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Shingo Akikuni is best known as Shingo chef, a starred Japanese restaurant with a milleline in Miami.
He grew up in Japan and returns every year as a visitor.
The fourth generation sushi chief said CNBC trip How he spends his time there.
Where he eats
Ginza Sushi Aoki
Akikuni’s first recommendation is the place where it was formed as a chef. The restaurant – which was opened 50 years ago – is led by a chef who “makes himself available not only for residents, but also people who visit abroad,” said Akikuni through a translator.
Noda
For more contemporary flavors, Akikuni recommends visitors to try the merger restaurants led by chefs formed in different parts of the world. One of these restaurants is Noda, which marries Japanese techniques and ingredients with French influence.
“In addition to cooking, he really likes the association of wines,” said his translator at CNBC Travel.
Restaurant reservations are usually made on the phone in Japan, Akikuni said. To avoid linguistic barriers, he recommends that travelers make reservations thanks to their hotel concierge.
Toranomon Yokocho
Akikuni also suggests eating at a YokochoAn alley bordered by street vendors and bars.
Toranomon Yokochho, a new food center in Japan, is a modern vision of the Yokochho concept-although it is set up in a “good development”, he said. Food goes beyond Japanese cuisine, and visitors can “try a little in one place”.
Where he drinks
Good Music Bar
Akikuni recommends the vinyl music bar because it has a large collection of records and acts live from Monday to Saturday. The bar has excellent cocktails, a high quality audio system and is large enough for groups of friends, he said.
Good Music Bar, located in Kita-Aoyama, has DJs running records, Akikuni said.
Source: Akinin
Kasumicho Arashi
The hidden bar is known for its fruit cocktails, said Akikuni. It is nestled in the basement of a house in the Nishiazabu residential area. The speakeasy incorporates “large features of the farm” in its menu, he said.
The SG Club
This one belongs to Shingo Gokan, which Akikuni called “one of the most famous barmans of this generation”. Gokan, who won the 2021 Icon Award Industry The best world organization also has a speakeasy, SIP & Guzzle, in New York.
The bar, which “has been popular for a long time”, has three unique floors with different menus and a cigar room, said Akikuni.
What he does
Tokyo offers many places for tourist visits, and Akikuni’s favorites are the Meiji Jingu sanctuary and the Toyosu market.
Sanctuary Meiji Jingu
The sanctuary – undoubtedly the most famous of Tokyo – is a must, he said. The sanctuary was built in 1920 in the animated district of Shibuya.
“It is a big break in the bustle of the city,” he said.
It is free to enter and is in an artificial forest. It opens around sunrise and closes around sunset.
Toyosu market
Akikuni said he visits the Toyosu fish market whenever he was in Tokyo. On the market – the largest in Japan, about 4 million square feet – he sees the sellers and suppliers who store his Miami restaurant, he said.
The early tuna auction is a popular attraction there. Visitors may have the possibility of seeing the auction closely, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization website. In January, a The 608 pound blue tuna was sold for around 1.3 million dollars – The second highest price paid since the start of the auctions in 1999.
Akikuni chef with a supplier at the Toyosu fish market.
Source: Akinin
Visitors who do not win the lottery can always look at buyers bid for their choice from further away, and also buy fresh fish for breakfast afterwards.
The Toyosu fish market is known as the “best in the world”, but fewer people know the Toyosu fruits and vegetable market, Akikuni said.
“The Japanese are generally very dedicated to any crafts they have,” he said. “So if they are a strawberry farmer, they try to grow the best strawberries.”
Where he is shopping
Omoteando and Harajuku
While the Ginza district is home to many international brands, Akikuni recommends purchases on Omotesando or in the Harajuku district.
The two have stores that visitors “will only find in Tokyo,” he said.
Omoteando, called Champs Élysées of Tokyois an avenue with emblematic Japanese fashion houses like boys and Issey Miyake. It also houses Omotesando Hills, a sales complex with more than 130 stores.
Harajuku, however, is known for its subculture and its original fashion. The two areas are accessible on foot and easy to explore, said Akikuni, with vintage stores where visitors can collect luxury and fashionable pieces.
Where he stays
The Imperial Hotel and Aoyama Grand Tokyo
Akikuni prefers two hotels in Tokyo, both of which offer different experiences.
The Imperial Hotel is close to the Royal Palace. It opened in 1890 to accommodate foreign visitorsAccording to the hotel website.
The traditional concept of Japanese hospitality – or “omotenashi” – is what attracts him to the hotel, said Akinkuni. It’s like looking at “in the past to create the level of hospitality” in the country, he said.
The contemporary Aoyama Grand Tokyo is a good option for shopping in Harajuku or Omoteando. It is close to the two districts and the food is excellent, he said.
