Takashimaya Nihonbashi, their flagship, with an impressive depachika (food hall). Minokichi offers Kyoto style bento boxes, Meikahyakusen showcases the best sweets from across Japan. Via Food Sake Tokyo.

Home of the 2014 World Barista Champion.

Not a bad coffee option for their single origins, but their matcha is sweetened 👎

Food Sake Tokyo says, "worth the effort is the only shop in Japan specializing in traditional, handcrafted toothpicks. Yes, toothpicks. And for three hundred years." It’s the real deal.

Wild underwater aquarium built in the 70s. Supposed to have a stunning view of the ocean sea life. Want to go.

Want to go for their Dutch pancake, and their croissants. Also recommended by @drtomostyle. Photo via @path_restaurant_ (Instagram).

The best Ace property I’ve visited. An ambitious project designed by Kengo Kuma which renovated and expanded the historic 1920s Kyoto Central Telephone Company building (providing a beautiful frontage on the north and west sides).

Natural wine and karaoke. You’re in good hands with Tagiri-san. Via Ava Mees.

Beautiful location in an historic machiya (townhouse), now home to a cafe on the ground level and their ‘studio’ upstairs which provides an intimate omakase coffee tasting experience with seven different coffee preparations and snacks (reservations required).

Simple, elegant boutique hotel with quite reasonable prices. Better breakfast than I expected, also a nice lounge and workspace tucked away on the ground floor.

Slick coffee bar in a central location. Recommend the matcha affogato.

Hitsuji Doughnut. Fantastic yeasted style in a variety of Japanese-inflected flavors. Go early and be prepared for a line, often sells out by 1pm. Recommended by Noma team.

A picturesque (and historic) walk through the northeast of Kyoto, passing by a number of beautiful temples and Shinto shrines.

Aoki Food Store. Quality supermarket with plenty of Japanese and imported foods to stock your rental if you’re staying around Shimoda.

Want to go for pizza and natural wine.

Legit tacos, right on Iritahama Beach.

Incredible property in the middle of a nature reserve. Completely unspoiled views of the dramatic western coastline of the Izu Peninsula and surrounding islands. Make sure to plan logistics in advance for this one (esp. transport and food) but WELL worth it. Bookable on Airbnb.

A Zen oasis on the outskirts of Kyoto inside the Aman. Requires an extra effort to make a booking if you’re not a guest of the hotel.

Cozy coffee corner. Want to go. Photo via @brianwjones (Instagram).

Kamikura. What a memorable omakase experience. Takashi is a delightful host and incredible talent, specializing in pairings of fresh and kelp-cured fish. Easily the best meal of my last trip.

Minimal modern cabins overlooking Mount Fuji. Canoe trips, forest horse rides and stargazing await. Want to go! Photo via @ggi_gle (Instagram).

Seasonally-driven cooking in a calming, earthy space that definitely feels like a kindred spirit to something in California. They did a great pop-up in the early years at Scribe Winery and I’ve enjoyed my experiences in Tokyo as well. Photo via @restaurant_eatrip (Instagram).

Natural wines and beautiful izakaya cooking. Want to go. Photo via @melindarjoe (Instagram).

Natural wine bar specializing with an extensive selection of vin jaune. Want to go. Via Alice Feiring. Photo via @shohei_miumiu1109 (Instagram).

Ugenta - a remarkable two room ryokan about half an hour north of Kyoto, five minutes' walk from Kifune Shrine. Time melts away here. Between the exquisite in-room meals, handcrafted furniture from modern legends and private indoor and outdoor baths, you won't want to make other plans.

A boutique hotel in Kanazawa with a strong design sense. A good option to know in the city. Photo via @mizukiitooo (Instagram).

Mekumi - a kaiseki temple to the seasonal bounty of Ishikawa, especially from the sea. One of our first courses was an oyster lightly poached in its own seawater. Such subtle flavors, such clear passion. And an incredible sake lineup. My highest recommendation. Via Richard Wang.

Tempura Koizumi - exceptionally refined tempura. Would definitely return on my next trip.

Creative young chefs. Want to go. Via Matt Harris.

Want to go for yakitori and natural wine. Also highly recommended by Adam Goldberg.

