Tokyo Week 1: Reflections and Recommendations

Superstitions, first impressions, and getting settled.

1/26/25—2/2/25

Whenever I travel, I wear the evil eye earrings my friend Samy gave me. Because I’m always venturing off alone, I feel a sense of safety when I wear them. Every time I put them on I remember him telling me about their Puerto Rican equivalent, la mano de azabache — then I think about the time Melanie taught me about Mexico’s limpia con huevo, and I start wondering why so many cultures arrived at the same superstition independently. I sometimes joke that as a descendant of Mesopotamia, I get to “claim” the evil eye. It isn’t exactly the most honorable cultural export, but I guess it’s endured for a reason.

Badwater Basin

A woman in Sedona (where else) once told me that talismans of protection don’t work unless they’re gifted to you by someone else. I hated the idea of that — as if protection was something you had to earn by being loved. Unfortunately I’ve often felt that she was right whenever the universe seemed to operate off the same rule. Why couldn’t yourself be enough?

As I’ve grown older I can see the little ways that I’m turning into my elders. A growing sense of superstition is one way I’m turning more into my jiddo. I really dislike what the evil eye represents, but I also believe in it. I didn’t start telling people about this trip until a little over a month before it was set to happen — not even because I believed in getting the evil eye from them, but because I was afraid the universe would find another shitty way to jinx me this year.

So I kept things to myself, and ultimately, I’m glad I did. In a less supernatural vein, I didn’t want to be exposed to peoples’ opinions while I prepared. It would end up diluting my own interior logic. When I finally told people — after planning was done and I was simply waiting to leave — the questions and comments I got from them confirmed I’d made the right choice. They illuminated things rather than introduced doubt.

“How are you sharing this? What mediums will you use? How will you balance immersion with creation?”

I loved getting these questions. They were constructive. They prodded my brain and offered direction. If I had told people too early, I would have felt scrambled between building something and narrating it before it even came to fruition.

Flight to NRT

This was a good lesson learned, because I often feel like I’m trying to find a balance between sharing my life with others and wanting to move in silence. I’m usually pretty solitary. I don’t necessarily mean to be, but I’m honestly just not really sure what parts of my life are meant to be shared with others. I think it stems from a sense of shame — I move through the world assuming that everyone else knows this fundamental truth about being human that I’m just not aware of.

This has led to me feeling like an observer, not a participant, of the lives of even those I’m closest to. I can approach the world, but never fully touch or be touched by it. There’s a sense of misbelonging I feel that, funnily enough, I am well aware is not unique to myself. Everyone is lonely. Everyone is missing some form of social infrastructure. We’re all just suffering it to different degrees.

My first week in Japan was a big adjustment. The first change from 2022 came immediately after I walked out the gate — taxi drivers approached me speaking english, promising fair prices to downtown Tokyo. It’s the most polite heckling ever, but still a change.

Arrival day involved the herculean efforts of wrestling my Japanese SIM card into submission and then moving three pieces of luggage from Narita airport to downtown Tokyo, which claimed the rest of my energy and the daylight hours. Thankfully I had a sento waiting for me at the hotel — I love booking the Mitsui Garden hotels when I land in Japan for their public baths. I pilfered a few of the grab-and-go toiletries and had a very relaxing soak, followed by a modest dinner of some famichiki and an egg sandwich (I was not about to be victimized by Ginza prices on day one). The 7/11 tamago sando really is just an egg sandwich, but it’s so cheap and delicious that I get why they’re hyped. All konbinis have them, but 7/11 is apparently the award-winning one. They all pretty much tasted the same to me, though 7/11’s is the most texturally interesting.

Mitsui Garden Hotel Nihonbashi Premier, January 2026.

The day after that was apartment move-in day. I’ll share the details of my place after I’ve left, but I’m very happy with my decision. The building is clean, secure and modern. I bought cleaning supplies and grocery shopped, trying to figure out if the raw milk label I was eyeing through my translator app actually meant raw milk. (America really has traumatized me in more ways than one.)

In the days that followed learned you had to turn the hot water on in Japan, that trash sorting is an intricate ritual, that the napkins are abysmally bad, and that the Japanese lose all sense of social etiquette on train platforms during rush hour.

