UCLA Study Abroad | International Education Office | Japan

By DERAN CHAN

During the last week of my study abroad experience I had the opportunity to eat at Sushi Kanesaka, a 2 start Michelin restaurant next to Tokyo Station. I had my fair share of sushi during my stay, but I really wanted that “wow experience” before going back to the states. I went with my friend Duke and we made lunch reservations a week in advance.

The restaurant is located inside the lovely and modern Palace Hotel on the 6th floor with 12 seats atop a wooden counter. The atmosphere was great. It’s warmly lit with cool square spotlights that aren’t too bright and definitely set the mood. It was a nice mix of locals coming in from work and a group of friends traveling from Thailand celebrating a birthday. We ordered the omakase (roughly translates to “I trust you” from Japanese), which essentially gives the chef the freedom to serve us whatever he sees fit. We were served tuna, yellowtail, octopus, squid, and abalone – to name a few. This was without a doubt the best sushi I have had in my entire life. The courses flowed together in perfect harmony and I loved anticipation/excitement in between every dish. The service was hospitable and polished but not overly formal. Prices start at ¥6500 for lunch, and I recommend coming for lunch to save you from paying the premium of a dinner menu. A 10/10 experience.

After lunch, I visited the observatory on the 40th floor of the World Trade Center Building. The ¥600 fee to the top is extremely worth it, and the WTC’s prime location next to Hamamatsucho Station make it easily accessible as well. The panoramic views are completely surreal, and I felt as though I was looking at a painting. Off into the distance you can see Mt. Fuji, Skytree, Tokyo Tower, many – many skyscrapers, and Tokyo Bay. My friend left right after to take a final, but with the help of strategically places chairs and a self-timer on my Canon camera – I managed to get a few good photos.

Despite never visiting the World Trade Center, it was a very nostalgic experience. Every corner I turned, I could look out into the distance and a memory from the past immediately popped into my head. On one end I could see the Odaiba Ferris wheel where I visited teamLab borderless and Tokyo DisneySea, while on the other I saw Chiba prefecture where I played countless tennis matches with Footloose and made so many amazing memories. What an experience. What a day.