Satoyama Jujo - A quintessentially modern hotel and hot spring retreat in an historic 150 year old farmhouse in the Japanese Alps. Classic Scandinavian furniture is mixed in thoughtfully amongst dark wooden beams in the public areas, while the guest rooms are light, clean, and open up to an unspoiled mountain landscape. My kind of luxury.

Want to go.

Want to go.

Considered to be some of the best yakitori in Tokyo. Want to go. Photo via @croissant_cc (Instagram).

French bistro with natural wines. Want to go.

Edo says to go for sake, but not the standing bar. Want to go.

Creative cooking celebrating the produce of Ishikawa, housed in a former twisted yarn factory. Lunch and dinner tasting menus from ¥6000. Recommended by Keiko from Satoyama Jujo. Want to go.

Kyoumi Kai - soba tasting menu. Want to go. Recommended by Keiko from Satoyama Jujo.

Want to go. Recommended by Keiko from Satoyama Jujo.

Richard Wang has glowing things to say about this ryokan. Timeless, clean lines. Food and tea ceremony also look incredible. Want to go. Photo via @azeigerpeak (Instagram).

Scenic terraced rice paddies that are flooded April-July (supposedly stunning at sunset), and lit by solar LEDs in the fall and winter months. Want to go. Photo via @_hiddendestinations (Instagram).

Highly recommended if you find yourself in Kanazawa; amazingly fresh sushi and donburi, located in one of Japan's most impressive fish markets. Lots of seasonal variety and the unagi comes from the specialist stall across the way. 10 seats and no gaijin to ruin the atmosphere...just great.

Want to go.

Want to go.

The reincarnation of the original Omotesando Koffee. Want to go. Photo via @alifewortheating (Instagram).

Want to go.

Harajuku Gyoza Lou - Emily's friend Steve Jang said it's the best gyoza in Tokyo and I’m not inclined to disagree. Such a simple thing, done really well. And absurdly cheap.

Like a little piece of Copenhagen in Tokyo, Shohei (who trained at Kadeau) and his team have brought some modern European sensibilities to Japanese ingredients.

Stunningly elegant, modern tea house with a variety of housemate wagashi (sweets) and small dishes to pair with their tea tastings. Advance booking highly recommended.

Want to go. Richard Wang’s top wishlisted sushi in Tokyo.

The iconic crossing of Lost in Translation.

New tea house and restaurant from the owners of Higashiya. Want to go.

If you are looking for a new Japanese knife and want to learn about your purchase, this is the place. He will even give you sharpening lessons. We spent two hours here. Highly recommended.

Want to go.

Trust me. Just go. The ruin pubs of Budapest meets Brooklyn coffee culture, with a heavy helping of hygge.

Want to go.

A compact temple to sushi in a basement in Ginza, well worth a detour. Note that a relatively more reasonable menu is available at lunch.

Take a morning run around the Imperial Palace and head through this gate to get a slightly closer look at the palace grounds.

Quintessential urban bliss - Japanese baths carved out of basalt, ready for you to sink into while surveying Otemachi, the Imperial Palace, and greater Tokyo.

Shuzenji Temple. Want to go.

Want to go for soba.

Want to go. Photo via @kisa1015 (Instagram).

Want to go.

Want to go for the hot spring.

Nice design aesthetic at this boutique hotel, would happily stay again.

Ssangyesa temple. Want to go.

Want to go.

Amazing fruit cocktails. Ask what fruits they have and choose the one that inspires you.

Want to go.

A centuries-old soba house. Want to go. Photo via @mayumi_qz7 (Instagram).

Get the prix fixe lunch special - the soba is 👌🏼 (have a highball to pair)

Want to go.

Life-changing Kappo-style tempura in the Ritz-Carlton Kyoto. Make a reservation because the bar only seats 8 people.

Want to go.

Excellent ramen with noodles made to order.

Want to go.

sho-style sushi. my favourite piece would be this ankimo & watermelon narazuke

Want to go.

Want to go for pineapple cakes 🍍🌴

A stunning cedar house in Nara prefecture, designed in collaboration between Airbnb and Go Hasegawa Architects. Want to go. Photo via @carolmultini (Instagram).

Want to go 😳

Want to go. Photo via @betabay1 (Instagram).

