Tag: tokyo
Sailor Neptune Nails from Nail Salon Glory (Tokyo)
Since I decided to cosplay a swimsuit version of Michiru Kaioh/Sailor Neptune for a photoshoot, I wanted the most suitable nails for this character. I looked at various nail catalogs online, but no design fit the one I had in mind so I decided to create my own. Fortunately, most nail salons in Tokyo are able to create original nail designs using stencils, hand-drawn art, studs, and various gradients of polish.
I booked an appointment at Nail Salon Glory through Hot Pepper, and these were the amazing results I got:
My nails were absolutely gorgeous! Since I have short nails, I requested the scalp nail course that will extend your tip to a custom length. The nail artist used a combination of beige and turquoise glitter polish to create a gradient that looks like an ocean. After painting a shiny coat over it, she added sea shells and pearl studs, as well as hand-drew the insignia on Neptune’s mirror that I requested. I was almost speechless when our session ended because I was so impressed!
Most fancy nail courses start at 10,000 yen ($93), but they are worth the price for the amount of detail and effort that is put in. There are various coupons that can be used to lower the price, like the ones featured on HotPepper.
Scalp nails last for typically 3 weeks and are perfect for every occasion. Not only did I use them for my photoshoot, but they also matched the color of the ocean when I was swimming in Thailand. I’m sure I’ll be back in the future once I think of more anime-based designs!
Hello Kitty Desserts at EGG & SPUMA
A diner and dessert restaurant called EGG & SPUMA located in the Shinjuku Lumine building serves up some of the most delicious Sanrio collaboration items you’ve ever laid eyes on. They serve a lot of comfort food like omelettes, risotto, and pancakes on their menu that changes with new featured items each season. Cocktails and sweet drinks are also available.
I ordered Hello Kitty pancakes topped with apples slices, custard, and whipped cream. They melted like butter in my mouth and had an extremely soft texture! I also tried pink lemonade topped with a Hello Kitty donut. Thought it was an extremely unlikely combination, it was amazing! The donut was extremely thick and completely covered in strawberry frosting. The lemonade size was noticeably large compared to most drinks here. I wanted to try more, but felt extremely full after this!
Overall, I was extremely impressed with the quality of food here for it being part of a theme cafe. Be sure to try their seasonal pancakes if you ever get the chance to stop by!
Digging up Dino Bones at the Jurassic World Cafe (Tokyo)
Last year I went on an exciting excavation digging through biomes (made of frosting) and unearthing dinosaur bones (made of cake) from an ancient land, otherwise known as the Jurassic World Cafe in Ikebukero, Tokyo.
This cafe ran for several weeks in July 2018 cooperatively with the Jurassic World movie that was released. The menu featured some explosive meals and delicious desserts! Additionally there were dino masks you could wear to feel like you were really a part of this cafe. My friend appropriately wore her Yoshi’s Island shirt, so we came well prepared. We ordered every dessert on the menu, and the green tea jelly egg drink!
Though this collab cafe has now ended, the rental space in Sunshine City is continually being used to host new cafes! For more information, please see The Guest Cafe & Diner website (Japanese with some English).
Eating Pikachu’s Booty at the Pokemon Cafe ϞϞ(๑⚈ ․̫ ⚈๑)∩ 🍽
The Pokemon Cafe in Tokyo is home to many themed dishes, but this one takes the cake. Or carbonara, in this case. This dish was available for the Let’s Go Pikachu promotion in late February 2019. I am excited to see what kinds of dishes they come up with next.
Tentacle Bento at Awajiya
There’s nothing quite like a jar of tentacles and rice to start your day! This ひっぱりだこ飯 (Hipparidako Rice) is available for 1,080 yen at bento stands found in Japan Railway stations called Awajiya. They contain octopus tentacles in addition to vegetables, conger eel, and seasoning. The best part is you get to keep the jar when you finish it. Please try it if you get the chance, because the texture and freshness of the tentacles is unrivaled!
