About food in Japan

Recommendable lunch options at Tokyo Bigsight area

In our two previous posts as the feature of this month October 2012, we picked up two nice restaurants with each unique value. 

For those who have not checked them, here we post the links for these two restaurants.

1. Kagaya(加賀屋), a fine Japanese restaurant - Tokyo Bigsight area

 - Upscale Japanese restaurant operated by a famous luxury Ryokan (Japanese traditional inn) in Wakura Onsen, Hokuriku.  

2. Mexico, seafood restaurant - Tokyo Bigsight area

- Casual restaurant offering Western style dishes with fine Japanese seafood.

 

At the end of the month, we would like to add a few more lunch options for Tokyo Bigsight visit  briefly.

3. Akitsu, western style buffet

Sometimes, you might not be able to reach consensus on what to eat with your accommpanying people. Tired with Japanese food? but what to have, pasta, steak or some vegetable dishes? still miss Japanese taste a little? or just hungry?

In that case, we recommend a buffet style restaurant Akitsu. It is a typical and casual restaurant that everyone can imagine as a Western style buffet service.

The buffet menu offers mainly Italian pasta and variety of small side dishes from Western meat plate to Japanese cooked vegetable. Try some unfamilar dishes or take some vege plates to keep your health balance. 

Don't miss to take some nice pieces of bread there too, because the restaurant's owner is a baker doing wholesale of its high quality products to some hotels. 

 

Restaurant name: Akitsu

Address: 2nd floor, Wanza Ariake Bay Mall East Wing, 3-1 Ariake, Koto-ku, Tokyo

*5 minutes walk from Tokyo Bigsight

Official site in Japanese: http://www.akitsu-tft.com

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 4. Blend Meister Cafe

The German inspired cafe (as name shown) is on the ground floor of Sunroute Ariake Hotel. It is also a five minute walk from Tokyo Bigsight as well as the nearest station behind Panasonic Center.

The price less than Yen 1000 for lunch set is not expensive like a typical cafe accommodated in a hotel but the cozy blight space is comfortable as much as some space like a typical hotel lounge etc. We understand that the cafe is often busy with business people working in the area for lunch time 12h-13h during weekday. 

The lunch set is quite typical for business people in Tokyo. It offers Western style pasta or meat, fish plates as maindish with green salad side dish and self-service free drink and soup.

Need to be mentioned is that the cafe is pround of the skilled "barista" serving the best quality of coffee.           

In the international convention area, it is also a scarce option that brings you relaxing time with familiar choices and taste.

For evening time, the cafe promotes some selections of prize-awarded draft beer. So it can be used to chill out after the convention visit before going back to central area. 

 

Restaurant name: Blend Meister Cafe

Address: Hotel Sunroute 1st floor, 3-6-6 Ariake, Koto-ku, Tokyo

Website in English: http://r.gnavi.co.jp/e730404/lang/en/

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Takemura (竹むら), Japanese traditional sweets cafe

 Have you ever tried Japanese traditional style "parfait" called "Anmitsu (あんみつ)"?

If  you would try in Tokyo, a traditional style cafe, Takemura is a perfect place for it.

We are not sure if we should call it "cafe", because it is completely different from the one from Western world. It is called "Kanmi-dokoro (甘味処, sweets place)" in Japanese, representing a place serving Japanese traditional dessert plates with Japanese tea. Usually they do not provide coffee nor a piece of chocolate cake but do Japanese tea and traditional dessert. At least it can be in same cateogry as a place where people can enjoy sweets & drink as well as chatting or taking a break in cozy atmosphere.  As Japan is modernized, many of such traditional space has been disappeared unfortunately.  Takemura with over 80 years history is a  valuable "Kanmi-dokoro" in central Tokyo. 

Takemura is accommodated in traditional wooden house, which is registered as Tokyo's historical heritage.

The intereior is also typical and rustic Japanese style with wood beams and paper sliding doors "shoji". We are quite sure that the scene would never change since it opened in early 20 century.

A part of seats are on tatami floor, where we can be relaxed after removing our shoes.

