TOKYO

Cuoca is a one-stop shop for baking supplies that aren’t always easy to find. Their stores are stocked high with everything from baking inserts and pans to sprinkles and toppers. They carry pastry tips and icing for making more detailed desserts, a variety of high-quality flours, nuts, dried fruits, liqueur …

The TY Harbor Brewery Restaurant in Shingawa is a popular date spot and family-friendly. Located in the Tennoz area TY Harbor opens daily from 11:30am serving traditional American cuisine with soup and salad sets and vegetarian meals as well. Their non-smoking restaurant with in-house brewed craft beers and seasonal spirits are a …

I have been a customer of Takumi craft store (たくみ）for over 25 years! Seemed like a long time, but when I recently went in to visit and asked how long they have been in business the answer was 80 years. Takumi may be the longest surviving Japanese craft store in …

Umekoji Park is a large park frequented by locals and tourists. It`s situated between the Kyoto Railway Museum and the Kyoto Aquarium and holds a beautiful Japanese Garden and 6m tall waterfall, lush greenery and beautiful walking paths, an open space for ball games and kite flying, man-made streams and ponds, a small cafe …

Rin 8890 is one of my favourite Japanese craft boutiques in Tokyo. If you are looking for utilitarian items with great style, this is a one-stop store. Although the store’s space is small, you are sure to find something that you “must” have. Rin 8890 Best Living Japan. Rin, also, …

Tiger Gyoza in Hiroo is an inexpensive but yummy restaurant to have a quick lunch or dinner. The speciality is gyoza (dumplings/pot stickers) both fried and boiled.  Tiger Gyoza is a chain with locations in Shibuya, Akasaka and many other locals around Tokyo, but we frequent the one in Hiroo. …

French food to me is synonymous to fresh ingredients and meticulous preparation, so the Picard Frozen Food Grocery Store openings around Tokyo were a bit of a surprise. Everything in the stores is frozen! If you are a busy family, the Picard store is a dream come true. We bought …

Have you discovered Shimokitazawa in Tokyo? Shimokitazawa is a charming coffee filled Tokyo neighbourhood! Discover Shimokitazawa Like its location just outside the Yamanote line circle, Shimokitazawa tends to fall just out of the view of international residents living in central Tokyo. Yet the neighborhood, which is just 7 minutes from Shinjuku …

Had a fantastic time at LUSH Shinjuku’s “Lush Party” where kids, and adults, can experience making fresh handmade bath bars or experience skin care for your skin with the LUSH staff who can instruct you on how the high-quality and natural ingredients work.  If you are looking for other places …

Helianthus baby wear and infant-friendly cafe is a great spot for parents to chat, have a meal and read a magazine while your little ones explore their play den (for infants and toddlers only). They serve a simple lunch menu with sandwiches, curry, drinks, spirit and desserts for a very low …

Tsutaya Electrics in Futakotamagawa is my favorite place to sit back, relax and enjoy a good book with or without the kids while browsing their art, appliances, and home space. Located near the creative DIY Factory where you can learn, make, buy DIY products; the 100 Spoons Family Restaurant, Futakotamaga Park, Japanese …

If you are looking for a family-friendly hotel in central Kyoto, we highly recommend the Kyoto MYSTAYS Hotel. Kyoto is a magnificent historic city, but the hotels are expensive making it hard for families with kids to find great options. The Kyoto MYSTAYS Hotel checked all our boxes – great …

Kimukatsu is a popular tonkatsu (pork cutlet) restaurant in Japan serving high quality pork thinly sliced and stacked into 25 layers. It is then covered with fresh breadcrumbs and fried slowly in low temperature for 8 minutes resulting in a deliciously crunchy and tender mille feuille type of pork cutlet. We …

J.S. Pancake Cafe (ジェイエス パンケーキカフェ) serves delicious and filling brunch all day every day. J.S. Pancake Cafe is owned by the Japanese casual clothing brand, Journal Standard, and specializes in savory and sweet pancakes. They have twelve locations in Japan including two in Tokyo and one in Yokohama. We stopped in at the Tennoji location in the Mio …

We visited the Micro Pig cafe and spent a delightful time with the most ADORABLE micro pigs. The Meguro micro pig cafe opened in March this year and was such a hit they opened another location in Harajuku this month! Not only can you spend time with the micro pigs …

I am a New Englander and grew up on lobster, so I am thrilled that Luke’s Lobster is expanding in Japan. They have opened their sixth Japan store in Hiroo. If you are still waiting in the HUGE line in Omotesando, come on down to Hiroo, especially M-F when it is …

Camden Blue Star Donuts CLOSED. Camden Blue Star Donuts is a Portland-born doughnut shop that opened in Osaka`s bustling Shinsaibashisuji neighborhood in September 2016. Little A and I were thrilled to have stumbled onto Camden Blue Star after a long morning of sight seeing in Shinsaibashisuji. We had visited their …

The Teien Museum is a perfectly preserved residence, now museum,  from the 1930’s. The museum has been closed for the past seven months due to retrofit for handicap users. The new exhibit is “Decoration never dies, anyway” which runs until February 25th, 2018. The Teien Museum, built in 1933, was …

MUJI Ebisu reopened their store at the new Atre Ebisu West building (an extension of the Main Atre Building) in April 2016 and it`s bigger and better than ever. This store occupies the fifth and sixth floors and carries the first makeup counter in the Kanto region. They hold about …

Roppongi Nishi Park (立六本木西公園) is a new playground park nestled in the backstreets of Roppongi between the popular Roppongi Hills Slide Park, Robot Park and Hinokicho Park at Tokyo Midtown. This new sand park is perfect for beginner walkers up to preschool-aged kids. It has a nice open space, various plants and …

Uniqlo Flagship Store Ginza is the World`s Largest Uniqlo store. They have 12 floors of clothing to fit many sizes, provide the widest range of Uniqlo products, supply a concierge counter with multilingual staff, and cashiers and fitting rooms are on every floor. Stop in to stock up on great …

Adding another Tokyo Store to or favorites list – the Yamashiroya Toy Store in Ueno.  Like Hakuhinkan in Ginza and Kiddyland if you are looking for Japanese or International toys and collectibles you will not be disappointed. Yamashiroya Toy Store is a one minute walk from Ueno station so you can …

The Shibuya Scramble Square opened on November 1st, 2019, making it now the tallest building in the Shibuya area. We are really excited about this new addition to Shibuya because it sits right on top of Shibuya station which is super convenient if you want to meet friends or shop …

Right in the heart of Tokyo is a free and convenient play space called Akasaka Kids-Teens Hall Nandemo  (港区立赤坂子ども中高生プラザ ) where you can drop in for a few hours and enjoy the kids letting off steam. We love visiting local public community centers such as Akasaka Kids-Teens Hall Nandemo because …