Sumo, sushi and skyscrapers were among a romantically jumbled maelstrom of images that prompted me to swap London for Tokyo two years ago. I was charmed from the start: with a skyline that changes almost as frequently as the sun rises and sets, it is an ever-evolving city that can tame the most insatiable of short-concentration-span wanderlusts. Today, I live in a pink apartment block along a cherry tree-lined river in Nakameguro, a residential area just south of Shibuya that is filled with cafes and vintage stores.
Perhaps a reflection of a 12 million-strong population, there really is something for everyone in Tokyo: a horde of Michelin-starred restaurants, world-class design stores, trend-sparking street culture, iconic urban architecture, shrines and temples - not to mention some of the freshest sushi in the world. But for me, the most seductive aspect is its atmosphere: it may famously be one of the world's most densely populated cities, but it is not only clean, punctual, safe and polite - it is infinitely more serene than its chaotic counterparts such as London and New York.
Tokyo excels at luxury, with virtually all major hotel groups present. There is the sleek Park Hyatt, aka that hotel from Lost In Translation (www.tokyo.park.hyatt.com; 0081 3 5322 1234, from about US$844; Dh3,100). Afternoon tea queues tail along the marble corridors of the Peninsula (www.peninsula.com/tokyo, 0081 3 6270 2888, from $762; Dh2,799). The Mandarin Oriental is the pick of the crop for understated elegance (www.mandarinoriental.com/tokyo; 0081 3 3270 8800, from $893; Dh3,279). And the latest addition to the luxury hotel scene is the Shangri-La, which opened its gilt-edged doors last year (www.shangri-la.com/tokyo; 0081 3 6739 7888, from $633; Dh2,396).
Those who are on a budget need not scrimp on style. The Grandbell hotel offers a slice of boutique chic at a stone's throw from Shibuya (www.granbellhotel.jp; 0081 3 5457 2681; from $231; Dh850). For a more authentic taste of Japan, check into Yoshimizu, a modern take on a traditional ryokan, complete with futons unrolled nightly, tatami floors and sliding paper screens, in the heart of the Ginza shopping district (www.yoshimizu.com; 0081 3 3248 4432, from $858; Dh233). But there is only one option for the very brave or the very poor: join the salarymen queue and check into a capsule at Akasaka Riverside (www.asakusa-capsule.jp; 0081 3 3844 5117; $33; Dh121 a night).
To get your bearings, make the most of Tokyo's clean, fast, punctual and mostly bilingual transport system and jump on the circular JR Yamanote line. Stop at Ueno to explore its cherry blossom-filled park with hidden shrines, historic museums, tea rooms and lotus ponds. Hop back on the train to Akihabara - aka Electric Town - to pick up the latest gadgets from multi-storey shops. Next stop is Harajuku - visit the forested Meiji Jingu shrine before eating a strawberry cream crepe on Takeshita Dori (a colourful gathering spot for Japan's teens) and exploring the architecture of the design stores of Omotesando. Other stops include Shibuya for shopping and its famous crossing, and Shinjuku for its neon-lit skyscrapers and entertainment district.
Downing sake is the best way to bond with locals. Head to an izakaya - a pub often marked at the entrance with large red lanterns - and tuck into an array of tapas-sized dishes before striking up a conversation with the neighbours. The smaller and more intimate the venue the better - and some are tiny, seating only about half a dozen people. Karaoke also helps break down barriers: ask for directions to the nearest outlet of national chain Karaoke Kan. Be prepared to be outshone - Japanese are endowed with a karaoke gene and will belt out pitch perfect hits till sunrise.
With more Michelin stars than New York, London and Paris put together, the only challenging aspect of dining out in Tokyo is choosing where to eat. For a modern take on traditional Japanese cuisine in a stylish design setting, head to Shunju Daichi no Chikara in Roppongi. The city's best tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlets) are on offer at Maisen, a restaurant in a former bathhouse located on a quiet back lane off Omotesando.
Tap into the latest "beauty food" trend by ordering a collagen nabe hot pot at One Garden in Shibuya, which promises to make skin softer as well as sating appetites. The hardiest of foodies should rise before the sun and head to the famous Tsukiji fish market to peruse the otherworldly collection of marine life on display before tucking into a sushi breakfast at one of the local restaurants. Still overwhelmed? Visit www.bento.com for a comprehensive list of reviews and directions to restaurants and bars across the city.