Morita Japanese Paper Company - Great shop for traditional Japanese wrapping paper. Photo via @loupillon (Instagram)

A ryotei that serves some of the highest regarded keiseki cuisine in Kyoto. In an interview, Michael Mina singled out chef Yoshihiro Murata as the one he would most love to cook with. Three Michelin stars. Want to go. Photo via @hyukzoo (Instagram).

Hole in the wall location for Higashiya's incredibly elegant wagashi (Japanese sweets) and snacks.

Barcelona chocolate maker with creative chocolate bars like 'gin and tonic'. Also some harder to find cacao varietals like Xoconusco. Their soft serve ice cream looks delicious. Photo via @cacaosampaka_jp (Instagram).

Andys Shin Hinomoto

Andy's Shin Hinomoto. Izakaya with fish and produce fresh from Tsukiji. Open 5pm-midnight, reservations highly recommended. Want to go.

The more under-the-radar neighbor of Bear Pond Espresso, which is how they like it. While they also offer espresso, their specialty is single origin coffee served by cafetiere. Via Time Out Tokyo - http://www.timeout.jp/en/tokyo/venue/10936/Coffea-Exlibris. Photo via @takumiwatanabe (Instagram).

Renowned for its beef, in many preparations. Often booked a year in advance. Be prepared for a ¥50,000 meal. Via Pim. Photo via @drzteo (Instagram).

Grilled turtle. Just one part of a truly impressive kaiseki meal at Matsukawa. Cult following. Super under radar. Reservations extremely difficult. Matsukawa gets my highest recommendation.

Arguably some of the best keiseki cuisine in Tokyo, by personal referral only. Pim also showed me some incredible pictures of her meal there.

Want to go. Photo via @kamilakunda (Instagram).

A ryokan in the mountains of remote Northern Kyoto, with Michelin starred kaiseki cuisine. Want to go. Photo via @gregoryemmer (Instagram).

Stumbled on this Shabu place, with the best beef I've ever tasted.

This restaurant is a long-standing institution, known for both their sukiyaki and shabu. You'll need to reserve for one or the other. Quite the spread. I think I've never eaten as much wagyu in one sitting as we did here 😳.

Kanzake Unagi. Want to go for eel and sake pairing.

Want to go! Photo via @koppianne (Instagram).

The Golden Pavillion is a reconstruction of the temple which sat on this site from 1397 until a fire in 1950. There is debate as to whether the original structure included such extensive gold leaf covering, but it certainly makes for quite a sight. Want to go. Photo via @marleena.ig (Instagram)

Striking temple complex and UNESCO World Heritage site in the hills of East Kyoto. The climb up is full of shops and crowds, but the views are impressive once you get to the top.

The longest wooden structure in Japan, this famous temple houses 1,001 statues of Kannon, the goddess of mercy. Very popular destination.

Stunning spot for coffee with a view overlooking the river in Arashiyama. Darker roast profile.

The workshop of Taichi Kondo, one of the last master woodworkers in Kyoto. He trained under Nakagawa Kiyotsugu, regarded as a national treasure (and who my dad and I happened to meet on our trip to Kyoto in 2004!). Schedule a visit and see how he adapts traditional bucket making techniques to smaller vessels from sake cups to tea canisters and trays.

Super charming cafe down a little side street.

Take a walk across the river and enjoy the exquisite natural landscape on the south side. Beautiful any time of year.

A stunning temple with expansive Zen gardens.

A popular walk through the bamboo forest, a beautiful way to get to other temples in the area.

Yubahan. A traditional yuba maker, recommended in Old Kyoto guidebook. Want to go.

Tawara-ya. Famed ryokan with a centuries-old minimal aesthetic. Must book directly. Want to go.

The modern tea house of Tawara-ya - enjoy matcha service in serenity, seated in Danish modern classics.

A stunning modern cafe amidst the temples of East Kyoto. Darker roasts are the rule here, but it's well worth a visit regardless of your coffee preference.

Mame-cha / delicious obanzai (Kyoto home-style) cooking in a beautiful space. A mix of private rooms and a dramatically lit bar dining space.

Nishiki food market stretches a few blocks long in a straight line. Amazing purveyors of food and culinary paraphernalia. Each stall specializes in something, sesame, cutlery, rice, a rainbow of pickles... I highly recommend.

A fun food market that stretches for several blocks through the center of Kyoto, well worth a wander. Expect everything from a cornucopia of pickles and fresh seafood, to roasted chestnuts and matcha soft serve.

