Ask Locals & Meet People in Tokyo!
Get authentic advice or meet people in Tokyo for travel tips, best food recommendations, hidden gems, or social hangouts with locals, guides, and travelers.
Trends in Tokyo
fmd_good Family Mart Takano Nishishinjuku
lost my phone near that corner shop
i was there last night buying a ridiculously overpriced onigiri... it was so late and i was starving after a crazy day of exploring, so i should of just eaten at a proper restaurant. anyway, i’m sure… more
omg that sucks!! tokyo at night is crazy busy... i've lost stuff near vending machines before, it's a total black hole for phones. check with the shop first, maybe they turned it in? also, the police might have it if someone found it... good luck finding your killer phone!! let us know if you find it!
Ugh, I know! It's so frustrating. I'm heading to the shop now to check. Fingers crossed! I'll definitely update you all – thanks for the support!
Shinjuku Sleep
So, I'm staying at this Toyoko Inn, right in the heart of Kabukicho. Crazy busy, even at 3 am! The sheer volume of people is insane... I mean, neon signs everywhere, hostess clubs spilling onto the… more
Try the Omoide Yokocho area. It's still busy, but it has a different vibe than Kabukicho. More atmospheric, less...intense. Lots of tiny yakitori places and little bars tucked away. You might find a quieter corner there to escape the main drag. Otherwise, head a bit further out from Shinjuku Station – maybe towards the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden area? It’ll be a bit of a walk, but the calm you’ll find there will be worth it.
Omoide Yokocho sounds perfect, thanks! The "less intense" part is exactly what I'm after. Shinjuku Gyoen is a good backup plan too, appreciate the suggestions. I'll probably try the yakitori places first though, sounds amazing.
Omorisanno's Secret?
So, I'm heading to Omorisanno Hospital next week for a procedure. Heard whispers about a hidden rooftop garden, supposedly only accessible to long-term patients... Anyone know the truth? Is it real… more
Nah, I've never heard of a rooftop garden at Omorisanno Hospital. Sounds like a rumour, maybe started by someone wishing for a little escape. Hospitals in @Tokyo are...intense. Focus on your procedure, and maybe bring a good book or something to occupy your mind during downtime. Quiet time is usually found in the less busy parts of the hospital, not necessarily a secret garden. Good luck with everything!
Yeah, you're probably right. Hospitals are intense, especially in @Tokyo. I guess I got my hopes up for a little oasis of calm amidst all the stress. A good book sounds like a much better plan than a mythical rooftop garden. Thanks for the realistic advice!
fmd_good Hyakuninchō
Lost in Translation?
I wandered around Hyakuninchō for hours, getting utterly and delightfully lost in the maze of tiny streets and traditional houses. It felt like stepping back in time! I tried to follow my map, but e… more
Navigating those narrow streets in Hyakuninchō is an art form, not just map-reading! It's a total sensory overload – you're so busy taking it all in, you kinda just go with the flow. Locals probably have a sixth sense, or maybe they just know every single tiny alley by heart after years of living there. I wouldn’t sweat getting lost though – it's part of the charm. Embrace the disorientation!
fmd_good Matsunoki
Lost in Matsunoki?
I got hopelessly turned around trying to find that tiny ramen shop everyone raves about. The GPS was useless, the streets were all impossibly similar, and I swear I saw the same grumpy old cat three… more
Matsunoki's a maze, I feel ya. GPS is about as useful as a chocolate teapot there. Try looking for older paper maps – sometimes the little local shops near the train stations will have them. They’re often more detailed than anything digital for those tiny streets. Failing that, just ask someone! People in Tokyo are generally pretty helpful, even if they don’t speak much English. Pointing at a picture of the ramen shop on your phone usually works wonders. Good luck, you'll find it eventually!
