Cray Pray: A Local's Guide to Japan
This spring we got the opportunity to learn about Cray Pray’s go-to restaurants and cafes in his native Japan, with a focus in Tokyo but with many bonus shout-outs to special restaurants throughout. This food-lover is a pianist, violinist and drummer who excels at all house styles. If you haven’t yet, check out his latest release on King Street Sounds, titled Love Saved My Life featuring Dawn Tallman, out now.
Restaurants
Kappore (Shibuya, Tokyo)
This shop has lots of ginger and you can eat fresh fish with it on the spot. There are many ways to eat fish from sashimi, grilled fish and boiled fish. There is a wide variety of liquors, from liquors that you cannot drink in ordinary shops to sakes and shochu. In addition, the staff here is wonderful, it is a shop where you get real enthusiasm.
The name of this place translates to Japan’s highest ranked sushi restaurant. The speciality here is a selection of delicate sushi drawn from the goodness of the ingredients and delicate technology. Also, there is no provision of alcohol at this shop. It is a restaurant where you can meet and taste sushi.
Immediately after this place opened, it acquired a Michelin star. Among the many high-end sushi restaurants in Roppongi, they offer a unique menu and make outstanding food.
Uoteru (Roppongi, Tokyo)
The sign outside the shop reads “Tunabe Unini” which translates to So much rice. The rice here is cooked a clay pot and is covered with fresh sea urchin, which satisfies vision, smell and taste. Besides, there are many other delicious menu items.
Robata-Hyakushiki (Hakara, Fukuoka)
The ingredients collected in Kyushu are prepared using burning fire. There is also an interesting service where you can make your own drink at a discounted rate.
Tagawa (Kyoto) **Bonus tip**
A talented cook of this area opened this spot in Kyoto in 2017. The feature of this restaurant is that all is cooked using a furnace which brings out the flavor of the ingredients to their maximum potential. I enjoy this gem very much because they carefully select all their seasonal ingredients.
Cafes & Bars
Rooftop Bar (Toranomon, Tokyo)
The Rooftop Bar, located on the 52nd floor of Hotel Andaz Tokyo, in Toranomon Hills, offers an open space with a beautiful night view of Rainbow Bridge and Odaiba. The cocktails are rich in seasonal fruits and high quality ingredients. Here you can enjoy original cocktails by creative mixologists.
Bar AdoniS (Shibuya, Tokyo)
With the theme of “Aegean Wind”, the marble counter and the white-tone bar make this place an adult hideout that will make you forget you are in Shibuya. Here you can enjoy seasonal fresh fruit cocktails, traditional cocktails, oh and cigars are always on hand.
