Tokyo is fascinating in more than a million ways, and we would jet off to that Japanese city in a heart beat. And do we even need a reason to do so?

Not at all, we’d say. But if we must, Tokyo is where anyone and everyone can be inspired by anything and everything. From their incredible food, splendiferous culture and history, amazingly friendly and polite citizens, and even world-class toilets, we really think it is impossible to not fall in love!

If you haven’t been, we are here to share our favourites about Tokyo, and we hope this list of 25 Reasons Why We Love Tokyo will activate the bigger wanderlust bug in you and have you book a flight out on your next leave. For those who are already fans, let’s take a moment in time to reminisce all the good that Tokyo has brought to our soul:

1. AFFORDABLE AND GOOD QUALITY SUSHI AND SASHIMI

Japanese food in Tokyo is is a one-of-a-kind experience and a leisure on a whole different level. Sushi and sashimi are so fresh that you will never see Japanese food in the same light ever again. Our top pick is Uoriki Kaisen Sushi, a humble Japanese eatery that dishes out super fresh sushi and sashimi at pocket-friendly prices.

Read our guide to affordable sushi restaurants in Tokyo.

2. CONVENIENCE STORES HAVE EVERYTHING

Convenience stores in Japan are a-m-a-z-i-n-g. From ATMs, kiosks selling movie and bus tickets, piping hot oden and all kinds of Japanese instant noodles and snacks, Japanese convenience stores have everything you need.

3. TOKYO’S DISNEYSEA

What’s there not to love about Mickey and friends? Disneyland is the happiest place on earth!

4. EVERY NEIGHBOURHOOD HAS ITS DISTINCTIVE CHARM

No matter how many times you have been to Tokyo, it is a place that you will fall in love with again and again. Every neighbourhood has its distinctive charm, and there are always new things to discover and fall in love with.

Read our guide to Tokyo’s favourite neighbourhoods.

5. FLOWER MARKET CAFE

Awestruck. That was how we felt when we stepped into Aoyama Flower Market Tea House in Tokyo. It combines a florist with a tea house, and the result is the dream café for every girl.

Read our guide to Tokyo’s Top 15 Cafes that you must go to.

6. GLORIOUS, MELT-IN-THE-MOUTH TONKATSU

Once you have had a tonkatsu in Japan, your life will never be the same again. A good tonkatsu is one that is deep-fried to golden brown and texturised with crumbs, and has layers of meat and fats bursting with flavours and melts in your mouth – nothing overly oily, and satisfying on every level.

Read our guide to Tokyo’s Best Tonkatsu Restaurants.

7. GO CRAZY AT JAPANESE FOOD HALLS

One of the highlights of Japan is surely its Japanese food halls, which are filled with kiosks selling anything from cute pastries and cakes, to delicious Japanese bentos and snacks. We can eat ten meals a day with the endless selections!

8. HARAJUKU, THE LAND OF ALL THINGS KAWAII

Vibrant and full of life, Harajuku is the epicentre of Japanese youth culture and fashion, and it is littered with independent boutiques and hip cafes. Do not leave Takeshita Street without picking up a crepe, too! Which brings us to the next point.

9. HARAJUKU LEGENDARY FRENCH-STYLE JAPANESE CREPES

No one visits Harajuku without having the legendary French-style Japanese crepes. There are four to five crepe stores in Harajuku, but we like Angels Heart and Marion Crepes the most! Who says you cannot have the best of all worlds? You can have your crepe with fresh cream, sweet fruits, ice-cream and a slice of cake altogether!

10. ICHIRAN RAMEN, THE BEST RAMEN IN TOKYO, IF NOT THE WORLD

Ichiran Ramen is a popular ramen chain in Japan, and it has been widely accepted as one of the best spots for tonkotsu ramen. And we cannot agree more – with all my heart. A bowl of Ichiran ramen is truly food for the soul, and it is very affordable (¥780/S$10). It is undisputedly a ramen house that you cannot leave Japan without patronising.

11. THE WORLD’S FIRST KITKAT BOUTIQUE

Make a trip to the world’s first Kitkat Boutique. The KitKat Chocolatory store is located within the Seibu department store in Tokyo’s Ikebukuro district.

Read more about the the world’s first Kitkat boutique here.

12. LARGEST UNIQLO SHOP IN THE WORLD

Spanning over 12 floors, Uniqlo’s flagship outlet in Ginza is the largest in the world. Time to fill your luggages with all colours of their Airism basics and Heat-techs, we say!

