Tokyo by Tokyo: the hot city guide

 

Got lost, a ritual for me, before each new R.V.! Now finally sat in the large café, leaned against the sunny huge picture window I saw from street looking for my way. Dan Ushikubo’s just arrived. In his thirties, he’s  is the originator of the new hot city guide “Tokyo by Tokyo” edited by Claska, exclusively on this blog and at the end of this month, for sale in Amazone and bookstores in Japan:

- It’s my idea. It start asking fifteen friends about their hot spots. The city is too large, with too many people. I believe, they don’t fully know Tokyo. They are isolated. The guide is a good way to exchange informations about the city, connecting people.

Another city guide? Not really. Dan’s been a High Tech Consultant for six years at Sony and wanted to bring some geek flav in this city guide. With technical indications to locate a place, by its lattitude and longitude coordinates to download in Google Maps. Fun and really useful in a city, where before moving, you often check the adress on Goole Maps. Even the Tokyo native do it!

- This guide is a short of Facebook of Claska. It’s a collection of some kind of people and not only a list of different city’s areas: a net. My contributors friends are amazed by the result.

The Claska’s customers are half foreigners, half Tokyo people. Most of them Works in arts, fashion, design and communication. A very demanding audience. Satisfied by this fit edition?

- Yes 80% happy with the result, because it’s an impossible dream. For the next issue: I want wider coverage. And more women contributors, maybe 80% girls next year. And improving the guide much more fontional. And creating an Internet page. The customers can give their feed back.

If you stay for a short week in Tokyo, here Dan’s recommendations:

1. Book Off, old second hand bookshops with a polisher to clean books: really Japanese! 

 

2. Kabukiza, this ab fab Kabuki theatre in Ginza will be distroy next fall. What a pity! I’ve watched a Kabuki almost four years ago. Go before it will be a ghost from the past! 

 

3. Drink at: « Lion café: in 70‘s, people played their own records ».

4. Dinner in: Omoide Alley, Shinjuku. I also recommend you a very small alley near the main exit of the JR Shibuya station, where salary men drink sake and have dinner after work (click here for pictures). Less famous, but very local. 

 

5. Bar and disco: « Liquid Loft et Liquid Room: I strongly recommend them in December, it‘s a great chaos! »

6. Shopping in Aoyama. Course! The hypest fashion area with amazing shops : Prada (the picture below), Comme des Garçons…

 

7. A museum: Japan Folk Craft Museum. A gallery: « Nadiff, near Shibuya, art gallery and bookshop ». 

Domo arigato gosaimasu Dan!