Yukiko was born and raised in Tokyo. She lives in the heart of the city and has been involved in many different projects to promote Japanese culture abroad. As a Tokyo local, she wrote this book in the hope that it will allow people to get to know Tokyo a bit better than they do now. She herself now is, after writing The 500 Hidden Secrets of Tokyo, prouder of her city than she ever was.
"I love the clean streets and the frequent and efficient train services. People are polite, and technologies and traditions exist side by side. Tokyo has such a rich culinary offering: there are so many different choices when it comes to dining. Plus, the city is beautiful in different seasons, as seasonal flowers can be seen here and there. Lastly, it's a vibrant and surprising city: I've never felt bored in Tokyo and probably never will."
"I've never felt bored in Tokyo and probably never will."
Yukiko's perfect day in the city might look like this
"On a sunny Saturday, I'd start with browsing the books and magazines at Aoyama Book Center, followed by visiting the UNU Farmer’s Market to have a chat with the farmers, perhaps exchanging recipes, and getting a lunch plate from one of the food trucks. Then I would walk to Sendagaya to have a couple scoops of coconut ice cream at Kippy’s (one of them must be cinnamon … I just cannot resist).
Then I get on Tokyo Metro to Shinjuku San-chome. From the station, I go to the depa-chika of Isetan to buy a bento box and a piece of Japanese sweet. Then I go to listen to a rakugo show (traditional storytelling) at Shinjuku Suehirotei. That would be perfect. Spending a whole afternoon in a karaoke box with my friends would be nice, too."
