Back in America, banana splits are a widespread dessert with their wonderfully sweet and creamy texture. But here in Japan–especially during the colder seasons–roasted sweet potatoes (焼きいも) are all the rage. Pairing them with 2 fresh scoops of vanilla ice cream creates a strange but undeniably delicious combination:
The above Sweet Potato Split was purchased from Shibuya’s Mega Don Quixote Cafe on the first floor. What surprises me the most is the fact that sweet potatoes in Japan are purple with yellow filling, whereas they are brown with an orange filling back in the US. In my opinion, these purple ones are much sweeter! I see them eaten plain, but also used in desserts and even as smoothies:
A limited-time sweet potato smoothie with promotion at the popular chain Segafredo.
When you’re in Tokyo and even in the countryside of Japan, you can buy sweet potatoes from grocery stores and street vendors as well for less than 100 yen. Though they have a number of carbohydrates, they are a delicious and relatively healthy alternative to most roasted food. On top of that, you can even find sweet potato drinks in vending machines!
A hot sweet potato beverage I purchased at Shinagawa Station. It tasted like a very sweet cider.
These are just a few of the unique sweet potato products I’ve come across in my travels, but I’ll be sure to be on the look out for more! No matter how you eat them, they will make you feel full and satisfied, like a true comfort food.
As a person that loves anime and aesthetic food, I have been to many of the strange and unique cafes in Japan. However, the Pop Team Epic X Sanrio Cafe in Ikebukuro particularly caught my eye due to its hilarious-looking menu items and overall craziness of two unlikely series crossing over!
Located in the Gourmet Stadium attached to Ikebukuro Station, this cafe is easy to access and requires no reservation. We came around 3pm on the Saturday after it opened, and only waited 30 minutes to get in which is a very reasonable wait time.
Once inside, we were presented with this very unique menu including burgers of the Pop Team Epic characters cosplaying Hello Kitty, drinks containing cheese, the classic anime cafe parfait, and my personal favorite–corn on pancakes with an anime face and side of Pompompurin pudding:
The food was definitely very strange, but overall delicious. I enjoyed the parfait because it had a crepe wrapped around it and also contained some delicious chocolate jello and whipped cream! I did not have the courage to try the corn, but the pudding and pancakes were very creamy. I would definitely recommend coming here for some desserts!
There was also a little souvenir shop with buttons, pins, and T-shirts! I could not resist this adorable keychain of Pompompurin DJing:
This cafe is running from February 7, 2019 – April 14, 2019. As previously implied, I would recommend coming her for the lulz.
As a free-spirited traveler, I go wherever the wind blows me. Upon returning to Tokyo from Thailand, I learned that my friends at Trekkie Trax were playing a show at an underground club in Takasaki called WOAL, so immediately I started planning my weekend trip there. I had been through this area before on my way to Niigata for Fuji Rock this summer, but have never gotten off to explore the area, so this was definitely on my bucket list.
Takasaki, the city of luck, is located about 2 hours from Tokyo in Gunma prefecture and is known for its dumplings, daruma dolls, and hotsprings. The easiest way to get there is by the Joetsu Shinkansen, so I took the very last one from Omiya Station equipped with umeshu and Strong Zeroes to pregame for this all night show (that lasted from 10pm – 5am). I decided I would stay at a net cafe called Link’s Cafe (for the sole fact that I love Zelda) then immediately go to Kusatsu Onsen when I woke up because that was the cheapest move. Though there are many onsen scattered around Gunma, Kusatsu is by far the most famous and prettiest!
The atmosphere of WOAL was very friendly and inviting. It was about an 8 minute walk from the station, but very easy to locate. As I descended the stairs, I was immediately lost in a world of vibrant rotating neon lights and a boastful sound system. The bar was conveniently located near the entryway, and by chance I met all of Trekkie Trax there as soon as I walked in! I was so happy I could make it to their first show of the year, which was located outside of Tokyo (a rare event)!
it’s a spirtual thing. a body thing. a soul thing. A lo-fi image of my favorite DJ from Trekkie Trax: Carpainter playing in Takasaki, Japan.
