Just five minutes to Shinagawa by train! Find great spots to relax and enjoy the best eats for your money from your base in Gotanda

Offering a spectacular entertainment space with light, sound, and water effects

Found just a two-minute walk from JR Shinagawa Station, this aquarium is located in the very heart of the city. Designed with the concept of “Tokyo's cutting-edge entertainment,” this is a fantastic spot where visitors can see 20,000 living creatures (approximately 330 species) as part of state-of-the-art performances, including projection mapping.

The aquarium itself is located on the Shinagawa Prince Hotel grounds. An ocean world awaits on the other side of this entrance.

The Jellyfish Rumble on the first floor shows visitors the world of jellyfish, interwoven with light and sound. Tanks of various sizes can be found in this spacious area approximately 9 meters wide and 35 meters deep. Watch the jellyfish floating in pink and blue light.

The Wonder Tube on the second floor is a 20-meter-long underwater tunnel. Enjoy the experience of walking underwater, with fish coming and going overhead. Visitors can get up close and personal with the only individual dwarf sawfish—a member of the sawfish family—in the world kept in an aquarium at the Maxell Aqua Park Shinagawa, as well as plenty of other specifies. This is also the only aquarium in eastern Japan home to reef manta rays.

Little Paradise is a group of nine tanks that change according to the exhibition theme. The Tropical Aquarium is home to sharks and other unique tropical fish. See the peach-colored Amethyst anthias, which live in coral reef areas.

Some events at the aquarium require reservations. Make sure to check the schedule first.

Maxell Aqua Park Shinagawa also hosts a variety of shows and events. At Friendly Square, penguins, fur seals, and other sea creatures are put on shows that show off their physical abilities. The aquarium staff also provide commentary, meaning visitors can learn about the habits and personalities of the Cape penguins.

Two Cape penguins make an adorable appearance in the Penguin Mini Performance. They waddle around on the stage, showing off their impressive physical abilities!

Check out an impressive dolphin show at The Stadium. A water curtain creating various patterns is rhythmically set to music in this circular, 25-meter-wide pool, and dolphins perform incredible tricks amidst the spectacular light, sound, and water effects.

The Night Version starts at 19:00.The atmosphere is completely different from the daytime performances; a fantastical show unfolds in the circular pool, which dazzles in the darkness. Other activities such as "Touch the Dolphins" and "Wonder Talk Guide," which is limited to one group per day, require reservations made in advance, so please see the official website for more information.

Another appealing feature of the facility is that it houses not only an aquarium but also other attractions. The Magical Ground on the first floor features the Dolphin Party, a merry-go-round where you can ride on different sea creatures, as well as the thrilling Port of Pirates, a ride that moves like a pendulum.

The Giftshop IN THE BLUE sells original goods featuring various sea creatures designs. The yogurt-flavored Jellyfish Gummies (850 yen) are such a cute sight.

Colorful Float Crunch (1,280 yen) are perfect as a gift to pass out to several people. They come in four flavors—melon, soda, strawberry, and lemon—and feature a delicious crunchy texture.

The rare sawfish has been transformed into a cute ball chain mascot! The Sawfish (left) is available for 1320 yen, and the dolphin (right) is available for 990 yen. There are also manta rays, so we recommend collecting all three during your visit.

Find famous eats and souvenirs from Akita Prefecture near the station!

This shop is located near Maxell Aqua Park Shinagawa and sells regional foods and products from Akita Prefecture. More than 1,000 different items are available, including fruits and vegetables grown in the prefecture, local sakes, and confections. The shop also provides the latest information from the prefecture.

The local sake section of the shop is particularly well-stocked. A wide variety of local sakes from breweries throughout the prefecture are available. Akita Seishu's sweet nigori sake Nugudamaru and junmai sake Namahage are one-cup sakes that can be casually enjoyed.

At the Tasting Corner, you can imbibe sakes from breweries that are the pride of Akita, including Aramasa, Hideyoshi, Yamamoto, and Amanoto. A single glass is 450 yen or three for 1,200 yen. There are also foods to nibble on such as iburi gakko and hatahata sushi for 350 yen each, which is such a great addition!

A stylish dish that recreates the taste of Akita

Kiritanpo Cup Soup has been a hot topic in the media. Warm the kiritanpo in the microwave and pour hot water over it to enjoy sticky kiritanpo in Hinai Jidori chicken soup. We also recommend trying the Kiritanpo Oshiruko with mashed red bean paste.

The Mofu Dora is a play on the fluffy feel of the Akita dog breed. It comes in two varieties: mashed red bean paste, and mashed red bean paste with margarine. We bought it because we could not resist the cute Akita dog package. Butter Mochi is a local favorite in Akita. The rich, buttery flavor will have you hooked immediately.

In the rear of the shop is a dining area that serves inaniwa udon, kiritanpo, and other dishes unique to Akita Prefecture. Sake is available to taste and purchase during events, and fresh vegetables from Akita are sold daily, allowing visitors to experience Akita in its entirety at this shop found near Shinagawa Station.
*For product prices, please inquire at the shop.

