Sanford Lee: Shibuya, Japan
As the store director of Gucci in Waikiki, Sanford Lee knows his way around luxury retail. And no matter if it’s for work or play, Lee always looks forward to visiting the vibrant Tokyo ward.
As told to HILuxury
Having worked in retail for over half my lifetime, you can imagine meeting people from all over the world. One of the largest demographics to Hawai‘i is made up of visitors from Japan, which is one of the destinations I had always wanted to visit when I began my career in luxury retail. Now, six visits later, I still have yet to get tired of visiting this vibrant country, one with some of the world’s best shopping destinations, delicious food and strong cultural history.
I generally stay in Shibuya, which seems to be the heart of Tokyo. It’s a great location — housing the two major railway stations and the location of the Hachiko statue landmark. It also has one of the busiest and most iconic crossing intersections where hundreds of pedestrians cross the four-way intersection scrambling to not bump into each other! It’s a remarkable sight with all the bright lights and video screens of musicians and advertisements blaring above.
A must-see is the large and beautiful Yoyogi Park, which is located right outside the Harajuku Station in Shibuya. Once inside, you will see large fields, forests and the famous Meiji jingo shrine where you can see stacks of large and colorfully decorated sake barrels displayed to give honor to the gods.
Harajuku is known for its trendy, fun and colorful atmosphere where you can roam down Takeshita Street to purchase some fashionable vintage items as well as view contemporary street art or even visit a small owl forest. Adjacent to the famous street is the upscale Omote-sando Avenue — what I call the “Rodeo drive of Tokyo.” It is tree-lined with all the top luxury stores at your fingertips. This is a great place to take a break in a café or bar in this luxe area.
After a long day of shopping, one of my favorite stops to eat sushi is Ginza Kyubey Honten. This amazing restaurant is located in the heart of Ginza since 1935. It’s down a side street so you may miss the narrow five-story honten (main shop) if you walk past too quickly. There are also branches in four luxury hotels nearby but the main shop is my favorite. These sushi chefs will serve you omakase, where you can entrust yourself to the itamae (sushi chef). Make sure you have reservations or go at opening at 11:30am to guarantee a seat.
I always make it a point to visit the seaside city of Kamakura (about an
hour away by train), which is just south of Tokyo and is filled with multiple Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines. There is a large map of the temple/ shrine locations right outside of the Kamakura train station, and there is an information guide that can give you a bit more detail before you get started on your trek. Another must-see is the Kotoku-in Temple, which houses the great Buddha — a 13m-high bronze statue that was even able to withstand the 15th-century tsunami. There are so many other temples and shrines that highlight good fortune by washing your money. Make sure you have on a pair of comfortable walking shoes to explore this quaint town and the other neighborhoods as you discover the many temples and shrines.
Last but not least, having a cocktail at the top of the Cerulean Hotel in Shibuya is always a treat after a long day exploring this magnificent city. You can get a great view of the city and on a clear day, can even see Mount Fuji.