00:00
--:--
00:00
--:--
00:00
--:--


HOLLYWOOD TRAVEL DESTINATIONS

HOLLYWOOD TRAVEL DESTINATIONS:
Tokyo Guide

Sponsored By:

Tokyo-touring stars and insiders share their secrets on where to ramen-hop and how to savor the city's most sought after offerings.

The Hot Spots

Explore the map above to see all of The Hollywood Reporter's recommended Tokyo hot spots. See a full-screen version here.

Morning

Rachel goodwin

8 AM - Experience a Japanese Breakfast
Eating breakfast out isn't big in Tokyo. Instead, opt for room service with a side of tradition. "I’m a total sucker for a Japanese breakfast," says the makeup artist to Brie Larson and Emma Stone. "It's one of life’s simplest yet most decadent pleasures." Park Hyatt Tokyo, which is famously featured in Lost in Translation, offers a Japanese Breakfast along with its Continental and American options. The ¥4,200 meal includes grilled fish, simmered vegetables, eggs, tofu, miso soup and rice with fresh fruits and your choice of juice. (3-7-1-2 Nishi Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku)

Paul Blum

10 AM - Check Out Tokyo's Fred Segal
The iconic, ivy-covered Los Angeles shopping destination opened the doors to its first international store in the Daikanyama neighborhood in 2014. The retailer set up its Japan outpost to evoke a California-cool vibe through a tightly curated mix of contemporary brands, showcasing pieces from Marni, Maison Kitsune and Frame Denim in its Fred Segal Man and Woman areas. But “this is not a chain where they are all the same,” says its CEO. “Fred Segal will never work that way.” Proof of the customized store setup is Fred Segal Mart, an eatery inside one of the three buildings offering sustenance from Portland's popular Blue Star Donuts and Japan’s Marufuku iced coffee. (13-1 Daikanyama-cho, Shibuya-ku)

"When you visit in the spring, the cherry blossoms are everywhere you look. Tokyo is an even more magical place that time of year." - Rachel Goodwin

Scarlett Johansson

1 PM - Walk the Famous Shibuya Crossing
Said to be the busiest pedestrian intersection in the world, the street signs provide a neon backdrop to the sea of people crossing in all directions. All the lights turn red so foot traffic can take over at this Tokyo landmark. Observe the thousands who cross from the second-story Starbucks inside the Tsutaya building and then try it down below. Known locally as the Scramble Crossing, it has also appeared on the big screen in Lost in Translation — when Scarlett Johansson crosses amid a sea of umbrellas — as well as in The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift and Resident Evil: Afterlife. (21-6 Udagawa-cho, Shibuya-ku)

Afternoon

quentin tarantino

2 PM - Feast at the Kill Bill-Set Gonpachi
As much a landmark as a restaurant, the Nishi-Azabu branch of this small chain was Quentin Tarantino's inspiration for the iconic House of the Blue Leaves showdown between Uma Thurman and Chiaki Kuriyama's characters in Kill Bill Vol. 1, though the actual scene was shot on a soundstage in China. The wood- and bamboo-heavy, rustic, multifloored interior, along with Japanese food geared to Western palates, remains a big draw for visitors. (1-13-11 Nishi-Azabu, Minato-ku)

Makoto Shinkai

4 PM - Visit the Hato no Mori Hachiman Shrine
A proverbial oasis of tranquility in the center of a metropolis, the shrine is dotted with centuries-old pine trees and houses, and a replica of Mt. Fuji made with stones brought from the famous mountain. "Hato no Mori is a very beautiful and well-preserved shrine," says the director of anime hit Your Name, who shares why he often strolls the grounds. "There are many big, old trees and a stage for Japanese performing arts." (1-1-24 Sendagaya, Shibuya-ku)

steve aoki

5:30 PM - Slurp Ramen at Ippudo
Japan is, of course, the place to ramen hop. Though noodle shops have popped up in NYC, L.A. and Hong Kong (including several belonging to this restaurant chain), Ippudo's Hakata-style noodles originated here. Head to the Ebisu parlor for a helping of their signature Tonkotsu. "It has the best broth and the ramen is one-of-a-kind," says the world-traveling DJ and star of Netflix doc I'll Sleep When I'm Dead. If you're up for it, he also suggests sampling no-name offerings: "Wake up at 4 a.m. and go get yourself an early taste of the best fish that the Japanese fishermen have to offer at the market." (1-3-13 Hiroo, Shibuya-ku)

Evening

steve aoki

8 PM - Savor Sushi at Jiro Roppongi
Jiro Ono's legendary Sukiyabashi Jiro has only 10 seats and the $300, 20-piece set menu is widely regarded as some of the world's best sushi. Immortalized in the documentary Jiro Dreams of Sushi, booking months in advance is required, so Aoki suggests heading to the more accessible Roppongi branch instead: "Only because you won't get into the official Jiro." (6-10-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku)

matthew modine

10 PM - Head to the Ginza District for Okonomiyaki
"If you’re with someone you love, go to the Ginza section and visit any number of okonomiyaki restaurants," says the Stranger Things star of the Japanese pancake. "Okonomi means 'how or what you like,' and this savory pancake is usually prepared by your lover to satisfy your culinary desires. What comes post-pancake is up to you!" (Ginza, Chuo-ku)

CONTACT | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY POLICY
© 2017 The hollywood reporter all rights reserved