Elite Traveler May-June 2016

elite traveler MAY/JUNE 2016 121

WHERE TO PARK THE JET...

● NARITA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT Distance to city center: 42.2 miles

● SHIMOFUSA AIRPORT Distance to city center: 20.8 miles

● HANEDA AIRPORT Distance to city center: 11.2 miles

WHERE TO SHOP

Bloom & Branch Beautifully designed and curated store in Aoyama selling apparel for men and women – both in-house designs and other brands – and a selection of home goods including ceramics. The shoeshine bar and (excellent) coffee counter are bonuses. bloom-branch.jp Toga Designer Yasuko Furuta’s womenswear brand has managed to build a sturdy international reputation and some celebrity fans with its avant-garde patterns, bold cuts and eye-catching accessories. The store is moments from Harajuku crossing. toga.jp hard-to-find items from past collections. The new outlet is located in Harajuku above the brand’s main shop and is designed by Wonderwall, the interior design firm whose own ultra-cool office is just a few blocks away. loopwheeler.co.jp Isetan Salone Men’s Japan’s fashion-forward department store has opened a gorgeous branch for men in Marunouchi. As well as suit tailoring and apparel, the space has niches for fragrances, flowers and umbrellas, as well as an in-store Jean-Paul Hevin chocolate shop. imn.jp Loopwheeler Vintage Service Concept store by cult sweatshirt brand Loopwheeler selling

Laila Tokio Beautiful vintage select shop in Shibuya with interior walls covered by white pyramid studs. They frame a carefully curated array of local and international brands and occasional exhibitions, such as a recent retrospective of Helmut Lang. laila-tokio.com

● KISARAZU AIRPORT Distance to city center: 26 miles

“For the best kitchen knives go to Kiya in Nihonbashi, an historic shop with a big selection of knives and other essential Japanese kitchen tools, such as handcrafted graters for ginger and daikon” Yukari Sakamoto

Studious Jinnan This aggregator of Japanese fashion brands for both men and women is a convenient one-stop shop for those looking for unique finds to take home. The branch in the Jinnan area of Shibuya is one of the biggest. studious.co.jp

En Route Ginza Stylish meets sweaty at this hybrid running-lifestyle store located a stone’s throw from the emporiums of Ginza. The sporting apparel is intermingled with fashion items and footwear. An in-house running club offers suggested routes and changing rooms for members. enroute.tokyo

The POOL Aoyama Leftfield store where

T-shirts, bags, sportswear and baseball caps are sold inside the now-empty swimming pool of a 1970s apartment building. the-pool-aoyama.com

BEST FOOD UNDER $10

Kagari's creamy chicken ramen. Some days I wake up dreaming of it. The main branch in Ginza usually has a long wait, so I always go to the second shop near the subway station.