Japan feels just about as I expected it to feel. People are tired, but also largely still kind, and friendly, and rude, and shy, and quiet, and boisterous…That is to say that people are still people everywhere. I think seeing how it reflects here is helping me better recognize how it’s reflecting at home, too. It’s not this overt thing. Everywhere, generally, people are less patient and more wary, but it’s an undercurrent to individual personalities. I imagine the stories behind the weariness I see here aren’t all that dissimilar to what we’ve been experiencing – stagnating wages, rising costs of living, and a rising sense of social unrest as a result. Even a society as collectivistic as Japan’s has a limit to its social contract.

I ended up eating really well the first week. I want to balance trying local holes in the wall with the distinguished spots on this trip. I really do love it all, though I also know I’m very spoiled. I feel like a good metaphor for my travel philosophy is in how I visit national parks. I stay an hour away in a comfortable hotel and drive in at 4 a.m., drive back at midnight, and run it back the next day. I want the frontier, but also linen sheets. Unfortunately, I’m not the pioneer sleeping in shitty hostels and pitching tents. I really admire people who are (watching my friend Laura pitch a giant tent in under an hour is still one of the most impressive things I’ve seen a person do), and I can slum it for a day or two, but I’m afraid that at the end of the day, I was put on this earth to be pampered. I have no idea where I developed the instinct to gravitate toward the most luxurious option in a lineup, but that’s me! I fear it’s too late to change.

Once I got my Japanese number, the Den reservation quest began. That first week was nonstop phone calls to a perpetually busy line which made me feel like the half of a situationship that didn’t yet realize they got ghosted. The answering machine is entirely in Japanese, so I wasn’t sure whether I was calling a busy line, or if the number was old, or if maybe the restaurant had exploded. I started to worry about whether I’d be able to check this spot off my list at all, even with two months here.

Den is one of the two Michelin-rated spots I want to try while in Japan, the other being MAZ. It’s hilarious to me how ridiculously easy getting a reservation at MAZ was, while Den has me seriously considering paying some guy on fiverr to run an autodialer for me. The beauty of extremes <3 (please answer my fucking calls).

Look at the timestamps and see how I suffered.

Even better news – I’m not waking up with a looming pit in my stomach here. The anxiety of being in America has quieted a little bit.

I definitely experienced a sort of “frog leaving a pot of boiling water” feeling – America has been following a pattern of some horrific event happening, followed by flashpoints of unrest, which then simmer down as people become ever-so-slightly more conditioned into accepting the new normal. And how else are they supposed to feel? They are exhausted, with many struggling to make ends meet. We’re experiencing a thousand cuts, a gradual uptick in the heat of the pot.

I feel like COVID gave us the playbook for how to effectively protest when it showed us who was truly essential — nurses, grocery clerks, agricultural laborers, the supply chain labor force. While the elite continue to find ways to insulate themselves from the world they created, we need to find better ways to inconvenience them. The people in power are selfish, aggressive, sycophantic monsters who are playing by no rules. One-day blackouts aren’t enough. They need to be truly obstructed.

In other political news, over here in Japan our favorite right-wing girlboss Takaichi is holding a snap election next week. So stay tuned for that, which I’m sure will go over beautifully.

Week 1 was fun, it was tasty, and it was incredibly busy. Below are some highlights from the week.

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Highlights

Tempura Shokudo Manten — 天ぷら食堂 満天

My first proper meal in Tokyo came from this cute little tempura spot tucked away in the Nishi-Shinjuku area. It’s very reasonably priced (for the US dollar) at about $8 a set. This also confirmed for me that Chamon Las Vegas is the real deal, because I remember it being comparable, if not even better than this. I don’t think it’s worth a pilgrimage, but check it out if you’re staying nearby. Open for lunch and dinner. | Beli

Sumiyaki Unafuji — 炭焼 うな富士

This Nagoya-born hitsumabushi spot has been around for about thirty years, and that legacy shows. The unagi was excellent — sweet, crispy, and perfectly caramellized — but at around $40 USD, it isn’t exactly a casual meal. I later tried a $30 unagi bowl elsewhere that didn’t hold a candle to it, which made me realize unagi might just be expensive everywhere. I also got my first-ever pea crab in the soup (which was delicious)! I’m pretty sure you find a lot of these suckers if you shuck shellfish yourself, but I’m taking this as a sign of good luck anyway.

