More Tokyo Dining: Jidori Chicken, Izakaya and a run to the Tokyo Skytree

[yflyer]

And then something entirely unexpected…chicken sashimi…a fairly uncommon dish…

I suspect my hosts were trying to put something on the table that I would not dare try. No luck there, of course I ate it.



There are health risks consuming undercooked chicken, however given the focus on food safety and quality in Japan, this was one of the few occasions I was comfortable eating raw chicken, and I enjoyed more than a few slices of this dish.

That old favourite, chicken kariage…



Omelette, Japanese style…



Beancurd with mushroom…



And if all that wasn’t enough, there was ramen as well!



Quite an amazing feast…washed down with copious pours of a wide range of different sakes…

The chef/proprietor, a young, friendly and very welcoming person, not to mention an extremely versatile and talented chef came out of his kitchen and thanked us warmly after dinner.

It was just a short walk in the cool night air, through narrow winding streets, back to Yebisu Garden Place and the Westin.

[yflyer]

On another occasion, my Japanese colleagues brought me to another small Izakaya with outstanding cuisine. It was down a street in a very popular part of Tokyo that was famous for its food and nightlife…



However the name of this next restaurant must remain unpublished, because the chef in this Izakaya had very clear views on what his patrons could and could not do. Pictures of his sublime dishes were fine, but no blogs. “This is not Disneyland” he said in English with a slight scowl, and in some ways his point of view was valid.

Again, small plates accompanied by sake…



Sea snails, teased out of their shells with toothpicks…



Tofu with bonito flakes and that crunchy green local vegetable again…



Jellied meat…



Superfine slivers of sashimi…



Diced sashimi tartar with sesame and a raw egg yoke…



Shirako (Fish milt) was still in season…a delightful treat…



Barbequed vegetables, which tasted amazingly flavourful…



Simply grilled fish…exceedingly fresh…



And tofu…



Another varied and marvellous dinner, sadly in an Izakaya whose name and address I am not in a position to share.

Next up, a run to the Tokyo Skytree.

To be continued!

[726]

Hi 726!

The Westin is a great hotel. Superb service, very convenient location and large guest rooms (It only occured to me when you mentioned it that many of the other hotels in Tokyo don't offer a large bathtub.). The room decor is a little ordinary, and as mentioned I am not really a fan of this style of classical dark food furniture, but other than that, this would be one of my preferred hotels in Tokyo.

I am surprised you had issues around smells in your hotel room in Osaka. In Japan, people here are so fanatical about cleanliness and smells, almost every hotel and public place I have been to has been spotless. Certainly the Westin was sparkling clean and odour-free. Could it be that someone was smoking in your hotel room? One thing about Japan though, people do smoke. Smoking is allowed in restaurants too.

Yes, about the bathtub, I remembered only Mercure Ginza, Hotel Hankyu International in Osaka, and several transit hotels in Narita have it (but with the exact same design - I think it was made by Toshiba)

Regarding the smelly room, the smell was some kind of old wood smell mixed with cigarette smell. And I remembered my hotel in Nagoya too has that smell (maybe due to old age). Yes, a lot of people do smoke in Japan, but at least they honour the "kinen" sign (no smoking sign) unlike in Korea. In fact it is quite rare to find non-smoking male Japanese (well just found out that my Japanese language teacher is also non-smoker and he was the only Japanese male I know not to smoke).

BTW thanks for the food review.. Enjoyed it, and thank god, just one ramen pics. Ramen pics makes me hungry which will never be satisfied in Japan due to pork broth. I do not eat beef or pork. Those salmon sashimi looks good. Where is the second izakaya? Looks like a kanda area, but not sure.

[yflyer]

BTW thanks for the food review.. Enjoyed it, and thank god, just one ramen pics. Ramen pics makes me hungry which will never be satisfied in Japan due to pork broth. I do not eat beef or pork. Those salmon sashimi looks good. Where is the second izakaya? Looks like a kanda area, but not sure.