At the time I arrived, a Gunma native DJ called Amps was playing. He is a longtime member of Trekkie Trax and I’ve heard him play juke sets in Tokyo before, but due to the chaos of Tokyo clubs, I had never really got to know him before. It was wonderful to hear him play in his element. An example of some of his tracks can be found below, or on his Soundcloud:
Each DJ had one hour to play, and it was great because the club wasn’t very crowded so there was a lot of room to dance! I had a chance to get to talk to each artist, meet some of the Takasaki locals, and also became friends with one of the resident DJs called Momo who kindly bought me a tequila shot. I liked this event because all of the artists played the music they wanted and didn’t try to please the crowd. Everyone here came for the music and it was a great atmosphere.
This whole night felt like a dream to me because in the middle of Carpainter’s set, Andrew brought out a tray of tequila shots, Seimei brought out pizza, and Momo and I were dancing at the very front in this sea of neon lights and banging techno music, so it all just felt unreal. Tokyo club events like this are usually very crowded and sometimes noisy, but I was able to lose myself completely within the music here at WOAL which is why I love traveling for these smaller shows. The feeling that I felt here, I will never forget!
What’s funny is the vibration caused from the speakers makes the toilet paper in the restroom fall to the floor, and it’s become somewhat of a meme in the Japan music scene online:
Feeling completely mindblown and fulfilled, the next morning I took the local JR train to Naganohara Kusatsuguchi Station, then took a bus to Kusatsu Onsen and was amazed at this beautiful natural hotspring in the middle of the village:
Much like Takasaki, the atmosphere of this town was friendly and very inviting. Dozens of street vendors were giving free samples of tea, dumplings, and local sake. Though there was snow on the ground, the steam from the local onsen was enough to keep me farm. Feeling hungry, I decided to wander around and find some food first. There are dumpling shops everywhere, so I decided to try the black sesame ones. I also found an udon shop called Matsumoto, and tried the udon and mushrooms that Kusatsu is very famous for in tempura form:
After feeling full, I wandered to Sainokawara Park and paid 600 yen to go inside the natural hotspring. The water was very tepid, but it relaxed my muscles and made my body feel amazing. I highly recommend this onsen for day trippers, because it is very affordable for those who cannot afford an inn. Additionally, you can feel very in-tune with nature by sitting on the rocks and watching the moon rise. Witnessing amazing music followed by bathing in an onsen is the perfect feeling!
Scattered throughout the town, there are many free footbaths that you can use! Additionally, a friend of mine runs a ryokan (traditional Japanese inn) called Hotel Miyuki Annex, so I would recommend staying there, because they are local and quite affordable (my friend is Japanese but speaks nearly perfect English). At night, the town becomes illuminated and beautiful! Another recommendation I have is coming during winter, because I think the water in other seasons would be too hot for most people otherwise. I only stayed here for the day, but most people stay here overnight. Most of the town you can access on foot, and there are an endless amount of hotsprings for you to try!
Before I took one of the final buses back to civilization, I stopped at a local liquor shop. They had amazing grape liquor as well as amusing sake and award-winning beer, so I picked up a couple souvenirs for my friends. You really can’t go wrong with the food and drinks here!
I am now back in Tokyo, but I will never forget the vivid memories I have from this trip. The people of Gunma treated me with extreme kindness, and the views of the mountains, steamy hotsprings, and neon lights are permanently etched within my mind! I am grateful I had this as my first trip of 2019!
When I first started teaching in Japan 3 years ago, I was very surprised at how popular Harry Potter was here! Thanks to the Harry Potter attraction at Universal Studios Japan, the world of Hogwarts has captured the hearts of many people. I’ve loved the series since I was young, but I never imagined that I’d be going to a themed café in Shinjuku collaborating with HP and the new Fantastic Beasts movie that just came out!
Though the cafe space was actually quite small because it was located on the 5th floor of the Shinjuku MYLORD department store, it definitely had a magical atmosphere you wouldn’t find elsewhere in Tokyo!
