Inside Tokyo’s Weirdest Places (That You Can Never Unsee)

Inside Tokyo’s Weirdest Places (That You Can Never Unsee)

[Music] Tokyo Japan the biggest city in the entire world and by far the most fun it’s sensory overload Cutting Edge but somehow rooted in centuries old tradition and charm and there’s some weird stuff here you can get your coffee through a hole in the wall by a bear or Ramen through a window without a single word exchanged try to make it out alive in the insane shabuya Crossing then get waited on by a maid in an exentric costume if you’re into that sort of thing although I don’t look Japanese I am 26.5 % Japanese so I was on a personal mission to do this city right and show you everything that makes it weird and truly spectacular Ginza it’s the neighborhood you might keep hearing when you’re first planning your trip I like to call it the place with the fancy shops and hotels it’s the perfect base if you’re jetlagged and disoriented like us really hard with language barrier we’re on like no sleep right now we’re excited to get back to the hotel and have a full trip ahead for a unique experience this this is where we recommend you stay this is the Park hotel Tokyo look at this view is spectacular it’s an art gallery that’s also a hotel that you can stay in and each room on the top floor is designed and crafted by different artists local artists you know in Japanese style sum are gisha sum are Samurai sum are sumo uh we got tigers and all kinds of stuff to kick off our Wild Cafe tour here’s our first basic stop but hear me out Starbucks in Japan is totally different they serve the strawberry banana brulee and the banana brulee and matcha scone now for the real fun head to Harajuku where the streets are bursting with Kawaii which means cute you won’t be able to resist the otter Cafe where you can Dawn pink jackets and interact with adorable otter these sweet little creatures love showing off their tricks you can feed them and if you’re lucky they might even cuddle up to you next up is a literal hole in the wall experience anaka Cafe where a Bear Hands you your coffee through a wall this whole contactless method supports mental health by minimizing stress you’ll be greeted by your Barista who playfully writes you notes and offers you treats and if you’re observant you might notice it’s actually a team of different bears that are interacting with you is this a different guy I hope it’s okay that we share you on Instagram it’s positively stressfree and fun just the way introverts like it for a delightfully flat and playful experience check out the 2D Cafe where it feels like you’re stepping into a comic book from the furniture to the food everything is designed to create the illusion of a two-dimensional cartoon-like world just be warned the cake in flavor is a bit sketchy I don’t know if you’ve heard but there are made cafes in Tokyo and in Japan they dress as maids and it’s like um an interesting thing that they do where uh I think men and women enjoy just the maids so we’re going to try to go to The Girls Next F does that mean the girls next door and see what it’s all about this place was so nondescript and weird and hard to find I guess we’ll never know what the maid Cafe is like I welome you what kind of place do you looking for maybe it’s fairly innocent I think there are some guys that might take a little too seriously but for the most part it’s young girls having a fun time dancing serving fun drinks for something more familiar had to Hogwarts for a magical breath of fresh air this is the Harry Potter Cafe we’re on our way to shabuya and we actually stumbled upon this one so let’s go check it out for this spellbinding experience you need a reservation but if you don’t make plans in advance there’s over 200 themed cafes in Tokyo I promise you there’s something for everyone quintessential Japan thing stop into 7-Eleven or the other convenience stores will get some snacks they’ve got the most bizarre snacks you’ve ever seen I mean b are in a good way sweet chili potato chips okay we’re inside one of the family Marts which is uh a really cool like convenience store if you’ve ever been to the Japanese store Daiso it’s kind of like that our favorite place family Mark I mean look at this stuff you can get shirts slippers cuz they don’t wear shoes inside here Tokyo really is a toy town a sensory playground of endless excitement where there’s childlike Wonder at every turn whether you know what you’re looking for or not I assure you it’s here waiting for you I’d say the Beating Heart of all this vibrant energy is shabuya it’s the younger area known for its dazzling lights energetic culture and of course the iconic shabuya Crossing it’s Tokyo’s famous intersection known for the impressive wave of pedestrians Crossing from all directions it’s so iconic it’s often used in movies and TV shows as a symbol of Tokyo’s bustling energy we’re at the famous shabuya Crossing if you can see people are going around like everywhere moving like flies it’s the most iconic landmark in all Tokyo and you’ve got to come give it a try see if you can get through I can hear the Mario Kart playing in the background like a video game everybody laughing at you for trying to take selfies and don’t miss this delicious spot ich and Shibuya it’s a legendary place and the place to get Ramen when you’re in Japan the line wait for us is about 30 or 40 minutes but it can wrap out to the street and be even longer first thing you do is you order it here at the booth they’ve got a lot of different options you get the tickets give it to the counter and they give you your food at the booth next you fill out your preference you come in and you hang your Von like the Bearpaw Cafe you don’t have to say a single word if you don’t want to and I’m not being dramatic it was the best meal we had in all of Japan lastly they deliver your Ramen and your drink and you eat it’s actually really good you can order firm noodles or soft noodles or get it really spicy this is stewed pork more to put inside friend in Japan said that this is the most fattening food in all of Jaan or most fattening main course whether that’s true or not I don’t know but if you like it you’re supposed to slurp which in America it’s very rude to do that but in Japan the louder the slurp the better amidst the bustling streets you’ll find Serene contrast in Tokyo you’ll randomly run into these beautiful spots that feel worlds away from all the frenzy these shrines offer a peaceful Retreat away from the city’s hust we’re at The miji jingu Shrine and it’s this beautiful Forest walk it’s so spiritual feeling here the humidity and the leaves are falling and it feels like something different in the air here uh it’s between shabuya and Shinjuku and we just stumbled upon it and it’s kind of like Central Park because it’s right in the middle of the city make sure to soak in every moment of solitude before I warn you about something that everyone said was so easy and convenient the godforsaken train system the train system in Japan is the most difficult thing I’ve ever experienced in my entire life the most confusing situation ever get a translator if you can afford something like that every time we ask for help we get two or three different answers from two or three different people you have to get like three different tickets for different whatever train you’re on and then you have to keep this ticket or else they don’t let you go through you they do Fair adjustments so we thought they were stealing our money at first but it turns out they were just changing the fair because it costs different to get off at each train it’s so stressful needless to say take a c something to remember is to put your bag on top of your lap because every single person is sitting in a seat and it’s very efficient they leave one way they go out the next eventually you’ll make your way to Shinjuku The Hub of skyscrapers and this damn cat you’ve probably seen everywhere it was honestly disappointing but saving the best for last here it is golden Guy this is golden guy it’s a street with bars lined from top to bottom if you can see very small maybe 3 to 10 people in each Place traditional Japanese bars completely empty right now but in about 5 to 7 hours this place is going to be popping and you’ll go down to each place it’s a must do in Tokyo this is Champion bar at Golden guy it’s the best bar here it’s the first bar actually right as you step into golden guy and the unique thing about it besides the fact it has karaoke no one can hear you cuz it’s so [Music] [Applause] loud but um you can pop a balloon for 500 yen and you get a prize I won a sake and and Josh won two tequila shots tequila [Applause] tequil so you never know what you’re going to get here at the champion bar we’re walking together here down golden guy as you can see it’s hopping and bopping a little bit different from what we said earlier in the daytime take a look places down every single Alleyway that you can go into what do you think of this place so far they’re tiny you can’t tell how small that there’s like two or three people in each of these little bars here all right we’re going to step into the very next one the left and see what it look okay next so we must we’re going to step into this one right here and see what it’s like come on up this way what’s this filming for YouTube Welcome to Toyo I love you come on in to so luck in your YouTube channel you’re beautiful man you’re going to make the channel can I can I subscribe you you may you may it’s her name Justin Bieber it’s so funny you’d say that we went viral dressed as Justin and hay it’s Destiny and as we said goodbye to our new friend we had some other realizations something we weren’t expecting is how calm it is it’s the craziest busiest city in the world yet because of everyone’s energy they make it calm they’re helpful and you don’t feel as stressed as you think you’re going to be coming here everybody that is on duty is happy to do their job and discipline I can’t say that Japan is laid-back but I can say they’re Stern respectful and kind and I wish we had a little bit more of this back home if you’ve enjoyed this Tokyo Adventure you’ll love what’s coming next the next episode we dive into Kyoto’s magical charm spend time with bowing deer and Nara and explore the stunning blue Seas of okanawa where people live longer than anywhere on Earth why do you think okan Liv so long and finally we’ll end right back here in Tokyo where I share with you the the most invaluable lessons I learned along the way you’re called to do this trust me you’re not going to want to miss this so make sure to subscribe so I can see you next time and if you’ve made it this far just for fun drop me the magic wand Emoji in the comments