Glad you enjoyed the TR! Have you tried Marutama Ramen in Singapore? They use chicken stock, not pork. It is one of the better ramen joints here.

The second izakaya was in Shinjuku, near Yotsuyasanchome Station. I'm afraid I can't be more specific than that ...

[yflyer]

Continuing with the TR...

The Eiffel Tower and Paris are almost synonymous. A visitor to Shanghai cannot fail to notice the Oriental Pearl Tower. Ditto the CN Tower in Toronto, and other towers in Sydney, and Kuala Lumpur.

But the Tokyo Skytree? I had never heard of it. I suspect a large fraction of visitors to Tokyo have never set eyes on it, and some may even be blissfully unaware of its existence. In central Tokyo, the Tokyo Tower, which looks like a miniature Eiffel Tower, painted red and white, is a known landmark, but that is a different tower all together.

Somehow the Tokyo Skytree has not captured the world’s imagination.

And yet, at 634 meters, it is the currently the tallest tower in the world, based on an engineering definition that excludes office or residential buildings.



If you include buildings, Burj Khalifa is the tallest, but covers all self supporting and free standing structure accessible to people. The Skytree is the world’s 2nd tallest structure, after the Burj Khalifa at 830 meters.

The Tokyo Skytree remains less well known. I can guess the reasons.

First, location. It is not prominantly visible from central Tokyo. It is a little outside the city centre, some distance to the northeast of Tokyo, in a fairly uninteresting part of the city, compared to the the excitement and bustle of central Tokyo.

Second, while it is a top notch engineering achievement, the tower just lacks any kind of aesthetic beauty or charisma. Put simply, it is a boring grey metal spike with a few twists, curves and bulges. Yes people take photos of it, but I can’t see anyone ordering a poster sized photo and framing it in their home.

All that said, once inside, the views of Tokyo and beyond are spectacular, and a ride to the top is a worthwhile activity in Tokyo.

And although I was staying in Shibuya, in central – southwest Tokyo, it made for a very tempting running route, from the Westin, past the Imperial Palace, and along the Sumida River to the Skytree, a beautiful 15km route heading straight northeast, right through Tokyo.

I started at the Westin…



…and headed through the busy and narrow streets around Roppongi Hills…



Before reaching the Japanese Diet and Imperial Palace at around the 6km mark…


Carefully following other runners on the designated walking/jogging trail…



…which did include a small segment through an open Palace gate…



…although I was careful to stay on the route around the Palace, and not head into the Palace Grounds, where running is prohibited…



I continued along the jogging trail…



…past the Imperial Palace complex…



…and further through the city…



…until I reached the bank of the Sumida River…

[yflyer]

For the last 3km of the route, I followed the path along the Sumida River…



There is a beautiful running / walking path by the riverbank…



…with signboards along the way showing some of the history of the area…



…and reproductions of paintings from the past…



Some of the boats on the river look as if they came off the set of an Ultraman movie…



…and finally, a good look at the Skytree itself…



Do you see what I mean about the aesthetics of the tower?

To my eyes this design just looks decidedly functional, to put it charitably. It does not engage the senses the way many other megastructures do. Could this really have been designed in the country that gave us the sleek curves of the bullet train, the beauty of Bonsai and intricate foldings of origami? This tower's shape is so bland that it is even impossible to give it a rude nickname like London's Gherkin or Beijing's Big Pants.

That said, I am certain that it was a spectacular feat of engineering, the work of master builders, especially in an earthquake prone city like Tokyo. For that the architects and engineers must receive a thumbs up. Anyway once you are in the tower, you don't have to look at it, and instead you can focus on admiring the stunning vista around you.