My friend and I waited 2 hours in line to enter on a Sunday afternoon in early December because there was no online reservation system (unlike many other temporary theme cafés here), but we thought it was well worth the wait. Perhaps if you are just here on vacation you might think it’s a waste of time, but we’ve both lived in Tokyo for a while and are used to the long waits.
The cafe included a display case with autographs of Dumbledore’s Army, and also had Dan Folger (who plays Jacob from Fantastic Beasts) on the wall with the text WHO WILL CHANGE THE FUTURE?
A very charming message indeed! My friend and I decided to try some of the desserts out. Me, being the flashy one, decided to order the Dumbledore Profiteroles with a chibi character print, a syringe filled with chocolate, and a pot of water to pour on the ice to produce a spell-like effect:
Maybe it wasn’t as cool as the Sorting Hat, but the creampuffs and fruits were delicious and I definitely felt like I was at the Hogwarts dining table!
Next, we ordered the Newt’s Pancakes that we’re topped with cotton candy and delicious maple syrup!
I have tried a number of fluffy pancakes in Japan before, but this was my first time trying them topped with cotton candy!
As for drinks, I ordered the Slytherin green tea one with whipped cream (even though I’m Gryffindor, I enjoy this flavor more) and my friend ordered the Chupacabra Calpico Milk. These drinks were better than average because they were blended and some of them even contained fruit!
You can see the fill food and drink menu listed below. Since my friend and I both don’t eat meat, we skipped the main dishes but I was very satisfied with both desserts we tried (that cost around 1200 yen).
The themed drinks were all 800 yen, but I think they were worth it! I would have ordered more if I wasn’t induced by a sugar overload!
This Café is available from November 9th 2018 – January 31st 2019. What makes me curious is the food item silhouettes on the first menu that say “Coming Soon”… Perhaps I will have to venture into this Wizarding World once again to see what they are!! This experience is highly recommended.
As a lover of all aesthetic foods (especially sweets), this cake at Kajitsuen immediately caught my eye with it’s beautifully pink-glazed icing stuffed with whipped cream and freshly cut strawberries of all shapes and sizes. From the outside, it looks like a regular frosted cake, but it actually has the same texture as angel food cake (which goes way better with fruit, in my opinion). Not to mention that perfect strawberry on top! It tasted fresh and simply amazing.
The price for cake by the slice was a bit steep compared to other cafés (1200円) but considering how expensive fruit is in Japan, I’d say the quality was worth it.
As you can see, these cakes are beautifully crafted and have a unique mutant-like appearance with the large slices of fruit.
Unfortunately I didn’t have the appetite or the budget to try more than one slice, but if I come back I’m definitely interested in the grape and strawberry green tea flavors.
What I liked about this fruit parlor is it had a large menu of just plain slices fruit, parfaits, pancakes, cakes, and even triangular watermelon!
That is definitely something you don’t see everyday. The other widely known and most famous fruits parlor in Japan is called TAKANO, and here’s a strawberry cake I recently bought from them in comparison:
Though it looks huge from this picture, it was actually quite small! I think TAKANO is a bit more expensive, and though they have a larger selection of fruits and more stores, I would say that the cakes are best at Kajitsuen.
If you love fruit and sweets, then definitely check out a fruits parlor at least once during your trip here!
I’ll admit when I first started eating sushi, I wasn’t very adventurous at all. I’d stick to the basic avocado and cucumber rolls, maybe get wild sometimes with the omelet nigiri, but it wasn’t until many drunken nights out later that I daringly started picking sushi off the conveyor belt.
Behold, 2 of the best tentacle sushi that I have ever eaten (squid and octopus):
My favorite kind of tentacle sushi is slightly cooked (not fried), and glazed in soy sauce. The texture of tentacles is definitely more chewy than regular fish served in nigiri, but for whatever I enjoy the taste of it more. You could say I have a thing for food tentacle porn.
Additionally, there was another sushi called “Black kite kid”, which I find very interesting because Black Kites are actually birds.
It was actually surprisingly delicious. The topping actually tasted like slightly minced fish eggs (which took me a while to acquire a taste for), and was slightly seasoned. Whether it was actually fish or bird–it tasted amazing!
