In the Know for Where to Go in Tokyo 東京のお薦めスポット

[actorwriter2012]

just what i needed killer good thanks so much

[mr2wari]

getting hungry here, dammm...

[WarmothStrat]

You left out Ochanomizu, guitar utopia. Don't miss the ESP shop down on the left. go up to the 3rd floor, one of the best vintage guitar collections you'd ever see.

[kilpikon3]

Nice vid mate, very informative.

BTW, tried out the Google's automatic audio track literation for this video, check out what it thinks you said about Shimo Kitazawa! Maybe it's more of a mind reading device :-)

h t t p : / / i4.aijaa. c o m /b/00771/7363549.jpg

[domokun2u]

Wow Hikosaemon Tokyo Tours !!! Departing every Hour :)

[bakasheru]

... I just got back from japan! ah well, for a next time.

[vtotheoecky]

Hy,

Next year i'm goin to Japan for 3 months.I really don't know so much about Japan, so thank you for the interesting places in Tokyo. Is it easy to find a cheap place to sleep over there?

Sorry for my poor english =)

Greetz

Vicky

[Ido013]

Nice you recommended ElevenColors living place~ Been there once it was nice! （^ω^）ｂ

[getsuyobiwamitsuki]

Maybe I failed to notice before, and I'm sure someone has already asked this question a million times. But what is it camera you're using now. Love the quality.('-')b

[Hikosaemon]

@getsuyobiwamitsuki Ah, nice of you to notice - it is the Panasonic GH1 with the standard lens. I have other cameras but the quality on this camera is so good, I hardly go near them any more.

[MicknFumi]

Wow awesome list of places! I'd add Nishii Magome Plum Gardens, Meiji Jingu, Fuji Television Building, Shinagawa Prince Hotel Restauraunt & Shinbashi...have a great 2011 mate : )

[MasakiHikaru]

This map shall now be named "Hiko's Tokyo Hotspot Map" Or something similar... Thanks Hiko!!

[ToLokyo]

Great stuff man - I hope it catches on!

How awesome would it be if there was an in-the-know person in every town in the world making a video like this on YouTube!?? I'm very familiar with the feeling of gratitude for even the smallest bit of inside information on a place coming from a real person with no ulterior motive -- when you're on the road it's priceless!

[guitarczar15]

wow great video

[Hikosaemon]

@guitarczar15 Thank you kindly :)

[BusanKevin]

Awesome stuf man! Great video! I should make one like this for Kobe :)

[Hikosaemon]

@BusanKevin Hey man, you absolutely should. I think we all kind of need to let go of the dream we all have of doing the travel show vid of our home town. I think simple is best - I would love to hear your Kobe guide, PJ's Osaka Guide, Reynoldsair's Kyoto guide, Ciaela's Fukuoka guide, Victor's Osaka guide and so on. Could be a great chain - and try out the google custom maps as well - I had a lot of fun with that and think it is really useful too.

Peace

[ShimaUta86]

For you electronic dance music lovers, here's my top 5 clubs:

1. Eleven (old Space Lab Yellow)

2. WOMB

3. Ageha

4. Warehouse 702

5. Club Unit

[Hikosaemon]

@ShimaUta86 I love this, but it also reminds me of basically how long I have been married now... Womb is my favorite club in Japan, for the club, the location, and the fact they do events with a lot of music styles I like. I love Ageha as well - just as a rare example of a purpose built club from the ground up - so rare in Tokyo where most clubs are adapted from existing spaces.

However, much to my shame and dotage, I don't know the other clubs at all - got to check those next chance. Thanks!

[ShimaUta86]

@Hikosaemon Womb has the best sound system by far. I prefer the atmosphere at Eleven though. I am surprised you haven't been. You are right about clubs adapting to existing spaces. If you were to go to Eleven you would walk on by without a wink and never think the place is a club. Next time you're in Nishiazabu for some partying do check out Eleven. I am heading to Womb tonight for some drum and bass (High Contrast). Peace!

[HIROKOCHANNEL]

Loved it! You are so good at explaining things!