Japan is one city where cyclists and pedestrians seem to coexist just fine on the pavement…



If I were living in Japan, I would seriously consider bicycles for short distance commuting. Not only is the weather very good for cycling most of the year, people here are also very considerate, with bikes and pedestrians taking care to give each other any necessary space needed. No lycra-clad cyclists zooming around on expensive racers. No illegally modified electric bicycles terrorizing road users and pedestrians alike. Everyone here was using their practical bikes here for a useful purpose i.e. to get from point A to point B.

[yflyer]

Just under 2 hours after I started my run from the Westin Tokyo, I arrived at the Skytree.



A very pleasant 15.5km route right across Tokyo. Highly recommended, especially if the weather is good!

The tower complex itself is close to a metro station, and has a large shopping/restaurant complex at its base, which is good, because apart from that, the area around the tower has few other attractions.

Afer cooling off, I bought myself a ticket from the express international visitor queue (No queue, but costs more...) and headed up the tower.

There were many school excursion groups at the tower, and a smattering of mainly Asian tourists as well.

There are two observation galleries in the tower. I visited the main observation deck at a height of 350m, with its panoramic views of Tokyo.



The day I was there, it was slightly hazy, so Mt Fuji was not visible, but the views of the city were still quite stunning.



According to the brochure, somewhere in the distance, obscured by the haze, was Mt Fuji.



There was also an interactive electronic map to help visitors locate different sights…



Walking around the observation deck to the other side, Tokyo Bay, and Tokyo Disneyland were also visibile in the distance (Not easy to spot in the next picture, unless you know exactly what you are looking for.)



Up in the main observation deck, there was a whiteboard showing exactly what was visible that day, so you could decide whether or not to buy a ticket (Separate ticket needed) and queue to go up to the 2nd observation deck, at 450m.



That day, Mt Fuji was not visible, so I decided to save a visit to the upper deck for another day. Well that gives me a reason to head back another time, hopefully with Mrs yflyer and the kids…

And for a small added thrill, there is also a section of glass floor which visitors can walk on (At no additional charge!), and look at the ground 350m below.



It’s really no big deal…



…but some visitors appeared near hysterical and paralysed with fear the moment they stepped on the perfectly stable and safe glass…

Overall, I had a great time visiting the tower, and I would recommend it if you had a few hours to spare in Tokyo. Try to visit on a clear day, though, ideally when Mt Fuji is visible, to make the most from your visit.

Travel time via metro from central Tokyo is probably less than 45 minutes each way.

But in my opinion, much more interesting to run to the SkyTree, head up for a look, then take the metro back to the hotel.

The full 15.5km route that day...

[yflyer]

I headed back to my hotel just in time for my late check-out, and then left my luggage at the hotel to head to Shibuya for some last minute shopping before heading to Haneda for my flight home.

And to wrap up the TR, here is a quick update on the catering available in JAL’s main Sakura Business Class lounge in Haneda.



This is a beautiful business class lounge, with very tasteful and elegant natural wood décor, and very impressive catering.



I have previously covered this lounge in a lot of detail in this TR.

Here is an update on the catering in the lounge, when I was there in late April after my run to the Tokyo Skytree, prior to my flight home.

The liquor/wine selection…no more Japanese whisky (Sigh.)





JAL’s signature Sky Time fruit drink is now being served in a kiwi-flavoured edition…still delicious…



Bread from Maison Kaiser…



Salads…



Chilled corn soup…



Japanese style 7 vegetable soup…

[yflyer]

Prawn sushi and appetizer-sized bowls of udon…








Savoury vegetabe tempura…



My favourite dish of them all…JAL’s signature Japanese beef curry, accompanied by short grained rice…yum! This dish alone was a significant contributing factor in my decision to fly JAL…



Miso soup…



Pork & Shrimp dumplings…



Fried chicken with sugared vinegar…



Fried rice…



Creamy pasta…



Overall, catering was superb. Some of my favourite lounge fare anywhere in the world.

[yflyer]

And then I was back on familiar territory, on JAL’s 767 back to Singapore…



Just a few pictures of the catering onboard this flight. For fuller coverage of the JAL 767 economy experience, please refer to this recent TR.

