Tokyo is home to the most Michelin stars in the world. It’s basically a large stewing pot of some of the most delicious restaurants on the planet. Cheap or expensive, Tokyo has it all. So, I went ahead and tried a 1-starred ramen Michelin restaurant.

On a quiet Monday afternoon, I went to check out Sobahouse Konjiki Hototogisu in Shinjuku. This is a restaurant that I had been wanting to visit for a long time and I was not disappointed.

With wait times often topping two hours, and opening hours restricted to Mondays to Fridays I hadn’t managed to find time until….. Covid!

From arriving to getting my food I waited about 40 minutes. There were 7 people in front of me in the queue. 3 outside and 4 inside.

The restaurant seats 10 people. 6 seats at the counter plus two small tables that can accommodate 2 people each.

There was a nice atmosphere with soft jazz music playing. It was very quiet in the restaurant nobody was talking everybody was focused on their food.

I ordered the ‘recommended bowl’ Shio Soba at 950 yen. Bargain for a one Michelin star meal!

Details of the ingredients in the picture.

In addition to the ingredients mentioned I also discovered chopped basil in my dish (the green in the photo) and what I think was sun-dried tomato. Pork sweet and tender. The soup had quite a strong but delicate fishy flavor. I could taste the truffle oil. It was full-flavored but not overpowering.

Overall I would say it was a light dish with an interesting fusion and balance of flavors.

I can definitely understand why it's received so many awards. Compared to other ramen I've eaten this was a very cleverly balanced bowl.

It was a very relaxing experience which is quite often the opposite in Japan. When going out to eat, a lot of restaurants are loud with people shouting “welcome” and “goodbye” or orders being called or customers chatting. This restaurant was practically silent! Just the gentle sound of soft jazz drifting through the aroma.

- Laura, Hello! Tokyo Tours Founder

We can’t wait until Japan reopens again so that we can have delicious bowls of ramen like this. However, we offer pandemic-friendly experiences such as our Holiday by Post Program. Every month we will send you a postcard and a thoughtfully chosen local gift with a video blog telling you more about your gift and the place that we bought it. For more info check here or subscribe down below!

Matcha flavored sweets have taken over the world. You might have heard of matcha chocolates, matcha lattes or matcha Oreos. Might be a bit unique but not uncommon right? Well, let’s discuss five shocking matcha foods that you can find in Japan. We can’t guarantee you that you’ll find this on your next visit to Japan because lots of these items are seasonal or special items, but we can guarantee that you’ll find it very odd.

Matcha Cup Noodle

We didn’t think this existed either, but if its going to exist, it’s going to be in Japan. Apparently Nissin released a green tea flavored version of it back in 2017. It’s not common to find, and I as a guide in Japan have not found this before.

Photo Cred: Sora News

Matcha Curry

After discovering the noodles, we thought we couldn’t find anything weirder than that. But curry comes next on our list. Itohkyuemon - a green tea shop in Kyoto founded in 1832 unleashed an instant green tea packet. All you need to do is heat up the vacuum sealed packet in hot water for a few minutes and it’s ready to pour over your rice!

Photo Credit: Sora News

Matcha Chuhai

Tea based alcohol isn’t too uncommon in Japan. At an izakaya (Japanese drinking establishments) it’s quite common for people to order oolong-hai, oolong tea mixed with shochu alcohol. So it’s not much of a surprise to find matcha-chuhai, but for anyone outside of Japan this could be quite unique!

Photo Credit: Ruten Japan

Matcha Strawberry Sandwich

A strawberry sandwich might sound a bit unique to start off with, but why not give it a matcha twist? On our Tokyo food tour, we visit a strawberry sandwich stand under Tokyo Station and our guests love it! But we’ve never seen it with a matcha twist before. Lawson came out with a matcha strawberry sandwich where the bread is engrained with matcha to give it the matcha punch to it.

Photo Credit: Timeout

Matcha Potato Chips

The popular snack company Calbee always has interesting flavors coming out, so it’s not a surprise that we have a matcha potato chip! It’s a limited edition only so, unless it makes a comeback, you may be out of luck trying to acquire one in Japan

Photo Credit: Napa Japan

We know we teased you with different Japanese matcha delights to get in Japan and we’re sorry! However, we offer pandemic friendly experiences such as our Holiday by Post Program. Every month we will send you a postcard and a thoughtfully chosen local gift with a video blog telling you more about your gift and the place that we bought it. For more info check here or subscribe down below!

