Tokyo is a city that continues to change! Even after few months, maybe some restaurants or shops that we used to know can be replaced by something else … But not only, there are also spaces created entirely new! It can seems strange because moving around the city does not seem that there are many free spaces to build but … The Japanese take opportunities where you least expect it! A good example is the Shinjuku station! Built over the train tracks as a great bridge that contains shops and restaurants.

A novelty of the last months of 2011 is precisely this type. In the south of Shinjuku, Yoyogi more precisely, was created a village of food and life-style in a space disposed between office buildings, creating a point of interest where before was nothing.

The complex is called Yoyogi Village and is a collection of high quality services such as restaurants, cafes, soups and bakery shops and also a massage center and a travel agency. Everything was built inside of containers, like those that are on cargo ships. To enclose this space is a set of trees and plants selected and cataloged, it was almost like a botanical garden. The tranquility and the colors inspired by nature are the fundamental elements of the complex. Honestly I knew this place thanks to my Japanese friend who occasionally works in the restaurant. The restaurant is called Code Kurkku and looks like an Italian restaurant. I‘m Italian I did not think to get hit by this type of cuisine but I was wrong! The food is very interesting because the flavors mix is Italian and traditional Japanese and the result is excellent!

Prices unfortunately are not as excellent for a tourist visiting Tokyo that, like me, can not afford to spend too much! But a break for soup or coffee is absolutely affordable for everyone and very nice!

To reach the complex from Shinjuku you can also go on foot. From Lumine1 just take the road towards the Sunroute Plaza Hotel and once in front of the Yoyogi Station ( Yamanote Line ) take the second street on your right and you’re soon arrived.

Official website:

www.yoyogi-village.jp

tel. 03 6300 5231

The first time I’ve been in Tokyo, I went to a guest house of a Japanese friend of mine. Although I often went out alone to visit the city, but always I had advices from his family, how to move, which trains to take and how to get home! Not knowing Japanese is not easy to move quickly. The second time, for a variety of circumstances, I decided to return to Tokyo alone.

My main problem was then just  where to stay, what kind of hotel, but especially in wich neighborhood. I needed to find a hotel in a neighborhood convenient for travel, easily accessible near restaurants, bars and shops in the middle reach without having to catch trains. I had no idea how the experience would have been in Tokyo all by myself and wanted to have all the amenities and services near the hotel. Tokyo fascinates everyone, but for those unfamiliar with the language and  travel to exotic places can also be frightened by the amount of people, lights and colors that Tokyo has to offer.

THE VIEW FROM MY ROOM

Doing several searches on the internet I finally decided. I would spend my time in Tokyo at the hotel Sunroute Plaza Shinjuku. The hotel is business-type , rooms are small but with all the comforts, the staff understands English, and the movements are made easier by the fantastic location. In fact reaching the subway or the JR lines takes very few steps and, what is really important when you are tired, you have not to pass through crowds of people running to get to the hotel. In fact the street of the hotel is on the south side of Shinjuku station and is served by the new output of the station called ”NewSouth Exit” which comes out on Southern Terrance directly opposite the hotel.

Single rooms are very small, as most of the hotel business, no closet, but the space is really well designed. The bathroom is small but clean and organized, has a window with an opaque glass, which looks out on the room to filter the natural light and give a sense of openness to the environment. Very important when you have tostay so long in a room. In addition to every room air conditioner is also an air purifier that starts automatically when it detects dirt or odors in the room. In all the rooms of the hotel is available in-room massage service that I have clearly proved! A nice old Japanese came to expertly massaging my back by pressure only with the help of a towel. No oil, no mess in your room, kindness and professionalism. The old lady did not speak a word of English but still managed to understand each others. At 2F you can find a room with free internet computers available and free hot drinks vending machine. At each floor instead, near the elevators there is a vending-machines room for all drinks and snacks on hand at any time without leaving the hotel.

Recommended the Swedish hotel spa. I tried the best massage of my life in that place. I have already done in various Swedish massage massage centers but that of the spa of this hotel is still the best. Maybe a little pricey, but is money really wellspent.

