Linda Liao's Reviews Page 85/91

An upscale wagashi specialty shop with more than a century of history, selling a wide variety of delicate Japanese sweets. Yokan is a classic favorite, and during the holidays, you can always see many Japanese people lining up to buy it. It makes an elegant, high-quality gift.

A great deal of care goes into making the yokan, with close attention paid to everything from the ingredients to the water quality. It has a delicate texture and a sweet flavor. However, traditional Japanese sweets tend to be quite sweet, so they're best enjoyed with a pot of hot tea.

Limited-edition products are also available at Haneda Airport. The packaging is cute and refined, making them great souvenirs.

A shopping paradise you absolutely can’t miss〜 Every time I come to Ueno Station, I can’t resist stopping by to browse and soak up the lively, energetic atmosphere. The fruit stands offer a wide selection at very reasonable prices. If you visit in the summer, for example, you can buy sweet, juicy peaches.

Ueno is also a major battleground for drugstores! Prices vary from store to store, so if you compare prices, you can often find a bargain. OS Drug is especially popular with tourists. The displays are somewhat cluttered and the aisles are narrow, but that “treasure-hunting” feeling is exactly what makes browsing so much fun. One unusual thing is that the store only accepts cash and does not offer tax-free shopping. Even so, it is still packed every day with tourists shopping, which shows just how popular it is!

Located deep inside Ueno Park, the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year! My visit happened to coincide with a special centennial exhibition held in collaboration with the British Museum, featuring several ukiyo-e works from the Edo period. I really recommend checking it out if you enjoy Japanese art and history.

Also, don't miss the gift shop on the first floor〜 You can browse without buying an admission ticket, and it carries quite a few museum-exclusive items that aren't available anywhere else. Both the designs and quality are excellent, and you can find plenty of pleasant surprises just browsing the shop!

Jaga Pokkuru is one of Japan's classic souvenirs. At the airport, you can often see Taiwanese and Korean travelers putting box after box into their shopping baskets. It's very popular.
The individually wrapped packs are very convenient. They're great for eating a little at a time yourself, and they're also just right for taking home to share with family and friends. The crispy texture and rich potato flavor make the classic original flavor something you never get tired of.

If you're tired of the original flavor, I also highly recommend trying the scallop flavor! It has an extra touch of savory flavor from the sea, and its salty, savory taste makes it hard to stop eating. I personally like it a lot too.

The COREDO shopping complex consists of three buildings, so you can shop for clothing, enjoy food, and browse household goods all in one visit. When I visited, the Christmas lights had just been put up, and once they came on at night, they added a romantic atmosphere and made the entire complex feel very festive. The place Taiwanese people are probably most familiar with is Eslite Spectrum, which has a location here!
Besides browsing books, cultural and creative products, and lifestyle goods, you can also find quite a few classic snacks that are familiar to Taiwanese people, which is fun.

Ueno Park has something special to offer in every season, and the fall scenery is every bit as beautiful as the cherry blossoms in spring. Visit in the fall to enjoy the red maple leaves and golden ginkgo trees. It's especially pleasant to stroll through the park. If you're lucky, you may also come across live street performances, adding a bit more excitement and energy to the park.

Besides the natural scenery, Ueno Park also has attractions such as art museums and a zoo, so you can spend an entire day exploring at a leisurely pace.

Ginza really has so many stores and department stores worth checking out! Many of the shops here are flagship-sized, with spacious interiors and a very complete selection of products. If you have limited time in Tokyo, I really recommend adding Ginza to your itinerary. One-stop shopping is the biggest time-saver!

You can find Taiwanese favorites like UNIQLO, GU, and Mitsukoshi all in one place. Be sure to set aside plenty of time so you can shop to your heart's content〜

I also really love the atmosphere in Ginza on weekend afternoons〜 Some streets are closed to traffic, temporarily banning vehicles, which is why it's also known as a "pedestrian paradise." Outdoor tables and chairs are set up in the middle of the street, so when you're tired from shopping, you can grab a coffee, sit down, watch people come and go, and enjoy Ginza's relaxed yet stylish afternoon atmosphere.

Every time I come to Ginza, I always set aside some time to browse this shopping center. Besides being able to take my time shopping at UNIQLO and GU, the stores are just the right size compared with the Ginza flagship stores, making it more relaxing to browse.

After buying clothes, I head upstairs to Daiso!
This Daiso is not only spacious but also has a very wide selection, with everything from daily necessities to snacks. With its affordable prices, it's no wonder you often see many international travelers coming here specifically to buy souvenirs. Daiso's sister brand THREEPPY is also not to be missed. I especially like coming here to pick out earrings and hair accessories. The designs are cute and inexpensive, so even if I accidentally lose or damage them, it doesn't hurt too much.

Hokkaido's hugely popular sushi restaurant, Nemuro Hanamaru, is now in Tokyo too!

This time, I visited the branch in Tokyu Plaza Ginza. If you want to experience Japan's standing sushi culture, I highly recommend coming here. There's often a long line during meal times, so I specifically went in the afternoon and managed to avoid the crowds.

Watching the chef place each piece of fresh sushi on a bamboo leaf really whets your appetite! The ingredients are fresh, and there are plenty of options. Just order whatever you like—almost everything is delicious, so you really can't go wrong. I also highly recommend their seafood miso soup. It's packed with umami, warms you up, and goes perfectly with the sushi〜

As expected of an upscale Ginza department store, it brings together many of the trendiest high-end sweets. There was so much to see that every floor felt like a refined dessert exhibition. I saw many well-dressed Japanese women lining up to buy GIN NO MORI's dreamy French-style cookies in a tin, and in the end, I couldn't resist pulling out my wallet.

Opening the tin was such a delightful surprise. It was filled with all kinds of delicate, adorable handmade cookies, each with a different shape and flavor. Savoring them slowly revealed their unique layers of flavor.

As I kept browsing, I even discovered that Taiwan's SunnyHills had opened a location here!
Unexpectedly coming across a familiar Taiwanese brand in an upscale department store abroad made me feel strangely moved and proud. I hope SunnyHills can thrive in Japan for many years to come and introduce more people to the wonderful flavors of Taiwan.