This project was born from a conversation during TAS WEEK in January, when my friend Kenta Ogawara, the founder of TOKYO DRIVE CAR CLUB, visited Sendagaya with Eddie from HYPE DRIVE. They asked me to create a driving guide for car enthusiasts who, like me, love both cars and good food, whether in Japan or abroad. The guide has been published on Hypemaps and their Instagram, so please take a look when you have time.

While some locations couldn’t be included, I’d like to add a few here. On February 10, the Porsche Service Center Tokyo Bay Tatsumi newly opened, and the top air-cooled Porsche master in Japan, whom I’ve trusted for 23 years, has relocated there to lead the Classic Division.

I also featured Sushi Tokoro Yamato, which I consider the top disciple (at least in my opinion) of Nihonbashi Kakigaracho Sugita, one of Japan’s most renowned sushi restaurants, for which I had the honor of creating a 20th-anniversary T-shirt. Alongside that, I also introduced Tomidokoro, another personal favorite of mine.

Sugita is notoriously difficult to book, but these two younger chefs (though they might already be considered mid-career) still have available reservations, so I highly recommend securing a spot while you still can.

Kabuto in Ikebukuro, a well-known spot among LOOPWHEELER customers, is also famous for being extremely difficult to book. However, if you’re craving unagi, you might surprisingly be able to walk in without a reservation at Tsukiji Miyagawa Honten. Here, instead of a traditional jubako (layered box), I recommend enjoying your meal in a charming donburi (rice bowl). 

I don’t have a photo, but if you find yourself in the Ningyocho area, grabbing a croquette from Ningyocho Imahan Souzai Honten and eating it on the spot can be a fun experience. For sukiyaki, my personal favorite is Asakusa Imahan. In the main article, I also introduced Kanda Matsuya and Omiya Yogashiten, where their fruit punch is a must-try. This area is packed with long-established restaurants (partly because it escaped air raids), making it a great place to experience classic Japanese dining.

Toriyaki-sukiyaki Botan, ankou-nabe Isegen, and the traditional sweets shop Takemura all have a wonderful atmosphere. I could go on and on, but I’ll leave it at that for today.

Someday, I’d love to create an official LOOPWHEELER Guide Map. Is there any publisher out there interested? Looking forward to hearing from you!

By Satoshi Suzuki