You’ve had a busy vacation. You’ve taken the Golden Road, climbed Mt. Fuji, even tried eating that unique dish called “Natto”. Now you’re back in your hotel, trying to figure out what to do while you wait for your plane to take you home. It’s a long flight, though. Sure, Tokyo to Seoul might be about 2 or 3 hours, but if you’re headed back to Europe, Australia, or the Americas, you’re looking at a 10-hour flight minimum. You need to rest and relax because sitting on that airplane is going to exhaust you.

So, maybe you’re looking for a quiet place in Tokyo to unwind before your flight?

How about taking a break in Nakameguro, Tokyo’s hip and laid-back neighborhood? Known for being sophisticated, charming, yet down-to-earth, the ward is one of the best spots in Tokyo to sit down, relax, and enjoy the simple urban life that is more catered to locals than tourists, making it a perfect place to get the best bang for your Yen, while unwinding in preparation for your trip home. To give you an idea for how you can do that, here are five hidden gems, known only to locals, where you can sit down and have a breather before checking in to your flight.

1. Kohmeisen

A Local Sento with Rooftop Views

Bathing has been a significant part of Japanese culture since about as long as the Japanese have even existed. It’s so ubiquitous to Japanese life that there have been countless movies, manga, even games based on the theme of the Japanese bathhouse. Probably the most famous of these in recent times is “Thermae Romae”, about an ancient Roman who somehow time-travels to modern Japan and learns to love its bathing innovations. It’s not hard to understand why: bathing has been proven to provide countless health benefits, and with how hot it is right now, a good bath is just what could be needed to wash away all the sweat and grime.

Enter Komeisen, a traditional bathhouse in Nakameguro. Proudly owned by the same family for three generations, the facility boasts a varied assortment of baths to dip in. The radium pool, for example, is recommended for those getting treatment for health problems. I think the most recommended pool at Komeisen, however, is the open-air, rooftop bath. One of the few that exist in the middle of Tokyo, you can relax while enjoying the beautiful city skyline after a long day out. Just be sure to check if it’s available for men or women that day; they switch it up weekly, so checking the website first is highly recommended!

Address: 1‑6‑1 Kamimeguro, Meguro-ku, Tokyo
Hours: 15:00–01:00 (last entry 24:30)
Phone: 03‑3463‑9793

光明泉

kohmeisen.com

2. Epulor

Chic Dessert Cafe and Wine Bar

One of those things about Japan that I think is not often talked about, but is often appreciated, is seeing how it takes ideas and concepts from the West and puts its own spin on them. Take fashion, for example; there’s no question that modern pants and shirts are very different from traditional kimono, but anyone who has ever been to Harajuku or Omote-Sando can tell you that the Japanese dress uniquely. Everything introduced from the West is like this, though in this context, I’d like to focus on dessert.

Epulor is a cafe during the day that turns into a bar at night. Offering a variety of refined desserts and drinks, music flows from the speaker of the record player, helping give the interior a sophisticated atmosphere. The thing that first caught my eye when looking at its menu was the an butter toast; you might think that everything but the butter is burnt or covered with dirt, but no, it’s just vantablack all over, on top of being really good. The matcha lovers will also love the terrine; you can really tell that the matcha used to make it is high-quality. Enjoying a nice glass of wine here after a long day—it’s a good refresher before heading off to your hotel for your final check-in.

Address: 〒153‑0042 Tokyo, Meguro-ku Aobadai 1‑19‑10 (Es Scenario Aobadai 1F)
Hours: 11:00–24:00, Closed Mondays (if Monday is a holiday, closed next day)
Phone: 080‑8053‑1067
Instagram: @epulor_cafebar

epulor | 中目黒/恵比寿・代官山 レコード カフェ＆ワインバー

中目黒/恵比寿・代官山のカフェ＆ワインバーです。ハンドドリップで淹れるスペシャルティコーヒーやソムリエセレクトのワインが楽しめます。スタッフDJがレコードで音楽を流します。ジャンルはジャズ、ロック、クラシック、アンビエント、オルタナティブな...

epulor.jp

3. Tera Cafe

Buddhist Temple Meets Coffee Shop

Japan’s history with religion is long and historic, with temples dotting the Japanese islands as important reserves away from secular life. Samurai warlords of the past often used them as ways to relax or take a vacation. It’s not hard to understand why: then and even now, they’re quiet, beautiful, and the resident monks helpful, encouraging, and willing to do their best to support the lay folk.

