Drinking is not lost on Japan. Amidst the insatiable demand for sushi, ramen, tempura and takoyaki is a trove of quenchable beverages. This, I got to discover and experience first-hand, as I jumped from one express train to another to satiate my thirst for their homegrown and brewed beverages.
On a trip organised by the Japan National Tourism Organization, I started my quest at the capital, where amidst the bounty of beer, which remains to be the most favoured alcoholic drink of the Japanese, I ended up indulging in something more befitting the 2-degree weather. Tucked in an alley located inside the fashionable Omotesando district is a Forties house that may look time weary on the outside but not on the inside as it plays home to a mix of trendy shops, cafes and eateries.
The Urasando Garden is among Shibuya’s best-kept secrets. Camouflaged in a row of back street residences, the three-storey retro mini-mall acts as a haven for solitary diners with the likes of