13. MARCHE JAPON FARMERS’ MARKET

Tokyo’s farmer’s market located at Aoyama, in front of the United Nations University, is one that offers fresh produce of vegetables and fruits. Expect an array of colours and even if you are not shopping, it is quite a sight to behold!

14. MOUNT FUJI IS JUST TWO HOURS AWAY

Take a day trip to Lake Kawaguchi, and enjoy Hakone’s hot springs, breath-taking scenery, and the ever picturesque Mount Fuji. Life can be so simple, just like that.

15. EXPLORE AND GET LOST IN THE ALLEYS OF OMOTESANDO

The Champs-Élysées of Tokyo, Omotesando has surprises at every corner, and we can easily spend a whole day wandering around. There are many small streets waiting for you to explore, discover, and to get lost in, in a good way of course.

16. ROPPONGI HILLS MORI TOWER

Currently the fifth-tallest building in Tokyo, Roppongi Hills Mori Tower is a 54-story skyscraper. The observation decks at the Mori Art Museum on level 53 are perfect spots to see the city’s landscape.

17. SADAHARU AOKI HAS THE BEST JAPANESE FLAVOURED MACARONS AND ECLAIRS IN THE UNIVERSE AND BEYOND

This famous Japanese-trained pastry chef made his name in Paris by creating French desserts with Japanese flavours. Sadaharu Aoki boasts splendid Japanese-flavoured sweets; think Houjicha maracons and matcha eclairs. Bringing his success back to his hometown, Japanese and visitors all over the world flock to his outlets every day. Be prepared to queue if you want to dine in.

Read our guide to Tokyo’s Best Patisseries.

18. SAMANTHA THAVASA & SAMANTHA VEGA

Who else is a fan of their quilted bags and fancy Sanrio bag charms? Shop to your heart’s content, and if you are at the Tokyo Skytree’s outlet, there is even a sit-in café!

19. SENSO-JI TEMPLE IN ASAKUSA

Senso-ji Temple, also known as Asakusa Kannon Temple, is one of the most colourful and prominent temples in Tokyo. It is also the oldest, dating way back to Year 628.

20. SHIBUYA CROSSING, ALSO KNOWN AS TOKYO’S TIMES SQUARE

There is just something special about Shibuya Crossing, also known as Tokyo’s Times Square. And drop by to say hi to Hachiko, the famous loyal dog. His status sits right outside Shibuya station.

21. SHIBUYA 109 – WOMEN’S SHOPPING PARADISE

Do we need to say more? Let your credit cards do the talking!

22. INEXPENSIVE AND GOOD STANDING SUSHI BAR

There are plenty of standing sushi joints in the city which offer good sushi fix. And the best part? They are mostly inexpensive.

23. STREAMER COFFEE COMPANY

With good coffee with beautiful latte art, and a buzzing atmosphere, Streamer Coffee Company is one place that coffee lovers must go to when in Tokyo.

Read our guide to Tokyo’s Best Coffee Shops.

24. TSUKIJI MARKET, THE WORLD’S LARGEST SEAFOOD MARKET

Tsukiji Market is the world’s largest seafood market, and it is one of the must-see places when you are in Tokyo. We are just dreaming about the Chirashi-don that we had now as we are penning this…

Read: Five reasons to visit Tokyo’s Tsukiji Market.

25. TOKYO SKYTREE, THE TALLEST BUILDING IN JAPAN

The tallest building in Japan, the 634-metre Tokyo Skytree is a broadcasting and observation tower, with endless restaurants and shops, and is now Japan’s No. 1 tourist attraction. Skytree town is divided into three areas – East Yard, Tower Yard, and West Yard – and you can find shops, restaurants, and an aquarium.

For more recommendations, read our curated Tokyo’s food & travel guides.

No matter how many times you have been to Tokyo, it is a place that you will fall in love with over and over again. Where do we begin? It is impossible to capture the essence of Tokyo in words or photos; it is a city like no other. There is always something new to discover in this amazing city. It is like every corner is blessed with magic, ready to enchant and bewilder. Can’t say for sure that there is only one pick, so here is a guide to our favourite neighbourhoods in Tokyo.

G I N Z A

Recognised as among the most luxurious shopping districts in the world, Ginza houses all the leading luxury brands’ flagship stores like Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and Dior.

Not only is this the place to head to for shopping, it is also the area to go if you want to splurge on a good meal. Tokyo, for those of you who don’t know, is the city with the most Michelin-star restaurants in the world, and many of them are located in the Ginza District.

In between shopping, we would suggest stopping by Hidemi Sugino and Henri Charpentier for desserts and coffee. Both of them rank among the best patisseries in Tokyo.

