Highball

The highball (haibouru) is the most popular cocktail in Japan. Made with Japanese whisky and soda and poured over ice (yes, you can use non-Japanese whisky, but that just feels wrong.) The highball goes down easy. This refreshing drink perfectly complements the savory and salty snacks available at every izakaya in Japan. 

The balance, smoothness, and ease of pairing with food explain the highball’s popularity. For a time, the highball fell out of favor being viewed as “an old-man drink”. That’s not the case anymore as Suntory had a successful marketing campaign in 2008 coinciding with a surging interest in authentic Japanese experiences. This nostalgia for symbols of Japanese culture propelled the highball back into its current status as the king of cocktails in Japan.

You can get a highball in Japan from a konbini, a chain izakaya, a mom ’n pop izakaya, a fancy restaurant, or a world-class bar. Each version has its own merits and I recommend them all.

Here's a good guide for making a Japanese-style whisky highball at home.

Tabearuki

たべあるき (tabearuki) 食べ歩き, can mean a few things in Japanese.

Walking while eating is the first definition that comes to mind, and while this is common in Western countries as we shove a Starbucks croissant in our mouth on the way to work, it’s a no-no in Japan. It is generally considered rude to eat or drink while walking. It’s unlikely anyone will say anything, but you may get a side-eye or even some stares.

The main exceptions are large festivals and night markets. In these situations, you can stand and eat or walk and eat (standing is preferable) but be careful as dropping food or bumping into someone and spilling food on them will not go over well. 

Drinking and walking, although not common in general, appears to be on the uptick with younger people. However, to play it safe, consider finding a bench to sit and enjoy your food/drink, or if there isn’t a bench nearby, at least move to a less crowded area where you can stand and eat/drink without being in the way.

The second meaning of たべあるき (tabearuki) 食べ歩き is doing a walking food tour and sampling food from various stalls and/or restaurants. This is the ideal thing to do at a lot of the shotengai (shopping streets). Grab a few skewers of yakitori at one spot then find a place serving fried shrimp or hot sweet potatoes (yaki-imo), then move on to something else, taiyaki perhaps, then some dango, and maybe finish with an ice cream. Just make sure you eat the food near where you purchased it, so you avoid the first type of tabearuki mentioned above.

Tokyo Coffee Shops

Tokyo is full of great coffee shops. 

Whether you prefer espresso, pour-over, cappuccino, latte, cold-pressed, Turkish, or syphon, it is not hard to get an amazing cup of coffee in Tokyo. I will forever be a fan of the legendary Bear Pond Espresso, but it’s not the only name in town. 

Here’s a (by no means comprehensive) list of excellent coffee shops in Tokyo:

Fuglen - This legendary cafe/bar from Oslo, Norway first opened in Norway in 1963. The Tokyo branch opened in 2012. The coffee is excellent. The bar stands out for how they integrate Scandinavian and Japanese elements in their innovative cocktails. Check out the bar menu.

Glitch Coffee - Originating in Jimbocho (Book Town), Glitch now boasts multiple locations including Ginza. You choose your beans, and then your brewing method. Extremely popular, so be prepared to wait.

Mermaid Coffee in Ikebukuro (and Meidaimae) - I wrote about the Ikebukuro location here. This is everything I like in a coffee shop when I want to hang out for a bit. They have great hours - opening early and staying open pretty late.

Paddlers Coffee in Nishihara - The first Tokyo coffee shop to import Portland’s famous Stumptown beans. The rustic vibe is inspired by one of the owner’s time spent living in the Pacific Northwest. There is an attached gallery space that has artist exhibitions and pop-ups. There’s a nice outside area with a beautiful cherry blossom tree. Also, this shop is in the Nishihara shotengai (shopping street).

City Country City in Shimokitazawa - On the fourth floor of an office building, this cafe/bar/record shop has a great vibe. Opened by Keiichi Sokabe, the frontman of Japanese indie rock band Sunny Day Service, this is a wonderful place to have a coffee, pasta, and/or cake and soak in the atmosphere. Plus, you can pick up some great vinyl while you’re there.

Coffee County in Shimokitazawa - Started in Fukuoka, this branch is the first location outside Fukuoka Prefecture. The minimalist, cave-like design is meant to evoke coffee’s connection to the earth.

Joe Talk Coffee in Ebisu - This is a new spot that opened in 2022. I love everything about syphon coffee and that’s what you should get here (watch them make it as the brewing method is mesmerizing). Grab a cannele or two if they have them when you’re here.

About Life Coffee Brewers (ALCB) in Dogenzaka, Shibuya, Tokyo - I’ve been going here for about a decade. Great people, great coffee. Convenient location in Shibuya. Open earlier than a lot of other coffee shops.

There are many more, but I figured these would get you off to a good start. I know I’ve left some heavy hitters off this list, but hopefully, I’ve introduced you to something new.