Categories
Cafes

a-bridge

10539156_f10167d1c5_o

On my way back from work last Friday I stopped by Sangenjaya to meet up with Midori, and she brought me to what I think has become my new favorite cafe, a-bridge. Great atmosphere, funky furniture, a tiny gallery space, an outdoor deck on the roof… They also had lots of books laying around, including an Enki Bilal BD, and in French no less! Can’t wait to go back.

Categories
Cafes

Wireless Cafes

I’m looking for some recommendations of nice cafes in Tokyo that offer free wireless internet access. I’m especially looking for tips on places in Harajuku/Shibuya/Aoyama (and Ikebukuro). I’m not really interested in chains (Starbucks and the like). I’m basically looking for some places where I could plop down with my laptop and write for a few hours.

Categories
Cafes

Idee Service Station: RIP?

Heard from Marxy: the Idee Service Station in Yutenji is currently closed. Still no idea on whether this is permanent or not.

Categories
Cafes Magazines

TW: Tokyo Cafe Style

200502000060If you’re into the Tokyo cafe scene, you might want to pick the new issue of TOKYO WALKER (out today). The feature covers “Tokyo Cafe Style,” a look at the latest cafes to open in the city, a few trends, etc. It’s not the best of guides — I prefer the cafe guides they do for specific areas, like Aoyama or Shibuya — but I’ll probably end up looking up a few places mentioned (although the article spends too much time focusing on the big chains).

Categories
Cafes Stores TB.Grafico

Meal Muji

8768659_e87de1c15d_o

Having lunch at Meal Muji, inside the flagship Muji store in Yurakucho.

Categories
Cafes TB.Grafico

Cafe de Crie

8410365_5ad6f7e93d_o

I’m not particularly fond of the Cafe de Crie chain, but they just opened a new branch last Friday not far from my place (it’s in a new restaurant complex called Face), and it’s actually not half bad. Also, hard to believe, but that guy on the left was actually wearing a Bape tee — something I hadn’t seen in ages.

Categories
Cafes Magazines

Kateigaho International

I haven’t been keeping up with the magazine KATEIGAHO INTERNATIONAL. Although it does sport some gorgeous photography throughout, the content just doesn’t seem to interest me that much, as their focus definitely wanders towards the more traditional aspects of Japan. I did have a look through the latest issue (Spring 2005) earlier today, and there are a few articles of note: a brilliant pictorial with cover girl Chiaki Kuriyama, a look at the Meguro-ku area (we meet the Organic Cafe‘s Kazumasa Aihara — who also runs Depot and NEMS in the area — and Transit‘s Sadahiro Nakamura), and a talk with Cow Books creator Yataro Matsuura about libraries in Japan.

The Meguro-ku article reveals some interesting news. The Organic Cafe will definitely move sometime in 2005 (I’ve been hearing this since last year, with no set date), to make way for the Nakameguro Redevelopment Progam, whatever that is. As for Transit, they will be opening two new Claska-like hotels: one in Shibuya, and one in Akasaka.

Categories
Cafes

Office Meguro Closed

I was at Claska last Friday to see the “Catholic” show — very enjoyable, and loved the vibrating cat — and thought I’d stop by Office in Meguro, since I’m never in that area. I first went up to the desk person at the hotel to find out when it opened, and she looked at me strangely, and then when I asked again, she said the place was already closed, which didn’t make sense to me. I ended up going to the cafe, only to find that it had been closed down, and was now only available as a room to be rented. The Transit site doesn’t seem to have been updated though.

Categories
Cafes

Bye Bye Bape Cafe

Another sign that Bape is nowhere near where it was a couple of years ago: I stopped by the Bape Cafe in Aoyama earlier today only to see that it had closed down, with a tiny sign on the window explaining that this had happened for “certain reasons.” Yeah, certain reasons. Love the brand or hate it, it was still a nice cafe, created by Wonderwall.

Categories
Books Cafes Stores Tokyo Walking

Tokyo Bookstores

o2

While I’m clearing up some notes, here are a couple of bookstores I keep wanting to check out.

  • Hacknet
    Pictured above, this bookstore is in Daikanyama. They’re also behind the book sections at Sign and Claska, and have a couple of shops in Osaka.
    1-30-10 West Ebisu
  • Utrecht
    Another attractive bookshop in the vicinity.
    2-1-1-2F West Ebisu
  • Tora
    A very nice-looking cafe in the same area, so a good spot to relax and browse the books and magazines you just bought.
    2-8-8-2F West Ebisu