 

 

 

 

 

Upon arrival,we were welcomed with cherry flower in hot water,

instead of ordinary Japanese tea.

To visit the sweets house will be already a romantic moment to experience Japanese traditional culture, whatever you have there... 

But at the same time, whatever you order, all are Japanese traditional food. Takemura's specialities are "age-manju (fried Japanese style cake with bean paste inside)" that can rarely be found in other places and "oshiruko (sweet bean soup)" served since the cafe's opening. 

Our recommendable menu is "Anmitsu", a kind of Japanese style "parfait". As the name comes from "an" (餡, red bean paste) topped with "mitsu" (syrup), red bean paste is one of the essential ingredients of Anmitsu. It also has clear cubes of "kanten" (agar, jelly made from a kind of seaweed) and some pieces of fruits in syrup.

Anmitsu often appears on menu with several variations...

with a scoop of vanilla ice cream - Cream anmitsu (クリームあんみつ)

with shiratama (chewey starch dumplings) - Shiratama anmitsu (白玉あんみつ)

with beans  - Mitsumame (みつ豆)

At Takemura, you can also find 

with dried apricot - Anzu anmitsu (あんずあんみつ)

It is upto what you want! In any case, you can enjoy some different types of ingredients all won't be too sweet like a chocolate cake. In addition, they are healthy with beans and seaweed jelly. Surely they are better match with Japanese tea served with your Anmitsu bowl.

 

Enjoy a time trip to an old day in Japan with the fancy Japanese traditional sweets.

Takemura is about 10 minutes walk from Akihabara, the biggest electronics town in Japan. You could take a good journey to Takemura after shopping in the modern world.

Takemura is also close to another heritage, two soba noodle restaurant "Kanda Matsuya" and "Yabusoba" both already introduced on our blog previously. Some people drop by Takemura for dessert after enjoying traditional noodle at either of the soba restaurants.

 

Cafe name: Takemura (竹むら)

Address: 1-19 Kanda Sudacho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

No official website! 

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Bills, the best breakfast in the world

You may know Bill Granger's restaurant in Australia, which attracts celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio by "the best breakfast in the world".

Would you like to try the best breakfast in the world? Of course, yes maybe.

Well you can try one in Tokyo or Yokohama  !!

Actually Bills has more number of restaurants in Japan than in his based country, Australia. There are 4 Bills restaurants in Japan with which he felt "strong connection", as per their official homepage. 

Everytimes Bills opened its door in each location in Japan, we found the restaurant soon filled up with guests during morning and even for lunch and afternoon. We guess that makes him created more units in Japan. Here again it shows how much Japanese people like to seek the best meal and to try new arrival.

BIlls' first unit in Japan opened in Shichirigahama, Kamakura (七里ヶ浜、鎌倉), being on the location overlooking beach of Shichirigahama. The next one in Yokohama (横浜) is in "Red-brick warehouse" shopping complex, standing beside Yokohama Port. Then Bills opened two restaurants in Tokyo last year and this April; Odaiba (お台場) bayside and Omotesando (表参道).

Odaiba unit stands in Odaiba beach park, overlooking panoramic view of Tokyo central area over Tokyo bay. The newest Omotesando unit is in Tokyu Plaza Harajuku-Omotesando. It is not facing to beach or sea, but is still surrounded by another type of nature, trees.

All are in selected location that may be suitable even for celebrities' breakfast and all have some tables on terrace where a pet is allowed to be in. Restaurant inside has expansive and bright in white color and narutal taste in every location.

Well, we will show you what we had at Bills Yokohama.

The menu is actually exlclusive to Yokohama unit.

 

Very berry pancake!! with berry butter.

  
Dish filled with berry flavour and the pancake is imaginably fluffy. 

In other units, still we can find another flavour of fine pancakes and other attractive menu such as fruit muffin, banana & chocolate bread, scramble eggs, and ausie breakfast set.

Bills provides different menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Even for dinner, it offers the pancake menu as dessert. 