Cup Noodles have been a cornerstone in Japanese fast food. The ingenious design and convenience, taste and cost make it a favorite amongst people worldwide. On our private Yokohama tour, we visit the Cup Noodle Museum where you can learn about the history of how Cup Noodles were made and even create your own Cup Noodles. But, for now, let’s take a look at five different Cup Noodle flavors that you can find on your next trip to Japan.

Cheese Curry

Contrary to Indian and Thai curry, Japanese curry is sweeter and thicker. It’s often loved by children and is also one of the most popular Japanese foods in Japan. When you add cheese to the mix - it makes for a legendary flavor of Cup Noodles. The thick curry soup compliments the the cheese and noodles for a Cup of Heaven!

Miso

I’m sure a lot of have heard of miso soup before. If you thicken up the soup a little and some noodles in it, you get a delicious Miso Cup Noodles! This delicate tasting Cup of Noodle is perfect for you miso lovers.

Protein Cup Noodles

We know that Cup Noodles might not be the healthiest thing in the world. But, the Nissin team has tried taking a “healthier” approach to it by making their “PRO” Cup Noodle series that’s packed with protein! Each Cup of Noodle has 15 grams of protein for those that want a little more out of the noodles.

TONKOTSU (PORK)

Tonkotsu literally means pork bone. The tonkotsu ramen is a very common and popular broth due to it’s rich and refreshing taste. Now that it’s put into a Cup Noodle? Who wouldn’t like it?! It’s definitely worth trying for it’s delicious tasting broth.

HOKKAIDO MILK SEAFOOD

When it comes to food in Hokkaido (The northern most part of Japan) many Japanese people might think of two things - milk and seafood. Combine these two into a Cup Noodle and you get this unique, creamy seafood noodle! It’s oddly satisfying and is a bit similar to having a carbonara but in a Cup Noodle.

We know we teased you with different Cup Noodles to get in Japan and we’re sorry! However, we offer pandemic friendly experiences such as our Holiday by Post Program. Every month we will send you a postcard and a thoughtfully chosen local gift with a video blog telling you more about your gift and the place that we bought it. For more info check here or subscribe down below!

HELLO! TOKYO TOURS GUIDE TO MOTHERS DAY

With mothers day coming up soon, why not plan a mothers day gift with a Japanese twist to it? You can purchase lots of Japanese things at places like Daiso (online or in-store) or Sugoi Mart (online). Or you can even check out our Holiday by Post Program for unique, specialized gifts from Japan! (more details below). With our list below, you can combine and mix them up for an ultimate mothers day gift! This will be the perfect replacement for not being able to come on a Tokyo tours this year!

Origami

If your mom is the art and crafts type of person - maybe making origami together is the perfect mothers day activity! You can order origami from places such as amazon or buy them at Daiso. There are hundreds of YouTube videos to help you make origami - you can even go for the classic Japanese crane together.

Create a Japanese meal

Make your moms day special with a home cooked Japanese meal. Most Japanese ingredients can be found at regular supermarkets or Asian super markets. You can check out our Food Guide’s recipe page for some easy delicious Japanese food!

Bonsai trees

Mother’s Day flowers are nice, but how about a bonsai tree? If your mom is into taking care of plants and gardening, its the perfect gift! Many plant shops will offer bonsai trees, all you’ll need is a simple bonsai kit (which you can typically find online somewhere) to “craft” the bonsai and you’re good to go!

Subscribe to Holiday by Post

Every month we will send you a postcard and a thoughtfully chosen local gift with a video blog telling you more about your gift and the place that we bought it. Covid-19 has destroyed our livelihoods. Your monthly membership fee will provide our team with some much needed income. In return we will select meaningful souvenirs, write a heartfelt message and offer you discounts on future tours, when we can all travel freely again. Check it out here

Watch a Japanese movie/show

This activity is probably better if you pair one or two of the ones mentioned above. Most streaming services will have a good selection of Japanese movies. You can always check out YouTube and Amazon to rent the movies as well! For a good list of Japanese movies check out our film guide for more information.

