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Oops, it’s been a while since I popped up in your inbox. I don’t have any interesting excuses for my whimsical publishing schedule, apart from being distracted by deadlines and work trips.

Also, it’s taken me a long time to decide a format for this newsletter, but going forward, each edition will feature: a travel strategy, a story, a shopping recommendation and a “souvenir.” That’s the loose plan, always subject to tinkering, because I’m a perfectionist and I can’t help myself.

If you’re new around here, welcome!

IN THIS EDITION

• How to plan a multi-city flight itinerary on the (relative) cheap

• Cooking at Hapuku Kitchen in Aotearoa New Zealand

• A cleverly designed magnetic tripod worth buying

• Postcard from London, England

REAL-LIFE TRAVEL STRATEGY

How to Plan a Multi-City Flight Itinerary on the (Relative) Cheap

For starters, travel is never truly cheap, and it’s a privilege to be able to do it.

Based on the popularity of my last post, featuring my slightly nerdy guide to planning trips, it seems a lot of people want practical, real-life travel strategies. So I thought I’d detail how I recently booked flights for my upcoming whirl through Asia.

I’ll be heading there in the fall for a press trip, and my husband will be tagging along, so we’re adding vacation time before and after the work stuff.

To get there and back, I figured out a multi-country, open-jaw flight routing that rivalled the lowest pricing I could find for an ordinary round trip. And to make the most of our time, I added stopovers (basically micro-vacations within a vacation) in two of our favourite cities: Seoul and Tokyo.

• Departing flight: Toronto → Seoul (two-night stopover) → Ho Chi Minh City

• River cruise from Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap (press trip)

• Returning flight: Bangkok → Tokyo (two-night stopover) → Toronto

Out of pocket, the Air Canada flights above cost me $1,030 CAD for two people (economy). It could’ve been even cheaper; this price includes seat selection for the transpacific legs, because the exit row is totally worth it.

OK, now the fine print: I also had to redeem 222,800 Aeroplan points, which is admittedly a lot. But that’s about as good as it gets, based on the distance we’re flying (according to this points predictor). Earning points is a whole other story I’ll leave for another time.

In addition, since this is an open-jaw itinerary, I’ll have to book separate flights to get us from Siem Reap to Bangkok (estimated cost: $500 CAD for two). Even so, all in all, I consider this pretty budget-friendly for a trip of this scale.

My tips for booking this kind of multi-city flight itinerary:

• Booking my flights with Aeroplan points is what unlocked the two-night stopovers for me. Before you search for international flights on the Air Canada site, choose “Multi-city/Stopover” and click the “Book with Aeroplan points” box. “Add stopover” options will then show up.

  

• Don’t have Aeroplan points or want to fly another airline? The Points Guy has a guide to other stopover programs that allow you to visit an extra city at little or no additional airfare.

• For open-jaw flights (where you fly into one city and depart from another), it’s best to go through major airport hubs; you’ll have more options. My itinerary above was a little tricky since the river cruise ends in Siem Reap, which has limited direct flights and no easy way home. Bangkok was the next closest hub for the return trip (and we wanted to revisit that city anyway).

• If you book a multi-city itinerary on one ticket, don’t miss a segment. If you “no-show,” the airline will cancel the rest of your itinerary. (I once messed up my calendar and nearly made this very expensive mistake.)

A (SHORT) TRAVEL STORY

Cooking at Hapuku Kitchen, Aotearoa New Zealand

Ever fantasized about trading city life for the bucolic countryside, starting a farm with a citrus grove and a giant fig tree, and running a cooking school out of your gorgeous home? For Fiona Read, once a finalist on MasterChef New Zealand (Season 2), it’s a dream come true, around a decade in the making. Near the tiny town of Kaikōura, Aotearoa New Zealand1, Fiona runs Hapuku Kitchen with her husband, Chris. You can join them for half- or full-day classes.

“When we bought this, it was a little weatherboard cottage, and pretty much all there was out there was sheep and grass,” Fiona tells me. “We’ve planted everything you see and renovated the house with this big dream in mind.”

