My friends run this event space called Asoko in Koenji. I had an event there last summer and the theme was “mad scientist” and this photo is actually from that night. We made 300 falafels for it. By the way, Asoko means “there,” but also is a slang for a vagina.

If you are into "Midnight Diner"-esque night experience but not into a crowded Shinjuku scale, then this is a good alternative. Smaller and much more laid back.

located in one of my favorite neighborhoods in tokyo close to Yoyogi park, nephew is a hidden gem in the residential area ( you can find yourself lost in navigating by GPS on your first visit:-). with a compact space, it feels like walking into the back kitchen of your friend's restaurant for a chat and a bite of what he's cooking. nephew is a happy place to go for a morning refreshment, a cafe date in the afternoon and a cozy night with food and wines. love the vibes and the high energy of the team!

Izu-Oshima is a small island which takes about two and a half hours by speedboat from the center of Tokyo. It is 120km away, but still is "Tokyo". The island welcomes you with a distinctive landscape, having Mt.Mihara, a sacred volacano at the center. Travelers will fully realize how small they are facing the majestic landscape of Izu-Oshima.

Citylight Book at Yoyogi-uehara is the type of independent bookstore where I would wish to hang every week. It opens in the afternoon and runs through late night as a bookstore, as well as a meet-up place, a bar for book lovers. Founded by Kaminaga-san, a veteran who had worked with publishing industry for many years before creating his own version of bookstore, this is a cool place to browse for new titles of books and magazines of a wide range of genres/topics. The second floor works as a nice study room too. CABO, the mix place where the bookstore is located also offers other original selection of snack bar and fine dining. You can easily drift in and out, encountering interesting souls in the hood. I had a book launch and talk event here in May, 2024. It's been such a wonderful experience, good crowd and good vibes only!