Guest house and Apartment Tokyo

Ghandi Curry - Shinjuku East Exit - Good Curry In Tokyo

Tokyo has loads of Curry houses and all of them are different.
One day I want to visit like 30 of them in a row.....and write a huge BLOG about my experience.
I just love searching out the most interesting and tantalizing places to eat in this city of some 10 million plus,
What an adventure that would be!

For now,
I`ll start with the very very basics.
Highly recommending Gandhi Curry or ”ガンジー”　for short
*Just south east of the east exit of Shinjuku Station. Its a small place on the second floor - close to Matsumoto Kiyoshi.

Ghandi`s got decent atmosphere. The shop goes for and - does pull off a slightly "rustic" ie "do it yourself" look.
They rock decent tunes through strange harp shapes looking hand made speaker, enter through a beaded doorway. The staffs friendly.

The curry itself is slightly spicy as well expensive (because of the location) - a little less than 1000 Yen a person.
Warning; no side dishes, Its very minimalistic (think curry sauce with hardly and vegetables or meat served with plain white rice)

You might ask me "why do you recommend it then?"
The reason I recommend is for this one reason, the BASE SAUCE for the curry is of good quality - definitely home made, definitely original.
Its very creamy, dark and has meaty/boney flavor thats quite distinctive. The base sauce of this curry is definitely "Japanese" ie "Tokyo Curry"
and not "Indian" in taste and it makes up the core ingredient for all varieties of curried served there.
Add cheese to the base = cheese curry. Add beef = beef curry. Add shrimp = shrimp curry. What I was amazed by was how VERY DIFFERENT
each curry tasted with just the slightest addition of different elements.
Go there to see it for yourself!

Cheers and HAPPY EATS YALL!!!!
See ya,
Matt

posted at : 2009,11,23

Jiyugaoka - Buss Cafe

Hi guys,
I cam across something quiet "novel" if you will.
The "Cafe Bus" in Jiyugaoka - a station in Tokyo.
There`s a very cool cafe inside of a broken down Volkswagen Bus in the middle of Jiyugaoka.
The coffee good - and not terrible expensive - unfortunately its "take out only"...since its far too small to fit customers.

I always love a good cup of coffee and the street on which this cafe is lined is very nice. Its rather green and has loads of outdoor
restaurants and cafes. I also highly suggest making your way down to "Jiyugaoka Station" - from Shibuya. Its a cool place!

Cheers,
Matt

posted at : 2009,11,19

Street Musicians in Tokyo

Around any train station on about any night of week You`re liable to run into musicians.
One unique group I enjoy very much plays daily both at Taka-Dano-Baba and Shin-Okubo Stations.
One male Sax player, (the star) wearing an old Edo costume and wig is accompanied by two females,
both of which play percussion - too are dressed as Geisha! I think this type of music is called "Chin-Dong-Ya"
And they advertise for a Pachinko Parlor not too far from the station.

Enjoy, They`re really fun!
See you guys,
Yours,
Matt

posted at : 2009,11, 9

Japanese Pizza

Theres a place called "Japan Pizza" in Ikebukuro.

Theres a tiny little wagon called "Japanese Pizza" in Ikebukuro,
which serves out the most delicious and affordable night snacks you've ever had.
They serve small "Okonomiyaki Wraps" for about 300 Yen a piece.
Basically they're deep-freid octopus balls wrapped up with fried shrimp and vegetables.

The "Japan Pizza Shack" is just outside the west exit of Ikebukuro Station near the
back entrance of Yamada-Denki, a large Electronics shop.

Don`t knock em if you haven`t tried em, deep fried seafood wrapped up with
fresh veggies! they`re great!

Cheers all,
Yours,
Matt

posted at : 2009,10,31

TOKYO GAME CENTRES!

Playing video games in Tokyo is unlike anything else in Canada.
Its taken very seriously and people of all ages and genders (middle aged and elderly women)
with standing. There`s video games that cater to the likes of every type of person!

There are;
dance games, gambling video games (which you wager REAL money)
photo-booth games, games that test your intelligence and math calculative abilities.
wrap around 3-D shooting games and games you use "disk cards" or flat "baseball-looking-cards" on touch sensitive screens!

I suggest taking the plunge into one of these gaming centres
(not to be confused with an arcade) with about 4000 Yen worth of quarters one day.
be warned though, like a "Pachinko Parlour" - If the noise, smoke and flashing lights
don`t bother you...you`ll have yourself a grand old time! If however your idea of a fun time
is the library...you`re better off renting a private booth at a manga-kissa to play online games.

Have fun all,
Yours,
M

posted at : 2009,10,30

kinmokusei

I can remember - not too long ago,
perhaps last year...one beautiful fall day standing just outside of an elementary school
i used to work at. Something filled my olfactory senses with the most pleasurable
experience I`ve laid my nose on. The "kinmokusei"( famous flower in Japan ) flower - I`m not sure how to spell it,

is a beautiful little yellow orange flower ("kin" means gold in Japanese), similar in shape
and size to lilac flowers - it too grows on a medium/large sized bush.

I have officially designated the "kinmokusei"( famous flower in Japan) flower as the most beautiful smelling flower
on earth. honestly I can`t describe it. Its slightly woody with notes of orange and vanilla.
The plant blooms in early fall and can be found all around Tokyo.

