JAPAN Day 2

October 22 - Yanaka!

Words: Sebastian + Images: Araceli

We woke up extra early and made our way to Nezu Shrine through back alleys once we exited the subway, at the border of Yanaka. I wanted Araceli to experience a Shrine in the early morning with almost no people around. And it was beautiful. Small and compact, Torii gates, a pond, and grounds. It was fresh and crisp in the morning.

After the shrine, we started our route, making our way towards the Yanaka cemetery. The whole neighborhood is very compact, with small streets that offered a great insight into Tokyo's inhabitants' lives. The cemetery is enormous, filled with tombs and shrines and sticks and crows. The main street is lined with cherry trees and we read that it is a beautiful spot in spring to see the Sakura blossoms.

Our second day was also when we realized coffee shops opened quite late in Japan. 10 AM at best, 12:00 noon at worst (for us). Fortunately, Kayaba Coffee opened at 08:30 AM. We sat at a table right by the entrance. The coffee was cozy, thanks to the lighting, diner tables, coffee smell, and the kindness of the team. We ordered two coffees and an egg sandwich. Araceli claims it's probably the best one she's had so far. The bread was very spongy with large bubbles, a perfectly cooked omelet inside, mayonnaise, and dill. Since they mentioned they had limited time for diners, we made quick work of the sandwich and the coffee and went on our way.
Next door to Kayaba there is a rice cracker shop, probably decades old. We bought rice crackers in the form of strips/fingers that were hollow inside. We devoured them in a second. No time for pictures.

Our next objective was the Asakura Museum of Sculpture . On our way, we passed along a tiny window with cheesecakes displayed, the name was Sagittaire . Having seen so many shops closed at this time of the day, we assumed it was closed as well. But, the owner appeared out of nowhere and opened his window. We were too curious not to order one of his flourless creations. It turned out to be the best cheesecake in the world.

It may not look like much from the outside, and one might not be a fan of sculptures, but the museum is well worth the visit. The sculptures are delicate and faithful to their models, but it's the house that steals the show. Apparently painstakingly designed by Asakura San, every room, and every window sets a serene scene. Especially since they all overlook a small and impressive garden almost entirely covered with water. Sitting on a tatami and looking into the garden through the sliding doors is akin to watching a painting. If a ray of sunlight happens to shine on you and warm your legs, consider yourself blessed.

After the museum, we strolled to Yanaka Street to find Yanaka Matsunoya , a home goods store where we bought a small tin teapot.
Right before arriving there, we noticed activity and flags at the entrance of a shrine and decided to follow the signs. What we found was another antique market! Exploring each stand, we settled on three tiny ceramic cups, all of different shapes and finishes.

It was time for lunch and we decided to try to get a spot at Takajo . There was a small queue outside this soba place, and 30 minutes later as they opened their doors, we were seated. We ordered the classic cold soba set and proceeded to slurp the delicious noodles, dipped in soy, katsuobushi, and kombu sauce mixed with spicy grated radish and wasabi. Heavenly.

With this, we concluded our Yanaka tour and decided to cut through Ueno Park to make our way towards Kappabashi . Most stores are very commercial, with a few being of extremely high quality.
Sokichi , a glassware retailer recommended by our friend Brandon San was a few blocks south of where we were. A narrow treasure room filled with select glasses of all imaginable sizes and shapes.

There was no dinner plan, so we defaulted to a tiny Unagi spot that caught our eye the day before, as we were hunting for a new camera in Ginza. Noboritei Unagi is unassuming at best, looks like it could belong to a chain restaurant, and only does one thing, Unagi. And they do it well. The team of old ladies is charming, and the menu is clear, fairly priced, and generous. Add some Sancho pepper to the mix and you're good to go.