 

Restaurant name: Bills

<Yokohama>

Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse Building 2, 1-1-2 Shinko, Naka-ku, Yokohama-city, Kanagawa    

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<Omotesando>

 Address: 7th floor, Tokyu Plaza Omotesando Harajuku, 4-30-3 Jingu-mae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

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<Odaiba>

Address: 3rd floor Seaside Mall, 1-6-1 Daiba, Minato-Ku, Tokyo

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<Shichirigahama, Kamakura>

Address: 2nd floor Weekend House Alley, 1-1-1 Shichirigahama, Kamakura, Kanagawa

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Breakfast at Toraya Cafe Aoyama

Breakfast must be essetial moment for travelers wherever they go. So this month, About Food in Japan would like to introduce you nice breakfast spots in Tokyo.

The first one for today is TORAYA CAFE in Aoyama (青山). 

Aoyama is a posh shopping district with luxury boutiques between Shibuya and Akasaka or Roppongi. Toraya Cafe is adjacent to Aoyama itchome subway station and in Shin-Aoyama building on another side of Akasaka Royal Residence along Aoyama street.

Toraya is originally established Japanese sweets maker born in 16th century. Some of you may know its unit in Paris. Toraya cafe is created by the traditional sweets producer, aimed at introducing innovative products with their specialty "an"(sweet beans paste) in Western style recipe. We featured Toraya cafe in Roppongi Hills previously. Please refer the page for their modern sweets for afternoon tea break. 

Well, today we focus on breakfast at Toraya Cafe Aoyama. The breakfast menu by Toraya cafe is exclusive at Aoyama unit.

 

This is the most recommendable signature breakfast menu.

It looks like ordinary sandwich?

Yes at a glance, but it's special and Japanese version...

 

The different exists between two pieces of breads.

 

  
Still look like they are peanuts and chocolate paste?!

Could be ... but they are

"white sesame  and soy bean flour" paste

(the one in breads with sesame)

and 

"an" paste (made from red beans).

All are ingredients that Toraya often uses for its traditional Japanese sweets.

 

They are light in taste compared with chocolate or peanut paste and, we guess, less oily and more healthy. Still they are well matched with coffee rather than Japanese green tea. It's a great work by the master of handling Japanese traditional sweets.

 

Enjoy the "slightly" Japanese style breakfast at Toraya Cafe Aoyama.

The cafe provides breakfast menu from 8 a.m. for WEEKDAY. It's close on Sunday and Holiday, because of business district location.

 

 

Cafe name: Toraya Cafe

Official site: http://www.toraya-cafe.co.jp/

 

Address: Shin-Aoyama Building,West building B1F 1-1-1 Minami-Aoyama,Minato-ku,Tokyo

 

 

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Cafe in flowers and green by Nicolai Bergmann, Aoyama (青山), Tokyo

The weather in Tokyo is harsh and very hot as if it was going to make everyhthing melted.

In this severe climate condition, to chill out and be indulged in a nice cafe is the most happiest moment for Tokyoites.

Nicolai Bergmann's cafe is one of such oasis spots in fancy Aoyama town, central Tokyo. 

 

You may know the name of Nicolai Bergmann, the globally known Danish flower artist.

The cafe is a part of his flagship florist shop of Japan and it looks to be no border between the cafe and flower boutique.  

The large parts of space surrounded by gray concrete walls, floor and ceiling is decorated with green plants.

Green, flower and plants, of course all beautifully presented, will come into your sight, whereever you will be at the cafe by Nicolai Bergmann.

 

 

Sit in and look at the table

 

Oh Where are we

 

Food menu at Nicolai Bergmann is mainly Danish or Northern European with some other Western flavour. Here as well, Nicolai Bergmann offers "green" sald in a big bowl. 

 

Danish style open sandwich and salmon bagel

  

 

 

Coffee in Bodum glass again from Denmark, milk & sugar for it.

These thick glass bottles make us smile, reminding us our school lunch.

  

 

 

The price for lunch around Yen 1000 is too good to take a rest in the green oasis, escaping from melting hot air outside...

Nicolai Bergmann flagship store is a few minutes walk from Omotesando subway station. When the climate is mild, not too hot, it will be a good stoll either from Shibuya or Meiji Shrine and Harajuku station.   

