Recently, our design team visited Japan to explore the vibrant capital city, Tokyo, and get inspired for the upcoming collections. Below are the favourite places they visited to shop, eat and grab a great coffee.
April 17, 2024
ILU City Guide: Tokyo, Japan
Eat:
Yakitori Alley, Memory Lane, Shinjuku — A whole lane in Shinjuku that serves Yakitori. Small restaurants on both sides of the narrow lane that will only fit a maximum of six people.
Jikasei MENSHO, basement floor of Parco — This modern ramen eatery doesn't have a paper menu. You place your order through ticket vending machine. The most popular dish may be the Shoya Ramen, and the best we've had in our lives.
Shop:
2nd Street — Full of designer second-hand sneakers, clothing and accessories. There are multiple stores throughout Tokyo which have both menswear and womenswear products.
Beams Shinjuku — The Beams Japan flagship in Shinjuku spreads out over a total of six floors with Japan based collections of clothing, crafts and art, plus a gallery hosting an eclectic array of events and exhibitions, as well as a restaurant in the basement.
Shibuya Parco — A department store with a mix of luxury brands, and local shops and restaurants. There are art galleries, a cinema and a theatre, as well as an entire floor dedicated to manga and gaming.
Coffee:
Saturday's Coffee Shop — Featuring wood floors, chilled out vibe and in-store espresso bar. There are some beautifully crafted surfboards and wetsuits on offer, but you don't have to be surfer to enjoy the place: just browse the selection of apparel, accessories and art, then grab a coffee and head out onto the wood-decked balcony outsid. Excellent baked goods and iced coffee.
Blue Bottle Coffee — Our favourite coffee shop. Considered a coffee hotspot among the crowds of downtown Tokyo, Blue Bottle fuses modern coffee culture with industrial chic. You can enjoy a coffee at the cafe, or sample their roasted coffee in the tasting room. They even host seminars on creativity, and of course — coffee.
Watch the video of our trip over on the ILU Instagram now.