Shingo Akikuni is best generally known as the chef at SHINGO, a one-Michelin-starred Japanese restaurant in Miami.
He grew up in Japan and returns yearly as a visitor.
The fourth-generation sushi chef told CNBC Travel how he spends his time there.
Where he eats
Ginza Sushi Aoki
Akikuni’s first advice is where he was trained as a chef. The restaurant — which was opened over 50 years ago — is led by a chef who “makes himself available for not only locals, but additionally folks that are visiting from abroad,” Akikuni said through a translator.
Noda
For more contemporary flavors, Akikuni recommends visitors try fusion restaurants run by chefs who were trained in numerous parts of the world. One such restaurant is Noda, which marries Japanese techniques and ingredients with French influence.
“Along with the cooking, he really loves the wine pairing,” his translator told CNBC Travel.
Restaurant reservations are frequently remodeled the phone in Japan, Akikuni said. To avoid language barriers, he recommends that travelers make reservations through their hotel concierge.
Toranomon Yokocho
Akikuni also suggests eating at a Yokocho, an alleyway lined with street vendors and bars.
Toranomon Yokocho, a more moderen food center in Japan, is a contemporary tackle the Yokocho concept — even though it is ready up in a “nice development,” he said. Food there goes beyond Japanese cuisine, and visitors can “try slightly little bit of the whole lot multi functional place.”
Where he drinks
Good Music Bar
Akikuni recommends the vinyl music bar because it has an in depth record collection and live acts from Monday to Saturday. The bar has great cocktails, a high-quality sound system and is sufficiently big for groups of friends, he said.
Good Music Bar, situated in Kita-Aoyama, has DJs that spin records, said Akikuni.
Source: Shingo Akikuni
Kasumicho Arashi
The hidden bar is understood for its fruit-based cocktails, Akikuni said. It’s tucked within the basement of a house within the residential area of Nishiazabu. The speakeasy incorporates “great farm fresh items” in its menu, he said.
The SG Club
This one is owned by Shingo Gokan, whom Akikuni called “one of the crucial famous bartenders of this generation.” Gokan, who won the 2021 Industry Icon Award from the World’s 50 Best organization, also owns a speakeasy, Sip & Guzzle, in Recent York City.
The bar, which “has been popular for a very long time,” has three unique floors with different menus and a cigar room, Akikuni said.
What he does
Tokyo offers many spots for sightseeing, and Akikuni’s favorites are the Meiji Jingu Shrine and the Toyosu Market.
Meiji Jingu Shrine
The shrine — arguably Tokyo’s most famous — is a must-see, he said. The shrine was in-built 1920 within the busy neighborhood of Shibuya.
“It’s an ideal break from the hustle and bustle of town,” he said.
It’s free to enter and lies inside a man-made forest. It opens around sunrise and closes around sunset.
Toyosu Market
Akikuni said he visits the Toyosu Fish Market each time he’s in Tokyo. On the market — the most important in Japan, at around 4 million square feet — he sees the vendors and suppliers who stock his Miami restaurant, he said.
The early morning tuna auction is a well-liked attraction there. Visitors can ballot for the prospect to view the auction up close, in accordance with Japan National Tourism Organization’s website. In January, a 608-pound bluefin tuna was sold for around $1.3 million dollars – the second-highest price paid because the auction began in 1999.
Chef Akikuni with a purveyor on the Toyosu Fish Market.
Source: Shingo Akikuni
Visitors who don’t win the lottery can still watch buyers bid for his or her alternative from farther away, and likewise buy some fresh fish for breakfast after.
Toyosu Fish Market is generally known as the “best on the planet,” but fewer people know in regards to the Toyosu Fruit and Vegetable Market, Akikuni said.
“Japanese people generally are very dedicated to whatever craft that they’ve,” he said. “So if they seem to be a strawberry farmer, they’re attempting to grow the best strawberries.”
Where he shops
Omotesando and Harajuku
While the neighborhood of Ginza is home to many international brands, Akikuni recommends shopping on Omotesando or within the neighborhood of Harajuku as an alternative.
Each have stores that visitors will “only find in Tokyo,” he said.
Omotesando, known as the Champs Élysées of Tokyo, is an avenue with iconic Japanese fashion houses like Comme des Garçons and Issey Miyake. It is also home to Omotesando Hills, a shopping complex with greater than 130 shops.
Harajuku, nonetheless, is understood for its subculture and quirky fashion. Each areas are walkable and straightforward to explore, said Akikuni, with vintage shops where visitors can pick up luxury and stylish pieces.
Where he stays
The Imperial Hotel and Aoyama Grand Tokyo
Akikuni prefers two hotels in Tokyo, each of which provide different experiences.
The Imperial Hotel is near the Royal Palace. It opened in 1890 to welcome foreign visitors, in accordance with the hotel’s website.
The normal concept of Japanese hospitality — or “omotenashi” — is what draws him to the hotel, Akinkuni said. It’s like looking “into the past of how the usual of hospitality was created” within the country, he said.
The contemporary Aoyama Grand Tokyo is a superb option for shopping in Harajuku or Omotesando. It’s near each neighborhoods and the food is great, he said.