I`ve attached a picture of it here for you guys to scout one about yourselves.
Remember take time in your live to "stop and smell the flowers"!

See you guys,
M

posted at : 2009,10,27

Using a Bike In Tokyo - The BEST way to travel.

One of the smartest things I did when I first came to Tokyo was buy myself a
"mothers chariot or mama cherry" for short. Basically that's what everyone calls a cheap -
10000 yen or so bike. Nothing fancy or special it served its purpose - of getting groceries,
hauling my lazy but too and from the train station as well as the coffee shop on a daily basis - very very well.

As you probably noticed Tokyo is constructed in a sort of mish-mash web tangled sort of way. This is because the city itself grew very quickly after world war 2 - the streets, alleys and avenues for all intents and purposes were not "laid out" or planned as they are in Sapporo or Kyoto. Owning a bike in Tokyo for this very reason makes ALOT of sense.
Believe it or not the streets are laid out in a very similar fashion to Amsterdam, Holland - the bicycling capital of Europe!!

I say this to anyone "get yourself a bike in Tokyo and your life will change".
You will see Tokyo differently - at a different pace...you will have time to explore your local station, visit corners of the city, shops, alley ways, parks - that you never would on foot or simply pass by on the train.

Keep Exploring guys!
Yours,
Matt

posted at : 2009,10,20

Small differences between Canada and a Japan

I'm often attracted to all the numerous small differences between Canada and a Japan.
Between Vancouver and Tokyo, they are VERY different cities indeed!
As a student of art and design - I appreciate differences in architectural design;
probably more so than most.

One interesting difference that I came across between Japanese and Canadian apartments or "mansions"
*besides the fact that Japanese call apartments "mansions" and not - "condos".
Is the fact that in Canada HALLWAYS are built WITHIN apartment buildings, with rooms on either side.
In Tokyo, most "hallways" or walkways are built on the outside of apartment building.

I'm not sure why this is. But this certainly gives Japanese/Tokyo apartments the look of having an "exoskeleton"....
as if they were wearing their structure "on the outside".

Have any of you ever noticed this?
Pretty cool, huh!?

See you everyone!
Yours,
Matthew

posted at : 2009,10, 2

Tokyo Tako-Yaki Party!

What's better than a long night out clubbing in Roppongi?

What could possibly be more exciting than cruising Tokyo's party strips, padio's and cabanas?

What does every Tokyoitte well know well.....yet keep secret from most foreigner people?

Tako-Yaki Parties!

A night spent in at home with a couple of good friends and a "Tako-Yaki" machine!

Is the funnest, greatest thing anyone can do at night in all Tokyo!

YAAAAAAAAYYYYYYY!

Tako Yaki is so fun and easy to make, these tasting little octopus balls are absolutely DELICIOUS! I'm just waiting for it to take off in baseball parks all across the States and Canada upon my return. Seriously, these little "Osaka Treats" are my absolute favorite!

What's Tako Yaki?

basically its battered and fried octopus balls with a couple of onions,

and small veggies thrown in for good measure and then finely topped with mayonnaise, fish flakes and sweet sauce!

How to make them;

1). Get a Tako Yaki machine

2). Buy;

Tako Yaki powder, freshly boiled octopus (chopped), pickled ginger,

tempura bits, eggs, chives or long onions (finely chopped)

Make the batter using the tako-yaki power, onions, pickled ginger.

Get the Tako Yaki machine nice and hot and place one bit of octopus into each

"tako-hole".

For a more thorough instructions, please check this link on youtube;

Have fun guys!

Tako-Yaki balls are complimented well with Beer and a baseball game.

If you're Canadian (from Windsor) like me, you can even eat them while watching the Wings! Cheers!

posted at : 2009,9,28

Natsukashii !!!

Along with the word " Kawaii "!!!

You may hear one of your Japanese friends scream out the word "natsukashii "!

Loosely translated it means "nostalgic"! Or - "Wow I remember that from my childhood!".

The Japanese, like Americans or Canadian too - carry with them fond childhood memories.

There is a whole culture built up of this called; "Natsukashii "!

Where to find "Natsukashii " Items?

Clothing;

There are dozens of "second hand" clothing shops both in Shimokitazawa and Koenji,

Video Games, Manga and Posters

Go to the "Mandarake" in the Nakano Broadway Sun Plaza.

Take the Chuo Line one express stop west of Shinjuku Station.

They have video games for the original Nintendo system,

original James Bond and Bruce Lee Movie Posters from the 60's and 70's.

Manga? They have original "Astro Boy" or "Atom Boy" prints from the 50's (thousands of dollars).

The "Mangadake" is one of the BEST places in Tokyo for all pop culture items "retro"!

Candy;

Go to Odaiba and search for the 1950's Candy Shop.

Its called "Dagashiya".

Bars;

80's - Punk - Koenji Station

80's New Wave - go to Shimo-Kitazawa

60's Jazz - Go To Jimbocho Station on the Toei Shinjuku Line

50's to 70's - Go to "The Who Bar" - Golden Gae, East Exit of Shinjuku Station.

40's, 50's Enka - Go to any "Snak Bar". I suggest Kagurazaka

posted at : 2009,9,28