 

 

Cafe name: Nicolai Bergmann Flagship Store (cafe is a part of it)

Address: 5-7-2 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo

Official website: http://www.nicolaibergmann.jp/

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Robecks Juice from West Coast America

Hot and humid Summer is arrived in Tokyo. Today's post is about an oasis providing fresh fruits juice. 

If you are based in US, probably you already know about the juice-focused shop born in L.A., Robecks Juice.

The West Coast style juice shop arrived in Tokyo last year and the second unit also opened recently in Harajuku.

Robecks Juice's main products are premium smoothies made with fresh and healthy ingredients, which will be made after it is ordered. It offers more than 10 selections of smoothies with fresh fruits strawberry, banana, orange, pineapple etc. In addition, if you prefer something more watery, fresh juice carrot or orange, hot juice, fruits tea are also available. Yuzu (Japanese citrus) honey tea, Mango & Leomon hot juice etc...they are also attractive options.

These drinks are of course the best suit for breakfast time. So Robeck Juice opens from morning 7h30 a.m and offers food also suitable for breakfast such as muffin, croissant, cinamon roll and sandwiches.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The first unit of Robecks Juice in Jiyugaoka residential area of Tokyo has two floors with ample seating space. In some parts, it has a large table with electrical outlets for "nomad-workers." That makes your work-life healthier? The bringht and pop atomosphere reminds us the brand coming from L.A.

   

 

Another thing to be noted about Robecks Juice units based in Japan, they use high quality "Tsujirihei-Honten" (辻利兵衛本店) branded green tea from Kyoto for their green tea related products.   

Your accompanying person would not like to take fruits juice? Don't worry it also provides coffee like an ordinary cafe. 

Cafe name: Robecks Juice

Official site: http://www.robeks.co.jp

<Harajuku branch>

Address: 4-31-6 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

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<Jiyugaoka branch>

Address: 2-11-13 Jiyugaoka, Meguro-ku, Tokyo

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Modern Japanese, Yusoshi in Shinjuku (新宿)

If you have ever been to Shinjuku (新宿), you must understand that there are "too" many restaurant choices in the heart of this metropolitan city. There are many nice ones but it is not easy to find one that is the best fit for your feeling at that time without any pre-screening process or recommendation from someone. The situation is same for local Japaneses.

Today's our recommendation, Japanese cafe Yusoshi, is for the time when...

you would like to try some Japanese but not too much localized

and would like to stay close from the train station.

 

Yusoshi is situated on 6th floor of one of major shopping complex in Shinjuku, Lumine "1" (Keep in mind more than a few Lumine around the station). It is just one minute from JR Shinjuku South Exit and is directly connected from the station's ticket gate. 

The restaurant calls itself as "wa(Japanese)-cafe". The name Yusoshi is not familiar even for local Japanese. As per thier expression, yu-so-shi (愉 - 想 - 使) represents to imagine something joyful and to express and deliver the joy. 

If you see the menu for dinner time, you would think of it as modern Izakaya. On evening, Yusoshi provides more than just what is expected for cafe. Like at Izakaya, some snacks on the menu are well matched with alcohol drinks also available there. The dishes have Japanese taste to some extent but not fully. They are more close to Western menu; for example, spicy fried potato, fried chicken wings in sweet and hot flavor, seafood croquette, curry flavor fried pork, fried swordfish with spicy tartar, avocado-tuna rice bowl etc etc. We are sure you do not have to be afraid of encountering some extreme Japanese local taste.

  

Spicy potato and Fried rice with salty dried "combu" kelp and scramble egg

Yusoshi's another feature is the interior, modern Japanese taste.

A half of the tables are on this floor (as the photo), looked like "tatami" at a glance but is actually made of glass with lighting. Take off your shoses and sit on a zabuton cuision with bending knees. Let's be relaxed in Japanese style. That is what Japanese people do at their home 

 

 

Probably because of the modern Japanese menu, modern but relaxing atmosphere as well as the location a few minutes from Shinjuku station, Yusoshi is always filled mainly with Japanese ladies. That differs from ordinary Izakaya.   