[Hikosaemon]

@HIROKOCHANNEL lol, not really... I promised myself this would be a 3 minute video and shot it four times. I guess you know how that always works out... :)

Very glad you enjoyed it though. There is so much more you can say in a video like this, it is really hard to boil down, but this is kind of my standard advice for friends visiting Tokyo.

[smspearman]

you remind me of jason statham

[Hikosaemon]

@smspearman LOL, thank you, and I apologize in advance for how crushingly disappointed you are likely to be the better you get to know me ;)

[caffinejedi]

I love Roppongi as the gaijin ghetto. When I first went there, that was the first thing I thought.

[Hikosaemon]

@caffinejedi I really hope that someone one day does a "Lost in Translation" type movie set in Roppongi. It is a gaijin ghetto, but the town also has some real depth, and some of the bars and locations there are places that go beyond anything I have ever seen in movies. I would recommend Gas Panic to anyone studying anthropology, just as what I believe to be the sleaziest bar on planet earth. I recommend it for that. It is like sleazy bar Disneyland :)

[caffinejedi]

@Hikosaemon Actually, funny you mention that place. Me and my boyfriend actually went there on one of our first dates. 

[Hikosaemon]

@caffinejedi Cool! Although I really hope you both showered thoroughly before and after... ;)

[fabitapunk]

I have to go to see those places soon =)

[Hikosaemon]

@fabitapunk haha, when you come to Tokyo, you have to tell me first and let me give you some personal tips for places you'll like :) Feliz ano nuevo!

[fabitapunk]

@Hikosaemon Thank you and of course i will tell you...maybe next year ;) Feliz año nuevo igualmente

[OnigiriQQQ]

nice references dude, but hey.. It'd be GREAT if you add video of each places or just some best places.. or at least pictures..

I'm in Oita.. have no idea about how it is in Tokyo.. maybe one day I'll go there.. I barely know the place from little spoken information.. of course I can browse it out, but It's just my opinion about a good video of recommendation places da ne.. thanks anyway!

[Hikosaemon]

@OnigiriQQQ I hear you - there are ways and means to do this - I understand you can link videos to Google Maps, so one mission I might try is to find videos of each of these places and linking them on a map.

Nearly every youtuber I know dreams of doing the "Lonely Planet Guide to Tokyo" video showing each place off - that and "how to pick up Japanese girls" are the kind of killer j-vlog vids that everyone knows will do great but no one ever does. I show Tokyo a lot in my vids so stay tuned!

[TokyoZeplin]

*gasp* You didn't even mention Shibuya! My favorite place in Tokyo!

Or am I just blind and deaf and missed it?

[hikotalk]

@TokyoZeplin Dude... seriously?

Okay, try checking the link to the Google Map right below the video. Or the video info where it is mentioned. Or 1:46 in the video itself.

Granted, I don't linger on it (it would take up the whole vid) but of course I covered it!

Happy new year!

Peace

[TokyoZeplin]

@hikotalk Hah, I even checked through it before I posted, but it seems I truly ARE deaf and blind! In my defense though, you only talk about it for like 15 seconds, and mixing it with Harajuku! Oh Shibuya, probably the place I miss most in Tokyo.

And happy new year right back atcha!

[goodWalking]

あけましておめでとうございます。 日本の地方に住んでる自分にとって東京のスポットッて以外と欲し­い情報だったりするんですよね！ まぁ調べれば何百と出ますけど、何処が良いか選ぶのが大変！ あっちもいきたいし、こっちも行きたいし。 しかも滞在時間が３〜４日だったりするんで本当にスポットを狙っ­ていかないと ならないんです。 今度行く時にはとりあえずスカイツリーともんじゃ焼きかな。 ちゃんと東京を楽しむなら、海外から来る人が行きたいルートを観­光した方が良い かもしれませんね。 良い音楽ありがとう！ 

[hikotalk]