Remarkable tempura house and ryokan. Longer set menu for dinner (by reservation only), with a shorter walk-in menu at lunch.

Legendary sushi. Three Michelin stars. Reservations only accepted by referral from previous guests. Photo via @kosoburo (Instagram).

Want to go.

Want to go for cocktails with aged spirits and deft barmanship.

Great fine dining restaurant. French cooking and Japanese ingredients. Natural wines only. Great for a decadent lunch.

An incredible dining experience, pairing the best of French technique with Japanese ingredients and approach. Exquisite service and flavors. Highly recommend going for lunch.

1 star Michelin omakase, known for their handmade juwari soba. Want to go.

Eight seats, one menu each night. Come to your reservation between 6 and 8, and don't expect to have plans later in the evening. Definitely want to go.

A beautiful shrine nestled next to a river gorge that feeds Kyoto. The walk up feels like a rite of passage.

Quirky, tiny and justifiably celebrated cafe that opened in 1948, with the same owner continuing to oversee the original on-site roaster. Known for cloth-filter brewing of aged coffees, as far back as Cuban beans harvested in 1973. Bean selection rotates on the menu depending on which lots they've roasted that week.

A series of narrow alleys and passageways recommended for its incredible collection of impossibly tiny bars.

Ginza Toyoda. Upscale kappō ryōri recommended by Food Sake Tokyo; unusually for the style, also open for (a more reasonable) lunch. Want to go.

One of the standard bearers for yakitori in the city according to Food Sake Tokyo. Want to go.

Supposed to be great tonkatsu. Want to go.

Sojibou - soba place. Want to go.

Want to go for KIX original goods.

Want to go.

A Zen temple famous for its rock garden, designed with islands of rock and moss amidst raked stones (positioned so at least one is partially obscured, no matter where you're viewing the garden from).

Delicious bread and sandwiches. Don't miss the sweet potato stuffed variety, or the BLT.

A former imperial supplier of green tea from Uji, dating back 140 years. Want to go. Via Old Kyoto book.

Legendary bar near Niseko. Want to go. Photo via @jaacm (Instagram).

SHIPS menswear store. Quality casualwear, suits and shoes, made in or inspired by America.

Twelve stories of stationery, pens, paper and accessories for a colorful life.

A minimal oasis, with spaces at unbelievable scale for the heart of Tokyo

A classical music kissaten. Want to go. Photo via @merumori (Instagram).

Blue Bottle Kiyosumi, their roastery location and biggest space. Want to go. Photo via @mobidididi (Instagram).

Blue Bottle Aoyama. Want to go. Photo via @veryveronica83 (Instagram).

Obana - famous restaurant dedicated to unagi. Want to go.

A legendary soba shop that's been open in this location since 1924, but existed ever farther back. I had a large helping of goma soba (comes with a sesame dip). I never understood the appeal of soba before. Now I do.

Want to go.

Daigo - Shōjin Ryōri (Buddhist temple cuisine) in private rooms with views of a Japanese garden. Via Food Sake Tokyo.

The cooking technic !

Want to go.

Sushi from chef Keiji Nakazawa, highly recommended by Aun Koh. Sounds highly regarded in Japan, but not on many international guidebooks. So the story goes, they kicked out the Michelin reviewers for not appreciating sushi properly. http://chubbyhubby.net/travel/keiji-nakazawa-the-best-sushi-chef-in-the-world-to-us/

18th century bathhouse turned avant garde art gallery. Want to go. Photo via @loveforest1984 (Instagram).

A hedgehog cafe! Want to go. Photo via @rinrym (Instagram).

Tokyo Saryo - a hand drip green tea cafe, looks stunning. Want to go. Photo via @jeff15s (Instagram).

Nui, meaning hand sewing in Japanese, focuses on handcrafted materials and finishes that make you think differently about what a hostel can be. Via Amble magazine. Want to go. Photo via @nightnight_hotels (Instagram).

Airy new space for a well curated collection of clothing. Featured in Monocle. Want to go. Photo via @ayaem (Instagram).

Buddhist temple and bar, with drinks served by the monks themselves. Only in Tokyo. Want to go. Photo via @colleena tonio92 (Instagram).

Have a drink, buy records, even see a live performance. Sounds amazing. Want to go. Photo via @thecaptainsurfs (Instagram).