Of course, during a day, Yusoshi serves as a nice cafe and offers several selections of drinks from Japanese green tea to vanila latte and sweets made with Japanese ingredients.  

 

Restaurant name: Yusoshi 

Address: 6th floor, Lumine 1, 1-1-5 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku Tokyo

Website in English : http://r.gnavi.co.jp/g030043/lang/en/ 

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Japanese Tea Salon - Higashiya, Ginza Tokyo

At Ginza, the best known luxury shopping district in Japan, it is not easy even for locals to find a cozy place for tea break during exciting shopping hours.

Higashiya, locating on the north part or 1-chome of Ginza, is one of such options, very sophisticated oasis. The "Japanese Tea Salon", as it calls itself, is on the second floor of POLA Ginza building, a property by the established Japanese cosmetic company.

Like the cosmetic brand on the ground floor, the space of Higashiya tea salon looks both peaceful and beautiful with arts placed on the wall, modern lighting and warm wooden tables and chairs. It is also quiet and people enjoy their own "tea ceremony" without any kind of noisy disturbance.

 

It offers fantastic selection of Japanese tea in term of the number of options and quality of listed products as well as Japanese traditional sweets. Otherwise choose the tea set at just over Yen 1000. Then you will have small pieces of seasonal Japanese sweets and again seasonal recommendable tea.

 

 

Don't forget bringing a book or someting to read instead of your moile phone to talk with someone. That is what is the best way to spend time and fully to enjoy at Higashiya, Japanese Tea Salon, we believe.

     

 

Lastly, we also recommend that you "pay a visit to the toilet" without fail.

It is the best and the most comfortable toilet that I have ever seen in Japan and in the world. I visited ladies' room only of course. Sorry for gentlemen, as we do not know how it is for you. 

We would not tell you how it is great so you can enjoy finding it.

Cafe name: Higashiya Ginza

Address: 2nd floor POLA Ginza, 1-7-7 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo

Website: http://www.higashiya.com 

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47 Prefectures' local specialities in Shibuya Hikarie, Tokyo

Newest shopping complex in Shibuya, "Hikarie" opened in April, has caught local's attention so much that it had to ask visitors to wait and make a queue to go in the building during Golden Week holiday season on May this year, just after it opened. Some of shops and restaurants in Hikarie are new to Tokyoiets and they attract a lot of locals who love to try new things. 

Restaurant are on two floors, 6th and 7th. They are well appointed as a whole with the relaxing and modern concept as well as varieties of interesting dining choices from Kaiten-Sushi to Hawaiian tables. They are often full with guests and busy even on weekday lunch.

What we recommend in Hikarie, Shibuya is on the 8th floor. The space including art gallery, museum, shop and studios is uniquelly produced under "creation" concept. "d47 shokudo" (d47 食堂, dining) is a part of the space.

The number 47 of the cosy cafe's name represents the total number of all prefectures in Japan, from Tokyo, Hokkaido in the northest, Osaka to Okinawa in south. d47 shokudo offers local specialities from each of 47 prefectures.  

For example for lunch, it has several teishoku (定食, Japanese style set meal at reasonable price) style courses and each of courses is tied with a certain prefecture;

No.001 Hokkaido - dried Hokke fish from Kushiro and salmon rolled by kobu kelp

No.020 Shizuoka - fried chicken of Fuji-Asahi local branded and black fish cake

No. 046 Kagoshima - Pork ginger sautee and simmered potato  

and the photo right  is

No. 043 Nagasaki - deep fried horse mackerel wih tartar sauce and jelly of shrimp and vegetables

As it is very likely to be traditional "teishoku" (定食) style, these main dishes are served with a bowl of rice, miso soup and pickles. That is very close to Japanese locals' "ordinary" meal even not so gorgeous like sushi or sukiyaki.

The cafe also offers very interesting drink tasting set; 3 kinds of either Sake, shochu (distilled sake), made-in-Japan red / white wine, orange juice or grape juice Actually in some parts of Japan, very good citrus concentrated juice is produced. If you would, you can try 3 different branded juices each from different prefectures.

