EAT > Sushi Nagata, Appi Kogen (17/20)

Sushi Nagata at Appi Kogen is the quiet, omakase-style heart of this snow resort: a compact counter where Sanriku’s deep-sea richness, meticulous craft, and a faintly hushed hotel calm come together on the second floor of the ANA Crowne Plaza Resort Appi Kogen. Seasonal seafood, handled with a measured, almost ceremonial precision, makes this one…

ByCrispinJanuary 20, 20260Comments

STAY > APPI KOGEN STAY > JAPAN WHERE TO STAY >

STAY > ANA Crowne Plaza Resort, Appi Kogen (14/20)

ANA Crowne Plaza Resort Appi Kogen delivers a classic, ski‑in/ski‑out mountain resort experience in the heart of APPI, pairing slope‑side convenience with big‑resort facilities, generous hot springs and a broad spread of dining and play options. It is not the newest or glossiest hotel on the mountain, but for families, groups and skiers who value…

ByCrispinJanuary 5, 20260Comments

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EAT > Shiratsuyu at ANA Intercontinental Appi Kogen (14/20)

Shiratsuyu at ANA InterContinental Appi Kogen is less a standard hotel restaurant and more a calm, quietly luxurious alpine dining room, where polished service, thoughtful cooking, and a deep sense of place come together just steps from the snow. Returning to Appi Kogen after a couple years has been a mixed experience. Our first time…

ByCrispinDecember 26, 20250Comments

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EAT > L’OMBELICO, Shibuya (15/20)

Tucked into the ground floor of TRUNK(HOTEL) YOYOGI PARK on the Yoyogi Park side of Shibuya, L’ombelico feels like a little slice of contemporary Tokyo-Italian: wood-fired warmth, natural wine energy, and that relaxed, park-adjacent buzz that rolls from breakfast through to late-night pizza. AMBIENCE > Set on a prominent corner of Inokashira-dori with three sides…

ByCrispinDecember 25, 20250Comments

DRINK > BARS DRINK > JAPAN DRINK > SENDAI

DRINK > Great Dane Brewing, Akiu, Sendai (15/20)

Set against Akiu’s pine-lined hills and onsen steam, Great Dane Brewing brings Midwestern brewpub heart to one of Tohoku’s most storied hot spring valleys—a Wisconsin-born, Sendai-brewed outpost where craft beer, wide-open views and a low-key road-trip energy converge. It feels less like a side-trip from the city and more like a base camp for slow…

ByCrispinDecember 23, 20250Comments

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STAY > KAI Akiu, Akiu Onsen, Sendai (17/20)

KAI Akiu by Hoshino Resorts brings understated design, ritual-rich bathing and river-facing calm to one of Sendai’s most storied onsen towns, wrapping traditional ryokan cues in a quietly luxurious, contemporary frame. For ALMANAK readers, it is the kind of stay that feels purposeful rather than flashy—more about seasons, texture and water than spectacle.Summary Intro goes…

ByCrispinDecember 23, 20250Comments

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EAT > KUFUKU±, Akihabara Tokyo (17/20)

Tucked into a quiet backstreet on the Akihabara side of Chiyoda, Kufuku feels like stepping out of electric town and into a parallel world—one where time, fermentation, and French technique quietly reframe Japanese comfort food. Set inside a lovingly preserved kominka, this is destination dining for travellers who like their Tokyo with as much patina…

ByCrispinDecember 22, 20250Comments

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EAT > Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura, Ginza, Tokyo (17/20)

High above Ginza’s polished sidewalks, Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura feels less like a fashion-house spin‑off and more like a jewelled little universe of its own—part salon, part stage, part lucid dream in Gucci green. Here Italian technique, Japanese produce and a distinctly theatrical sense of storytelling converge into a tasting menu that is playful, polished…

ByCrispinDecember 22, 20250Comments

STAY > JAPAN STAY > TOKYO WHERE TO STAY >

STAY > TRUNK(HOTEL), Yoyogi Park, Shibuya Tokyo (17/20)

TRUNK(HOTEL) YOYOGI PARK is a design-led, boutique bolthole on the edge of Yoyogi Park that channels low-key Tokyo cool, rooftop glamour, and neighbourhood warmth in equal measure. This is a place for those who want Shibuya’s energy within walking distance, but prefer to wake up to trees, terrace light, and the scent of wood-fired pizza…

ByCrispinDecember 21, 20250Comments

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EAT > JULIA, Shibuya, Tokyo (19/20)

Tucked away in the residential fringes of Jingumae, just beyond Omotesando's designer bustle, JULIA remains a Shibuya gem for those seeking Japan's seasonal essence through innovative fine dining. Returning after our acclaimed 2024 visit to the expanded space—where Chef Nao and Sommelier Kenichiro elevated their husband-and-wife intimacy to a poised team operation—this latest meal reaffirms…

ByCrispinDecember 20, 20250Comments