Since I was already a 500ml bottle of sake in, I decided to dive even deeper into the strange sushi realm and pick up this green sushi that looks abhorrent at first glance but actually tasted amazing:
If I was sober, I would have never picked this up off the conveyer belt (and it had been rotating around for quite some time already), but I was in the mood for something different than your typical nigiri or maki so I boldly grabbed this one. If memory serves correct, it was avocado spread and some kind of minced octopus. I really hit the jackpot that hit my tastebuds! I promptly ordered 2 more plates afterwards and my friends thought that I was crazy, but I am not at all ashamed of my tastes.
Quite buzzed and full, but wanting to end my meal on a good note with the Neon flying squid.
No, I did not see colors, but yes, the Neon Genesis Evangelion theme started playing in my head. At that time, I knew it was time to start heading back. All of these sushi dishes were extremely affordable and high quality compared to other kaiten sushi chains.
If you’re craving something that’s both familiar but also has some variety, then I highly recommend going to Kaisen Misakiko in Shinjuku because you won’t be disappointed!
Also worth mentioning, on Halloween in Shibuya, I was served chirashi sushi in a pumpkin at one of the popular Genki Sushi chains:
Life can be pretty surprising sometimes. I recommend that you try as many new things as you can because you might actually surprise yourself and find some food you really like! I evolved from a strict vegetarian diet in the states to a more healthy pescatarian diet here in Japan.
As for tips on how to work up the nerve to try new things? Drink a lot of sake with a group of Japanese friends and all order dishes together! Being intoxicated has made me more fearless when it comes to trying food, but I still have yet to try natto. Someday! Many aesthetic food journeys await!
From December 29th – January 7th, I will be going on an absolutely insane solo trip to Thailand to kick off 2019. This trip will have psychopath levels of traveling, but after spending many hours in the office and being exhausted from partying until sunrise, this will be a much needed-break.
Image Credit: iStock
This will be the 8th country I have traveled to this year. Since the start of 2018, I have traveled to Hong Kong, Macau, Korea (two times), Japan, America, Vietnam, and soon Thailand. I rarely get nervous about traveling by myself, but sometimes I fear the potential flight or ferry delays the weather could cause. Regardless, in the case that I do miss a flight or a ferry, I am more than happy to spend an extra day on the beach as most Asian countries are very accommodating to foreigners who respect their culture. I am excited to try new food, meet people of different cultures from all over the world, and gain new insight and ideas from the experiences I have.
I used to be a very introverted gamer, but now that I’ve gained confidence in myself I like traveling to new countries because it feels like I’m starting a new save file in real life. Going to a new country is like being born again because everything is so different and by the end of each trip, I feel fulfilled and ready to work harder towards my goals. My planned itinerary (so far) is listed below:
Tokyo bassline party on Dec 28th (#RIP1228) → Narita Airport (international flight is around 11am on the 29th) → Bangkok → Full Moon Rave Island for NYE (Koh Phangan) → Koh Samui → Koh Tan → Phuket → Phi Phi Islands → James Bond Island (overrated, but I want to take my own pictures here) → Chiang Mai → Chiang Rai → Bangkok ↺ Tokyo (on January 7th).
Image Credit: iStock
My friends that have been to Thailand have already told me that this is too much to fit in for the 10 days I am here, but I am a highly motivated person who doesn’t sleep a lot and likes to see and experience as many things as possible, so I feel like this is the perfect challenge for me. There is no better feeling than the satisfaction that comes with pulling off a crazy trip like this.