Enjoy Tokyo Classic Italian in the tradition of Rome

No need for an umbrella on a rainy day when you visit this restaurant near the Konan Exit at Shinagawa Station. The restaurant focuses on Roman cuisine and serves offerings from a menu combining traditional Italian flavors and modern techniques. The five-course Aroma Classico Lunch Course is priced at 5,500 yen and includes assorted appetizers, the pasta of the day, a choice of a main dish, the dolce of the day, and coffee or tea. Among the choices is Spaghetti with Fruit Tomatoes and Snow Crab made with mancini, a premium pasta from the Marche region (the photo shown is an example).

This is the Quail and Black Truffle Risotto (the photo shown is an example). Featuring an extravagant use of truffles, this risotto is made with acquerello, aged Italian rice.

This is an example of the assorted appetizers guests can enjoy. In addition, the weekday-only Casual Lunch for 2,750 yen comes with four dishes: assorted appetizers, the pasta of the day, the dolce of the day, and coffee or tea.

Here we are at our window seat, ready to enjoy our meal! The spacious restaurant also offers private rooms, which are perfect for ladies’ gatherings and special anniversaries. Enjoy an elegant lunch in this stylish space.

Take a break in this space as you gaze out at the trees in the garden

Large windows make for a bright and open space. The tables overlook the well-maintained Shinagawa Central Garden.

You will find 600 bottles of 170 Italian wines lined up next to the entrance. A sommelier will make suggestions based on the cuisine and the occasion. During dinner, an all-you-can-drink wine course is also available, allowing you to enjoy the sumptuous flavors to your heart's content.

Three popular sweets available inside Shinagawa Station

Ecute Shinagawa, located inside JR Shinagawa Station, is home to over 90 restaurants and stores offering boxed lunches, prepared foods, sundries, and more. The hotel staff has carefully selected sweets at three stores they wish to highlight.
First on the list is Very Ruby Cut, a shop specializing in strawberry sweets. Sold twice a day at the Shinagawa location for a limited time only are the Strawberry Butter Sandwich cookies, available for 1,620 yen (3 pcs). These ultra-thick butter sandwich cookies made with strawberry confiture jelly and whipped butter cream offer a deep, rich experience and a luxurious strawberry flavor.

These are the Strawberry Milk Sandwich cookies that are available on an everyday basis, starting at 1,188 yen (5 pcs). Strawberry confiture and white chocolate mixed with condensed milk are sandwiched between moist cookies.

Atelier Ukai is famous for its jewel box-like cookie tins. These tins are filled with a variety of baked treats, such as raspberry jam sandwich cookies and sesame galettes. Every item offers delightfully different textures and flavors. Four sec small is available for 2,980 yen.

Tatemachi Cannele, whose main store is located in Hiroshima, has a reputation for its individually handmade canneles. The standard Cannele Gift Set, priced at 3,160 yen for 10 pcs, offers a variety of popular flavors including plain, chocolate, blueberry, and citron.

These canneles are made with the finest ingredients and offer amazing flavors. The citron flavor, for example, features refreshing lemon icing, while the almond flavor features crispy caramelized almonds. Monthly cannele specials are also available, such as red bean butter in January and sakura in April.

With famous stores from around Japan located inside the station, this is a place where you can find the latest in sweets. Stop by for a moment while waiting for your train and look for limited-edition sweets that are only available here.

A natural and comfortable space, with roots in the Gotanda area

The most appealing feature of the hotel is that it is directly connected to JR Gotanda Station; guests can check in right after exiting the ticket gates. The first to third floors are occupied by a commercial facility, Atre Gotanda 2, which makes shopping and dining convenient.
The front desk in the 3rd floor lobby is equipped with self check-in kiosks to make your check-in process as smooth as possible. The hotel also offers highly rated services, for which Hotel Mets Premier is known, such as complimentary coffee and an amenity bar with a wide range of amenities for guests.

As Gotanda used to be a vast area of rice paddies, the design of the building incorporates a square motif inspired by this rice paddy landscape. You will notice the square benches and square frames hidden throughout the natural space.

There are a total of 166 guest rooms, most of which are superior single and superior double rooms. All rooms feature Simmons beds and bathrooms with separate washing areas. Guest rooms with a view of the trains passing through Gotanda Station are a unique sight at this hotel, given its close proximity to the station (the view differs depending on the room type).

The guest rooms feature designs that follow a white and gray color scheme and are minimal, neat, and comfortable. Superior twin rooms are furnished with two 120-cm-wide beds. The square motif can be found in the bedside lighting as well as the carpeting.

Enjoy a hearty breakfast with the all-you-can-eat salads and fruit!

Located next to the lounge on the third floor is CARROLL, a restaurant offering all-day dining. It is available for a variety of occasions, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Breakfast is half-buffet style, with a choice from three main dishes: Japanese, western, or rice bowl.

This is the western-style Eggs Benedict With Bacon & Sausage plate. Daily omelets and French toast are also available. The buffet area is lined with colorful seasonal vegetables, curries, fruit, yogurt, and more; enjoy these to your heart’s content.

