Ghibli Museum

If you’re like me, you might love the Ghibli movies, but not be a big museum person. As such, you might be tempted to hold out on going here—big mistake.

The Ghibli Museum is amazing. 

Hayao Miyazaki designed it himself, making the building part of the exhibit. 

Photos and videos are not allowed.

This is a place you live, not read about, and going in without knowing much is the best way to do this.

If you have an affinity for Hayao Miyazaki’s movies or want an Alice in Wonderland experience, I can’t say this more strongly, visit the Ghibli Museum.

Word of warning, get tickets far in advance. The Ghibli Museum is extremely popular and can be booked up months in advance.

After you’re done at the museum, stroll around Inokashira Park, and then explore the surrounding Kichijoji neighborhood. It’s one of my favorites in Tokyo and will likely become one of yours. Some ideas of what to do in Kichijoji: eat delicious noodles like Tsukemen or Ramen, buy funky stickers at B-Side Label, go to a live house to see a band play, and have drinks and food while making new friends in Harmonica Yokocho. Those are just a few highlights, Kichijoji has tons of great things to do and foods to eat.

Xiao Long Bao

I got caught in the rain without an umbrella and sought shelter in the closest restaurant that looked inviting, da pai dang 105 in Koenji. That’s how I discovered a new (to me) style of dense, crunchy, chewy Xiao Long Bao (Taiwanese soup dumplings).

I’ve had plenty of Xiao Long Bao in the past and I think they’re great. This style is completely different from the delicate steamed ones with paper-thin skin.

Cooked in a special iron pot, these dumplings have a dense, chewy top half, and a thick, crisp, crunchy bottom half, and are bursting with soup. Don’t be too embarrassed to accept the plastic bib they offer you. I could eat these doughy delights every day. They are deeply satisfying.

Da pai dang 105 also has Taiwanese fried chicken, mapo tofu, tantanmen, and other dishes. While these other dishes are good, the Xiao Long Bao are the star of the show.

The Koenji shop is the main location, but there are numerous other locations in Tokyo including Shimokitazawa and Kichijoji, which may be more convenient for most visitors. There are also shops in Osaka, Fukuoka, Hokkaido, Yokohama, and more cities. 

For the menu and the locations click here.

This is their official main Instagram page.

Teru Teru Bozu

Teru Teru Bozu, a ghost-like little doll traditionally made from tissue paper or cloth, is a charm that’s used to prevent rain and bring good weather. You’ll see them hung in windows in the rainy seasons.

Teru Teru Bozu means “shine, shine monk” and the doll is calling on a Buddhist priest to get rid of the rain.

There’s also a children’s song that promises plenty of sake for the return of sunny days while threatening decapitation if the rain continues. This is a hardcore nursery rhyme.

If you’ve seen Makoto Shinkai’s anime “Weathering With You”, you may have wondered what the ghost-like dolls were in the windows. Now you know. 

Click here to read the history and origin story of these dolls.