Sights, Attractions, and Food

This weekend reminded me what an incredible city Tokyo is, as if I need any reminder of that. I started out by cracking open that Tokyo city atlas which I received when I first moved here and headed out to experience and capture some of the best sights, attractions, and food that the city had to offer.

My first stop was breakfast at the Prince Park Tower Hotel, which I consider one of the best hotels I've ever stayed in. The hotel is close to Tokyo Tower, which would be my next stop, and having stayed there in the past I knew their breakfast was worth the trip.

Weekend brunch at the Park Tower is served in the sky lounge which is on the 33rd floor of the hotel overlooking Tokyo Tower and other sights in the city. The food isn't quite amazing, but it's not incredibly pricey either, as you may expect, and it's tasty. I enjoyed the steamed scallops and salmon, and the eggs and pancakes really hit the right spot. Once I was stuffed it was time to get up and walk off all that food. My next stop was Tokyo Tower, which is a quick walk from the Park Tower through the hotel's garden and neighboring shrine (name?).

The hotel sits inside a park and the grounds are very well kept which is one of the hotel's most appealing qualities. I couldn't help myself from stopping and taking a few pics on my way through as I've done in the past, it never gets old. After a few clicks of the shutter is was time to ascend Tokyo Tower, one of the major attractions in the city.

"Tokyo Tower is a communications and observation tower located in Shiba Park, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. At 332.5 metres (1,091 ft), it is the second tallest artificial structure in Japan. The structure is an Eiffel Tower-inspired lattice tower that is painted white and international orange to comply with air safety regulations.

Built in 1958, the tower's main sources of revenue are tourism and antenna leasing. Over 150 million people have visited the tower since its opening. FootTown, a 4-story building located directly under the tower, houses museums, restaurants and shops. Departing from here, guests can visit two observation decks. The 2-story Main Observatory is located at 150 meters (492 ft), while the smaller Special Observatory reaches a height of 250 meters (820 ft)." - Wikipedia

I've been to the top of the tower before at night, which is probably an even more amazing experience, but I couldn't help and wonder at the vastness of the city and how peaceful everything looks from above. One of the most distinctive features of Tokyo is the commingling of tall, modern skyscrapers with small, traditional city homes. It gives Tokyo a community feel despite its large size and gives you some respite from its sometimes overwhelming scale. I took about 30 minutes enjoying the view from the top of the tower and taking a few photos, then I headed off to Ginza and Nihonbashi for some shopping and dinner.

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Last night I went out with a couple guys to try out this seafood joint, best possible description, in Azabu Juban. I think the video pretty much says it all, but the food was great and relatively cheap and I will definitely be going back.

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Tenku No Tsuki

Tonight I rolled the restaurant die and ended up at Tenku No Tsuki in Shibuya, Tokyo. The food was good, though overpriced, and the service was great. The decor was a solid attempt at a traditional Japanese setting although the execution wasn't stellar. Overall the restaurant wasn't a bad experience although I came away feeling underwhelmed.

I selected this restaurant out of a dining guide that was sitting in my temporary apartment in Roppongi. In the guide Tenku No Tsuki was billed as offering "creative Japanese cuisine in a tranquil and sophisticated setting. The decor is tasteful, simple, and elegant". With a description like this it's worth a try. I wasn't sure exactly where the restaurant was located so I took a cab there. As it turned out it was only a short 15 minute walk from my apartment in Shibuya.

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When I arrived at Tenku No Tsuki I was greeted with the usual Japanese hospitality then direct to one of the private boots along the sides of the restaurant. I am sure there is a

special Japanese name for these rooms, I'll have to research that. I like the idea of a private boot except this room looked and felt like a prison cell. Even the door had a certain prison feel to it. The space must have been 6' x 6' max and, while cozy, was devoid of any charm. In the middle of the restaurant was a tranquil looking open-air dining area (pictured above) which was a significant contrast to the rooms themselves. I did take a peak at some of the other rooms in the restaurant and noticed that some had large windows which probably makes the dining experience a lot different.

As I sat down I asked the waitress what dishes the restaurant was known for and she said, wait for it.... sushi. Hmm, that's a bold statement to make in Japan but I went with it anyway. I asked the waitress to order for me and she picked a mixed sushi bowl along with some grilled pork, a folded omelet, and edamame. The food was good, but not memorable and at the price point it wasn't great value either. The rolled omelet was interesting even though it was just egg and cheese with something that gave it a sweet taste. The sushi really wasn't worth

talking about, except for the fact that it was priced about 30% above what I would pay at my favorite sushi eatery. The grilled pork was tasty and worth having a second time.

For what it's trying to be, Tenku No Tsuki isn't exactly there yet although it makes a solid effort. I could imagine having lots of fun here with a large group even though it wouldn't be a cheap night out. The cost of a full meal will probably be 5,000 to 7,000 Japanese Yen.

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