@goodWalking （笑）自分の妻も今度、親が日本にやってきたら、一緒にHato­バス・ツアーに乗りたいと言っていますね。

実は、月島のもんじゃ焼きを入れるかと悩んだけど、そもそも質問­した人は大阪から来ていて、そして正直言うと、東京の人でも月島­のもんじゃレストランに行っても、最初はもちろんビールと義理の­もんじゃ焼きを注文するけど、ほとんどの人はそれからずっとお好­み焼きしか注文しないww。まぁ、違う地方の人には是非薦められ­るけど、関西の人に対してはもんじゃ焼きは薦め辛いところが正直­ありますよね

スカイトリーは確かにこれからのお楽しみです。下町に設置する事­は興味深いと思います。回りはどう開発したり、人気を集めたりす­るのが注目するところだと思います。今では、本当に地元の人以外­には、あまり何もないから、そういう意味では、多くの東京の友達­は「スカイトリーが人気になったら、落ち着いた東京タワーに行き­たい」という。やっぱ東京タワーが古くても、東京の中心部にある­し、歴史も深くなってきたからまだまだそこも良いスポットになり­つづけると思います。

音楽も楽しんでよかった！コメントをありがとう♪

[woggystylerism]

Yet again another very useful video mate - thanks!

[hikotalk]

@woggystylerism my pleasure, thanks for watching :)

[DavePerry2012]

This is a great rundown, thanks!

[MageThief]

Google maps have gone high load for me now :)

Thanks for all the great recommendations.

[Hikosaemon]

@MageThief I'm a big fan of maps, and only recently figured out how to use google maps, but will probably come back and do more map based vids in future. Glad you like it!

[qiranger]

Thanks for the recommendations!

[Hikosaemon]

@qiranger Not at all, and congrats on getting asked to do those Korean tourist vids - can't wait to see your recommendations for my next trip in search of clothes that fit and bulgoggi! ;)

[yuichituba]

Also I just wanted to say that you always have good taste in your selection of background music :)

[Hikosaemon]

@yuichituba thanks for noticing :)

[yuichituba]

I just found out that there's this awesome bar in Japan that carries 80+ beers on tap of mostly Japanese microbrews as well as American ones. There's also a beer store close to Meguro that carries bottles that you can buy of beers from all around the world.

[hikotalk]

@yuichituba Over the years, I've been to a few places like that - places that specialize in having hundreds of types of international beers - although 80+ beers on tap is something(!). I guess you know much better than me the Belgian Beer subculture, and my friends who swear by the beer always find these cool bars that have Hoegarden on tap. That would be a great vid for you to do - a beer connoisseur's guide to Tokyo.

[yuichituba]

@hikotalk お〜、いいねー！ Good idea! じゃあ when I go back to Japan this summer I will do that then. I've only heard about these places but never been to them since it's been about 4 years since i've been back home. I can't wait!

[ShimaUta86]

I'm glad you mentioned Kichijoji. There's an awesome yakitori establishment called Iseya worth checking out. Other places to add to your list is Daikanyama and Ebisu. I couldn't agree with you more with the horrendous Statue of Liberty eyesore at Odaiba. They should have left the RX-78 Gundam up and take the Liberty statue down.

[Hikosaemon]

@ShimaUta86 Excellent points - Daikanyama in particular as a place to rock up to for a good brunch (hard to find in Tokyo). I used to love doing walks along the loop from Ikejiri to Shibuya to Daikanyama to Ebisu - so many cool little shops, galleries, clubs and restaurants along that whole loop.

And you know, honestly, in all seriousness, I think that is an excellent suggestion for "fixing" that issue with Odaiba.

Peace

[cloudstrifeification]

久しぶりひこさえもん！ありがとうございますfor the info and places to visit in Tokyo! I wrote them all down for reference.

[Hikosaemon]

@cloudstrifeification My pleasure, also check out the custom map I made and linked in the video info - print that off and everything is there :)

[cloudstrifeification]

@Hikosaemon　Got it! I saved the google map for future reference.

[japundit]

Great summary of places to go in Tokyo. Never have heard of Angela, but will definitely check it out.

[Hikosaemon]

@japundit Happy New Year man, and definitely, it was a spot I used to enjoy going to with my wife - highly recommended.