Ready for a movie night? To help your next trip to Japan, why not fuel your knowledge of the country by watching some movies? You can take an extensive look at our Film Guide - but we’ll list some of our favourite ones here. In no particular order here are 5 must-watch movies!

Spirited Away

This film is by far one of the most popular and famous films from Japan. While Spirited Away is one of the dozens of Ghibli Studios masterpieces, we went with this fantasy. Be careful, watching this might lead you down an endless rabbit hole of Ghibli Studio films. The story follows a 10-year-old girl named Chihiro who stumbles into a world of kami (deities). She soon finds herself unable to escape after her parents are turned into pigs by the ruling witch named Yubaba. With the help of Haku - a mysterious young boy - she embarks on a journey to save her parents and escape this world.

Lost in Translation

Okay, while this film is not necessarily from Japan, it’s definitely a film worth mentioning. The film was shot in Tokyo with famous backdrops such as Shibuya and Shinjuku. It will definitely make your next trip to Japan quite interesting! This comedic-drama presents a story of love and friendship between two strangers - a middle aged actor named Bill Harris and a neglected college grad named Charlotte. They both share a few common bonds: a dissatisfying love life and a culture shock in Tokyo. Follow them around as they go explore themselves and Tokyo - it’s almost as if you explore with them.

SHOPLIFTERS

This Japanese drama became a critically acclaimed film thanks to it’s superb directing, writing and acting. The story follows a non-biological family that shoplifts to cope with their poverty. After a routine shoplift, Osamu - “the father” - and the son come across a little girl who’s been abandoned and take her in. As the film progresses, this “happy family” soon reveal their dark secrets.

JIRO DREAMS OF SUSHI

This documentary centers around Jiro Ono, an 85 year old sushi master who owns a 10 seated, sushi only, 3 starred Michelin restaurant in a Tokyo subway station. His restaurant only takes reservations - which must be reserved months in advanced - and costs a minimum of 30,000 Yen (about 300 dollars). Learn and discover the secrets of Jiro who maintains such a high quality level of sushi over the years.

*In 2019, Jiro’s restaurant was removed from the Michelin guide, not because of a decline in quality but because of its poor access to the general public. It’s notorious difficulty for a regular person to get a reservation has increased as head of states and celebrities demands have risen.

SEVEN SAMURAI

For anyone who likes classics, Seven Samurai - or any of Director Kurosawa’s films are a must watch. Kurosawa is considered one of the greatest directors of the 20th century. Seven Samurai made a huge cultural impact in the world as it inspired a Western remake called Magnificent Seven and even inspired Steven Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan. The film is set during 1586, when war ravaged Japan. A village of farmers hire a team of seven ronin - or masterless samurai to defend their village from bandits who raid their farm to steal their crops. This film is known to have started the innovative idea of assembling a team for a heroic mission.

We hope this recommendation of movies can help you get a taste of Japan while travel is currently restricted. We also offer pandemic friendly experiences such as our Holiday by Post Program. Every month we will send you a postcard and a thoughtfully chosen local gift with a video blog telling you more about your gift and the place that we bought it. For more info check here or subscribe down below!

London and Los Angeles have the record with the most successful Olympic bids in Olympic history - this is if Los Angeles successfully hosts the 2028 Olympics. London has hosted the Olympics in 1908, 1948 and 2012 and would have hosted it 4 times if it did in 1944, but was cancelled due to World War II. Los Angeles in 1932, 1984 and hopefully 2028 - but with events like COVID, we never know what can happen! 

Tokyo could’ve been right up there with London and Los Angeles, but it seems like Tokyo has a curse on the Olympics. Tokyo won the Olympic bid in 1936 to host the 1940 Olympics. To be fair the only other competitor was Helsinki, Finland which was destroyed in 1939 due to aerial bombardments. But, the 1940 Olympics were cancelled because of the outbreak of World War II. But we now know that Tokyo Olympics weren’t cancelled just once, but now twice - well technically postponed. 

Fast forward to post World War II. Japan laid in ruins and was on the path to recovery. They were not invited to participate in the 1948 London Olympics - but let us be honest, Japan needed to rebuild. Japan re-joined the Olympic fold in 1952 for the Helsinki Olympics and in the same year, it announced to join the bid to host the 1960 Olympics. Along with Tokyo, 6 other cities joined the bid: Rome, Lausanne, Detroit, Budapest, Brussels and Mexico City. Tokyo only gathered 4 votes and ended up finishing in the last place for the bid, with the winner going to Rome. In 1955, when IOC president Mr Brundage visited Japan for an inspection, he expressed that Tokyo had a small chance to be selected for the next games but, should re-enter the bid for the 1964 Olympics. 