Before we cook our lunch, we go foraging in her lush garden, snipping herbs, sampling tart gooseberries, twisting off zucchini and tomatoes. There’s a fruit orchard, free-roaming chickens, a nuttery. In the near future, you’ll be able to visit the farm for stargazing experiences as well; the Kaikōura region is a dark sky sanctuary.

Fiona peppers our tasks with cultural tidbits. For example, when picking kawakawa leaves, used in traditional Māori healing for herbal tea and other purposes, you want ones with lots of holes — signs of a caterpillar that eats the best, most potent leaves.

Out on the patio, on a bright, glorious day, we sip Sauvignon blanc from New Zealand’s North Canterbury wine region. We tuck into manuka-smoked fish rillette, just-baked sesame crackers and salsa verde, followed by iconic Kiwi desserts: burnt sugar steamed pudding and hokey pokey2 ice cream, from scratch. We made all of it fresh. (And by “we,” I mean I chipped in, but the real chefs did the work.)

“We hope people will go home with a slightly better understanding of how food is produced,” Fiona says of her ambitions with Hapuku Kitchen, “as well as a deeper connection to New Zealand food.”

TRAVEL STUFF I ACTUALLY LIKE

A Cleverly Designed MagSafe Tripod

I was recently influenced by this very persuasive Instagram reel to buy this travel-friendly magnetic cellphone tripod. I had modest expectations, but it’s surprisingly sturdy, with strong magnets, so I don’t have to worry about my iPhone falling off and smashing to bits. Link to buy in Canada or the U.S.

(Disclosure: These are affiliate links, but I bought this with my own money and never recommend things I don’t like.)

THE SOUVENIR

Postcard From London, England

I have a nostalgic love of postcards, so I’ve been asking travelling friends to share theirs. This one is from the wonderful Hannah Sung, a Toronto-based culture journalist who’s in the thick of writing her first book, while also working in comms for the non-profit Equality Fund:

“This was a work trip, but I tacked on a weekend to myself. London is a city you can truly wander. It’s gorgeous, the people-watching is top-notch, the art galleries are free. Walking around, or taking transit or bikeshare, is so easy. I got lost and loved it.” —@hannsung

Where in the World I’m Heading Next

My spring travel calendar includes:

• A short vacation in Quebec City, which I haven’t visited in far too long (decades)

• A press trip to Vienna to watch the “Olympics of camp” (a.k.a. Eurovision)

• A friends’ getaway to Prince Edward County, one of my favourite destinations within road-tripping distance of Toronto (and it’s on Condé Nast Traveler’s list of Best Places to Go in North America for 2026)

If you have recommendations for any of these places, do tell.

ICYMI

Last But Not Least

This newsletter is a work-in-progress, so I’d love to hear what you want to see as I experiment with the format.

You can support this free newsletter (thank you!) by forwarding it to your friends, sharing it on social media or tapping the heart ♡ below.

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IN THIS EDITION

• My slightly nerdy guide to planning trips

• My travel essentials, including my carry-on suitcase of choice

• Where to go in Mexico City, according to @shotbyphil

Some people treat vacations as pure downtime, planning as little as possible. My brain is missing the “relax” mode, so I treat travel like it’s an infinite research project. It’s fun (for me)!

So when fellow newsletter writer Nadine Araksi of Permission Slip requested travel hacks, that was all the prompting I needed to gather up my random bits of wisdom into the following guide. If you find this helpful, please share it far and wide.

Flying

Research with Google Flights and Skyscanner. These are my starting points for figuring out route options, but I always book with airlines directly, instead of through third parties. When things go awry, you’ll want help right from the airlines.

Sign up for an airline loyalty program, even if you’re not a frequent flyer. In Canada, the obvious choice is Aeroplan, and there’s an eStore portal where you can earn points for everyday shopping across hundreds of retailers. I once timed my purchase of an Apple computer with a points promo and racked up more than 27,000 points, almost enough for a round-trip flight to Paris in April.

Consider a travel credit card, but only if it makes sense for your spending habits. The premium ones will include airline benefits like priority boarding or lounge access, but you’ll have to decide if the annual fee is worth it for you. (There’s also the world of credit card “churning” — opening lots of cards strategically, to reap maximum sign-up points — but I don’t do this.)