Join me as I explore Tokyo’s weirdest and coolest places. You haven’t done Tokyo right until you’ve seen these. We’ll check out Anakuma Cafe where a bear serves coffee, experience the 2D Café’s comic book vibe, and meet kawaii otters in Harajuku. Don’t miss the iconic Shibuya Crossing, hidden serene shrines, and Shinjuku’s towering skyscrapers. Plus, I’ll take you to Golden Gai for a taste of Tokyo’s nightlife. This guide is packed with Tokyo’s coolest and weirdest experiences, and is valuable for anyone who wants to dive deep to get to the heart of Tokyo– make sure to subscribe because i just keeps getting better next week as we go to Kyoto to become Geishas, and explore the amazing blue seas on the Japanese islands of Okinawa.

xo

elle

OTHER RECOURSES REGARDING THIS EPISODE:
Maid Cafe (BuzzFeedMultiPlayer)

0:00- What To Do In Tokyo
0:38- Ginza
0:57- Where To Stay In Tokyo
1:34- Harajuku Otter Cafe
1:57- Anakuma Cafe
2:32: 2d Cafe Tokyo
2:49- Maid, Robot, Harry Potter Cafes
2:52- 7 Eleven, Family Mart
4:39 Shibuya Crossing
5:16- Ichiran Ramen
6:42- Meiji-Jingu Shrine
7:12- Transportation in Tokyo
8:04- Shinjuku
8:15- Golden Gai
10:43- Japanese Culture
11:10- What’s To Come