november2011

92 SanDiegoMagazine.comNovember2011

Arrive

From LAX, fl y Singapore Airlines’

new A380 direct to Narita Inter-

national. Splurge on a suite or a

business-class seat—the widest on the

market—and enjoy an even broader

range of menu options when you select

a main course through the “Book the

Cook” service. singaporeair.com

Sleep

The extremely elegant Shangri-La

Hotel, Tokyo, houses 2,000 pieces of

artwork, 50 handmade chandeliers, and

breathtaking fl ower arrangements by

famed fl orist Nicolai Bergmann. The

rooms, boasting spectacular skyscraper

views of the city, are pimped out with

amenities like heated toilet seats and

the biggest rain showers in Japan.

Shangri-La is located in the renovated

Marunouchi district and situated adja-

cent to Tokyo Station—your go-to hub

for inner- and intra-city transportation,

as well as airport connections. Conve-

nient! shangri-la.com

Shop

In Tokyo, you’ll not only fi nd Japanese

brands but stand-alone stores with full

collections of all the lines you only get

a glimpse of in San Diego. In the Ginza

neighborhood, shop luxury boutiques

like Lanvin and Chanel alongside

lower-end Zara and H&M, plus depart-

ment stores, including Takashimaya,

Wako, and Matsuya. Take the subway

to Harajuku Station to witness the Ha-

rajuku girls dressed in full gear on the

weekends. Then walk the Omotesando

district’s main drag lined with fl agships

and boutiques such as Tod’s, Tocca,

a MoMa Design Store, and Comme

des Garçon. Inside Omotesando Hills

shopping mall, you’ll fi nd everything

from the edgy Ann Demeulemeester

to a really cool new-and-used clothing-

and-design store called Pass the Baton.

Cross Aoyama-dori Avenue to gawk at

the glass-bubble Prada Aoyama tower.

Dine

At Robataya in the Roppongi district,

point to the food you want—the cooks

will chant and prepare each dish in

front of you before handing it over on

long paddles. They might even get you

in on the mochi-making action (it’s a

pounded, glutinous rice). Sit on pillows

for shoeless dining at En Shibuya

(there’s legroom carved out below the

fl oor), then hit up the tiny, six-or-so-

person bars in the Golden Gai alleys of

East Shinjuku.

shopping in tokyo

From the street fashion of the Harajuku girls to the sophisticated urban

style of Tokyo’s business elite, Japan’s capital city is a mecca for inspiration

and shopping. And now is the ideal time to support their economy.

See the goods

If you’re more foodie than fashionista,

go to a fruit parlor and take a gander

at a $500 melon. Grown with care, they

are suspended in a climate-controlled

space and shaped by a special mas-

saging technique called “ball wiping.”

Established in 1834, Sembikiya is the

country’s oldest fruit store, and they

specialize in the muskmelon. Tourists

also love Tsukiji Market, the world’s

largest fi sh market, in central Tokyo.

Get lost in aisles of eel, octopus, and

$8,000 tuna fi sh (but only if you can

stand the smell of seafood and the

sight of whale meat).

Donate

Through December 30th, book the

WISH.forJapan room package at the

Shangri-La, which includes one deluxe

room with breakfast, complimentary In-

ternet access, and health club and pool

access. Ten percent of the bill will be

donated to WISH.forJapan, the hotel’s

own charity and disaster relief fund

for the March 11 earthquake victims.

To date, Shangri-La has raised more

than $300,000 through various eff orts

and deals and the staff has taken 14

trips to the northeastern coast to clear

debris and deliver supplies. (The volun-

teers include the G.M. himself!) About

$550/night; shangri-la.com, wishfor

japan.jp // ERIN MEANLEY

GETTY IMAGES/ MIXA CO. LTD., STEPHEN BURES/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM, © JAMES LEYNSE/CORBIS

Omotesando

Shangri-La Hotel

Shangri-La Hotel

Prada

Aoyama

Tsukiji

Market