When you’re ready to redeem points, use the seats.aero search engine to research reward flights. It’s free to search for near-future flights (departing within the next 60 days), and a paid account unlocks more features.

Consider an open-jaw flight if planning a more ambitious, multi-destination vacation. This is an itinerary where you fly into one city, and out of another. The plane fare can be roughly the same as a traditional round-trip; you just have to make your own way between the two points. For example: I’ve done Toronto-Tokyo and Seoul-Toronto, taking a regional budget flight in between.

Check plane seat maps. I’m the kind of weirdo who has to reference aircraft layouts before settling on a seat. Proximity to the lavatory? It matters! SeatGuru was recently shuttered by Tripadvisor, so I’ve started using SeatMaps.

Book a seat in the bulkhead/exit row when flying economy. It’s well worth the extra leg room, especially on a long-haul. For example, selecting a preferred seat on a recent Air Canada Vancouver-Tokyo flight cost me $133 CAD — peanuts compared with paying thousands more for business class.

Have a go-to plane uniform. My usual formula: a Uniqlo tee or long-sleeve; a lightweight cashmere sweater; a big, cozy scarf; a destination-appropriate jacket or coat; joggers in a dressier fabric (mine are an ancient pair from Aday); and walking shoes (like the Adidas Tokyo).

Pack your plane essentials. Mine include: a Kobo e-reader; power banks (I bring a purse-sized one and a big one capable of recharging a laptop); Happy Ears earplugs; this bougie Aesop hand sanitizer (non-drying and smells delightful); and these travel-friendly antibacterial wipes (for de-germing seat trays and the like).

(Note: This post has a few affiliate shopping links. I never recommend things I wouldn’t spend my own hard-earned money on.)

Check in online. I set a calendar reminder to check in as soon as I can, usually 24 hours before departure. Sometimes this means I can snag a preferred seat for free (as an Aeroplan status benefit). In any case, I never want to check in at a counter, because that’s when they might size up my luggage more closely (more on this later).

Accommodations

Decide your neighbourhood first, then your accommodations. Unless it’s an entirely on-resort vacation, I prioritize location over most things. A hotel has to be clean and comfortable, but for me it doesn’t have to have every luxury or amenity. I use booking engines to peruse properties, but I’ll also just zoom in on my preferred neighbourhood in Google Maps and click around the hotels that pop up. This can sometimes reveal small boutique properties that aren’t listed on the main aggregators. Also, I can see what’s around the hotels (shops, restaurants and such).

Don’t forget to check Google Street View. This answers questions like: Does the neighbourhood look nice and friendly for walking alone late at night? Is the hotel located right next to a noisy main road?

Decode the hotel reviews. The overall rating is important, but I also read closely for complaints that have cropped up consistently over a recent period of time. These are often more revealing. Ditto candid photos.

Compare room rates across booking platforms. While I always book flights directly with airlines, I’m less loyal when it comes to hotels. That said, sometimes booking with a hotel directly will come with complimentary perks, like early check-in or late check-out.

Packing

Go carry-on only. I know, it doesn’t work for everyone! But I hate wasting time at the baggage carousel and risking delayed or lost luggage. And I regularly schlep luggage on solo trips, up and down stairs and over bumpy cobblestones; I need to travel light. When my last suitcase broke, I spent too much time comparing luggage specs before buying the Away Bigger Carry-On Flex. I wanted as much space as I could get in a carry-on, as well as a zipper to expand. This one is technically too big by Air Canada’s rules, and it will not fit in the sizer, but I haven’t been forced to check it yet. (Caveat: When the suitcase is expanded, you’ll have to check it.)

Use Apple AirTags if you must check luggage.

Bring a backpack as your second/personal item. Don’t wreck your back hauling around a heavy tote bag or duffel. Mine is a perfectly designed, decade-old one from Muji that I (permanently) “borrowed” from my husband. (Thanks, Andrew!) Alas, they don’t sell it anymore.