Here are the current things that I am planning to do (gathered from my research so far):
December 28th: (RIP Party in Tokyo)
The night of the 28th will be the ultimate pre-New Years celebration for me, because my friends are throwing a UK Garage and bassline party in central Tokyo called #RIP1228. My friend Carpainter, who is UK Garage and techno artist in Tokyo, is headlining, and I am also excited to Genick perform, who is young and upcoming bassline/garage artist there. The party will go from around midnight ~ 5am, so immediately after it finishes I will be taking a train to Narita International Airport to board my flight at 11am. Though I will be very tired, I am thankful for this final opportunity to say goodbye to all of my Japanese friends for a while:
After hopefully getting some rest during the flight, I will arrive to Bangkok around 4pm and begin my adventure around the city! The first stop I wish to make straight from the airport is the infamous Unicorn Cafe. A quick Google search comes up with hilarious results:
The next day (30th), I plan on waking up early and doing some running around the city. The Totoro Cafe (May’s Garden House) is where I want to have lunch, and I also want to try some sticky mango rice somewhere! As for sightseeing, currently the Airplane Graveyard, the Grand Palace, and Wat Arun are at the top of my list. If there is time, I will also check out the Sathorn Unique Tower (which is an abandoned skyscraper you can climb) and the Contemporary Art Museum. It is likely I will not have time for all of these things, but I will be sure to make the most of my experience! On the morning of the 31st, I will be making my way to my next destination: Koh Phangan.
There is also a hilarious bar I found online called “Krystal Club Thonglor 25” where I wish to drink out of the crystal skull flasks that they have on their website. Too funny. Hunting for aesthetic things and having unforgettable memories is what I’m after (even if they are somewhat tacky)!
The next day (December 30th), I plan on waking up early and doing some running around the city. The Totoro Cafe (May’s Garden House) is where I want to have lunch, and I also want to try some sticky mango rice somewhere! As for sightseeing, currently the Airplane Graveyard, the Grand Palace, and Wat Arun are at the top of my list. If there is time, I will also check out the Sathorn Unique Tower (which is an abandoned skyscraper you can climb) and the Contemporary Art Museum. It is likely I will not have time for all of these things, but I will be sure to make the most of my experience! On the morning of the 31st, I will be making my way to my next destination: Koh Phangan.
31st – 1st: Koh Phangan
Ah, the infamous full moon rave island! As an avid partier, this is one place I cannot ignore. I have read mixed reviews of these parties being overrated and overcrowded, but I’m from Tokyo so that is nothing new to me. The biggest con of going here for NYE is most accommodations are overpriced, and the cheap hostels require a 4-5 night stay (which is too long for an island that is relatively small in my opinion), so I am just going to enjoy the party for the evening and take the first ferry back.
I am taking a bus from Bangkok booked from 12go Asia at 6am on December 31st, then taking a ferry to arrive at Koh Phangan around 4pm. That will give me just enough time to get food, maybe go for a swim, and start barhopping. The only thing I’m worried about is storing my luggage, but hopefully I will find a locker or will be able to bribe a hostel to let me store my suitcase there.
If you’ve watched the comedic Travels with My Father on Netflix, there is an episode where the son takes his father to Koh Phangan where his father stares at his son in disbelief as he dances (quite hilariously) through the drunk hoards of people and mingles with the locals. After drinking out of a bucket of alcohol with his son, he then proceeds to read ‘Reporting on Hitler’ with noise-reducing headphones.
Thanks @jackwhitehall for carrying ‘Reporting on Hitler’ around Asia for your father… first time it’s been read at a Full Moon party! pic.twitter.com/Fqw0Enn6Yn
Your reaction to the full moon parties will either be one or the other from other blogs I’ve read (I’m hoping I can enjoy it as much as the son). If not, I will perhaps nurse a cheap bottle of wine and try to camp on the beach, or just go swimming somewhere in Haad Beach until sunrise. I am not very worried about staying out all night, because in Japan, Korea, and other European countries, parties go well on past 6am. I am going to try my best to enjoy the time with the people I have around me, because that is one of the most important lessons I’ve learned in life.
After ringing in the new year with random strangers who become my friends, I will take a ferry to Koh Samui (which looks more beautiful than this island) to start my new year!
January 1st – January 3rd: Koh Samui
Happy new year! The first thing I’m doing when I get to my bungalow hut (hopefully it’s the pink one) in Koh Samui is sleeping. This will be the day that I likely sleep the most, but as soon as I wake up I am going for a dip in Lamai Beach. The location of my beach hut is ideal because I am very close to both Lamai and Silver Beach, that are two of the most beautiful in Koh Samui. Afterwards, I wish to see the Grandfather’s Grandmother’s Rocks for hilarious photo opportunities, and maybe grab some Cafe 69 near the Bophut’s fisherman village for lunch to top it off (haha, puns)!
