Welcome to my hood…
For the past year (technically eleven months), I’ve been living in Tokyo, working at a travel company, and exploring Asia. About a month after moving to Tokyo, I finally got my own place in a town called, Togoshi Ginza. For many people, locals included, Togoshi Ginza is often unknown or confused for being nearby Ginza Station. Before I started looking for apartments, I didn’t even know where Togoshi Ginza was. I worked with an English realtor who suggested a small place in the area. He said that it was right near the “shotengai” or shopping street which made the location really great. After many apartment visits, I settled on one and finally moved into my new home! My apartment was a small, three story building. I lived right by Togoshi Ginza Station on the Tokyu Ikegami Line (only a 5 min walk!) and a close walk to Togoshi Metro Station. Being so close, my apartment was right near the train tracks, meaning I could hear the sound of the train running every 5-10 minutes. But since I’m somewhat a heavy sleeper, the sound didn’t bother me much, and I wasn’t at home too often enough to care. The place was small, but very modern and definitely affordable for being in such a great location. Although I wasn’t situated in the city center, I was close enough to access Shibuya within 20-30 minutes, and just far enough outside the city to enjoy a slower and more peaceful lifestyle.
Finding an apartment (and then moving out) in Japan is probably one of the most stressful experiences I’ve had thus far. Japanese apartments come unfurnished so you’ll have to buy a washer, fridge, microwave, etc, and sometimes even a stove, and AC. Most leases are two year contracts, but some can be broken without any additional fees. Moreover, the worst part about renting a place in Japan is hands down the additional fees. In Japan, your first months rent can triple or quadruple when you factor in all of the additional requirements for renting. There is a safety deposit, which you would get back upon moving out after the cleaning fees are deducted. That is pretty standard to the US system. However, there is also a thing called gift money for the landlord, a realtor or company fee, key money, and additional insurance and other fees associated with moving in to a new place. Luckily, my company covered the moving costs for me and I used the money to pay for all of the fees for this apartment.
After signing the lease, I could officially start living and furnishing my place! For my appliances, I bought everything at K’s Denki Store near my grandparents house. I got a really good discount and they even shipped and installed all the items for free. For my shelves, couch, and other home goods, I went to Nitori, which is the Japanese equivalent to IKEA. While there is an IKEA store in Tokyo as well, Nitori branches are everywhere in the city, and also ship to your house for free if you order over a certain yen amount. Since my place was extremely tiny, I really had to utilize the space and find practical furniture. I opted for a futon mattress instead of a bed so that I could fold it up and create more space in the living area. I also bought a couch that folded into a futon from Nitori that was useful when my friends came to visit and sleep over! The possibilities are endless, and the Japanese have created some great items to help you make the most out of your small living space. While everything seemed to be so much smaller, I felt like it limited me to buying only what I needed, and nothing else.
Living in Togoshi Ginza meant I lived only a few steps away from an amazing shopping street. I was lucky enough to have a few supermarkets within 10 minutes, a drug store, several convenience stores, a McDonalds (because you know this is essential) and a lot of local restaurants and other shops! If you find yourself nearby, get off at Togoshi Ginza Station and explore the area!
For Groceries: Ozeki
I love grocery shopping, so having one so close by was such a nice treat. While living in Japan, I cooked a lot, so getting fresh ingredients was key. If you live in the area, go to the market during opening to get half off some meats and even some veggies! If you’re looking for a quick meal or discounted fish, go before closing to snag the best deals.
For Novelty Foods: Kaldi Farm
If you’re in the mood for any kind of cuisine other than Japanese, head to Kaldi Farm. They carry a bunch of international food products for a good price so you can make Korean Soondubu, Pad Thai, Spaghetti, or Tacos. Japanese supermarkets don’t carry a whole bunch of international foods, so this is the perfect spot to get some sauces or items necessary to make your favorite non-Japanese dish. They also sell coffee beans, tea, candies, a good selection of wines, etc. My absolute favorite thing has been the black truffle cheese dip which was only 180 yen! I haven’t seen it recently, but during Autumn and Winter, they always had it in stock.
For Snacks: Okashi No Machi
If you’re looking for a cheap snack shop, look no further! This chain store is all over Tokyo, but you can mainly find them along shopping streets. They sell cheap snacks from chips to kit kats to arare. Find new flavors and try newly released flavors of your favorite Japanese snacks here!
For Home Goods, Toiletries, Daily Living: Kokokara Fine + Can*Do
Right next to Togoshi Ginza Station, there is a popular drug store and 100 yen shop. If you’re ever in need of sunscreen, vitamins, hangover cures, tools, basically any kind of home good, visit one of these.
For Thrift Shopping: Treasure Factory Style or Mode Off
I’ve always loved thrift shopping and occasionally popped in to the shops on my street if I ever felt the need to shop. Treasure Factory Style is a popular recycle shop that sells gently used clothes. they often have sale racks and special pricing. According to the season, they stock the clothes accordingly, so during the winter, you’ll find more winter coats and sweaters and during the summer, you’ll find dresses and thinner clothing styles to fit the weather.