Pack a squishable cross-body bag (for carrying day essentials) and a small, slim purse (for dressier occasions). For the former, I like this Uniqlo multi-pocket shoulder bag, which is super light but holds a lot, and it can be tossed into a washing machine.

Plan your outfits day by day. When going carry-on only, there’s no room for random, whimsical things you may or may not wear. I make a trip-specific spreadsheet to plan my clothes — envisioning whole outfits — by day, tailoring them around whatever activities are on the agenda. I also have a separate packing list of items I need for any trip, so I don’t leave for the airport without my wallet (yup, that’s happened before).

Use disposable shower caps, the kind you find in hotels, as shoe covers. This avoids dirtying your luggage. I got this tip from chef Roger Mooking when I interviewed him for enRoute magazine.

Decant your favourite beauty liquids into travel containers. I like these ones from Muji, which have proven leak-proof so far.

Have a dedicated toiletries kit for travel, stocked with “doubles” of your at-home products. This is mostly handy for frequent travellers. Store the kit in your carry-on, and don’t worry about packing it afresh each trip.

Itinerary Planning

Do your own legwork. Duh, you’re probably thinking. What I mean is that we all travel for different reasons, and with wildly different tastes and preferences, so it’s worth taking time to plan thoughtfully, so you get what you really want out of your travels. For me, customizing my itinerary is half the fun, so I’m not excited by shortcuts like AI trip planning. I’ll check out a wide mix of resources:

• Glossy travel magazines and major newspapers for inspiring narratives

• Old-school guidebooks for lay-of-the-land basics

• Smaller city magazines for the latest news on the food/drink/shopping scene

• Review websites, local blogs and Instagram posts for “real people” opinions

Curate your points of interest in Google Maps. I create my own private lists by city. Then whenever I hear about an intriguing place I’d like to visit in the future — say, a cool restaurant or new museum — I’ll save it, adding an optional note to myself, so I don’t forget. This is also handy when I’m actually travelling: It’s easier to plan my day’s itinerary when I can see, at a glance, which places are located close together.

Dining

Research widely. I start by looking at restaurants that have garnered some degree of media attention in outlets like The New York Times, Travel + Leisure, Condé Nast Traveler, Food & Wine, The Infatuation, Eater, Time Out and so on. (Some publications have discerning tastes; others are good mainly for just news of openings.) I also look up outlets based in the city I’m visiting — they tend to be most plugged in. I don’t always agree with what Michelin lauds, but I still look at their starred spots, as well as their articles with chefs’ picks. I check out social media, but Insta/TikTok-famous food can be hit-or-miss for me.

• RELATED STORY: “How to Choose a Restaurant When You’re Traveling” (NYT)

Pull up Google Maps, zoom in on a neighbourhood and click around the restaurants, cafés and bars that pop up. This is the opposite of my tip above — it’s the digital equivalent of wandering around until something catches my eye. With a bit of serendipity, I can stumble across gems I wouldn’t have noticed otherwise.

Check customer reviews for restaurants, but don’t take the rating at face value. I once had the most egregious Italian food of my life, tasteless pasta with a side of rude service, in Berlin. I picked the place based on its sterling Google Maps rating, currently 4.8. I later realized the restaurant inflates its reputation with fake reviews, and gets Google to delete criticisms — the latter is rampant in Germany (and probably elsewhere, too). Fast Company explains why you should be skeptical of the country’s “suspiciously excellent” businesses. To end on a happier note, the best meal I’ve had in Berlin was the family-style feast at Night Kitchen.

• RELATED STORY: “A Foodie’s Guide to Eating Well on a Road Trip” (CBC Life)

Preview dishes on Instagram. It’s often hard to visualize food based on menu descriptions alone. I like to see dishes posted on a restaurant’s official IG, as well as the less stylized photos that diners have tagged.

Miscellaneous Tips

Look to Reddit. I don’t use it for itinerary ideas per se, but the site can come in clutch for niche advice or anecdata. For example, when I needed to see a doctor fresh off a flight to Tokyo, a Reddit thread is how I found a good medical clinic open late and able to take foreigners.