Peace

[MrWillager]

great vid hiko, keep up the great work!

[sandpeopleaway]

Is that Ken tanaka's Hopey picture on your wall?

[Hikosaemon]

@sandpeopleaway It is indeed sir. Well spotted!

[psmtheman]

awesome vid. You da man!

[yorkandpomona]

yay awesome!

[BloodFalcon2k7]

Great vid thanks!

I liked touring Fuji TV in Odaiba

oh and I got a kick out of the "Statue of Liberty"

リースキ

[Hikosaemon]

@BloodFalcon2k7 I love Odaiba, but oh man, I cringed SO much when they put up that statue of liberty there. I realize that the government can't put up a big Shinto Gate for the same reason US government branches can't fund nativity scenes, but that would be a much bigger tourist draw than a lame rip off of a totally different country. Still, the restaurants and harbor views from Aqua City, and the big Sega park there make it pretty cool, as is Zepp Tokyo and the Toyota expo room.

[109mytiger]

You didn't mention about Kabukicho, Ginza , Ikebukuro , anyway Tokyo is huge to cover all of them . Happy New Year , Hikosan !

[Hikosaemon]

@109mytiger Great points. (1) Kabukicho is kinda covered by Shinjuku (note I recommended just focussing on the East Exit side), but yeah, I really need to do a separate vid just talking about Shinjuku.

(2) Ginza is definitely major, but I've found it is difficult to enjoy walking around unless you really know where you want to go (or you are a super rich woman). It's cool, and famous, but I wouldn't put it on the short list. It's another case that I think if covered, needs careful explanation.

[Hikosaemon]

@109mytiger (3) Ikebukuro - this is perhaps in part where taste comes in. If you are a "shita-machi guy", it would be in the must sees I guess. I know that Cooney, TkyoSam, and a lot of others would put it in there. I like shita-machi, but I've always been more of a modern Tokyo guy, hence my favoritism toward Shinjuku, and the western half of the Yamanote. For me, I think there is too much there to recommend it for someone coming just for a few days. Still, excellent pointing out its absence!

[Emidretrauqe]

The title is a perfect 3 syllable triple rhyme. Nice.

[Hikosaemon]

@Emidretrauqe Hehe, nice of you to notice ;)

[adefalohun]

Hey I just recently came back from Tokyo. I have a few vids from the Clubs and "tourist places" if people are interest then do please show them my page ^^

[APOKALYPSE34]

where the ladies are I'll be!

[Hikosaemon]

@APOKALYPSE34 Lol, Omotesando it is, sir!

[betamaxdc]

Hell yeah man, very good vid. gatta say my fave lately is shimokitazawa

[Hikosaemon]

@betamaxdc It's a cool town - I thought it was unbelievable a few years ago when the owner of most of the land around there was planning to put a huge super-mall on top of it all. Fortunately, that ended up as a rare case where opposition won. Have you checked out the live houses there in the evenings? The brunch cafes were a fave of mine too. I spent years living as close to there as I could.

[ElevenColors]

This is very useful to long timers. Longer you live here, harder it gets to find places that visitors might like.

[Hikosaemon]

@ElevenColors It wasn't until a few years ago that I started getting asked for travel plans - it was really hard to do at first. Now I've done it enough times that I have a bunch of patterns to fit different people and interests. Glad to be of help sir, and a happy new year to you!

[moolikeachicken]

Iidabashi sounds wonderful... It's now second on my list for places to visit (right under harajuku : 3)

[moolikeachicken]

Oh, and I clearly need to visit Angela since...I share my name with it : P

[Hikosaemon]

@moolikeachicken I couldn't think of a better reason :) Angela is a real "secret spot" too, not well known, but a really great restaurant. Iidabashi is really great. Highly recommended.

[dubprocesslbc]

kichijoji is my fav place in tokyo!

