spend a quiet day in tokyo: omotesando edition

Tokyo feels less like one city and more like a collection of cities, with each area having it’s own distinct style, pulse and atmosphere. As someone who travelled to Tokyo every year for fifteen years before moving here, I still feel as if I am only just scratching the surface. It’s a city that can be explored for lifetimes and despite the bright lights and ocean of people, it is also a very peaceful city, with plenty of spots that feel like a hug, rather than sensory overload.

I am often asked for Tokyo recommendations that feel quiet, local and outside of the tiktok trend path. Omotesando (and it’s neighbouring area, Harajuku) is no stranger to tourism, and it’s best to visit during the week if possible.

coffee & tea

🕊️ shozo coffee & grocery (tiny but adorable)

🕊️ sakurai tea (come for the elevated tea and tea cocktail experience - best to book this one in advance)

🕊️ toraya (famous for sweet red bean paste)

🕊️ koffee mameya (for coffee nerds)

🕊️ chop cafe (for a great macchiato)

sweets

🕊️ natural house (a tiny organic shop)

🕊️ higuma donuts (imo the matcha here is much better than the matcha tokyo)

🕊️ higashiyama man sweets (take away only + really beautifully sweets & tea)

🕊️ nanaya aoyama (for green tea ice cream, get the strongest one!)

food

🕊️ brown rice cafe (the OG fancy-ish japanese food vegan cafe)

🕊️ gyre food floor (don’t miss this, the basement floor of this building is excellent too!)

🕊️ kawakami - an (for really good soba)

fashion & beauty

🕊️ dam dam tokyo (the best natural beauty brand - get the shiso incense!)

🕊️ cosme kitchen (for natural beauty & wellness)

🕊️ h beauty & youth

culture

🕊️ nezu museum (my favourite tiny museum in tokyo with a very sweet garden & teahouse too)

🕊️ kosugiyu harajuku sento (a well designed tourist friendly sento with sensonal baths)

🕊️ meji jingu (not technically omotesando, but close by and truly beautiful. gets very busy so best to visit on a weekday)