Hoping to transmit that history to the modern age comes one of the more unique cafes in all of Tokyo: Tera Cafe, the cafe run by actual Buddhist monks. Seeing the eyes of the Buddha as I walk in, I find myself somehow calmed by the serene atmosphere. A statue of the great teacher then looks on at me, as I dig into the Namu Namu Curry. It’s delicious, mild, just the perfect cool down for a long day. The more dessert-inclined might prefer the teramisu (check the e—it’s a pun!) It’s rich, slightly bitter, but definitely worth having. Perhaps you’re not hungry—would you like to try writing a sutra like a monk does? You don’t have to be Buddhist to enjoy this refuge away from the modern age—Tera Cafe offers a lot for anyone from any background.

Address: 1‑33‑15 Ebisu-nishi, Shibuya-ku (EN Daikanyama Bldg. 1F)
Phone: 03‑6455‑3276
Instagram: @teracafe_daikanyama

寺カフェ代官山 -TERA CAFE DAIKANYAMA- 公式サイト

楽しくまなぶ・僧侶とかたる・ひととあう・笑顔になれる

tera-cafe.com

4. Nakameguro Kunsei Apartment

Smoked Everything

Food has a way of revitalizing you. I mean, it should. After all, we need it to keep our bodies running. But there is a difference between food and good food. Good food revitalizes not just the body, but the soul. And if the soul is revitalized, the body can do anything, go anywhere, and withstand everything.

One of my recommendations to find that kind of pick-me-up is Nakameguro Kunsei Apartment. Kunsei means “smoked food”, so this place naturally specializes in that. Smoked cheese, smoked salmon, smoked salad, even smoked coffee—everything here has been smoked in some way, and I am in love with it for it. I personally have an appreciation for the spare ribs—they’re prepared to perfection, with a savoriness that is hard to find elsewhere. I also find the smoked meat pasta to be very interesting. You don’t normally think of pasta as being smokable, or needing to be, but somehow it works, and the people here are geniuses for it. Come here if you’re looking for something refined to end your stay. The memories it will leave on your palate are sure to stick with you.

Address: 1‑1‑52 Nakameguro, Meguro-ku, Tokyo
Hours: 17:00–23:30 daily (LO food 22:30)
Phone: 03‑5725‑8391
Instagram: @kunseinaka

nakameguro 燻製 apartment | ネット予約

東京都目黒区中目黒1-1-52

yoyaku.tabelog.com

5. Saigoyama and Sugekari Park

Urban Green Escapes in Tokyo

One other understated thing about Tokyo’s beauty is how much greenery there is. While it has a reputation as a concrete jungle, it always feels like there is a park or some other abode just around the corner to smell the freshly cut grass with. Not just the grass, but having a space where cars and bikes can’t reach you is always nice; it’s not that there’s any real worry about being hit, in a country as orderly as Japan, but having that space just for people is comforting and a great reason why I want to talk about this next place.

Or rather, these two places. Saigoyama and Sugekari Park are two separate parks that are situated right next to each other, giving the impression of being a larger, more broad space. I suppose it makes sense—both are situated on the former estate of Saigō Jūdō, younger brother of the more famous Saigō Takamori, Japan’s “Last Samurai”. This is actually why Saigoyama is named the way it is—it’s Saigo’s Yama (mountain). Speaking of, walking to the top of this “mountain”, one will be presented with one of the best views of Tokyo, if not the best around. You can even view Fuji on some days. It’s enchanting—and it’s perhaps the reason why the writer, Mishima Yukio, was noted to visit Saigoyama often, using it as a model for his novel “Spring Snow”. Whenever I am in the area, I find myself simply enjoying walking through, moving slowly so as to soak up the fresh oxygen, maybe doing light calisthenics to keep myself mobile. Honestly, it’s just a very good area for exercise in general—which is why I recommend using it to walk your dog, or have a light jog, perhaps joining us for some good old, Showa-era Radio Taiso. Whatever you come here for, let loose—if you’re going to be flying, you’ll be sitting for several hours, so better to move around sooner than later.

Address: Saigoyama Park: 2‑10‑28 Aobadai, Meguro-ku / Sugekari Park: 2‑11 Aobadai, Meguro-ku
Hours: Open 24/7 (best visited in daylight)
Info: Meguro Ward’s parks division website (Japanese)

A Relaxing Layover in Tokyo

Flying doesn’t feel great. You’re cramped in one spot for at least half a day, waiting until your flight. That’s why it’s important to make those last few days before you leave Japan perfect and worth remembering. For my part, I recommend Nakameguro, Tokyo’s hip and classy hotspot for the wandering soul. It has a sort of authenticity that is hard to find in the more popular places like Shinjuku, or Shibuya—there’s something “raw” here in its beauty, and that is why you should visit.

Though if you’re just arriving instead, why not join us on our Hayaoki Morning Walking Tour in Nakameguro? It’s a 2-hour tour where we show you the area, have some coffee, and do some nice exercises. It’s a lot of fun. If you come with us, I’m sure you won’t regret it!