The Unique Restaurants in Tokyo

I wrote unique restaurants in Tokyo in 2004. After a long interval, I will update today.

Absolut Icebar Tokyo
It is the first permanent icebar in Japan. The bar is kept at minus 5degree with crystal clear ice transported from Torne River in Sweden. The bas is operated in 45 minutes time slots and you can use warm jackets and glove by 3500yen. I readd it is very hard to make reservation there. It's very nice place for humid summer in Japan.

Figure Complex
I wrote about this place before. This bar is produced by a famous Toy collecter Teruhisa Kitahara. And you can see great figuar created by Shinichi Yamashita and waitress serve costume inspried by Yamashita's figures. I went to there to write an article for Japanzine before. I can't say it's reasonable and smaller than I supposed. But it's nice for topic.

Taketori Hyaku Monogatari
Taketori Monogatari is 8-9th century Japanese folk tale about a mysterious girl, Princess Kaguya. It is also known as The Tale of Princess Kaguya. Shortly story is... A small beautiful baby girl was found by a bamboo cutter when he cut a shining bamboo. He brought up her as his daughter under the name Kaguyahime, "The Shining Princess." He becomes rich and urges her to marry one of five noble guys, to each of whom she sets a fantastic quest: all either refuses the suit of the emperor. Eventually she explains that she is from the Palace of the Moon, whose messengers are coming to that her back....The restaurant has misterious mood with bamboo. You can enjoy Tofu dish and Charcoal Grilled foods. Hmm this the Moon room is interesting.

Ryugu
This restaurant based on the Japanese folk "Urashima Taro". The story is here. Actuallly I have not gotten the precept of this story still now :-) Wiki said there are some similar folks in the world.　By the way Ryugu is the beautiful palace under the sea where Taro went with the turtle. The restaurant made such mood in their floor.

The Wizard of the Opera House
The theme of this restaurant is 16th century Italy and Opera. They serve Italian and you can enjoy them in this gorgeous mood.　Those three restaurant are produced by Diamond Dining Corporation and they have such interesting theme restaurants more.

Kuro Chochin : The concept of this restaurant is black market bar in Edo generation.　You can ejoy Japanese dish with Shochu.
Koyo Shigure : The theme is Autumn, the restaurant has Japanese mood with a lot of deep red color maple leaves.
Tsubomi : Tsubomi means blossom buds. The restaurant has some small rooms with the shape of buds.
Alice in the wonderland : The Theme is Alice. They have "Glass country room" or "main party room". You can enjoy French Italian dish surrounded by Alice items.
Pricess Heart: You can enjoy French dishs with pretty name like "Jasmin riding on a magic carpet" or "dedicate to beautiful snow white" in pretty, cute place.*

Comments

[Michael]

Next time I'm in Tokyo (or Kyoto) I'd like to go to Izusen.

[Nic]

Ooh, the Absolut Ice Bar in London is a lot of fun! It's quite expensive, but it's a good way to start an evening - you only spend about 40 minutes inside - but it's fun to drink out of ice glasses!

I took some photos when I was there :)

[Mehyar]

Hi Mari…..thanks for the wonderful introductions. Tokyo is full of surprises. I recently read Donald Keene's translation of the story about Kaguya-hime written in modern Japanese by Kawabata Yasunari. I think I will enjoy visiting Taketori Hyaku Monogatari.
It's a sublime story, and I especially liked the ending that is linked to mount Fuji.