Daikanyama T-Site

I’ve written about Jimbocho (Book Town) where you will find over 100 used bookstores and ukiyo-e shops. Daikanyama T-Site is another perfect destination for book lovers where you can spend a leisurely afternoon browsing, reading, and enjoying some coffee or cocktails (maybe both). 

Klein Dytham Architecture designed the building and it’s often noted for its attractive appearance. This Tsutaya Book Store is huge and situated in a beautiful, tranquil location. Tsutaya has numerous bookstores throughout Tokyo and Japan, but this one is a true escape.

Located in trendy, upscale Daikanyama, it’s a great place to spend part of a rainy day or to catch your breath, and unwind from the frenetic pace of Shibuya or simply because you dig books and architecture. 

The T-Site is known for having a solid selection of Western and vintage titles and for focusing on six specialty categories of books: Cuisine, Travel, Cars and Motorcycles, Architecture and Design, Art, and Humanities and Literature.

I always enjoy checking out their “Magazine Street” where you’ll find the latest issues of Japanese and International periodicals. Japanese fashion magazines for Men and Women are legendary for their incredible curation of goods and artistic presentation. Popeye, Brutus, and Clutch are a few of my favorites.

A unique aspect of Japanese bookstores is that it is normal to read and enjoy books and magazines before (or even without) purchasing them. You can read them on the ground floor of the onsite Starbucks if you like. 

If you’re more in the mood for something stronger, go to the upscale Anjin Lounge where they’ve recreated cocktails from movies, music, and novels. They also have coffee, meals, and desserts. Be aware that the lounge has a table charge for some of the seats, but there is also free seating.

In addition to the insane book and magazine selection, this Tsutaya sells CDs, DVDs, and stationery.

It’s about a 5-minute walk from Daikanyama Station or a 15-minute walk from Shibuya Station.

Kaedama

For those who love ramen or just have a big appetite, Kaedama is a useful word to know. It means extra noodles.

It’s customary to order kaedama just before you finish the standard initial noodles in your bowl. This prevents noodles from getting soggy which can happen if you have a massive amount of noodles in your bowl from the beginning.

Just ask anyone on staff for kaedama and they will bring fresh boiled noodles on a plate, then go ahead and put the noodles right in your soup. 

You can also order your kaedama according to how firm or soft you prefer the noodles. You can do this with the normal order of ramen as well.

Here are the most common firmnesses:

Yawa - soft noodles

Futsuu - normal noodles

Katame - firm noodles

Barikata - very firm noodles

If you like your pasta al dente, I recommend getting your ramen barikata. If you prefer softer noodles, adjust your order accordingly.

Kaedama is not expensive. Only a few hundred yen usually. And make sure to leave some soup for your extra noodles.

I wrote about several great ramen (and tsukemen) restaurants here.

Ichigo Ichie 

Ichigo Ichie means “one time, one meeting” or “once in a lifetime encounter”. It’s a reminder to live in the present and treat every moment like the unique occurrence it is. Even when the same people gather in the same place, each time will be different.

This philosophy is commonly associated with Japanese tea ceremonies which revolve around focusing on treating the current moment with the respect it deserves.

I do my best to use this mindset in my everyday life, but I find it especially useful when traveling because I know things will happen that are highly unlikely to occur again and I want to maximize my experience in those situations. I embrace chance encounters as they often lead to incredible experiences. I also try to appreciate even routine things (like going to the same izakaya multiple times) because each time will still be unique and offer a fresh experience, the experience of being a repeat customer in and of itself is a special experience.

Don’t overlook chance encounters or seemingly everyday routines.

Be in the now. Be in the moment. Especially when traveling. Try not to focus on “getting to” wherever you are going that day, but enjoy every step of the journey. It’s often when we are on our way to somewhere to see something that something else happens that’s unforgettable.