japan travel diary part 2: tokyo!!!

As stated in my first installment of this series, I have mixed feelings about publishing a “Japan guide” seeing as I’m severely under-qualified. But what I can do is tell you where I went and if I’d go back. We visited Tokyo twice during our 3 weeks in Japan, the first 3 days and the last 3 days. Still, not nearly enough time to even scratch the surface of the city but I tried my best.

Before I list off my spots, I want to include some disclaimers. Through my research, I gathered that most places in Japan (especially Tokyo) specialize in, and sometimes only serve, one specific dish. So plan accordingly.

Now if you’ve spent any time on Japan-tok, you’ve likely been inundated with viral posts that all rave about the same handful of restaurants, most coming with warnings of up to 3 hour wait times. Many seasoned travelers advise steering clear of these places, not because they aren’t great (they are), but because in a city as big and as culinarily advanced as Tokyo, there’s no reason to waste half an afternoon standing on the sidewalk for a bowl of noodles. So we made a pact for the trip: no lines. And I can confirm, I had 0 fomo.