Since you're in Kawasaki, don't sleep on the area around Kawasaki Station itself. Lazona Kawasaki Plaza has a decent branch of Gonpachi Nishiazabu, which does a nice solo-friendly lunch set with grilled fish and vegetables, and the rooftop garden there is a good spot to just sit with a book. For your weekend, take the Tokyu Toyoko Line up to Daikanyama instead of Shibuya. It's much calmer, has a few small temples tucked behind the shops, and Ivy Place does a great seafood pasta lunch that won't break the bank. You can walk over to Nakameguro from there along the Meguro River, which is a lovely stroll even when the cherry blossoms aren't out.

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tbh if you want a proper solo birthday vibe that's not another temple or river walk, check out the Odaiba area on a weekend. it's a bit of a trek from Kawasaki but you can take the Keihin Kyuko line straight to Odaiba-kaihinkoen station. the trick is to go late afternoon and catch sunset from the deck at the Tokyo Teleport station area - the view of the Rainbow Bridge and the bay is legit and there's barely anyone there on a weekday evening. there's a conveyor belt sushi place called "Uobei" in Aqua City that's actually decent for solo dining, you order via touchscreen and the sushi zooms over on little trains, the grilled salmon belly is solid and they have a few non-meat options too

for your actual birthday dinner near Kawasaki, skip Lazona and check out the izakaya alley under the tracks near the east exit. there's a tiny place called "Kozue" that does a really good anago tempura set for like 900 yen, the counter seats maybe 6 people and it's this old lady running it solo. way more memorable than a chain spot and you can grab a melon pan from the bakery next door for dessert

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honestly if you're based in Kawasaki and want a chill solo birthday, skip the Shibuya crowds and head to Kamakura instead. It's only about 30 minutes from Kawasaki Station on the Yokosuka Line, and it's way more relaxed. You can walk from the station down to the beach, stop at Komachi-dori for some grilled fish skewers (there's a place called "Uokame" that does a good aji fry set), and then hike up to the Daibutsu if you feel like it. the temples are quiet during the week and you can just sit in the gardens for ages without anyone bothering u

for the actual weekday dinner, check out "Sushi no Midori" in Meguro if you can get a reservation. they do a solo-friendly counter seating and the lunch sets are cheap but high quality. the Meguro River walk from there back to the station is really pretty at sunset, esp with the streetlights reflecting on the water

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honestly the guide nailed it but i'd throw in nakameguro for anyone visiting in spring. the canal walk during cherry blossom season is insane, way less crowded than ueno or shinjuku gyoen. plus there's a killer onigiri spot called Onigiri Bongo that sells out by noon, and the area has a ton of tiny wine bars and vintage shops. rooms at the Claska hotel start around $120 and it's a quick hop to shibuya on the tokyu line

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solid write-up, covers the big ones well. for my money, if you're a food nerd, staying near a good tsukemen or ramen spot is a legit strategy. i booked a hotel in takadanobaba once just cause i wanted to be walking distance from Taishoken, the tsukemen birthplace. that area is also full of student bars and cheap eats since Waseda Uni is there, rooms at the b:CONTE hotel run like $90 a night and it's two stops from Shinjuku on the Yamanote. way less tourist crush than Shibuya for late-night bowls

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This is a solid breakdown, really covers the main bases well. One thing I'd add for anyone staying in Shinjuku is that the station itself can be overwhelming even for locals, so picking a hotel on the west side near the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building is a good hack. The views from the free observation deck there are just as good as the paid ones, and you avoid the chaos of the east exit. For cheap eats in that area, the basement floor of Takashimaya department store has incredible takeout bento boxes under 1,000 yen that beat most convenience store meals.

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