Chuo Line

The Yamanote line is the most famous Tokyo train line for a reason. It goes to all the spots you’ve heard of (Shinjuku, Shibuya, Harajuku, Tokyo Station, Ueno, Ebisu, Akihabara, etc…). This also means it is very crowded.

One of my favorite tips for visiting Tokyo is to stay in a location that’s on the Chuo line. I usually choose Kichijoji. However, if you want to be in the thick of things, Shinjuku is a great choice as well. The Chuo line is less crowded and stops at numerous amazing neighborhoods with great things to do: 

Tokyo Station

The station itself is massive. It has a plethora of restaurants and shopping. You could easily spend a whole day just in the station. It also has my favorite liquor store, Liquors Hasegawa. This liquor store is in the Yaesu underground shopping mall beneath Tokyo Station. It has a ridiculously good scotch whisky selection and you can pay a small fee to sample many of the liquors they sell before purchasing. There are also many things to do outside the station and it’s an easy 15-minute walk to Ginza if you are in the mood to explore.

Ochanomizu (Guitar Town)

Shop for musical instruments and enjoy some of the inexpensive eateries catering to the many university students living in Ochanomizu. Walk to the adjacent area of Jimbocho (Booktown) and shop for used books and ukiyoe.

Shinjuku

One of the most popular entertainment areas in Tokyo. Anything you want to do regarding shopping, eating, bars/izakaya, Yakitori Alley, karaoke places, and hotels (fancy and mid-level) can be found here.

Nakano

Nakano is known for the Nakano Broadway Mall. A mall that is famous in the otaku community, but is well worth a visit from anyone. It has five floors of collectibles, manga, DVDs/CDs, collectible used books/magazines, vintage watches including high-end Rolexes and Omegas, vintage kimonos/yukatas, a small food court area, some coffee shops, and more than I can fit into this one sentence. A great covered shopping street conveniently leads from the station to the mall. Numerous small streets/alleyways shoot off from the covered shopping street. They are filled with fantastic places to eat and drink.

Koenji

Ground zero for Tokyo’s 70’s punk scene, Koenji retains an energetic and artsy vibe. It’s known for used/vintage/antique shops (ranging from furniture to clothes), record shops, live music venues, izakayas, and good ramen spots. It’s also more under-the-radar than Shimokitazawa, so go there before everyone else finds out how cool it is.

Nishi-Ogikubo

Go to Nishi-Ogikubo to eat some sushi at Nigi Nigi Ichi. They open at 4 or 5 pm (earlier on weekends). This is a small, standing sushi place. The sushi is incredibly delicious (seriously, look at my photo above) and amazingly fresh (brought from Tsukiji fish market every morning and never frozen). This restaurant is locally famous in this area and surrounding neighborhoods, so it may be crowded if you go during peak dinner hours. Also, be prepared, they don’t speak English and there’s no English menu.

It’s located near the station, about a two-minute walk from the South Exit. After eating sushi, explore the surrounding area. There are winding alleyways with numerous small eateries, izakayas, and bars.

Kichijoji

Kichijoji in one paragraph is a tough ask. I love Kichijoji. There are tons of things to do here. From walking around Inokashira Park to shopping for used/vintage clothing, antiques, several malls, Uniqlo, Yodobashi Camera, B-Side Label, tons of live music clubs, Harmonica Alley (my favorite of all the eating/drinking Yokochos (alleys)), Ghibli museum, heaps of great restaurants, Kichijoji is a place I keep coming back to over and over. It’s fun to discover more and more local places and have great conversations with folks who live here while hanging out in the tiny bars and izakayas of Harmonica Alley/Yokocho. Even if you don’t end up staying near the Chuo line, go to Kichijoji. The Keio-Inokashira line will get you there from Shibuya.

Tachikawa

Tachikawa Park is a beautiful park perfect for a little picnic. Bring a bento box and a beer or pick up some goodies from a market. It’s the perfect place for a lazy morning or a relaxing afternoon.

Airalo/eSIM

It used to be a good idea to rent a portable WIFI device while visiting Japan. Now, there’s a much simpler, cheaper, and more convenient option, an eSIM. I’ve used Airalo and was pleased with the quality and price. 

Mapo Tofu

Mapo Tofu is a spicy Sichuan-Chinese dish that is very popular in Japan. In addition to Chinese restaurants, you can find this dish at some izakayas.

It’s soft tofu cooked in a spicy Sichuan sauce. It’s usually served piping hot, so be careful if you have a nekojita (Cat’s tongue. A sensitive tongue.).

Here are 3 places in Tokyo where you can get an outstanding bowl of Mapo Tofu:

Harmonica Kitchen in Harmonica Alley in Kichijoji 

This place doesn’t open until the afternoon during the week, I think around 3. And on weekends it’s open at noon. They serve a wide variety of foods, including tasty yakitori and delicious gyoza. The mapo tofu is something else completely. Although I’m not a huge tofu fan, the complexity and depth of flavors in the sauce were so unreal, that I wanted to have it every day. This dish instantly became one of my favorites. Various people work here, some friendlier than others. So the vibe may vary, but the food is outstanding either way.

Blue the Three Omotesando in Minami-Aoyama 

The ex-chef from Harmonica Kitchen now works here and his mapo tofu is sublime. I don’t know how to begin describing the combination of flavors in the sauce. 

The mapo tofu is not the only star on the menu. They have excellent food all around. Blue the Three is open for lunch and dinner with a break in between. I think they are closed on Sundays.

Chinmaya in Sangenjaya 

They’re mostly known for two dishes: mapo tofu on rice and tantanmen noodles. These are very tasty and you can order them as a special half and half set, so you can taste both.

However, if you want your mapo tofu without the rice, you need to ask. It’s like an off-menu item they’re happy to give you if you ask. Their English is not great here, so you probably need to ask in Japanese. It’s not hard, you can manage it with basic Japanese. Say something like “mapo tofu. Gohan nashi de kudasai.” You can put this phrase in Google Translate to hear the pronunciation. There may be other ways to say this, but that phrase has worked for me.

They stay open until 4 am, so it’s a fun place to go after seeing live music or bar hopping. Also, there are a few other locations, but I haven’t gone to those.

Here’s the website for the Sangenjaya location.