Blue Note Tokyo

Begin at 1 Gaienmae subway station , then walk along Rte 246 toward Aoyama. If you need coffee or a quick bite, stop at 2 Citron , a French cafe that does a great quiche. Next, you could break for a bath at 3 Shimizu-yu , one of a dwindling number of sentō (public baths) in Tokyo, before exploring fashionable Aoyama. For that, take a left at the next major intersection, and prepare to be wowed by the nearby shimmering glass crystal tower housing luxury fashion giant at 4 Prada Aoyama . Around here you can browse boutiques and galleries, before reaching the magnificent 5 Nezu Museum and its collection of antique Asian artworks. Heading south, you’ll pass famous jazz club 6 Blue Note Tokyo , after which you can take a right and head up Kotto-dōri to towards Rte 246. Next, browse art exhibits and eclectic shops at the nearby 7 Spiral . Its 5th-floor Sakurai Japanese Tea Experience offers an intriguing window into tea culture, featuring onsite-roasted hōjicha (roasted green tea) and sophisticated tea-based cocktails (reservations recommended). Lastly, head up Omotesandō-dōri to see the area's architectural standouts, including 8 Ito Toyo’s Bottega Veneta and 9 Sejima Kazuyo’s Dior . After the glitzy boutiques and complexes along Omotesandō, grab a train at 10 Meiji-jingūmae subway station – or you could add on more of the sights in this chapter.