"Sturdy, well made, simple clothes, inspired by mountaineering and WWI," according to Craig Mod, and the only flagship international outpost for Nigel Cabourn. Want to go. Photo via @nigelcabournejapan (Instagram).

Modern urban fashion and home goods. Featured in Amble. Want to go. Photo via @1ldk_shop (Instagram).

Matyas on Hakone: "Incredible hot springs and, when it's clear, views of Mount Fuji." Want to go see the views from the ropeway in winter.

Want to go. Photo via @_tuck4 (Instagram).

Moku Moku Yu baths at the Risonare Hotel - beautiful round structures set perfectly in the Southern Alps. Want to go. Photo via @tateomif (Instagram).

Chichibu distillery - Ichiro Akuto's small scale effort to make a mark on the Japanese whisky scene. Known for using a fermentation tank of native mizunara oak, as well as blending his new whisky with barrels of his father's old inventory (named Double Distilleries). Want to go. Photo via @seattlecocktail (Instagram).

Nihonbashi Kiya is located in here - Yukari Sakamoto says it's the place to go for traditional knives. Want to go. Photo via @nihonbashi_kiya (Instagram).

Osobano Kouga - serious soba with a very high ratio of buckwheat to flour. Want to go. Photo via @domidom88 (Instagram).

Want to go. Photo via @ilgiapponedimicuore (Instagram).

I was born in Kyoto, and last time I was there I visited Ginkakuji Temple. This very friendly gardener was working on their famous rock and sand gardens. I'm impressed with what can be done with a pile of pebble and a bamboo broom.

The Silver Pavilion - maple trees amidst a two-tiered Zen garden. Want to go.

Zen temple famous for its moss garden. Want to go. Photo via @thomasdoustaly (Instagram).

A family-run business producing hand-forged knives; founded in 1560, they once produced swords for the imperial family. Shop is inside Nishiki Market. Photo via @jondonon (Instagram).

Amazing book store for all good things, design architecture travel food

Want to go.

Not your average night away - equal parts art piece and guest house by James Turrell. Want to go. Photo via @joellok_ (Instagram).

Samsung's extensive art collection, housed in a complex of buildings designed by notable architects. Want to go. Photo via @bonanza.bonanza (Instagram).

Damn good baked goods, particularly anything w chocolate

Want to go.

Kappo-style, less traditional than the main restaurant #wanttogo - via @evansoroka (Instagram)

Exquisite trimmings. Uneven food. Clumsy service. Wish my experience here was better.

Traditional court-style kaiseki cooking from chef Yoshimi Tanigawa (famed for once beating Iron Chef Morimoto), set near one of the oldest Shinto shrines in Japan and the Tadasu no Mori forest. Two Michelin stars. Though UE's experience was mixed, I'm very curious to try it.

#wanttogo - via @goodcoffeeme (Instagram)

Speechless. The best Japanese food you can get in Kyoto IMO. Chateaubriand with Sansho flower was bomb. Make sure to reserve well in advance.

Want to go.

Yeah, my pork belly goes all the way up. Don't it, @newsjean? #wanttogo

#wanttogo

The sounds of Thelonius Monk while you're eating falafel and drinking unusual sake. Want to go.

Want to go. Ash says it's very, very good.

#wanttogo to this guest house - such a clever layout for capsule-style pods and compact double rooms. Also featured by Wallpaper - via @chloeeyuen (Instagram)

Breath. Taken. #wanttogo - via @akiraakuto (Instagram)

Mikawa - want to go for tempura.

Want to go. Photo via Tablet Hotels.

Totally solid business-oriented boutique hotel. As long as you're not looking for a lively scene at your hotel, it's a great option (and very reasonable, ~¥10,000). Via Tablet Hotels.

Want to go. Via Aoki from Kyo Sushi in DF.

Tokyo outpost of the iconic Oslo cafe - a great blend of cafe by day, cocktail bar at night. Via Japan Times - http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2012/05/18/life/serve-yourself-at-oslo-import-fuglen/

Fantastic looking natural wine bar. Definitely want to grab a seat next time I'm in Tokyo.

Maisen - temple to tonkatsu. This is the original location, a former sento they moved to in 1978. Via Wallpaper.

All things Monocle. And a copy of the first issue on display (about Japan, naturally).