Using Mr Brundage’s encouraging words, Tokyo entered the bid once again and was selected to host the 1964 Olympics. It became the first Asian country to host the Olympics, but it also gave the war-torn nation a goal and new focus to rebuilding their country. 

Tokyo in 1945 after American air raids

Photo Credits: Japan Times

Tokyo in 1964, less than 20 years after the war.

Photo Credit: Stir World

Tokyo didn’t enter another bid until 2009 when it re-entered to host the 2016 Olympics. Although it’s worthy to mention that Osaka entered the bid to host the 2008 Olympics, but was knocked out in the first round. Obviously, the 2016 bid failed, but Tokyo re-entered the bid for the next Olympics in 2020 and won with an overwhelming fashion over Istanbul with a 60-36 vote in the final round. Well, we know what happens in 2020, but to save us some grief let’s hope the 2021 Olympics will be carried out SAFELY.

While international travel for tourists to Japan will unlikely resume during the Olympics or immediately after, we at Hello! Tokyo Tours really miss you all and hope to see you guys soon once COVID-19 is over. Once you can travel safely, join us on our tours where you can see and learn about how Tokyo developed over time from a war-torn country to a 2-time Olympic host city! As for now, we offer pandemic-friendly activities such as our Holiday by Post Program which will not only give you gifts/postcards from Japan but a discount on your next tour in Tokyo! Sign up here!

Photo Credit: Olympics

Fans of Japan have long dreamed about the beautiful cherry blossoms of Japan. It’s been enjoyed for centuries in Japan and recently by international travelers. It only lasts about a week in March/April - depending on the weather and where you are in Japan - and are well known for their radiant and transient beauty. But why are cherry blossoms so special in Japan?

It was originally used to help farmers know when to begin planting crops for rice but has grown to embody Zen Buddhist values. In Japanese traditional aesthetics derived from Buddhism there is a philosophical concept called “wabi sabi” (no, not wasabi the spicy thing in sushi) which stresses the importance and beauty of impermanence and imperfection. The sakura symbolizes the essence of wabi sabi and also symbolizes hope and renewal. Much like the farmers did hundreds of years ago, the Japanese society still bases this time of year to help construct annual events. In March/April this is the time when kids go up one grade in school, fresh grads join new companies and is what the fiscal year is based off of. So, once the sakura begins to bloom it acts as a symbolic meaning of a fresh start and change to the new year.

You can check out our Gardens and Parks list on our Destination Guide for a nice viewing of Sakura. Typically almost all gardens and parks will have sakura during this time of year.

Moving to a different country and starting from scratch is intimidating. Particularly Japan - where the English speaking community is still relatively low. There is so much to figure out; where to stay, how to adapt to a new culture and the language barrier. You have probably have made countless searches on Google to gather some basic information about the city.

To make your life easier once you arrive in the Land of the Rising Sun, we have done the hard work for you and listed all of the essential apps and phone numbers that you will need to navigate your new life.

Feel like a local and take a Hello! Tokyo Tour with us

LEISURE

Klook - For travel activities and tickets. Available on iOS and Android

Tripadvisor - For travel activities. Available on iOS and Android

FOOD & DRINK

Gurunavi - For finding restaurants and making reservations. Available on iOS and Android

Open Table - For finding restaurants and making reservations. Available on iOS and Android

Tabelog - For finding restaurants and reading reviews. Available on iOS and Android

Uber Eats - For home delivery. Available on iOS and Android

Demaikan (Japanese only) - For home delivery. Available on iOS and Android

TRANSPORTATION

NAVITIME - To help plan your route and figure out times for trains and buses. There are 3 apps by Navitime that are all very similar. Navitime Map & Transfer, Japan Travel by Navitime and Navitime Timetable&Route search in Japan. Available on iOS and Android (Japan Travel app linked).

Japan Taxi - To call for a taxi/make appointments for taxi pickups. Available on iOS and Android

MEDICAL/EMERGENCY

TELL - Mental Health professionals available for lifeline, chat and support for international community.

