COOL Begin JAPAN TREASURE HUNT GUIDEBOOK has been published by Sekai Bunka Publishing. While the guidebook is primarily aimed at inbound visitors, reading through it again made me think, “Yes! That’s exactly it”—a very Begin-like approach and perspective.
We’re grateful that LW01 has been featured. Try the World’s Most Authentic Sweatshirt—we hope you’ll check it out.
A TOKYO MAP is included at the end of the book. It’s a bit unfortunate that it doesn’t directly link to the main content, but the guide will be distributed for free at domestic tourist facilities and hotels.
Are you familiar with Ichiyoshi Soba? It was featured in last year’s Tokyo Geso-ten Blues and is considered one of the top standing soba joints. The geso-ten here is so iconic that many say you can’t talk about geso-ten without trying theirs at least once. While we’re on the topic, let me introduce some of my other favorite spots. Yashima Shibuya Maruyamacho—there’s also a Yashima in Tomigaya, but my favorite is the one in Maruyamacho. They have both regular geso-ten and bou-geso-ten (stick-style), and I’m 100% team stick-style. One more must-visit is Hochan in Ikejiri-Ohashi, a legendary spot. Their deep-fried squid and curry rice topped with ham cutlet are also favorites of mine.
The Rumble Pot from Noda Horo, a company specializing in enamelware for 90 years, is another treasure. Created in response to a request from the legendary Café de L’Ambre in Ginza (super stylish), this pot features a spout that allows you to pour hot water drop by drop with precision. It’s a little heavy—but that’s part of its charm. I hope today’s baristas are still passing this kind of gear down…
In our world, if you haven’t heard of him, you’re probably an outsider—Renpou Nakata, the owner of magnif in Jimbocho, which specializes in vintage magazines. Whenever I’m searching for something, I always stop by. There are so many spots in this book that I’d recommend not just to overseas visitors but to everyone, so if you get the chance, please give it a read. It’s also available on Amazon, in two editions: TOKYO and OSAKA. Thank you as always!
by Satoshi Suzuki