[gtoyas]

個人的に田舎の里山とか　が、お勧めです。でもディープすぎてツウでないと受け入れるのが­難しいかも・・・いや、まあ、それぞれの人が各々、興味のある題­材を追及すればいいと思います。インターネットでは、それらの情­報にことかかないし、特に日本の観光地に関する情報はあらゆるイ­ンターネットでふんだんに紹介されています。それだけ日本のすみ­ずみに外国人が関与しているという事だと思います。円高の状況は­しばらく続きそうですが、アジアに（特に日本に）興味がある西欧­人はまだまだ多いのでは？と思います。

[Hikosaemon]

@gtoyas 最近NHKのニュースでは円高にもかかわらず、去年は史上最多の­外国人が日本に訪ねたらしい。まぁ、その多くのは西洋人よりも中­国やアジアになると思うけど、やっぱり円高よりも日本に対する関­心が深くて、そして少しずつ昔より日本が最近入りやすくなりつつ­であろうと思う。

西洋人にとって、日本はまだ「独特の文化」と「ちょっと謎の国」­というアピールで、今でも大変魅力的だと思います。ポップ・カル­チャーを通じて日本の文化が少しずつ海外に普及すると、それに対­して関心を持って、自分の目で見たい人が増えているから不景気・­円高にもかかわらず、観光客は増え続けると思います。

東京の憧れがある人も多いけど、「自分の日本」とか、みんなと違­う経験にこだわる多くの人はまだ自動的に田舎の方を選びます。自­分の経験上では、これは特にニュージーランド・オーストラリア・­カナダの西洋人に強い傾向があると思う（自分が違うけど）。

[Hikosaemon]

@gtoyas ただ、今でも、大分改善したが、外国人が入手できる有効な観光情­報がまだ中々手に入らないという事で、よく個人で色んなアドバイ­スをすることになっているからこの動画を作りました。今度田舎版­の薦めもしなきゃね♪

いつもコメントをありがとうございます！

[gtoyas]

@Hikosaemon いや、なんだかえらそうな事を書いてしまってすみません。日本の­観光アドバイスをボランティアで（見返り無しに）していただいて­、日本人として大いに感謝しなければなりません。

[Theytoldmetodoit1]

Yes,Kichijoji, I love that place. Love to walk round the park there.

Akihabara. That is a great place to visit. Must visit a Maid Cafe...They are fun places.

Shinjuku. Just for the train station. Hehehe! But Shinjuku Koen is a place I like.

Shibuya. Great to sit in Starbucks while looking over the crossing

Asakusa.to visit Sensoji Temple.

Harajuku. I remember walking there and seeing lots of lolitas / gothic lolitas, which was kind of cool

But Kichijoji is my favourite place in Tokyo.

[Hikosaemon]

@Theytoldmetodoit1 Inokashira Park is a great park, year round, and the cafes and restaurants around its fringes, and the cool shopping arcades nearby make Kichijoji a great day out.

The maid cafe thing in Akihabara is interesting actually. Even 3 or 4 years ago, they didn't exist, but with the redevelopment of a lot of Akihabara, and a kind of otaku-chic fashion trend for a few months, the cafes were set up by people playing on the otaku anime image of the town. I've still never been to one.

[Theytoldmetodoit1]

@Hikosaemon That's right, Maid Cafe's are a fairly new thing. I am not really a big fan of anime or manga or that whole otaku thing, but one cold, windy, wet, raining evening when I was in Akihabara I decided to pop into a Maid Cafe to see what all the fuss was about and actually enjoyed it.

But Kichijoji and Inokashira park have a special place in my heart, that and the town I used to live, Zushi-shi.

And if your a fan of Studio Ghibli, then the museum is in Kichijoji not far from the park

[hikotalk]

@Theytoldmetodoit1 Zushi is a fantastic part of "greater Tokyo" and I know more than a few long termers who happily commute into town from there. I considered doing a third category of daytrips around Tokyo - Takao, Kamakura, Nikko, but that is another huge category, maybe one for another vid. Zushi is worthy of inclusion in that.

Also, I didn't know about the Ghibli museum being near Kichijoji - great tip!

[Laura17T]

Thank you Hiko-san

[MrNadaname]

Very informative, thanks :)

[TokiWaPrecious]

Your timing couldn't be better as I get on that bus for Tokyo in 6 hours haha. I might try check out some of those smaller spots you mentioned n get some footage up if possible! Certainly good to hear something other everytime I go to Tokyo being told to go to those same big name places. Thanks, great video.

