@@RalphSam Your videos helped us so much in planning our last Tokyo trip. Kōenji was especially great. Our trip wouldn’t have been the same without your vlog!
@@jacobmtaylor so happy to hear that! we're editing our new tokyo series right now. hope you find some new spots to add to your future itinerary. 😊 thank you again and cheers from us 🍻
The woman with the yellow flower glasses had such a happy vibe. I absolutely loved her fit. And your girlfriends colorful square patches cardigan was just so pretty! This was a very entertaining watch. Please do more!
I think the most amazing thing about Japan is that there is fresh tasty convenient food easily available anywhere. Convenient on the go, but not compromising on health. (Okay, well maybe the doughnuts haha so GORGEOUS)
I stayed in Kōenji throughout November last year and it’s now my favourite place in the world. I wake up thinking about that Omurice restaurant constantly
Thank you youtube to put this video on my first page this morning !!!! Whoa, I love the mood ! I am french but i love traveling too and watch the countries that I have already visited !! And your video was one of the best ! Thank you for this beauty and peaceful moment ! A little wes anderson vibes sometimes, love it
I'm doing the same. Pinning great shops, kissaten and restaurants onto Googlel maps helps me orient myself when leaving an unfamiliar train station; it's good to know which direction I ought to walk in order to collide with 'the good stuff' rather than wander into an underwhelming residential area with a smattering of dull retail options. Looking at where the shops etc are on a map is very handy, just to get an idea about the lay of the land, so to speak. Have fun on your next trip-- hope you discover a really cool pocket to explore somewhere unexpected in Tokyo.
Gah, you guys make shopping look so relaxing hahaha. I've never been a fan and would almost never shop when I go to Tokyo (books/vinyl at the most), but your vintage shop stops don't look intimidating at all! Would you have tips for someone who might shop vintage in Japan for the first time? :)
If it's your first time, we recommend making a stop at one of the bigger Vintage chains like Kinji, 2nd Street or Chicago! Prices are reasonable, staff is helpful and the selection is always great! If you're on the shy side, these are definitely less intimidating than some of the standalone shops 😊
Oohh so glad this video got recommended to me! Saved it in my Japan playlist for inspo when I will travel to Japan in 2026! Time to watch all the other ones aswell + subscribing for upcoming videos! ♥
Such an interesting video. Thanks for posting. I’ve heard about Koenji , it looks cool there. Japanese neighbourhoods are fun to explore . Next time I’m in Japan will def check it out . Music you guys used was great as well.
New subscriber here! 🤸🏼♀️🥰 I'm so happy that I found your channel. I loveeee the aesthetic vibe of the video. I guess it's time for a vlog marathon! 🚀🎥
I've been living in the Koenji/Asagaya neighborhood for the past 15 years and I love it. You guys captured the vibe and visited some good spots! I love Floresta donuts. Earl Grey flavor is forever my favorite.
So nice to hear from a Koenji local ✌🏽 thank you ✨️ we love floresta too 🍩 what do you love about Koenji? Any places you recommend for the next time we visit Koenji? It's such a relaxed, hip neighborhood.
threw me off when I heard Ralph narrating at the beginning 😂but man so many little nooks and crannies that I had to jot down for my trip in less than 4 weeks. thank you so much for such awesome little recommendations~~ nakano is seemingly a must hit especially if THE miss lauren tsai said so ha! and also, it's a crazy statistic but some of the best pizzerias in the world are located mainly in tokyo!! The Pizza Bar On 38th was ranked the best pizza spot in all of asia and it's located in Tokyo! cannot wait for the last few Japan vlogs from the both of yall!! Happy Holidays to you and yours, Ralph & Sam!
Hahaha! Thought we'd switch it up for a change. Yes, heard that some of the best pizzas are in Japan. They really are super creative with it. Thank you so much as always for watching! And happy happy holidays to you and yours 💚🎁❤️
Thank you so much! We wanted to shine a light on Koenji since it's not as known as Shimokitazawa, but just as exciting in our opinion! And yes, the vintage selection is fantastic.
