Hi, I’m back from our family’s 6-night trip to Tokyo and wanted to pull together a little guide. It’s mostly the neighborhoods we explored, where we shopped and ate, with a few sights mixed in.
We took an overnight flight that somehow landed ahead of schedule… at 4:00am. With two very tired kids in tow, we made it to our hotel, refreshed just enough, and headed back out to wander until our room was ready.
Since we were staying in Shibuya, our first stop was Family Mart, which is truly a dream for the kids. We grabbed snacks and much-needed coffee before kicking off what turned into a 20k-step day. With most shops and cafés still closed, we walked over to Yoyogi Park so the kids could run around, and then to Meiji Jingu Shrine. It is not to be missed. It completely transports you, a calm, natural sanctuary right in the middle of the city.
One of my favorite moments was watching a groundskeeper slowly and peacefully sweep the pathway with a handmade broom. I loved his all-white uniform. It felt so simple and intentional.
On that note, I wanted to share a few of my photographer husband, James Ryang’s favorite street style moments from the trip. Look at all these good shoes.
As the city started to wake up, we made our way back into Shibuya and wandered through Parco, where I found these bright striped totes and grabbed one. It ended up being the bag I carried inside my bag every day. It was perfect for shopping since it’s so lightweight and packable.
There is so much good vintage and second-hand in Tokyo. A few spots I loved:
The kids were in heaven with all the arcades and claw machines lining the streets. At one point, my husband took them for a couple of hours so I could do some focused shopping, which felt like a gift. Later, we ordered sushi from individual iPads, and plates zoomed out to us on a speedy conveyor belt. It was easily one of their favorite moments.
Every time I’m in Tokyo, I try to spend a few hours at Tsutaya Books in Daikanyama. The magazine selection alone is incredible, and they also curate beautiful art books and lifestyle products. This time I discovered a few new fragrance brands I loved, Shegreen and Sinn Pureté.
From there, we wandered one of my favorite neighborhoods—Daikanyama. So many great, niche shops:
The EYEVAN (eyewear)
Komodo Beams (kids)
Kindal (vintage)
We waited in the rain for about 20 minutes for lunch at Isshin, and it was so worth it. We all ordered something different, and everything was incredible.
Nakameguro is another favorite. It’s perfect for strolling, shopping, and eating along the Meguro River. We completely lucked out and caught the cherry blossoms this time. I also popped into Kindal, on a bit of a mission at that point. I really appreciate how thoughtfully curated and organized vintage is in Japan.
A chef friend recommended Yakumo for a wonton-style ramen, and it was delicious. You order from a vending machine, there are only three options, and you really can’t go wrong.
Studio Nicholson is big in Tokyo, so I stopped by their Aoyama store, then wandered through Omotesando.
The Issey Miyake store felt more like a museum, with beautiful installations throughout. Of course I was obsessed with all the Pleats Please Bags. I was quickly reminded that photos are not allowed (!!)
Auralee was high on my list, and it did not disappoint. Everything on the racks felt like candy to my eyes. The tailoring, the fabrics, and the ease of the silhouettes all stood out. I was a little overwhelmed and ended up going back the next day to try on their colorful flip flops. I left with the all-white pair.
Dover Street Market is seven floors of fun, with a Rose Bakery at the top. The Phoebe Philo shop-in-shop felt pretty consistent with what I saw in both Tokyo and Seoul.
At one point, my kids decided it was their personal play space. I fully expected to be asked to leave, but somehow no one said a word.
I always check for Tabi sizes whenever I see them, and this time they didn’t have mine in anything. It clearly wasn’t meant to be.
The only way to recover from a big shopping day was an epic bowl of udon at Menchirashi. We stood outside in the rain for an hour, and somehow the entire family agreed it was worth the wait. We were all dreaming about those handmade udon noodles, glossy with a fresh egg, topped with shredded parmesan and pork belly bacon.
I got the spicy carbonara with mentaiko, it was decadent and exactly what I needed on this last night in Tokyo.
And you can see here on Vogue Shopping for more of what I packed:
Hope this inspires a bit of what you do on your next trip to Tokyo.
x
After Tokyo, we traveled to Seoul for a week, so I’ll share that guide next.
I appreciate you being part of this space!If you enjoy reading TIME LESS and want to show your support for my work, you can like or share this post, leave a comment, share this post with a friend, or upgrade to a paid subscription. Whatever you choose, I appreciate you being here.
I occasionally include affiliate links - at no cost to you, but as always, I will only include links for pieces I already own and love, or would buy for myself.
Find me here on Instagram
No posts
Comments
Nothing yet. Say the first thing.
Sign in to join the conversation.