This is a bar that makes it's own version of Campari right in front of you by grinding their own botanicals in a mortar and pestle! It's fascinating to watch and is the main component to the best Negroni you will ever have!

Unbelievable. They make their own version of Campari in front of your eyes. Some kind of heaven.

What an extraordinary cocktail experience - a tasting of Gen's recipes using unique (often local) spirits paired with seasonal fruits. Highly recommended. And make sure to make a reservation.

Cocktails and 70s–80s rock on vinyl. What more do you need?

Want to go.

Butagumi - Rob and Matyas both rave about their tonkatsu. And it's totally justified. Go for the shoulder cuts for more flavor (and gloriously tender fat). Perfectly cut with some sweet potato shochu.

Want to go.

Want to go.

Want to go. Craig Mod says it's some of the best coffee in Tokyo.

Want to go.

Want to go. Via Ayaka Morohoshi.

Ramen Bario. Amazingly rich ramen - they grate fat on top, which is better than it sounds! Definitely only need a small.

Want to go.

Museum, bookshop, gift shop. Want to go. Via Craig Mod.

#wanttogo - via @little_meg_siu_meg (Instagram). Cooking from Koichi Hashimoto that reflects his stints at Noma and El Bulli. Highlighted by Robbie Swinnerton in his recap of 2015 Tokyo openings.

Florilege #wanttogo - via @trufflefrites (Instagram)

#wanttogo - via @alsp78 (Instagram)

3rd generation unagi house with a Michelin star. The unajuu (eel glazed in soy) was a highlight, as were the pickles. I recommend. (The name is Ishibashi.)

Want to go.

A tiny, yet extremely friendly little spot worth a stop.

Want to go.

A multi roaster that is from the omnibus coffee crew. Great spot for a coffee near shibuya crossing.

Want to go.

Speechless indeed #wanttogo - via @ramenjunkie (Instagram)

Great food, grapefruit Soju.

Want to go.

The best beef tongue I've ever had.

Want to go for beef tongue.

#wanttogo for ramen!

Yes. A shop dedicated to French butter. Prepare for crowds in this tiny shop, especially for morning croissants #wanttogo

Jazz

In the Park Hyatt Tokyo, spectacular view and live jazz. Expensive but worth a visit.

#wanttogo - via @setouchifinder (Instagram)

#wanttogo - via @xcanadian (Instagram)

#wanttogo - via @drtomostyle (Instagram)

Great izakaya for a late night dinner or snack.

Want to go.

Hiragiya - one of the most historic kyokan in Kyoto, stayed here years ago with my dad. Impeccable service, elegant keiseki meals served in your room.

Smell of Real Izakaya

Want to go for omakase...

Jung Sikdang, Seoul... EVERYTHING IS INCREDIBLE. I've been five times, in NYC and Korea. Can't stop going

Jung Sikdang. Sounds like I have to go.

Want to go.

René Redzepi's favourite coffee in Tokyo. Delicious and roasted in-house.

Supposedly Rene Redzepi's favorite coffee in Tokyo. Want to go. Originally via Adam Burde.

Want to go for ramen.

Unique + eclectic goods. Located on calm street.

I want to see these eclectic general goods.

Worth the queue. Amazing nigiri. Personal recommendation from Take at Paddlers Coffee.

Sushi Nomidori. Want to go.

Want to go for gyukatsu (beef cutlet). Sounds like you need to be prepared for a wait!

The 105-story phantom hotel under construction since 1987. Trip to North Korea anyone? Photo via @dguttenfelder on Instagram.

Unbelievably tasty, bean to bar and single origin chocolates made with just cocoa and sugar. Try the hot chocolate drink, it's a true winner and unlike anything I've ever had. Extremely helpful and kind staff.

Bean to bar single origin chocolate. Definitely want to go.

Spent many months eating many bowls of ramen. This comes out on top. Beautifully blended bowl of tsukemen. Surprisingly packed with tender chunks of braised pork. Absolute perfection.

Andrew's favorite tsukemen? I have to go.

Brilliant coffee, roasted locally, served in a warm and inviting atmosphere. Owners are an American / Japanese couple from Seattle...and they know what they're doing.

Want to go.

Good coffee. Recommended.

Want to go.