I love your videos! I’m going on a cruise in Japan in March and feeling overwhelmed by all there is to offer I’ll be in Tokyo for 4-5 days after … this is super helpful Any suggestions for MUST Dos is appreciated
March is a beautiful time to visit! Personally, we would say Asakusa and Tsukiji are Must Dos for us. Great combination of unqiuely Japanese culture and food. Just take note most shops are closed on Wednesdays, so you can plan around that. Hope you have a wonderful cruise!
I meant to say I have just subscribed, sorry the baby it the iPad. I have lived in Tokyo for 25 years but we only moved to koneji from shinjuku as we loved the vibe. You hit it spot on. It’s full of students and they are all really nice and polite. Please stay in koneji next time and explore it more. It’s nightlife is lovely
The cheese curry rice is expensive. For 2 persons, 2 of that dish already takes a large chunk out of the $46 daily food budget for 2 persons. In 2009, I was able to keep within $23 for food for myself daily, just eating convenience & supermarket basement food.
Seasonal sweet potato flavor....is that like the seasonal pumpkin latte everything that goes on in the states every year??? LOL It's all so fascinating!
I have been watching your vlogs since I came across your BKK trip! Your videos are really nice and looks natural and I noticed youre just using a phone, may I ask the model of your phone? 😊❤
I love the shops yall always visit. Do you happen to know any of the name of the stationary shop at 15:40? Or what floor in Nakano Broadway it is on? thanks!
True, Japanese sizes run very small even for both of us. But they do like to wear oversized pieces, so you will find some more forgiving sizes in there 😊
Chains like Second Street, Mode Off and Chicago still have the best deals and value in our opinion. Smaller shops can be pricier with more specialized curation. 😊
@@RalphSam thank you so much!! my family is going next February so I'm doing research, your videos have been so lovely and informative in that respect ♥
Oh my gosh, these shops look so clean and beautiful unlike the secondhand shops in America. These days, you can’t even tell based on how dingy the store looks as to whether or not you’ll find a good deal. Wherever you go, it’s clutter all over the place. The cafés and food markets look wonderful too, by the way. I so want to travel. ❤❤❤
The Japanese find a way to make their secondhand shops so clean and organized! Always a treat to wander through them and look through their finds. Thanks for watching and hope you get to visit! 🤍
I hope you get to Japan soon-- it's going to blow your mind. You'll find so much cool stuff, such beauty and inspiration that I promise you'll be fiddling with the calculator function on your phone on the flight home, trying to figure out how quickly you can raise the funds to enable a return ASAP. Ha, wait for it!
I only went to Koenji once many years ago and didn't get a chance to explore it but for sure I will go again after this! Also, I'll never get bored of your combini runs 😉
@@RalphSam We didn't spend much there as it was a company trip but I recall visiting a quaint little shop selling kitchen wares 🙂 The general vibes was a quieter Shimokita but not sure if it's still the same now.
I had the same reaction-- really great videos that capture atmosphere, the genuine mood of the vlogger whilst introducing me to cool new shops etc make me excited anew about my upcoming trip. I cannot wait. I love Japan. Have a great time in November!
I’m going to Japan in a few days and Koenji is definitely on the list now! I’m now going binge watch all your videos 💕 Also, that antique store you went to was adorable! but I can’t find it on google maps 😭 any way you know the address?
Just found your channel and really enjoy your videos, but especially your photos. Can I ask what film camera you’re shooting with, it has a lovely vintage rendering. I could hardly stand watching you go past all that camera stuff at the flea market!
@@RalphSam thanks! The Contax has a special look to it. Hoping to visit Tokyo one day. I wanted to shoot black and white but after seeing your color now I don’t know!!
thank you so much! 🌟 i'm staying in tokyo for a month on a student exchange and was looking for really affordable places to shop for winter clothes. would you say these koenji thrift stores are cheaper than gu/uniqlo?
Definitely no actually 😄 hard to beat GU prices which are even cheaper than Uniqlo. Ralph got a GU black turtleneck for like $7. Vintage clothes are of course special and very rare in their own way, so the prices are deservingly mid to high. Ralph's vintage polos cost about $40-50 because the stores are curated. Depends where you go. But the flea markets can be cheaper. Enjoy Tokyo! We'll be back next year 🍡🍣