Lifeline tel: 03-5774-0992, Counseling tel: 03-4550-1146

Japan Healthcare Info - Supports your healthcare needs. Can locate English speaking doctors, make appointments, offer translators, find treatment/medication, locate daycares/nurseries/schools and any other needs regarding health.

Tokyo Metropolitan Medical Institution - For general medical information. Tel: 03-5285-8181 (9am-8pm)

Emergency Tel Numbers - Police: 110, Medical/Fire: 119

HOUSEHOLD NEEDS

For household needs such as cleaners and handymen, go to your local ward/city office to get you connected to the local/trusted workers. The ward/city office will have contacts with the local associations of handymen and cleaners.

FINANCE

PayPay (Japanese only) - An app for a cashless way to pay at restaurants and stores. Available on iOS and Android

Transferwise - Website to help you transfer money abroad.

Retire Japan - For residents thinking long term finance in Japan

SOCIALS

Reddit r/japanlife - One of the biggest and most active social networks for expats in Japan. Join the subreddit japanlife on reddit to connect to a community of over 100k+ expats/residents living in Japan. You can post your problems, questions and advice in this community for support. Available on iOS and Android

TEN (Tokyo Expat Network) Facebook Group - Group of expats in Tokyo.

Expats in Japan Facebook Group - Group of expats across Japan.

Mottainai Japan Facebook Group - A group open to all residents of Japan that give away unwanted items for free.

OTHER ESSENTIAL APPS AND WEBSITES

Yahoo Auction - Basically an ebay where you can auction off your goods and buy auctioned goods. Available on iOS and Android

Mercari - Online flea market app. Buy used and new goods online. Available on IOS and Android

Rakuten - Online shopping platform. Similar to amazon. Available on IOS and Android

Network Print/Multicopy - Apps to help you connect to the convenience stores printer to help you print and copy. Network Print works for Lawsons and Multicopy is for Seven Eleven.

Network Print on iOS and Android. Multicopy on iOS and Android.

LOCAL NEWS AND ONLINE MAGAZINES

NHK World Japan - One of Japans main news outlets. Available in multiple languages.

Japan Times - Japans largest and oldest English-language news outlet

Japan Travel - All things about tourism and traveling in Japan hosted by the Japanese National Tourism Board (JNTO). Latest updates about Japan is available as well.

Timeout Tokyo - Neighborhood guide on latest events, places to visit and news.

Web Japan - Government operated guide to Japan

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While our Tokyo guides will properly teach you the manners and etiquettes in social situations, this guide will give you a basic understanding of manners on a train.

• Do not eat/drink on the train: If you wish to drink water/tea that’s okay but do not drink and eat on the train.

• Do not talk on the phone: Unless it is an emergency, refrain from speaking on the phone!

• Give up your set to the elderly or disabled: All trains will have a priority seating section, but if that’s filled and you notice someone that can benefit from siting, be a kind soul and give up your seat

• Talk quietly: You might be excited because you’re on vacation - but if you want to talk with your friends and family - try to whisper! You’ll notice that most people are silent or are whispering

• Women only cars: Certain trains will have a woman only car from a certain time. The car will have giant pink stickers on it. Typically in the morning most trains will have them so make sure to look out for them

  Basically if you don’t know whether you can do something or not on a train just look around you and notice what others are doing. If you have to think to yourself - is this a good idea to do on the train now? - it probably isn’t a good idea!

Photo Credit: Japan Study Abroad Network

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Welcoming the year 2021 brings us hope and optimism about the possibility of traveling again. Now that vaccines have finally being rolled out to different countries, people are somehow seeing a silver lining in ending our continuous war for COVID-19.

Japan will always be a great destination for a diverse cultural experience and we, the Hello! Tokyo team is thrilled to welcome you again and show you our vibrant city!

There are a lot of beautiful places in Tokyo that are still left to explore and Michelin starred local food to try. But before all that, we know that finding a great place to stay in Tokyo is the first thing on your traveling checklist, and thinking of a great place to stay is a bit daunting.

To help you out, we have put together our recommended places to stay in whilst you are in the city. Check out our City guide page for more information and tips on other Tokyo activities that you can do when you are out and about the city.

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