Last day in Tokyo

There is so much to do in Tokyo but I think that four days was just the right amount for a first time visit.  I am sure that there are plenty of other places we could have seen and some of them were on our list but in the end we did what we could do.  

We started the day off at the Mitsukoshi Department store.  This is amazing piece of sculpture is on the first floor.  We came to see the food halls.  To me, there is nothing quite like a great food hall.  Harrods did it first decades ago and it appears that since then everyone has got into the game.  This particular food hall was amazing.

What is so incredible is the detail to packaging and presentation.  We just walked around.  Here are some highlights.  Tempura.

Sushi sandwiches.

Make your own sushi packages.

Black bean sweets

Green tea desserts

Dumplings

Kimchi

Lotus root

Mountain of salmon roe

Had to taste a few dumplings.

We then went to Takishamaya which has a food hall in the basement too.  The store was totally disappointing.  Takishamaya in NYC was an incredible store.  Really well curated with items that you can not get anywhere else especially their jewelry department.  I was so sad when they closed.  The Takishamaya in Tokyo is like going to Macys.  Nothing unique at all.  Alas.

We had to go to the bathroom and I just had to take a photo of the Japanese style toilet.  They are very into their toilets here.  Most of them have heated seats.  They also have an entire menu of things you can do with your toilet seat including massage on the Western toilets.  

Next stop is Tokyu Hands.  There are a few around the city.  The pen section is insane and so are their stickers.  Pens are big here.

Muji was next.  This Muji is huge and is located on the 2nd floor of a building that has the store Loft in the ground floor.  Muji is an interesting store.  They have their own label on everything.  Lots of pens, food products, furniture and clothes.  

Lunch time.  We went to Sushi Kanesaka located in the basement of a building in the Ginza area.  We sat next to three Japanese business men.  Made me think of mid-town NYC.  Our chef was Shinji Kanesaka.  We began with a small salad of seaweed, thinly sliced shiso and I believe thinly sliced radishes with a soy based sauce.  It was the perfect way to start the meal.  Simple with clean flavors.

First piece was snapper.

Amber jack.  

Check out this piece of tuna.  

Getting ready for the flight of tuna.

Tuna.

Toro.

Abalone.

Tiger shrimp.

Mackarel.

Spanish Mackarel.

Small shrimp.

Salmon roe.

Gooey clam.

Uni.

Eel.

Dried sweet roll ( not sure what was in it ) and a piece of egg that was like eating custard.  Phenomenal meal.  The size of each piece was just perfect.  Each flavor just lingered in your mouth.  Wow.

Next stop was Tobin Ohashi Gallery.  All the galleries are closed at this time of the year so we have been getting private showings.  The two men who own the gallery couldn't be nicer.  One of them is from Boston and has been living in Tokyo for 25 years.  The other grew up in the south of Japan.  They are charming.  This is a wood sculpture with nails driven into it.  The artist is Yusuke Nishi.  I really like this piece.

This Chinese artist is Zhu Wei.  This silkscreen print is of a past dictator.

These pencil drawings are by Masumi Yoshida.  A young Japanese artist drawing people that represent modern Japan.  

Last stop of the day was Dover Street Market.  DSM is one of my favorite stores in London.  The one in Tokyo is similar.  Really well curated mixture of clothes and accessories.  I am a big fan and am looking forward to them opening in NYC in 12/13 on Lexington and 30th street.

Back to the hotel before dinner.