Mode Off is located right by Togoshi Ginza Station and has 100 yen racks outside the store. If you’re in the mood to find some hidden gems, spend a few minutes to rummage through the racks and sale bins for a cute top or purse!
For Film + Photo Services: Photo Kanon
A film development store is essential for me. When I first moved in, I tried out different photo shops and found that my favorite one was right on my shopping street! Photo Kanon is a small boutique on the shotengai that offers photo services like film development, digital photo prints, passport photos, etc. They also sell some cute photo accessories and have a good selection of film. Although it’s a bit out of the way if you don’t live nearby, it’s really affordable and they do a really great job to develop your film. For developing and scans to a USB drive, they charge 1024 yen per roll. They also print a few of your pictures for free and give them to you as a gift! The only downside is that they take a week to process it so you’ll have to be patient.
For Quick Eats: Coco Ichibanya, Matsuya, McDonalds, Conbini (to name a few)
There are so many restaurants on the street, it’s hard to choose where to eat. If you’re in a hurry, are on a budget, or just want a cheap snack, there are many chain stores to stop by for a satisfying meal that won’t break your wallet.
For Great Indian Food: Namaste
Japan has a big population of Indians, and therefore a good amount of Indian restaurants. Growing up in Hawaii, I didn’t get to eat much Indian food as there aren’t many places that serve it. I decided to try this restaurant randomly, and went back two more times after that. The restaurant is on the smaller side, and tends to get pretty busy for both lunch and dinner! My favorite is the ほうれん草 (spinach) curry with garlic naan bread and a mango lassi. If you’re looking for a classic, their butter chicken curry is also very tasty and flavorful. If you go for lunch, they have a special lunch menu which is really filling and super cheap!
For Street Food:
If you read blogs online, you’ll find that Togoshi Ginza is known for their street food and quick eats.
Stop by Karaage Kei for juicy deep fried chicken. It’s a bit expensive and you pay per gram, but worth a little taster!
Tori & Deli is another popular karaage shop with a few outdoor tables. I tried the mix karaage (breast + thigh meat) which was super flavorful. I liked how they cooked it to order, so the chicken came freshly cooked!
Try the famous pork wrapped rice ball from Tontan. If you want to try all the restaurants, but only want a taster from each, Tontan has a take-out window, so you can easily try their food on the go. It was definitely interesting and worth trying, but not sure if I would go back for another.
One of the most famous shops is Kamaboko Shop Goto. You can try Oden, a Japanese dish served with many fishcakes and other boiled veggies and ingredients. I tried their oden korokke, which was a small, creamy deep fried ball. It was only 100 yen, so you can fit much more after trying this dish.
Newly opened in 2018, Kyoto Hou Syu-Mai has tasty shumai to eat on the go. It’s a bit expensive being priced at 100-200 yen per piece, and the shumai isn’t that big. But the owner of the shop is very friendly, and the flavor of the shumai is really good. They recently started selling shumai korroke (deep fried shumai) for 200 yen, you get two on a stick. I really enjoyed trying it and would definitely come back to get more!
For Sweets:
Bakery Hoshino - one of the only bakery shops on the street. They sell decent pastries and baked snacks. Try the Melon Pan! Erin said it was the best she had in Japan so far!
Ginza Cozy Corner - Although its a chain store, Cozy Corner serves decent cakes. My favorite is the strawberry shortcake!
Taiyaki Honpo - The shop opened sometime near the end of 2018. It’s a popular chain Taiyaki shop that sells two flavors: red bean and sweet potato filling. Occasionally they sell specialty flavors like white peach filling (my favorite)!
For Sushi: Sushi Seike (鮨 勢家)
I must say this is probably one of the best sushi places I’ve been to. I went with my grandparents and aunty, and we each got a the most expensive nigiri set. For 3,500, we got uni, chutoro or otoro, akagai, crab, etc! Although I only dined their once, I would gladly go back if I’m ever in the area!
For A Taste of Hawaii: Your Kitchen
Your Kitchen used to be a shop in Kaimuki selling tasty pork bowls in Hawaii. My friend, Brandon, discovered it while staying with me for a week. He raved about it and said that it was the best pork bowls in Hawaii until they shut down. Coincidentally, it seems like they relocated to Togoshi Shopping Street and still sell their famous pork bowls! The bowls are topped with tender pork and a deep fried onsen egg. If you’re missing these bowls or never had them and want to try it, take a trip out to Togoshi Ginza to get your fix!
For Cheap Dinner: Saizeriya or Torikizoku
Although I didn’t get to go to these on my street, I’ve dined at both in Tokyo several times. These are very popular chain restaurants. Saizeriya sells pastas and pizzas, along with 100 yen glasses of wine. If you’re craving some “Italian” but are on a budget, head over there with your friends.
If you’re in the mood for yakitori (grilled skewers), Torikizoku is on of the most popular chains offering everything on their menu for 298 yen. They have an easy order system where you order everything from an iPad at the table. Go after work for a drink and late dinner!
The possibilities are endless. Although I lived there for almost a year, I felt like I only explored and tried a portion of the street. Nearby, you can also access Musashi Koyama Shotengai, Togoshi Park, and even some other smaller streets!