Resistance to retail therapy is futile in Tokyo, a modern-day temple to all things consumer-related. Ginza is home to wide streets of old school department stores and gleaming fashion towers. An emerging rival is Marunouchi, an area in the throes of a major makeover with a growing number of stylish shopping towers. Omotesando is also home to an architectural encyclopaedia of iconic flagship fashion stores - from Tod's to Christian Dior - while the tangle of small lanes on either side of the boulevard is home to independent boutiques and cafes. For a fashion fix away from the neon lights, head to the small stores and edgy boutiques that fill the Daikanyama area.
Roppongi by night. While there are exceptions, many late night bars have acquired the dubious reputation of attracting western men looking for Japanese girls.
Tokyo is a haven for hidden gems that recall the city's past in a modern context. One example is the garden at the Nezu Museum. Recently reopened following a major renovation by architect Kengo Kuma, the centrepiece is its beautiful green garden, complete with ponds, cherry trees and tea rooms - all the more remarkable given its location in Aoyama a stone's throw from the city's most upmarket design stores. The best way to unearth other such delights - for example, the red gates of a Shinto shrine on a quiet lantern-lit lane in the shadow of a skyscraper? Simply wander the streets and explore. travel@thenational.ae
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
The Brutalist
Director: Brady Corbet
Stars: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn
Rating: 3.5/5
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
The language of diplomacy in 1853
Treaty of Peace in Perpetuity Agreed Upon by the Chiefs of the Arabian Coast on Behalf of Themselves, Their Heirs and Successors Under the Mediation of the Resident of the Persian Gulf, 1853
(This treaty gave the region the name “Trucial States”.)
We, whose seals are hereunto affixed, Sheikh Sultan bin Suggar, Chief of Rassool-Kheimah, Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon, Chief of Aboo Dhebbee, Sheikh Saeed bin Buyte, Chief of Debay, Sheikh Hamid bin Rashed, Chief of Ejman, Sheikh Abdoola bin Rashed, Chief of Umm-ool-Keiweyn, having experienced for a series of years the benefits and advantages resulting from a maritime truce contracted amongst ourselves under the mediation of the Resident in the Persian Gulf and renewed from time to time up to the present period, and being fully impressed, therefore, with a sense of evil consequence formerly arising, from the prosecution of our feuds at sea, whereby our subjects and dependants were prevented from carrying on the pearl fishery in security, and were exposed to interruption and molestation when passing on their lawful occasions, accordingly, we, as aforesaid have determined, for ourselves, our heirs and successors, to conclude together a lasting and inviolable peace from this time forth in perpetuity.
Taken from Britain and Saudi Arabia, 1925-1939: the Imperial Oasis, by Clive Leatherdale
A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
Mia Man’s tips for fermentation
- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut
- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.
- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.
- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.
Director: Paul Weitz
Stars: Kevin Hart
3/5 stars
The%20Roundup
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If you go:
The flights: Etihad, Emirates, British Airways and Virgin all fly from the UAE to London from Dh2,700 return, including taxes
The tours: The Tour for Muggles usually runs several times a day, lasts about two-and-a-half hours and costs £14 (Dh67)
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is on now at the Palace Theatre. Tickets need booking significantly in advance
Entrance to the Harry Potter exhibition at the House of MinaLima is free
The hotel: The grand, 1909-built Strand Palace Hotel is in a handy location near the Theatre District and several of the key Harry Potter filming and inspiration sites. The family rooms are spacious, with sofa beds that can accommodate children, and wooden shutters that keep out the light at night. Rooms cost from £170 (Dh808).
THE SPECS
Engine: 4.4-litre V8
Transmission: Automatic
Power: 530bhp
Torque: 750Nm
Price: Dh535,000
On sale: Now
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Europe’s rearming plan
- Suspend strict budget rules to allow member countries to step up defence spending
- Create new "instrument" providing €150 billion of loans to member countries for defence investment
- Use the existing EU budget to direct more funds towards defence-related investment
- Engage the bloc's European Investment Bank to drop limits on lending to defence firms
- Create a savings and investments union to help companies access capital
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
Company%20Profile
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Match info
Manchester United 1 (Van de Beek 80') Crystal Palace 3 (Townsend 7', Zaha pen 74' & 85')
Man of the match Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace)
The years Ramadan fell in May
The specs: 2018 Volkswagen Teramont
Price, base / as tested Dh137,000 / Dh189,950
Engine 3.6-litre V6
Gearbox Eight-speed automatic
Power 280hp @ 6,200rpm
Torque 360Nm @ 2,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 11.7L / 100km
Banned items
Dubai Police has also issued a list of banned items at the ground on Sunday. These include:
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Political flags or banners
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Bikes, skateboards or scooters