Katsu Tanaka crafts a rich, syrupy espresso shot here, with chocolatey notes - truly a unique style. Featured in #filmaboutcoffee. Also try the 'dirty'. Via Adam Goldberg - http://www.alifewortheating.com/tokyo/bear-pond

Sushi Sawada. Want to go. Photo via @enriqueof on Instagram.

This market looks crazy, and amazing. Via louise_bannon on Instagram.

The best beef I have ever had. Omakase beef meal including heart, all 3 stomachs, chateaubriand, fillet, tongue, and a bunch more. Almost all raw or barely brushed over the flame, paired with specific dips or condiments. Really enjoyable and satisfying meal. All for around ¥10000 per person.

The various preparations of beef here, barely kissed by flames, sound incredible. Definitely want to go.

Want to see the kinetic clock sculpture in action.

What an incredible coffee experience. Definitely grab a seat at the bar and order the aged beans slow drip. Aron brought back some of those beans to SF and we had a special tasting of them at Blue Bottle Mint Plaza - so wonderful to taste the origin of the nel drip.

Friendly little coffee kiosk featuring single origin beans from Voila Coffee. Via Coffee Drinkers Make Better Lovers: http://coffeedrinkersmakebetterlovers.wordpress.com/2013/03/12/tokyo-coffee-trail-8-be-a-good-neighbor-coffee-kiosk/

Fantastic wagashi-ya and teahouse that I originally discovered in Meguro years ago. This location is an oasis in Ginza.

Dongdaemun Design Plaza - a striking complex by Zaha Hadid. Want to go. Via @pketron on Instagram.

"The experimental artist Choi Jeong Hwa has turned this former hovel into a riotous, well, hovel that doubles as a cafe and alternative gallery." Want to go. Via NY Times.

David Kinch brought me to this vintage absinthe bar. Crazy expensive, vintage liquors. Amazing cocktails. Get the "44": 1 orange + 44 coffee beans + 1 litre Calvados + 44 days. I highly recommend.

Sounds like an absurdly unique, exotic and expensive trip down a worm(wood)hole. If David Kinch introduced Bonjwing to this bar, it must be worth an expedition.

A quintessential onsen ryokan; your soundtrack will simply be the river that bends around your room. Private and communal baths, kaiseki cuisine, shiatsu massage in your room. Via Tablet Hotels.

Want to go.

Dustin says this Mandarin Oriental is one of his top hotels in the world (along with the Tokyo Park Hyatt). It's also where Noma is basing their Japanese pop-up in early 2015. Want to go.

Jiro Ono, chef-proprietor of this legendary sushi restaurant, embodies both the character and quality of what is served here. This is where Joel Robuchon says he learned that sushi is an art. Three Michelin stars for this 10-seat sushi bar in the basement floor of a building just outside Ginza station. Reservations only by telephone, and no one at this location speaks English.

Sushi Takumi Okabe - omakase in a tiny spot in a quiet corner of Meguro. What an experience I had here with my dad. Sylvan told us the chef (pictured) was the mentor of Masa (of Masa's in NYC).

Rob has glowing things to say. Tough to find though! Not to be confused with a place in Tsukiji with the same name. Must try it on my next trip.

Looks like an excellent soba place.

Mitsukoshi in Ginza. As Matyas told me,"basements of department stores in Japan are like giant food playgrounds, and this is one of the biggest ones." You'll find all kinds of savory and sweet options, inluding some truly only-in-Japan finds like $200 melons.

Want to go. Via Ian Hathaway.

A little piece of California in a tucked-away house in Tokyo, with a set menu that changes with the seasons. Sylvan worked at Chez Panisse with owner Yuri Nomura. Email her for reservations: yuri@babajiji.com

Tasty tempura, esp. the clam. Via Food Sake Tokyo.

Kiwi roaster comes to Tokyo. Definitely enjoyed their London cafe. Want to go.

Stunning looking modern ryokan, one of the highest rated accommodations in Japan on Tablet Hotels - http://www.tablethotels.com/Arcana-Izu-Hotel/Izu-Hotels-Mt-Fuji-Hakone-area-Japan/103547

Got my iPhone 6 here!

Sounds like a great collection of clothing (spread across multiple shops in the area) Want to go.

Site of the Tokyo screening of A Film About Coffee, 19 Sept.