H A R A J U K U

Stretching from Harajuku Station to Omotesando is Harajuku, but Takeshita Street is the place that most people associate with when it comes to this famous area. Shops open and close all the time, but the spirit of Harajuku will always remain the same. Vibrant and full of life, Harajuku is the epicentre of Japanese youth culture and fashion, and it is littered with independent boutiques and hip cafes.

No one visits Harajuku without having crepes. These warm French-style Japanese crepes are so popular that you can find many renditions all over the world these days. There are four to five crepe stores in Harajuku, but we like Angels Heart and Marion Crepes. On a separate note, chip lovers will be happy to know that Calbee has a shop in Takeshita Street, and it offers hot potato chips straight from the fryer.

O M O T E S A N D O

Our favourite neighbourhood is Omotesando, the Champs-Élysées of Tokyo. From shopping, to nice cafes and coffee places, to lifestyle concept shops - Omotesando has surprises at every corner, and we can easily spend a whole day wandering around.

There are many famous tonkatsu restaurants in Tokyo, but the place that everyone seems to agree is the best place to head to is Maisen Tonkatsu. Also, we absolutely love Omotesando Koffee. Housed in a machiya (traditional wooden house), it is a small and simple space, very minimalistic, and it feels as though you are having a good cuppa at a neighbour’s house.

Omotesando reminds us of Venice. There are many small streets waiting for you to explore, discover, and to get lost, in a good way of course.

S H I B U Y A

Shibuya is one of the most popular neighbourhoods in Tokyo, known for shopping, the sheer number of izakaya – a Japanese drinking establishment that focuses on drinks, but serves a variety of bar snacks - hidden in every alley, and of course, the famous Shibuya’s Crossing, which gives Shibuya the name of Tokyo’s Time Square.

Shibuya is a shopping paradise. Shibuya 109 and Hikarie are just two of the massive shopping malls located in the area that will have the ladies going crazy over. There are also many little shops lined along the streets where you might just pick up gems if you would spend a little time searching.

You must dine at Uoriki Kaisen Sushi – our favourite sushi shop in Tokyo. It serves top quality sushi and sashimi at extremely reasonable prices. Ichiran Ramen also has a branch in Shibuya. Other places that are not to be missed include Boulangerie Patisserie Viron, Bear Pond Espresso, and Streamer Coffee Company.

S H I N J U K U

Shinjuku Station is the world’s busiest railway station. First-timers to Shinjuku may find it slightly overwhelming. It is a vibrant area, and there are so many things to do here.

Major department stores like Isetan, Takashimaya, Lumine, Keio can be found in Shinjuku, The Japanese food halls in the basement of the department stores will blow your mind.

Kabukicho, the infamous red-light district in Tokyo, is packed with love hotels, shops, nightclubs and eateries. Go in a group, and you will find yourself appreciating the experience to explore the neighbourhood once the sun has set.

For more recommendations, read our Tokyo food & travel guides

Most travellers to Tokyo usually choose to stay in popular neighbourhoods – like Shinjuku, Shibuya, Harajuku, Roppongi, or Ginza – as it is easier to explore the areas. The only trade-off is the very small and cramped rooms that most hotels in the main districts have. And we explored farther out to the Ebisu area, and fell in love with The Westin Hotel Tokyo – one of the most established hotels in the city, combining refined European decor with ample space in the heart of Tokyo.

The room is luxuriously huge (by Tokyo’s standard), spacious and very comfortable. Of course, you can look forward to the Westin signature Heavenly Bed for a good night sleep. The room comes with a view overlooking the buzzing city, and the majestic Tokyo Tower standing out among the low-rise buildings.And what marked the greatest impression was the absence of the busy city crowd.

For one, that part of Ebisu is elegantly laced with executives and celebrity restaurants and luxurious shopping; resting in The Westin served a certain calmness amidst the city’s hubbubs, and gave us the space – both metaphorically and literally – to recharge and absorb all of the Tokyo’s goodness.

Heading down to the well-designed lobby lounge was a comfort that we also remember. Whether it is an afternoon tea session or some precious me-time with a book, it is one attributing experience to The Westin comfort. And every time you need help with anything and everything about knowing the fascinating city a bit more, the concierge is ever ready to assist and have all your queries and needs taken care of.

The Westin Tokyo is centrally located in Meguro. From Ebisu station, it is just one stop to Shibuya and two stops to Harajuku and Omotesando.

The Westin Tokyo
153-8580 Tokyo, Meguro, Mita, 1?4?1
Tel: +81 3 5423 7000
Nearest Station: Ebisu
Note: This was an invited media stay.