Academy City in Shinjuku
My Favorite Noodles: Sweet Potato Cream Soba
In the trendy Ebisu neighborhood of Tokyo lies a famous soba noodle restaurant called Shodai (初代) that specializes in some pretty unique dishes. On a cold night in December, I decided to try it and thus discovered my favorite dish: Sweet Potato Cream Soba. Though sweet potato cream may seem like an unlikely soba topping, the cream actually adds a lot of delicious flavor and texture to the broth. You can’t even really taste the potato–it truly just tastes like a light fluffy whipped topping, but isn’t even that sweet. When it melts in the broth to coat the thick soba noodles, it truly creates an exquisite taste! Some cheap soba broths aren’t that tasty, but this is definitely one you want to try!
Whenever I walk outside this restaurant, it is usually very crowded so it is recommended to make a reservation in advance. However, if you are by yourself then it may be possible to walk in and find available seating without reservation. There are many soba and traditional Japanese dishes available for you to order, as well as sake!
So far Shodai is the only restaurant where I have seen this dish available, but is likely there are more soba restaurants that use similar culinary techniques! I hope to try them out in the future.
The Best Mixology Bar in Tokyo: Bar Benfiddich
If you are looking for a unique bar experience with no menu but endless possibilities, Bar Benfiddich in Shinjuku, Tokyo is the bar for you. With a selection of fresh fruits, vegetables, chocolates, herbs, and spices, mixology master Hiroyasu Kayama will whip up amazing cocktails with ingredients you’ve never even thought of trying before. I’ve been to this bar a total of three different times and have never once been disappointed.
On my first time there, I decided to request something fruity with vodka as the base. The bartender pulled out a basket of fruit and I selected strawberries and bananas for my cocktail. He also mixed in some chocolate to give it a nice kick. In addition to that, you can choose from the selection of bottles on the wall or ask for something specific if you have anything in mind. Chances are this bar will have it or will be able to create something similar, plus they have their own array of homemade liquors that will make for quite the evening out.
If you come to this bar, be sure to come early because it opens at 7pm and usually fills up before 10pm. There are now 2 floors in the same building available for seating, but I would still try to come ahead of time because reservations are generally not accepted.
Though Japan is full of bars due to the loose liquor laws, your efforts for coming to this bar in particular will be rewarded with some of the most elegant drinks you’ve ever had! Be sure to bring at least 6000 yen with you so you can sample more than one.
Petting and Holding Otters at Tokyo’s Otter Room Cafe
I never thought I’d have the chance to hold an otter out of water, but after almost 4 years of living in Tokyo, I should know that nearly anything is possible! With my recent visit to the Otter Room Cafe in Ikebukero, I learned they are not only adaptable and highly intelligent creatures, but also quite cuddly ones too. This animal cafe was newly added as an expansion of the Usamimi Cafe that features rabbits, and visitors can choose a timeslot between 30 minutes to an hour to play with either species by submitting a form via email through the official website (JP/EN).
Upon arriving, my friend and I paid 1000 yen for 30 minutes, and were promptly handed an apron, hand sanitizer, and printed English instructions so we could brace ourselves for the otter outbreak. We were then led to a room where three adorable otters were sleeping in a cage. When the cage door opened, one of them was placed on our laps! The otter was so adorable we didn’t even know how to react.
Wanting to see his friends, the otter would crawl on and off the seats and back to us. Though otters are not intended to be kept as pets, these otters were kept in a very clean area and seemed to be healthy and happy. It was difficult to take photos of them as they are a bit finicky, but I managed to capture a few.
The three otters we saw were named Gucchan, Taeko, and Wakabarasu. Though there were a bit sleepy when we saw them in the afternoon, they seemed happy to be together. Compared to the meerkats I saw in Korea that were quite scrappy, these bunch were very friendly and pleasant to be around. Please come if you are interested in meeting otters!