A G&T and a snack before snoozing in JAL’s comfortable new 767 Y product…



…and a sumptuous breakfast (By Y standards…) before landing…



Again, a lot of attention to detail, including a sheet of waxed paper under the metal lid to prevent the food from sticking to the aluminum foil…



A beautiful breakfast spread…



…comprising fruit, two appetizers…



…and sausage and egg as a main…and what amazing soft yolks the egg had…



I have seldom enjoyed breakfast on a plane so much. A great end to the trip!

Thanks for reading!

[726]

Glad you enjoyed the TR! Have you tried Marutama Ramen in Singapore? They use chicken stock, not pork. It is one of the better ramen joints here.

The second izakaya was in Shinjuku, near Yotsuyasanchome Station. I'm afraid I can't be more specific than that ...

Must be the salarymens area.

Funny that you mentioned marutama. I just got home from marutama in jakarta. Lol. There are several chicken stock ramen here in jakarta, but i also know some in japan. Firstly, kagari in ginza (this is the most popular, officially a soba). Secondly, seirokka/seirokuya in tsukuba (i am not sure how to read the last kanji as it can be read ka and ya). Lastly, the name escaped me but it is located near tsukiji and has a restaurant in akihabara as well.

Seems jal is a good way to fly... I am curious which one is better though. I flew ana several times, and jal once in year 1999. I was a little child back then and unexpectedly upgraded to business class, but my memory is not so vivid.

[Tonitan]

Great TR again! From your TR,JL's C lounge makes NH's C lounge pale in comparison. And the inflight catering is truely impressive even for EY. Perhaps my next trip I would give JL a try. And Dons De La Nature for steak! It has eluded me each time due to work commitments

[yflyer]

Great TR again! From your TR,JL's C lounge makes NH's C lounge pale in comparison. And the inflight catering is truely impressive even for EY. Perhaps my next trip I would give JL a try. And Dons De La Nature for steak! It has eluded me each time due to work commitments

Thanks, Tonitan!

Yes, the JAL Haneda lounges have excellent catering -- one of the few airport lounges that I am quite happy to have dinner in, rather than eat elsewhere in the terminal.

And thanks for the Dons De La Nature recommendation! I had not heard of this place, but I googled it and it looks really great. Very pricey, though!

Seems jal is a good way to fly... I am curious which one is better though. I flew ana several times, and jal once in year 1999. I was a little child back then and unexpectedly upgraded to business class, but my memory is not so vivid.

Hi 726, I have never flown on ANA. They have been on my "To Fly" list for a really long time. Hopefully I will get to try them soon!

[726]

Waiting for the next TR. JAL is in my list of must try, but i am star-alliance oriented, and i only have one other active FF: skyteam garuda (blue). But once my BA membership is active and in use (this december from AMS to LCY), I will consider JAL.

Definitely you should try ANA. I've been using ANA more than SQ for east asian routes and america this past year due to excellent food and excellent seat arrangement (i was talking about J class). Seat are not too big but very functional (much more functional than SQ's huge seat. I never flew Y in ANA international - I know it is weird since my flight with SQ nearly always Y class except some J and PY.

But i heard from travellers that NH Y food is ranging from not too good to regular, but their J foods are wow (i can only smile when talking about them).

[yflyer]

Definitely you should try ANA. I've been using ANA more than SQ for east asian routes and america this past year due to excellent food and excellent seat arrangement (i was talking about J class). Seat are not too big but very functional (much more functional than SQ's huge seat. I never flew Y in ANA international - I know it is weird since my flight with SQ nearly always Y class except some J and PY.

But i heard from travellers that NH Y food is ranging from not too good to regular, but their J foods are wow (i can only smile when talking about them).

Thanks for the advice, 726! Yes planning to try ANA on one of my upcoming trips, probably as part of a UA/ANA ticket since UA and ANA have codeshares to/from the US.