Link:

MAP

http://www.sunroute.jp/HotelInfoSVE

151-0053 2-3-1 Yoyogi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan

TEL. 03-3375-3211 FAX. 03-5365-4110

3 minutes walk from the South Exit of Shinjuku Station, 2 minutes walk from the Southern Terrace Exit.Immediately to the right upon exiting the Toei Oedo Shinjuku Line A1 Exit (Shinjuku Mines Tower Exit)

15 minutes by car from Metropolitan Expressway Shinjuku turnoff 60 minutes by car from Haneda Airport 80 minutes by car from Narita Airport

65 cars (toll parking)

14:00/11:00

VISA,AMEX,DINERS CLUB,JCB,DC,UC,UFJ,NICOS

In the middle of skyscrapers jungle in the Shinjuku district, the CocoonTower is definitely one of the most characteristic and particular. Located in the financial district of Nishi-Shinjuku was designed by Japanese architect KenzoTange before he died in 2005 and later realized from his company ”Kenzo Associates“ between May 2006 and October 2008. He was rewarded in 2008 with ’”Emporis Skyscraper Award” as best skyscraper of the year.

THE COCOON TOWER

Top 203 meters has 50 floors inside where there are three schools for about 10,000 students, a fashion one (the Tokyo Mode Gakuen), design one (HAL Tokyo and Shuto Iko) and also a medicine one. For this reason is the second building height dedicated exclusively to the study after the Moscow State University and the seventeenth tallest skyscraper in Tokyo.

On the ground floor ( in Japan marked as 1F ) is open to everybody a small but interesting cafe called Blue Square Cafe. Inside this space you can enjoy drinks on the style of Starbucks Coffee, cakes and breads like in a backery cafe, but the most interesting thing is the kind of entertainment offered to the clients!

THE ENTRANCE

In fact, a lot of iPod Touch are available to listen to music, surf the net, check your email, play with a selection of games. For lovers of reading instead there are  books placed directly in the structure of the tables, under the glass counter.

iPOD TOUCH “STATIONS”

Of course the cafe is located inside a building dedicated to fashion and design, you can so browse for free the latest Japanese architecture and fashion magazines  reporting latest creations of designers.

For foreigners who are interested in this field, have a selection of the highlights of the library is very interesting. Often in Japanese bookshops all publications are organized according to the alphabet in Japanese characters and not put on display. This makes it difficult for those unfamiliar with the language to obtain magazines with latest pictures. Usually then I go to this cafe and I look for publications that interest me most, i take a picture to the cover and I show it in the library where I intend to buy.

Whenever I’m in Tokyo, I like to eat well, and a lot! After all I’m on vacation and I deserve it, like everyone else! In addition to delight me with Tsukune’s restaurant in LUMINE, when I’m in Shinjuku I always go in a fine restaurant which I think is called Tsukino Shizuku.

SHINJUKU

RESTAURANT IS ON WEST SIDE

The restaurant is located on the west side of Shinjuku station, in the direction of the Cocoon Tower and Yodobashi Camera. It is not hard to find, located above the Starbucks Coffee in front of The Suit Company shop. The restaurant is not at street level but is located at 2/3 floors of the corner building. However, there are several signs to find it.

THE ENTRANCE OF THE RESTAURANT ( 2/3F )

I stumbled into this restaurant the first time accompanied by a Japanese friend. The thing that immediately struck me was how to order food. In fact you do not have to ask for food to the waiter, but you must submit orders through a tablet like the iPad! The tablet is very convenient because there is also the English language with a description of the dishes. Unfortunately dishes pictures are associated only to the Japanese menu, but after a little practice you can identify them, if the English description is not entirely convincing, from the Japanese menu as the structure of the menu pages is the same for both languages.

A LOT OF SAKE

In this restaurant you can eat just about anything … Meat, fish, vegetables, fried foods, but most of all you can drink by choosing from a list of Sake, Shochu and Umeshu really wide! And all is really cheap , but the quality is good!!!!

Here some pictures of the dishes I tried :

FRIED MOCCI

ASPARAGUS WITH HAM

FRIED OYSTER

STUFFED SHRIMP

MARINATED SALMON

EGGS, BEANS AND MISO SALAD, EDAMAME

I really enjoyed!!!!!!!!