Get an eSIM instead of spending a small fortune on roaming. There are lots of options, but I use Airalo. (An eSIM works best if you don’t need to use your usual phone number while travelling.)

Book a guided tour. I’ve used Airbnb Experiences for a photo shoot in Lisbon (where this picture was taken), and a jaunt around Seoul’s street-food markets. Because the guides listed on the site are often solopreneurs, the tours tend to be small and intimate, with lots of affordable options.

Shop for souvenirs you’ll actually use. I try to identify chic labels I can’t get at home (earrings from a local designer, for example, take up no luggage space). I also favour items that reflect a sense of place (say, perfume that smells like Vietnamese coffee from Ho Chi Minh City, or a UV umbrella from Japan). In fashion cities like Paris, I’m fond of browsing vintage/consignment shops. I’m also into the whole grocery tourism trend. Spices, sauces or snacks are great, inexpensive mementos.

Did I miss anything? Comment below with your travel question.

THE GUEST LIST

Where to Go in Mexico City

The Guest List is a micro destination guide, featuring recommendations from cool people. For this edition, I asked Phil Birnbaum, frequent traveller and founder of the Toronto PR agency Perfect Pear, to share his picks for Mexico City, where he just vacationed. Phil was kind enough to oblige:

WHY GO

“Mexico City is one of my favourite cities in the world. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve visited. Once I realized that it was so close to Toronto (five and a half hours), it became a top place to visit for the design, museums, galleries, food and drinks.”

WHERE TO STAY

“I first visited Casa Bosques, a beautiful bookstore in Roma Norte, in 2018. It became a staple during visits to the city, with their Casa Bosques Chocolate making a perfect souvenir for friends. Two years ago, I discovered that they have three guest suites upstairs, all curated by Rafael Prieto, founder and creative director of Savvy Studio. We finally had a chance to stay at Casa Bosques Pension and it was perfect. The room felt like we were sleeping in an art gallery (it even had gallery lighting!!!) and had a super cute private patio. If you visit after February, you may be lucky enough to stay in one of the six new guest rooms in the building next door.”

WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK

“Panaderia Rosetta is a perfect spot for all of the pastries, breakfast and that soft serve in a croissant. Anticipate a line-up for the to-go window, though it moves quickly. If you want a table, arrive around opening at 7 a.m., or plan for a 45- to 60-minute wait.”

“Masala y Maiz has an incredible lunch that blends Mexican and Indian cuisine. My favourite spot in CDMX! Make sure you order the paratha quesadilla and infladita chaat.”

“Tlecan is a mezcal bar (No. 3 on North America’s 50 Best Bars) with the best selection of mezcals, organized by region, and some pretty stellar drinks. I ordered the Margarita Texcoco.”

“Orbita is a great café/bar/restaurant. We went for breakfast, and the coffee came with an info card on the beans.”

“Buna is a local café and roastery. Visit the Laguna location and try their new Cafetal pour-over experience!”

“Lardo’s to-go window is perfect for enjoying their pastries if you can’t get a table. Get a guava bun.”

“Entremar is Contramar’s sister spot in Polanco. Different location, with all of Contramar’s greatest hits. Tuna tostada is a must, along with their fried quesadilla, the best adult version of a pizza pocket.”

“Form + Matter: The cocktail game here is 💯🔥. I had the Banan-Anhattan and the M&M.”

WHERE TO SHOP

“Xinú Polanco is the first location for the Mexican perfume brand. One of the best retail experiences! They’re also now in the Juarez and Roma neighbourhoods, though Polanco is still my favourite location.”

“Bomboti is retail meets art gallery, with clothing, accessories, home goods, collectible design and food.”

“La Laguna is a former yarn and textile factory built in the 1920s, and now a small creative community. The entrance sign is discreet, so we missed it the first time. Once inside the courtyard, you can visit different shops and spaces, including La Marzocco, the ArquiLectura bookstore, Anfora Studio ceramics and the Primo Aperitivo production and aperitivo bar.”

