THE JAPANESE yen plummeted to its lowest level in eight years against the South Korean won, being quoted at ₩9.12 per yen on July 12[1]. This favorable exchange rate was just irresistible for Korean tourists, including myself, to rush to Japan, a visa-free destination. Japan’s unique blend of tradition and modernity seemed to offer a rich cultural experience. However, the wide variety of experiences offered across the country posed a difficulty in finalizing my travel itinerary, so I decided to focus on exploring gastronomy and fashion—which led me to choose my destination as Tokyo, a vibrant metropolis with an unparalleled culinary scene and street fashion. 

Experiencing traditional Japanese omakase

   Beginning with gastronomy, Japanese cuisine is renowned worldwide for its quality and variety. Above all, I focused on umami, which is also known as the fifth taste, central to Japan’s food culture. To enjoy the meaty, savory deliciousness of Japanese gastronomy, I decided to visit Sushi Tokyo Ten Roppongi, an omakase restaurant in Roppongi. Roppongi is a district located in the southern part of Tokyo known for its vibrant nightlife, shopping, and dining, similar to Apgujeong in Seoul. Omakase is a Japanese dining concept that translates to “I’ll leave it up to you,” or essentially, “chef’s choice.” The chef selects and prepares for the diners a series of sushi dishes, typically consisting of multiple choices.  

   Sushi Tokyo Ten Roppongi has perfect accessibility on the 1st floor of Tokyo’s Midtown Garden, which is connected to a large shopping mall. Thus, the restaurant was a great place to visit for a meal after a bit of shopping. The restaurant truly adheres to the definition of traditional omakase, giving the chef creative freedom of what to serve. There were a total of 20 courses and each serving was carefully selected from seasonal and fresh ingredients. The course consisted of a variety of pieces such as nodoguro[2], mekabu[3], ikura[4], tai[5], uni[6], and fruit for dessert. 

   The total amount of food, quality of service, and interior design of the restaurant were astonishing considering the price of the meal. A basic omakase course cost only ¥8,800, which is around ₩80,000, a highly affordable price for such delicious, high-quality cuisine. This is especially considering how the prices of traditional omakase dinner courses in Seoul rises up to ₩200,000 and ₩300,000. With this affordability in mind, Sushi Tokyo Ten Roppongi seems to be the perfect destination for students traveling to Tokyo who want to enjoy traditional sashimi. 

Thrift shopping in Japanese vintage clothing stores

   Another appeal of Japan is street fashion, and Tokyo is arguably the most exciting destination to go for thrift shopping in vintage shops. Tokyo is filled with furugiya and risaikurushoppu, or used clothing stores and recycle shops respectively, that offer rare and affordable clothes hardly found in other popular online and offline stores . 

   I first went to a luxury vintage chain store named Amore Vintage, a popular store that is also loved by celebrities including Jennie from Blackpink, Hailey Bieber, and Kendrick Lamar. The store in Roppongi is by far the most popular branch and is completely dedicated to vintage Chanel. The 1st floor was reserved for bags while the 1st basement floor was reserved for clothes. Only one team at a time was allowed to shop and they had to be accompanied by an employee. Although the pieces were all fairly expensive, there was a large selection of rare vintage clothing and bags. The prices seemed reasonable considering how almost all of the items were timeless and how some items were limited edition. 

   To find more affordable vintage clothing, I headed to Shimokitazawa, which is home to one of Tokyo’s finest cultural sites. A section of this region was dedicated to vintage clothing shops, which stretched across entire streets. These shops mostly sold used, vintage clothes. Interestingly, each shop sold vintage Adidas track jackets, which has recently been trending in Korea due to the “Y2K” boom. Alongside clothing shops, there were also a few restaurants and cafes, making Shimokitazawa’s vintage clothing street great for shopping and taking a break to enjoy a delicious meal. 

Visiting Japan’s trendiest select shops

   Moreover, Tokyo has the trendiest select shops that sell rare, unique products from various luxury and designer brands. The average select shops in Tokyo were much bigger and equipped with more diverse brands and clothing pieces compared to those in Korea. This reflected why Japanese fashion always impresses the fashion market with its trendy and novel styles. One of the most popular select shops in Tokyo was in Ginza, the most glamorous shopping district in Japan. Traveling to Ginza took about an hour and 35 minutes from Narita Airport by train so Ginza may be suitable as the first district to visit in Tokyo. 

   Dover Street Market Ginza—an icon in the high fashion and retail space—is the brainchild of Comme des Garçons’ founder and creative director Rei Kawakubo. Kawakubo designed this multi-floor store as if it were a piece of art, curating each floor with works by French designers and Vancouver’s Patkau Architects. The store provides a range of contemporary clothing for men and women from multiple boutiques and designer brands such as Comme des Garçons, Junya Watanabe, Miu Miu, Doublet, Prada, and so many more. 

   These places illustrate how Tokyo is the perfect city near Korea for shopping and dining. At the renowned fashion capital, I was able to find a wide range of clothing styles in high-end shopping districts like Ginza and in vintage thrift shops in Shimokitazawa. Moreover, Tokyo features an incredibly diverse culinary scene that is very affordable. From humble street food stalls to fine dining, Tokyo had something to offer for every palate and budget. 

[1] The Korea Economic Daily

[2] Nodoguro: Also known as blackthroat seaperch, it is a species of fish native to the North Pacific Ocean, particularly in waters around Japan; It is highly regarded in Japanese cuisine as a delicacy.

[3] Mekabu: A type of edible seaweed commonly used in Japanese cuisine

[4] Ikura: A Japanese term that refers to salmon roe, which are eggs of a salmon

[5] Tai: In Japanese cuisine, tai typically refers to a fish known as Japanese red snapper and it is highly regarded for its delicate, sweet, and mild flavor.

[6] Uni: An edible part of sea urchin and it is highly prized as a luxury seafood item due to its distinct taste