If I have energy, The Secret Buddha Garden and the Na Mueang Waterful look like wonderful destinations for the adventure-loving me. If I can find a moonlit bar somewhere near the pier then that is likely where I will end my night, else I will just take a bottle of wine back to my hut and prepare for the next activity: The Pink Dolphin Tour.
Image Credit: International Packages (I will hopefully have my own original images soon)!
When I realized pink dolphins were real, I knew I absolutely had to see them!! Everyone in my life knows that I love things that are pink, aesthetic, and awesome, so this tour will be the ideal adventure for me. I am so stoked to see these dolphins and go scuba diving near one of the islands where they live. I am excited to travel to Koh Tan by speedboat to get some nice pictures of them and then enjoy some snorkeling. What a way to kick off 2019!
Continuing this crazy quest, at 8:15 on January 3rd, I will be flying to Phuket for more shenanigans!
January 3rd – January 5th: Phuket
People tell me that Phuket is overrated and “polluted” with expats, but I don’t think that’s true at all. I don’t mind going on tours with other people because I usually meet someone I enjoy talking with, and if not, I can just listen to my favorite music and stare at the aesthetic scenery so that makes me content. Phuket has some amazing beaches. I am staying at a hotel on the coast of Patong Beach because I am interested in experiencing the nightlife, but the southern beaches such as Karon and Yanui are very remote and perfect for those getaway vacations. However, I am not trying to “getaway” in Phuket–I am staying in the central area because I want to experience the main attractions and nightlife.
Image Credit: iStock
Upon arriving, I will first be exploring the Upside Down House, then going to the Elephant Jungle Sanctuary to feed and hopefully take care of these precious animals. I read online that they have been harmed by people riding them as a tourist attraction, and that going to this sanctuary is a good way to interact with them without hurting them. I am excited to do things listed on the Afternoon Visit itinerary such as bathe and walk in the jungle with them! I am not sure what to expect, but regardless, it looks like an amazing time!
Image Credit: iStock
The next day (January 4th), I have 3 activities planned: The Tiger Kingdom, a tour to James Bond Island through Phuket Sail Tours during the sunset hours, and finally a dazzling night at the theme park Phuket Fantasea! I am going to be absolutely exhausted by the end of the night, but I will get to experience so much wildlife and swim at so many beaches so I’m absolutely stoked for this!
On January 5th, I booked a tour to the Phi Phi Islands through Voyagin because it was fair-priced and included a lot of destinations that I wanted to see. Although there are a lot of options available, I am most looking forward to exploring Viking Cave, swimming in Maya Bay, and witnessing the monkeys on Monkey Beach. Regardless of if I am by myself, I already know that I’m going to have a great time!
At 7:20pm, I will be leaving and heading to Chiang Mai for the final, and perhaps most aesthetic part of this tour!
January 5th – January 7th: Chiang Mai
While I was in Vietnam, a bartender at the Unicorn Pub was telling me about a temple that had golden toilets. For aesthetic purpose, I had to seek this temple out. The name of this temple is Wat Rong Koon, and its intricate design is absolutely breathtaking:
Image Credit: KKDay
I have booked the Package B Tour through KKDay and am so excited to learn more about it! During this tour, I will be going to a hotspring, visiting this glistening temple, going to the Black House museum of architecture, and ending my trip by seeing the traditional lifestyle of the Chiang Rai Hilltribe village people.
At the end of the tour, I have requested to be dropped off directly at the Chiang Mai airport, and then will fly back to Bangkok to catch my overnight flight back to Tokyo. I have put around 30+ hours of research into this trip and have booked all of my flights and tours about 2 months in advance, so I am absolutely thrilled to finally go to Thailand!
In the case of poor weather or flight delays, I am hoping I can quickly think on my feet and find alternative activities to do. I love beaches, photography, night markets, and going to bars, so I expect to have the time of my life while I’m here. I am excited to open my heart and mind to a brand new culture so I can continue to grow and connect with others.
Look forward to hearing from me soon! I want to share my experience with everyone!