My case, I ordered a single kind of orange juice from Ehime prefecture, one of the best-known origin of "mikan" Japanese orange. It is really fresh and rich in taste.

It is worth to try even though it costs more by a few hundreds yen

than a cup of coffee (the coffee is also special local product though). 

 

Another point to be noted about d47 shokudo is its view of Shibuya town. Through the large window on the 8th floor, a town of Shibuya with hundreds of ad-signs, random sized and shaped buildings, cars on a highway, people on streets .. all are visible and will surely make you feel being in Japan.

Lastly some of ingredients and drinks provided at the cafe are able to be purchased at the cafe and d47 design travel store on the same floor.

 

Restaurant name: d47 shokudo

Address: 2-21-1 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

Official website: http://www.hikarie8.com/d47shokudo/

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******************  Find accommodation in Japan  ***************

OSAKA / NARA / SAPPORO / TAKAYAMA / TOKYO/YUFUIN 

YAKUSHIMA / NOZAWA ONSEN / NISEKO / NIKKO /

HIROSHIMA / MATSUMOTO / KYOTO / KANAZAWA / ISHIGAKI ISLAND /

HAKUBA / FURANO / BEPPU /

 

Kamiyacho Open Terrace by Komyoji Temple(光明寺) Tokyo

The months of May and June are good time to enjoy outside terrace in Tokyo, when the weather is fine. Today's recommendable spot is a bit unique open air terrace where you can enjoy food & drink you bring.

Kamiyacho Open Terrace is 30 seconds walk from subway Kamiyacho (神谷町) station on Hibiya-line in central business district of Tokyo. It is actually a part of a temple, Komyoji (光明寺), building. 

The temple's master (surely open-minded) started sharing the terrace space with public in 2005, aiming at making it as a public space like a park and at inviting people living and working in the area freely to the temple. The temple offers the terrace space in front of the main hall with several tables and chairs and it welcomes you bringing your lunch pack, working with a note PC or reading a book.  As long as you do not mind viewing the temple's cemetery below your eyes, feel the silence and breeze going through greenery scene. Sometimes during weekdays, a monk serves tea and sweets to visitors. He is also happy to answer to vistors' question when his time is allowed.

 

The temple's main hall is also on a side of the terrace.

Don't forget to pray and to say hello & thank to the buddha

 

Kamiyacho is about 15 minutes walk to Tokyo Tower

From the temple terrace the upper part of the tower is visble. 

 

 

Several tables and chairs are set to enjoy the space. 

Business lunch hour 12:00 - 13:00,

these chairs and tables might be filled by local business people enjoying their lunch.

 

 

If you would like to get local style lunch on the way to Kamiyacho Open Terrace by Komyoji Temple, we recommend you drop by "Yatai Deli" (屋台Deli, "food stall" Deli). The take-away lunch box seller is located on the underground floor (B1) of Toranomon MT40 building, directly connected to Exit 3, Kamiyacho subway station. Varieties of Japanese style box meal are placed on small stalls and all are covered by clear plastic top with a price tag. Lunch boxes are sold at reasonable price starting from Yen390 and none exceeds Yen 1000. (as long as we know...) So even for non-Japanese speaker, it will be easy and comfortable to try and to choose one for you. 

 

Don't worry even if Japanese lunch box is not your feeling. Two convenience stores are available at the crossing corners of Kamiyacho subway station. 

And wherever you get food, your cooperation is much appreciated to bring back waste and not to leave it in the temple. 

Komyoji Temple provides information about Kamiyacho Open Terrace in English. For more and the latest infromation, please visit its official blog.

Komyoji Temple  Kamiyacho Open Terrace

Official site: http://www.komyo.net/kot/english/

View 神谷町光明寺 in a larger map

 

Map for Yatai Deli at Toranomon 40MT building

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Alternative spot in similar location:  Belgian bakery cafe - Le Pain Quotidien

 http://aboutfoodinjapan.weblogs.jp/blog/2011/06/belgian-bakery-cafe-le-pain-quotidien.html