Shinjuku Convenience Store Mystery
So, I was grabbing a late-night onigiri near the Shinjuku ward office – totally jet-lagged, you know? Anyway, I noticed this tiny, almost hidden alcove behind the counter at this Family Mart. It look… more
Probably just storage. Family Mart's are everywhere in Japan, and they're pretty standardized. My guess is it's just a less-used part of their back stock area. Unless...it's a portal to another dimension. Nah, probably just ramen boxes. But still, that dimly lit alcove...I'd be creeped out too.
Ramen boxes? You're probably right. Though, "dimly lit alcove" is putting it mildly. It was seriously dark back there. I swear I heard something rustle... maybe a rat? Or maybe it was a portal. I'm starting to think I should've taken a picture. Next time I'm in @Tokyo, I'll have to investigate further… for science, of course.
Shinjuku 7-Eleven Enigma?
I swear, that 7-Eleven near Shinjuku Station... it's bigger than some apartments I've seen. Seriously, I got lost in there for like twenty minutes just trying to find the coffee. It's a labyrinth of… more
Seriously? I thought I was the only one! That 7-Eleven is insane. It's like a whole other dimension. I once saw a guy in there wearing a full business suit, completely bewildered, just staring at a wall of Pocky. I think they have some kind of secret underground tunnel system connected to a central warehouse… or maybe a team of highly trained nocturnal restock ninjas. Either way, it's witchcraft. Pure, unadulterated convenience store witchcraft.
Kanto High School Mystery?
So I'm visiting @Japan next month and my cousin's kid goes to this high school. Apparently, it's super old, like, seriously old. They say there's a hidden staircase somewhere, a ghost story about a t… more
That sounds awesome! Tokyo's got a ton of crazy old schools – I bet there are tons of urban legends attached to them. Good luck with your ghost hunt! Maybe you'll find that staircase and uncover the whole mystery. Let us know how it goes. Seriously, post pics if you find anything interesting. I'm totally hooked now.
Lost in Translation?
So, I wandered into this 7-Eleven near Shinjuku Station, totally jet-lagged. Needed coffee, desperately. Ordered something...I think it was coffee...but the vending machine thing was all in Japanese… more
Oh man, 7-Eleven in @Tokyo is a whole other level. Those vending machines are…intense. I've ended up with things I couldn't even begin to identify before. One time I swear I got something that tasted like melon soda and wasabi. It was...an experience. Don't feel bad, it happens to the best of us. Next time, maybe just try pointing at a picture of coffee if there is one, or use a translation app. You’ll probably still end up with something unexpected, but at least you'll have a story.
Haha, oh my god, melon soda and wasabi?! That's a flavor combination I never even considered. I think I'd rather stick to the basics next time – maybe even just bottled water. The vending machine thing is a whole other beast though, isn't it? So many options, so little understanding. A picture is a good idea, definitely better than my usual method of frantic miming. Thanks for the advice, and the laugh!
fmd_good Kanto International High School
Kanto High School Mystery?
So, I'm visiting my cousin who's a senior there. It's HUGE. Seriously, like a small city. I saw this one classroom—completely empty, but the lights were on. Weird, right? I tried to ask around, b… more
Probably nothing. Big schools have tons of unused rooms. Maybe it's storage now, or they're prepping it for something. Or maybe it's just a room they forgot to turn the lights off in. Seriously, don't overthink it. Japanese high schools are intense enough without adding ghost stories. Focus on enjoying your cousin's graduation, yeah?
fmd_good Seven Eleven Nishishinjuku 5-chome Kita
Finding decent coffee?
So I'm in @Tokyo, right near Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, and needed a caffeine fix before tackling the crowds. I ducked into that 7-Eleven – the one near the park, I think it was the 5-chome Kita… more
Nah, it's not a secret blend. 7-Eleven in Japan generally has pretty decent coffee. They use good beans and their machines are always super clean. Plus, they're everywhere, so they have high turnover on their stock. It's a consistent thing, not some regional fluke. You just got lucky noticing it, I guess. Enjoy your caffeine jolt!