[Hikosaemon]

@TokiWaPrecious Great, let me know if you post your footage, and have a great trip. Happy to be of any help ;)

[SkeenBot5000]

great vid. gonna save this one for the future :P

[Radrey]

geek capital of the world is nakano broadway. I'm finishing up a video on it soon. happy 2011: the year of usagi. Thats me! lets hope this is a better year for me this time.

[Hikosaemon]

@Radrey Lol - I heard the manga geeks relocated out there. I love Nakano, used to live there, although before the otaku thing started out there. Another great town, can't wait to see your vid.

Peace

[dubprocesslbc]

@Hikosaemon nakano used be super low key a few years ago..it was awesome! its still a cool place but more people know about it now

[Hikosaemon]

@dubprocesslbc Wow, sounds like another case of Tokyo radically changing behind my back. I used to live specifically in Nakano Shimbashi, which I am sure still is a backwater, but all the more reason to want to go and check it out again now. Thanks for the info.

[BlkUnk]

okay so noble Gaijin is a channel name.... but i like it as in refernce to us `noble` Gaijin (i would count you as one ;p). the wife says about you `かれがよくしてるね｀and i have to aggree... i hope you getting a little bit of kick back for this.. i will be sure to tell them who sent me!!! deffenitly we will chekc out on or two.

[Hikosaemon]

@BlkUnk lol, cheers mate. I've been planning to do "the" vid on Tokyo for so long. I think nearly everyone has. But in the end, it's too much to cover, and more fun to give people just enough that they can go and start finding things themselves. What I love most about Tokyo is how fast and how much it changes. You only need to be in a neighborhood a few weeks and you are an expert on it to everyone else. I hope people add their suggestions in the comments here. Happy 2011 and よろしく to the missus.

[BlkUnk]

@Hikosaemon kk well here goes... i know you said Harajuku but i dont think that would be complete without specificly saying somthing about Yoyogi Park.... this is the place i want to be buried in.... it is Japan in a nutshell to me... you have all walks of life... maybe a little bit more of the wider ones i dont know ;p but a deffenit must see!!! and after that im just enjoying finding little nooks and cranies from where i move to... Ningycho, Kinshichyo, Ryogoku.... all the `Shita Machi`

[DerReisendeGaijin]

I just got back from Tokyo. Have you ever been to ゴルデン街　in Shinjuku? Lots of those little bars with only like 8 seats. Those are my favorite.

[Hikosaemon]

@DerReisendeGaijin It's been a while but yep, I know the area. Actually, Shinjuku is really a whole video on it's own. Or two... So much stuff there. My fave part is still the Korean town on the far side of Kabukicho. Best food, best randomness, multicultural, energetic. Ah, but then there are the ramen streets in West Shinjuku... And the great izakayas in Sanchome... and the south exit terraces... ugh, too much cool stuff in Shinjuku...!

[thatjapanesegirl]

Thank you for the good information! This video is very helpful :D I'm still new in Tokyo. I wanna try some restaurants in Kagurazaka.

[Hikosaemon]

@thatjapanesegirl Kagurazaka really rocks. Probably my favorite suburb in Tokyo - really want to live there some day.

[K1kuch1]

Awesome! Thanks so much!

[ozzy78]

Ignore my question. i just fnished watching your video and you mentioned it already. gomene.

[Hikosaemon]

@ozzy78 lol, no problem - I know she wants me to hurry up and post the vids too, so I will get them lined up and ready to upload in a week or so. It should be a very informative start to the vlogging new year :)

Peace

[MrBigall]

Thanks you very much!!

[ozzy78]

Great recommendations for everyone interested in Tokyo! I went to Yves Terrace. I really liked it! Btw,I remember a video with you and a real estate agent. Is there any more of those videos coming? Hope you had a good New Years!

[Hikosaemon]

@ozzy78 Yves Terrace is great, isn't it? :)

[iyuki]

Thank you =D