WHAT ELSE TO DO

“Visit Chapultepec Park, which is nearly three times the size of Central Park and has plenty of trails and museums to explore. Prioritize the National Anthropology Museum (for the world’s largest collection of Mexican artifacts) and Museo Tamayo (contemporary art).”

“Plan ahead to get a ticket for Casa Luis Barragán. The Mexican architect’s former home and studio, it has some of Barragán’s beautiful designs and bright colours.”

“Make sure you visit some of the art galleries, including Gallery OMR, AGO Projects and Kurimanzutto.”

Thank you, Phil! Follow @shotbyphil on Instagram for more snippets from his travels.

Last But Not Least

This newsletter is a work-in-progress, so I’d love to hear what think or want to see.

You can support this free newsletter (thank you!) by forwarding it to your friends, sharing it on social media or tapping the heart ♡ below.

Would you wait 90 minutes for noodle soup? I’ve wasted more of my life on sillier things. On my recent trip to Tokyo, each time I tried and failed to get into Ginza Hachigou, I felt more stubborn about succeeding. Besides, if queuing is an art form in Japan, let’s call this a cultural immersion.

Ginza Hachigou is a six-seater ramen joint run by chef Yasushi Matsumura. He spent decades in French cuisine before opening this place, where he’s noted for his more refined take on noodles. Michelin once bestowed a star but now grants only Bib Gourmand status.

Still, this remains one of the city’s best ramen restaurants, according to Tabelog, the reviews site favoured by locals. (Bear in mind: the Japanese judge with high standards, so a 3.5+ rating means a solid choice, not a mediocre one.) The restaurant was just a short walk from my hotel. So I wandered over casually one morning. How naive.

Of course, I didn’t get in. There are only 30 spaces for walk-ins per day, as Time Out points out. So even though Ginza Hachigou doesn’t officially open for service until 11 a.m., the lineup/cutoff guessing game starts long before then. (Yes, there’s a reservations system; spots are still near-impossible to get that way.)

Attempt two: I arrived at 9:20 a.m. Minutes too late.

Final try: 9 a.m. Success! As I patiently waited to be seated, I watched the restaurant’s queen of the queue enforce the rules. And there are many. The Japanese love order.

The man who wants to dine in the tiny space with a baby stroller in tow? Sorry. Two ladies try to save a spot for a tardy husband. They’re almost demoted to the back of the line, where they risk missing out. But all’s well that ends well: the absent husband (graciously or under duress?) opts out.

After 90 minutes, they let us in early. I’m offered a bib to protect from soup spatter, along with an elastic to tie back my long hair. In Japan, there’s an attention to tiny details that I deeply appreciate. Everyone in the restaurant eats efficiently and in deferential silence. One guest slurps back his noodles in 15 minutes flat.

The consommé-like soup is clear and light but full of umami, despite the lack of tare (concentrated seasoning sauce). The noodles are delicate and balance well. I could, however, do without the signature wonton with foie gras and truffle, which feel like unnecessary (and distracting) frills.

Would I return? Yes, especially if I can score a reservation.

My Travel Tips for Tokyo

This past fall, I travelled to Japan to do a press trip on the southern island of Kyushu, then spent several days solo in Tokyo as a sort of mini vacation. I’ve visited the capital multiple times before, but I never feel I’ve seen enough.

Here are some basics I would tell you if you’re planning a trip:

Go in the off-season. Japan is experiencing record-smashing levels of tourism. When I visited Tokyo at the end of October/early November, the crowds were noticeably bigger. I could barely walk through Shinjuku’s narrow Memory Lane. I’d rather come at a quieter time, like late winter (early March), before cherry blossom season.

Consider staying in Ginza. That’s where I based myself on my last three trips, within walking distance of Tokyo Station (a major transit hub, key for travel to other cities). The pluses for me: It’s lively but not chaotic; the neighbourhood’s known more for fancy shopping than nightlife. It’s close to the Imperial Palace for running. I can walk to lots of food options, and it’s easy to hop on a train to reach other neighbourhoods.

Let Google Maps show you the way. On my first trips to Tokyo, I wasted so much time getting lost, bewildered by cryptic addresses and twisty streets. Being able to see my live location — and my proximity to, say, the tiny restaurant hidden in an alley — makes all the difference. (Also, if you can’t find something: it might not be on the ground floor.)