This was one of the best meals on my trip so far, just not one for the daily rotation. It could be better to go with a group so the bill feels lighter. I also later learned that the original location had a Bib Gourmand…Maybe that’s why prices are so high. Multiple locations throughout Tokyo. | Beli

BVLGARI Bar

For the most part, I don’t trust swanky hotel bars.

“Then Ayah,” you reply, “why are you at a swanky hotel bar?!”

I shrug and raise my own question. “Why the fuck does a jewelry company own a hotel?”

Some mysteries are not meant to be solved. But I can show you why I came here!

Their rooftop boasts some of the best views of Tokyo in the city, when it's open.

The views were worth it. And for a swanky hotel bar, the drinks were really, really good – though you should prepare to drop anywhere from $15-20 USD on them. I met the sweetest bartender here who spoke great English and gave me a laundry list of sidequests to go on, which is just about my favorite thing to get while traveling. The bar I’m most excited to visit is the spot her sensei, an 80-something year old man who is still bartending, runs in Fukuoka. Honestly, I think Ayumi made the experience with a masterfully-crafted drink and even better company. | Beli

Ayumi’s recommendations:

• Bar Ishibashi, Fukuoka (her sensei’s bar!)

• Oscar Bar, Fukuoka

• SG Club, Shibuya (ranked among Asia’s top 50 bars — I asked if this was worth a visit, she confirmed)

• Coa, Hong Kong (a Mexican-inspired cocktail bar ranked among the top 50 bars in the world – its founder, Jay Khan, recently did a guest shift at BVLGARI)

• Bar Leone, Hong Kong (Ranked Asia’s #1 bar – I believe this is where she used to work!)

Butagumi — とんかつ 西麻布 豚組

I went to Butagumi in Roppongi Hills and paid an absurd amount for tonkatsu, because apparently these pigs were hand-reared from birth and fed nothing but açai bowls and quinoa.

To their credit, it’s the best tonkatsu I’ve ever had. Growing up Muslim, I can sometimes be squeamish about the taste of pork, but whatever lifelong smoothie regimen these pigs were on actually did make the meat taste incredibly clean. The breading is light and deliciously crisp.

Don’t skip the cherry tomato appetizer — it was so delicious, I had to order two. The space is so cozy — I dined upstairs beside bamboo screens that filtered in soft sunlight. If another month in Tokyo doesn’t totally drain my wallet, I’ll be back. | Beli

bw cave

I got the Green & Spicy (Kinome Gin, Sansho Vermouth, Tomato) and Umericano (Umeshu, Sakura, Distilled Tabasco, Strawberry Soda). That dish is sweet & sour lamb. They also did a collaboration with the Cubs after they won the world series!

Getting banished to sister bar bw cave after a failed walk in attempt at The Bellwood ended up being a fun surprise. The vibe is a far cry from The Bellwood’s, which is what fueled my initial disappointment — bw cave’s rambunctious dive bar vibe feels brash and unsophisticated next to The Bellwood’s intimate speakeasy setting. But the bartenders were super friendly, the DJ that night was great, and both drinks I tried were fantastic — including probably the best martini on draft I’ve ever had. They distill everything in house, and I got to try the distilled tabasco and strawberry soda and a tomato-based cocktail on draft. Best of all, getting to have full, proper conversations with people after two straight days of travel logistics was such a balm. I thought the food (Chinese fusion) was just okay, though someone in my group liked it more, so YMMV. | Beli

The Bellwood

I got the Yakiniku Bloody (Smoked Vodka, Wagyu Fat, Yellow Tomato, Aged Togarashi, Black Garlic) and Kasutori Flower (Kasutori Shochu, Jasmine, Black Cardamom, Hop, Grapefruit Soda). As a Bloody Mary aficiando, I loved their take on it. I was less enthused about the Kasutori, but people with sweeter drink palates will probably like it.

Our wait for The Bellwood (an Asia’s Top 50 Bar) was totally worth it. As one of my travel companions trepidatiously noted on our first attempt, “The line is full of tourists and the manager just walked out speaking English…” Never a promising sign if you’re chasing authenticity. But once inside, the vibe was great, the drinks were excellent, and the dashi olives were addicting. Get two orders of those.

Ultimately, The Bellwood is a touristy spot, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth it. After two visits, I’ve tried or seen others try about a third of the menu at this point, and there hasn’t been a single miss yet.

