Tokyo City Guide:
Tokyo - a metropolis filled with great food, nighlife, fun fashion and beauty finds. Our founder recently shared this city guide with our friends at Style that Binds Us and for all Beauté Blog readers!
Not to miss district guide:
- Harajuku / Shibuya Hip, young people's culture and fashion.
- Roppongi Big night life and Roppongi Hills for Mori Art Museum.
- Aoyama Chic fashion boutiques and cafes.
- Ginza Luxury brands and department stores during the day -- cocktail bars at night.
- Ueno Old Japan, traditional culture, museums, Senso-ji, as well as a hip area in Taito with a beer brewery.
- Naka-Meguro A chill area by a river with nice cafes, book and antique shops.
- Outside of Tokyo Kyoto is a must to get a feel of true Japanese traditional culture. If not, Kamakura and Hakone is a short train ride away from Tokyo.
Top beauty recommendations:
- Start your long flight off by hydrating your hair and scalp with a bottle of Beautéjaponica’s TOHI Scalp Serum! Made with the most prestigious natural active ingredients from Japan.
- Head Spas (Scalp Facials - Of course!) – Available at most hair salons. Japan has the best scalp facials in the world and the best hair salons - Japanese hair stylists and their assistants are experts at a great scalp massage. Perfect after a long flight!
- Matsumoto Kiyoshi and other pharmacies - Pharmacies are the best places to everyday beauty and wellness products made in Japan. They are affordable, reasonable, and there are so many varieties. Matsumoto Kiyoshi is the most well-known pharmacy selling an array of beauty products, but you can find pharmacies with beauty products everywhere throughout the city.
- Department Store Beauty Floors – For SK-IIs, RMK, Shu Uemuras, and other established luxury brands. Isetan Shinjuku has a great beauty floor on the 1st and 2nd floor.
- Bic Camera Beauty Floor - These are electronic stores but if you find yourself walking into one - look for the Beauty Floor where they sell all types of antiaging beauty electronics, hair and skin related electronics.
Japanese anti-aging tip:
You must try an Onsen in Japan (most onsens do not allow those with tattoos.) There are many rules and etiquettes, but they are available throughout the country depending on where you go. The mineral water will smoothen your skin and it will reverse the aging process by years! Make sure you shower and cleanse before hopping into the bath.
Top fashion recommendations:
Ginza Six and other department stores – Our current favorite is Ginza Six, but Isetan Shinjuku, Ginza Mitsukoshi are old school, established department stores where you see the top luxury brands both international and local.
Dover Street Market Ginza – Close to Ginza Six and connected to the Ginza Uniqlo store – a great place to see many of the top avant-garde designers in one place.
Aoyama-dori – Street with the must-see boutiques with pioneers of Japanese avant-garde fashion such as Comme Des Garcons, Yohji Yamamoto, and Issey Miyake.
Shibuya 109 and Harajuku– for the inner Harajuku girl in you and Japanese teenage fashion inspiration.
Uniqlo – Can be found anywhere for everyday basics.
Culture tips:
- Most people are polite, kind, and like order. They don’t like loud, disrespectful behavior, or people who don’t follow rules. If you don’t know the rules, just look around and follow what the people around you are doing first.
- If you are lost and you ask someone at a store, most of the time they can help you.
- If you take a taxi, don’t trail the taxi driver with an online map to see if he is taking you in the right way. Japanese taxi drivers do not appreciate you doubting their direction.
- New Yorkers – don’t jaywalk in Japan…and you don’t need to tip!
- Before a meal, always wipe your hands with the 'oshibori' or wet towels they provide you.
- Bowing is a sign of respect as well as acknowledgement to say hello or goodbye.
- If you are invited to someone’s home, you must take off your shoes. Be prepared and bring fun socks! Mind your slipper manners!