Pin all the places that pique your interest in Google Maps. I’ll do this whenever I hear about a cool spot — a museum mentioned in a magazine, a restaurant that just won an award, or a shop I noticed on IG — “bookmarking” it for future reference. I curate a map for each city/town. And when it’s time to plan an itinerary, I can see, at a glance, which places are close enough together to visit on the same day.

Where I Went in Tokyo

This isn’t a comprehensive city guide or best-of list. These are just some highlights I’ve enjoyed, and maybe you will, too.

I’ve linked directly to each place in Google Maps, so you can save what you like for a future trip.

• Time Out recently named Jimbocho “the world’s coolest neighbourhood in 2025.” It’s chockablock with bookstores, around 130 (!) of them. Kitazawa Bookstore’s upper floor is a trove of old and rare English-language editions, while Komiyama Book Store and Magnif stock vintage fashion magazines.

• Jimbocho is also famous for Japanese curry restaurants. While searching for the popular Curry Bondy, I chanced upon a street-level sister restaurant (?) in a back alley; it serves the same curry for lunch and there was only a short lineup.

• If you favour udon over ramen, try Udon Maruka. I didn’t have a lot of sushi, but the casual Sushi no Midori was fresh and pretty affordable. Since the city’s abundance of culinary choice can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re not fluent in Japanese, this is a great place to book a locally led food tour.

• If you have the patience for yet another long line, the hip coffee spot is Bongen (mostly takeout since seating is minimal).

• If you’re a runner, you must do a loop of the Imperial Palace, one of my favourite routes in the world. The perimeter is 5k, uninterrupted by traffic.

• Tokyo is renowned for its luxury resale shops, in part because Japan’s anti-counterfeiting laws are strict, so you can be more confident the wares are legit. I splurged on a Céline handbag at the huge Komehyo Shinjuku. (Bonus tip: Komehyo has a website listing its goods across stores, so you can search for what you want, and then head to the location that has your item.)

• If I had more luggage space (and hadn’t splurged on a designer purse, ahem), I would’ve bought more in Kappabashi Kitchen Town. Ceramics, cooking tools, tchotchkes, it’s all here. I did pick up a made-in-Japan knife from Tojiro, known for quality at an affordable price point. Across the street is Kama-Asa, which makes an allegedly trendy cutting board.

• I also bought: apple jam sandwich cookies and other snacks at Muji; jeans from Uniqlo x JW Anderson (the same styles are more petite in Japan); sunscreen and makeup from the department store Loft. In the Ginza neighbourhood, you can visit big locations of all three stores mere steps from each other.

• In general, I think “immersive art” is gimmicky (no, I do not need to see digital Van Gogh projections on a wall), but I found TeamLab Borderless clever and entertaining, especially the interactive features. Go with friends if you can (it’s more fun), and book tickets well in advance.

• If you have time for just one shrine, go to Meiji Jingu. The forest setting feels peaceful, even with tourists around. You can buy an ema (votive tablet), write your wishes, aspirations or note of gratitude, and hang it by the camphor tree.

I’ve pinned all of the spots above — plus some other places I like — here:

Wing’s Tokyo Map

Where Else I’ve Been Lately

NORWAY: “I sailed on Norway’s most historic cruise line for a true taste of the country, from the scenery to the brown-cheese cocktail.”

AUSTRALIA: “I visited one of the world’s great whale-watching destinations, where sightings are all but guaranteed”

B.C. WINE COUNTRY: “B.C.’s most delicious destination? I visited Canada’s first UNESCO ‘City of Gastronomy,’ and that was just the start.”

Last But Not Least

Whew, this is much longer than I originally intended. Thank you for reading the debut edition of this newsletter! It’s a work-in-progress, so I’d love to hear what think or want to see. Have a travel-related question? Send it my way: wing@wayword.ca.

You can support this free newsletter (thank you!) by forwarding it to your friends, sharing it on social media or tapping the heart ♡ below. I wish you a wonderful holiday season. See you in 2026.