenly hip again thanks to the new Uniqlo flagship and the relocated Dover Street Market.
Uniqlo, the a Japanese mega-retailer with 1,000 stores around the world and top-notch collaborations under their belt with the likes of Jil Sander and Undercover, has [...]
Asia, Japan, Slideshows, Tokyo
Karen Walker | July 11th, 2012
I always think it’s best to eat Japanese food while in Tokyo as it doesn’t get any better but for an architectural treat lunch or dine at Canoviano Café. The food’s great but it’s the building that’s most notable. The building’s designed by the legendary Tadao Ando which makes the experience even better.
Canoviano Café, [...]
Asia, Eateries We Love, Japan, Stuff we Love, Tokyo
Karen Walker | July 7th, 2012
Yakumo Saryo is a private, members-only restaurant that’s heavenly. It’s in the most unexpected of locations in a quiet, suburban street with a high, concrete wall overflowing with established trees surrounding it. Through the small wooden gate one finds oneself in the most beautiful of gardens with a softly lit twisting path leading up [...]
Asia, Eateries We Love, Japan, Stuff we Love, Tokyo
Karen Walker | April 20th, 2010
Image Courtesy of info.aia.org
I’m not a huge fan of Ginza (too many chain stores and tourists) but it is worth a visit for the new Lanvin store, which has two floors of magic.
Time your visit around lunch or afternoon tea at the Gucci Café. You don’t have to be into the brand to enjoy this [...]
Asia, Japan, Tokyo
Karen Walker | February 27th, 2010
When you’re in Japan, eat Japanese and only Japanese. And for the real deal the best place I’ve ever been in Japan is Toufuya Ukai. Traditional private dining rooms all open up onto beautiful gardens that are quite magical to walk through before and after dinner. It’s a sensational place for lunch or [...]
Asia, Japan, Slideshows, Tokyo, Where to Eat if Someone Else is Paying
Karen Walker | November 25th, 2009
Photo by Mikhail Gherman
Shibuya is an easy area to spend a day. Start the day with an early lunch and some great retail at my favourite spot: Margaret Howell (1-13-8 Jinnin-Shibuya-Ku) for great clothes and home wear put together in a lovely way. The café serves wonderful light lunches outside on the terrace.
Allow a few [...]
Asia, Japan, Tokyo
Karen Walker | November 5th, 2009
After a few days in the metropolis it can be nice to escape. A perfect day trip is the Kamakura area an hour’s drive or train ride south west of Tokyo. The series of 5 or 6 beaches lining the coast from this point are refreshing after the heat and intensity of the city. [...]
Asia, Japan, Slideshows, Tokyo
Guest Contributor | February 19th, 2008
Gas masks. Ex-American Army clothes. Life jackets. Tutus. Helmets. Victorian corsetry and bonnets. Dominatrix gear. All this and more can be found at Dog in Harajuku, and they encourage wearing it all together.
Harajuku remains the favourite playground for cool kids in Tokyo. Everyone there is about seeing and being seen and this culture of voyeurism [...]
Asia, Japan, Stuff we Love, Tokyo
Katie Lockhart | January 23rd, 2008
Visiting Tokyo for my first time I was expecting my head to be filled with ‘Geisha’ or ‘Tokyo Pop’ imagery, for everything to be either super modern or super traditional. I loved these garage doors in Asakusa - Tokyo’s traditional market area as they are practical, beautiful, traditional, modern and unexpected all at the [...]
Asia, Japan, Miscellaneous, Slideshows, Tokyo
PaperPlane | July 12th, 2007
Words Adam Blakey
Photo Keith Ng
Not that it was a big secret or anything, but you just know Gwen Stefani Harajuku’d the fruit out of all of us by getting on her knees and shamelessly licking the place clean on her last album. Regardless, style messiahs will still head straight for Cat Street, a mecca for [...]
Asia, Japan, Tokyo