As the primary breadwinner of my family (consisting of my cat and I), I take a lot of pride in feasting on a delicious roll. That includes baguettes, melonpan, cheesy bread, dessert bread, and whatever else I can find in my aesthetic food journeys. I recently stumbled upon LeBRESSO Café in Musashi-Koyama Tokyo, and was delighted at the vast selection of traditional and custom-made toasts they had.
The menu consisted of traditional buttered toast, salad toast, customizable toppings such as almonds paired with chocolate and various fruit spreads, as well as fish (for the less sweet and more salad-like toasts)!
The one that caught my attention was a very unique toast inspired by the fall season: sweet potato ice cream toast.
Now there’s something you don’t see everyday. What I love about sweet potatoes in Japan is that they’re purple with yellow filling instead of brown and orange like in America. It sure is a whole different world out here!
The toast was absolutely scrumptious–freshly baked that morning with the perfect amount crispness in every bite. The sweet potato was also softly baked and topped with just a tiny bit of vanilla ice cream with cinnamon sprinkled on it. It was absolutely amazing! Perfect for this beautiful fall weather (in December, nonetheless).
Eager for more, I then decided to go for the vegetable curry toast. Given that the average one costs around 500 yen–well worth the price for the quality, in my opinion–you can eat 2 toasts and become pretty full.
Once again, I was amazed at the creativity and flavor that was packed into this bread. The curry wasn’t very spicy and had a pleasant mild taste. I wasn’t sure exactly what vegetables they chose to use, but I tasted carrots and green peppers. This tasted even better than hummus spread to me!
Next time you rise and grind in Tokyo, be sure to treat yourself to that bread. You can’t go wrong here at LeBRESSO (- Product of Japan -).
Over the course of my nearly 3 years in Japan, I’ve been to many bakeries, but my favorite recently has been the Dominique Ansel Bakery located right off the main streets of Harajuku. This bakery creatively crafts sweets, breads, and desserts with influences from all over the world, and is arguably most famous for their blowtorched frozen s’more:
With a delicious and melted marshmallow exterior, the inside contains sweet vanilla ice cream and is in my opinion, the world’s best s’more. Besides this delectable treat, they also have many other sweets you can order for around 400~800 yen each:
A huge variety of sweets and breads to choose from! All of them have a beautiful design and unique flavor!My personal favorite: The Magnolia Cake! Not only did it have a beautiful design, but it had some really good lemon cream inside.The square watermelon cake. I bought this one for pure meme factor. Who needs to buy a $200 square watermelon when you could have this beautiful glazed cake?Tomato bread filled with basil! I was surprised because I thought it was a cake, but it tasted just as good as one!The infamous frozen s’more after it was blowtorched. It’s gooey, filled with ice cream, and served on a plastic stick to make it feel authentic.Last but not least, a cookie shot to finish everything off! There is a chocolate layer around the cup so when you eat/drink it, the milk turns chocolate!
Everything that was displayed here looked absolutely delicious–almost like works of art! So whatever sweet you choose to order, it’s hard to go wrong! There may be a wait to get inside due to this bakery’s popularity, but luckily there are a lot of tables and tons of shopping nearby to do if you don’t feel like waiting.
I will be back in the future to see what other aesthetic food items they add!
After hours of honing my skills and time warping on a bullet train (called Shinkansen in Japanese) to Osaka, I came across a peculiar weapon shop located in Osaka’s American Street that sold a strange variety of items:
Oversized potato wedges, what appears to be a frozen type of dumpling, but I had my eye on the rarest item: The J-Ice (Jアイス). Once I held it in my hands, I knew it was the perfect fit.
Beautifully crafted with swirled vanilla ice cream protruding from both sides, it was truly a site to behold. And that was not an ordinary ice cream cone–that was a corn husk. Superior grip and slightly salty taste to balance out the sweetness of the ice cream. I was overjoyed to finally equip my ultimate weapon after hours of dancing at night clubs and staying in capsule hotels.
10/10, I highly recommend this weapon shop for excellent craftsmanship. The name of it is じぱんいアイス. Please remember to visit it next time you’re in Osaka!
