This quiet neighborhood of Tokyo is cool through and through. It is one of the most fashionable parts of the city, boasting quirky cafes and trendy boutique shops. Some of Tokyo’s priciest real estate can be found here, being the area where the foreign embassies lie and is home to masses of foreign business people. It’s not all money, money, money here though. Azabu is low key, compared with many of the other wealthy areas of Tokyo. Azabu Juban boasts a heap of those well-loved 100 yen shops and lots of budget food options too, including reasonably priced supermarkets. It’s not just for rich folks!
What to eat and drink in Azabu Juban
We all love Japanese food, yes, that’s one of the reasons we are here. But the bread…why?! Every once in a while you don’t want a stodgy white breakfast, you want something crisp, something flaky and something real. Azabu, where foreigners abound, is full of Western-style eateries. Mont Thabor Bakery provides the answer to all your bread prayers. From baked potato and mustard bread costing just ¥220 or a Camembert walnut bun at ¥189 or even a small tomato onion or spinach bacon quiche at ¥210, this is the place for a Western-style breakfast at a reasonable price. You know the drill—grab your tray, pick up your tongs and start picking—enjoy!
Matcha, matcha, matcha—what would Japan be without it? Koots Green Tea provides the well-loved green tea beverage at very decent prices. Their cheapest is ¥330 for a short matcha latte to ¥510 for a matcha float. You can get other varieties of matcha, such as an incredibly and interestingly dark green matcha that’s thicker and frothier than the classic option.
Nissin World Delicatessen is a very good and reasonably priced supermarket, providing you with lots of well-loved treats and goodies from home.
What to do in Azabu Juban
Azabu gives you everything typically Japanese and we love it. You can find a small onsen, Take no Yu, that has been going since the early days of 1913. The black ‘radium’ water is filtered to a minimum and so its water is called ‘black beauty’ still retaining volcanic ash and peat in it. Towels and small face towels can be rented, and a sauna combo tickets goes for 900 yen.
The big event in this area of town is the Azabu Juban Noryo Matsuri. Expect massive crowds and lines of screaming vendors here. Held in late August every year, the festival attracts over 150,000 people over the two-day event. There is live music, traditional festival games and a heap of stalls selling international cuisines. A great summer event to put in the diary.