Hidetsugu Ueno dispenses with menus and will make you a drink predicting your mood in the moment. Neyah White says Ueno-san is a joy. Want to go.

Two floors down in the Saitoh Building, a Scotch Malt Whiskey Society haven. *Need to update location to my photo's geotag.

Very tasty tsukemen in the basement of Tokyō station. David Chang raved about the broth in the first issue of Lucky Peach. Be prepared for a serious wait.

Two locations in Yaesu Shopping Mall, only one does tastings. Neyah White, bartender and Suntory ambassador: "Happy place. This tiny, but very complete shop is in the massive basement level of Tokyo station. To make things worse, there is a sake shop of similar name down there too and it is nowhere near the whisky shop. Still try to go. They keep many bottles open and will sell you small tastes for ¥500 or so which is a great deal."

Want to go. Via Claska concierge.

Yukari Sakamoto says it's the best coffee near Tsukiji market, and I'd have to agree! Beans from Streamer; darker roast but perfectly balanced, and exquisite latte art. Opens at 7am, Kawasaki-san is also a friend of hers.

Bar Ishinohana - personally had a mixed experience. Creative but small drinks, cover charge wasn't apparent. Neyah White, bartender and Suntory ambassador: "Ishigaki-san bucks the establishment of refined classics by putting creativity and modern technique into his menu. His garnishes alone are worth the effort to visit."

Teuchi Soba Narutomi - a favorite of Japanese food journalists according to Food Sake Tokyo. Want to go.

Recommended by Food Sake Tokyo for regional pottery at reasonable prices. Want to go.

Well known patisserie that does creative Japanese twists on French classics. I know them well from Paris, arguably my next favorite macarons after Pierre Hermé. Want to go.

Yukari Sakamoto of Food Sake Tokyo considers theirs the best depachika (food hall) in Tokyo, including a Pierre Hermé outpost and a stunning rooftop garden. Suzukake features wagashi in sleek bamboo packages. Want to go.

Food Sake Tokyo says if you visit one soba restaurant in Tokyo, it should be this. Fifth generation establishment dating back to 1880. Want to go.

Shinjuku outpost of the department store Takashimaya, with three floors of restaurants at the top (including Din Tai Fung!), and a shop from Kikunoi (the famous Kyoto kaiseki restaurant) in the depachika (food hall). Via Food Sake Tokyo. Want to go.

Sushi Kyubey Ginza. Fantastic omakase, one of Yukari Sakamoto's favorites. One of the rare top spots that offers lunch (and it's more reasonable then).

Quintessentially delicious chocolates, and ice cream.

Tempura Kondō - high end tempura that Sylvan raved about. Be prepared for an expensive meal (~¥15000). Want to go.

A restaurant dedicated to pickles in many forms. Food Sake Tokyo says to ask for the bubuchazuke, an array of pickles served with grilled fish. Want to go.

Want to go.

Neyah White says it's the best pastry in Tokyo. Want to go.

Neyah White, bartender and Suntory ambassador: "This bar essentially embodies a school of bartending that has produced many of Japan's top bar folk." Want to go.

Akaoni Izakaya. "Super bustling izakaya between Meguro and Setagaya with a huge sake list and manic sake servers. A scene. I particularly liked the fried herring nanbanzuke." Want to go.

Hibiki in a hidden cabinet. For relaxing times.

Shuttle for the Park Hyatt at Shinjuku station - small sign in front of the UFJ bank if you make a left outside of the Shinjuku L-Tower. Don't take the Ozone bus though, there's a separate car.

Toyo Ito's architectural landmark for Tod's in Omotesando. Want to go.

Neyah White: "A little hard to find but worth it." Want to go.

Great food. Beautiful ambiance.

Looks like a stunning spot. Want to go.

New coworking space in Shibuya.

Want to go.

Want to go.

Looks like a great clothing store with unique designer collaborations - multiple locations in Tokyo, this is in Omotesando Hills. Via Cote & Ciel.

Japan Handmade - a collection of modern traditionally crafted wares. Still trying to find the bucket maker (pictured) who I discovered with my dad years ago...

Roppongi nightclub recommended by Sean Tom. Used to be called Lexington Queen, but had a facelift.

Open since 1988, one of the places that has helped define Japanese cafe culture. Beautiful clothing and furniture shops next door. Via Adam Goldberg.