On my second visit I realized something new about the menu: I’d seen that strawberry soda and distilled tabasco in the Ne(w)groni before, and the BW Appetizer Martini with gin and yellow tomato was looking really damn familiar too. Ordering them confirmed my suspicions — the drinks I loved so much at bw cave were simplified versions of the menu items downstairs. Now thoroughly intrigued, I took a closer look at The Bellwood’s food menu — Chinese five spice nachos?!

So don’t let the wildly different vibes fool you — bw cave’s identity is very firmly tied to The Bellwood’s. So if you’re still feeling drinks after knocking back a few at The Bellwood, I wholeheartedly recommend its sibling bar upstairs as a safe bet.

The Bellwood’s space draws heavily from Japanese jazz kissa culture, but I fear it only goes as far as aesthetic. Folks who are only looking for an authentic kissa experience should turn around. They also offer an eclectic “around the world” sushi omakase in the back for about $125 USD. With three cocktails included in the 12-course experience, the price actually feels reasonable — I’d go for it myself if I wasn’t trying to fool myself into thinking I was respecting a budget. | Beli

One of the bartenders at bw cave recommended No Room for Squares for an authentic kissa experience. It’s a vinyl listening bar on weekdays, live music venue on weekend evenings. Don’t talk while the music’s playing!

大人気

Our server at The Bellwood recommended this izakaya after our meal. I recognized all of the kanji in the name while we were trying to find the place and it literally did not help even a little bit. “Big…person…spirit? Big personality? Big back energy??” I still have no idea. It took us a while to find, dipping in and out of the busy back streets of Shibuya and scratching our heads in front of love hotels. Eventually we did. It’s above street level, so eyes up.

The food was very traditionally Japanese and personally wasn’t to my taste, but the vibe was great. I’m pretty sure we were the only tourists there, which tends to happen more frequently when you are the brave soul who ventures off of street level. This is an essay for another time, but it amazes me how many tourists stick to the same few corridors of Tokyo when the city is quite literally built to be explored. | Beli

Karakusa — からくさ

Sweet shrimp heads, mitsuba, shallot.

An impromptu craving after the National Museum led us to a tempura omakase run by a very sweet older couple. I wouldn’t eat the fugu, but based off of my companions’ reactions I wasn’t missing much. It was also everyone’s first time trying shrimp heads. Ali pointed out that they tasted like bacon and I thought she was spot on — they’re so tasty. The Mitsuba (Japanese celery) was another favorite of mine. If you go for the dinner course, they’ll pull sweet shrimp straight from the tank as part of the meal. Everything is cooked individually, so settle in. Cash only. | Beli

Age.3 Ginza

Social media hyped grab-and-go dessert stop with long lines, but they move fast, and the staff is so sweet despite the chaos. The creme brûlée sandwich was delicious. | Beli

Mukai — 海鮮処 向井

I was grocery shopping right after, so the Fendi purse went into the tote.

A nice seafood donburi spot off the Odakyu line, tucked into a more residential district of Shibuya. The restaurant is in a quaint, cozy space with a tatami mat room that some patrons can dine at in the back. The toro, uni, and other assorted bites of fish are ridiculously fresh, with a bowl running you from $12-18 USD depending on what you get. You can wash the rest of the rice down with a delicious dashi broth, ochazuke-style, after you’re done with the seafood. The double portion is marketed as their most popular, but I found the regular portion to be plenty. I recommend going early, as they were out of mixed grain rice by the time I came around closing for my second visit. Shoes off at the door! Cash only. | Beli

Matsuya

I made a goal to try all of the most popular Japanese fast food spots. Unfortunately, Matsuya ended up being a flop. Other fast food stops were way better, so hold out!!

Tokyo International Forum

Just a really beautiful piece of architecture. The Oedo antique market is held here every Sunday, but I haven’t been able to pay it a visit yet.

Gentle Monster — Omotesando

Just a really fun concept store.

Tokyo National Museum

I visited the Tokyo National Museum with my fellow travelers and we spent hours at the exhibits. When I returned with another traveler a few weeks later, a Canadian dentist, he pointed out the eccentricities in ancient jawbones and teeth in all of the fossils we looked at, which honestly highlight the really fun part to me about meeting up with random people. You never know what you’ll find an expert in.

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