This Week in Tokyo – 29 March 2022

Welcome to ‘This Week in Tokyo’, a review of the Maction Planet week that was and a look ahead to what’s coming up in the city. Hosted by Mac, our Founder and Lead Guide, you can check out photos from our tours and read insights into our explorations as we get under the skin of the World’s Greatest Metropolis, and beyond! This week: Sakura, back once again; Tofu Shokudo; Spring Grandeur; Whisky Festival 2022 in Tokyo and The End of Making Sake on Sado?

Sakura, back once again: It’s the 2022 Somei Yoshino Cherry Blossom bloom in Tokyo, and once again it never gets old. As always, it’s a near-impossible task to choose one photo to sum up the season so far, but I’m going with this glimpse though the side of Setagaya-ku’s Joshinji Temple, founded in 1678.

Tofu Shokudo: Tokyo, like many cities around the world, has been hit by many bar and restaurant closures during the pandemic… so it’s great to see new openings around the city. Tofu Shokudo in Ebisu does exactly what it says on the tin – a wonderful tin of amazing dishes showcasing humble tofu, designed by Chef Katsuhisa Sato. A restaurant lunch offering turns into an izakaya at night. They make the tofu on site, and sell takeaway tofu and soy-based desserts. Highlights include:

Mabodofu: I don’t often use my Kanpai Planet whisky-tasting lingo here on Maction Planet, but the nose of this is incredible.

Tofu koji karaage: This friend chicken with five-spice seasoning is devastatingly good

Tofu noodle ramen: A rich chicken-based broth works wonders with these. Salty or spicy… the choice is yours, or do what I did and have both.

Pickled tofu and cucumber: Simple but effective.

A natural wine list brings it all home. You can find photos of all the above and more on the Maction Planet Instagram. Highly recommended. Kanpai!

Spring Grandeur: I received a lovely present recently – this Grandeur Plus x Parley Classic 2 watch! The watch, released by Maruzeki under their Grandeur Plus brand, contains SII Seiko made-in-Japan movement and an open heart which looks fantastic. The strap from Parley sports a magnificent colour gradation which I know will only deepen with age. I love it so much that I have taken some Instagram inspiration and decided to stick it in a tree for a photoshoot. Expect it to be on the neck of a whisky bottle soon!

Whisky Festival 2022 in Tokyo: This weekend was full of options for drinks fans with offline and online gatherings galore. My primary focus was the return of the JWRC’s Whisky Festival after a three-year absence. It was attended by pretty much all the country’s whisky Illuminati, and they don’t get much more illuminous than Shinji Fukuyo, Chief Blender for Suntory! Kanpai!

The End of Making Sake on Sado?: I can’t quite believe it, but the Making Sake on Sado adventure is almost at an end. Last week, I released two episodes, Day 6 and Day 7, covering the final two days of my time at Gakkogura. But that’s not the end of the series. The is still one more, still-to-be-revealed bonus episode coming out

Maction Planet runs bespoke Private Tours and Experiences in Tokyo, and beyond. To book yours, or to purchase a gift card, contact us at info@mactionplanet.com

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