The Japanese plates are mainly fish dishes, such as Grilled Salmon with Salted Rice Malt. Enjoy it with freshly cooked rice and miso soup. Three rice bowls change daily: Seared Salmon and Salmon Roe with Tea Over Rice, Young Chicken Nanban, and Shonan Whitebait.

Take in the vintage modern space featuring an antique-style interior design and accessories. At lunch time, enjoy pasta, hamburgers, and other dishes with a Southern USA flair. And later in the evening, enjoy dinner with cocktails and wine.

Bringing the amazing technology hidden in containers and packaging to light!

What are containers and packaging? The Museum of Package Culture is here to answer questions like this. This museum introduces the history, technologies, and innovations of containers and packaging that have made people's lives more convenient and comfortable throughout the ages.

It is located about a 10-minute walk from JR Osaki Station. The museum is on the first floor of the headquarters building of the Toyo Seikan Group, which has been manufacturing a variety of packaging since its establishment in 1917.

The exhibition spaces are neat and clean with a white base. There are six booths on the floor, introducing the unexpected roles of containers and packaging, the efforts made to sort and collect them as part of recycling, and more.

The giant bottles in the exhibit are also part of the display. Actual containers and packaging are displayed inside the bottles, and you can have fun learning about the current state of containers by looking at them, touching them, and answering quizzes.

Visitors can experience uchiken, or sounding out, in one section of the floor. In the old days, an inspection method called “uchiken” was used; the bottom of cans and bottles were tapped with an inspection stick to check for defective products using vibration and sound. Think you can tell the difference by tapping them?

Make a time capsule can, a hugely popular activity among elementary and junior high school students!

We also tried our hand at making time capsule cans. You will need to make a reservation in advance to take part. Write a letter to your future self and/or your family in a few years from now and put it in the can. You can also make a handmade label to put on the outside.

The time capsule is ready once the lid is tightly closed by the machine. Take it home and keep it in a safe place until you decide to open it in a few years.

Every detail of the exhibit is illustrated and provides useful information for daily life.

Vending machines located in the museum offer original goods. This glass container with a lid bearing the museum's logo is also useful for storing accessories. Unique souvenirs from the Museum of Package Culture can be purchased, such as a Topper safe can opener and the Gokunuki ultimate bottle opener.

Exquisite chocolates made from carefully selected cocoa beans

This chocolatier is like one you might find on a street corner in France. Behind this shop is Chef Takuma Kuroki, who trained in France for many years and worked as the head of confectionery at Pierre Marcolini after returning to Japan. The shop is committed to using the "Bean to Bar" method, which involves everything from roasting the cocoa beans to making the chocolate; a wide variety of products such as bonbons, cakes, and baked treats are available.
Pictures are Chuao (720 yen) (left) and Roulé au Chocolat (790 yen) (right), both of which use chocolate made from Venezuelan cocoa beans.

The concept of the store is cacao and French baked treats. Entering the shop, we are greeted by cacao beans in a large cloth bag.

Chocolat Noisette (720 yen) (front) is a layered cake made of hazelnut dough and rich milk chocolate, accented with the refreshing aroma of orange and passion fruit. Each cake is made using cocoa beans from different regions, such as Ghana, Ecuador, or Peru, giving each its own unique, deep flavor.

Enjoy a warm beverage on the outdoor bench

The Chocolat Chaud beverage is great on chilly days; it is available for 600 yen. The chocolate used changes weekly. When we visited, a rich drink with 72% cacao from Ghana was a welcome break.

From April to October, the shop also sells ice cream made with chocolate. Les Cacaos Honten is located about seven minutes on foot from JR-East Hotel Mets Premier Gotanda. Take a peek into the fascinating world of chocolate created using cacao beans from around the world.

Tour art spots in this complex located in front of Osaki Station

Ohsaki New City, which stretches out in front of JR Osaki Station, is a complex of office buildings, a hotel, and commercial facilities. The O Patio extends over the rooftop of the second floor of the low-rise building; it is an urban oasis.

The plaza is dotted with various public artwork, which visitors can enjoy while taking a stroll. This refreshing fountain is a work entitled “Water Vessels For Fountains.”

The O Patio is also furnished with benches perfect for those looking to eat lunch or take a break. We were told the space also serves as the stage for Bon Odori and other events.

See a wide variety of artwork

We head over to the O Art Museum on the 2nd floor of Ohsaki New City. Since its opening in 1987, the museum has held special exhibitions introducing artists associated with Shinagawa Ward and has become a popular art spot in the office district.

The museum has four exhibition halls and is used as a venue for various groups and artists to present their work. Depending on the time of year, visitors can view a wide variety of artwork, including paintings, sculptures, photographs, and videos. On the day of our visit, the art calligraphy group Studio Issai was exhibiting their work.

Gallery talks by artists are held during exhibitions, and events such as lectures for children are held during the summer vacation period. Stop by this urban gallery that supports local creative activities and stimulate your intellectual curiosity.

We had to try the juicy 100% Japanese Black beef hamburg steak!

This restaurant is operated by Yazawa Meat, a meat wholesaler that handles the finest Japanese Black beef. The menu boasts thick, juicy hamburg steaks and other steaks made from Japanese Black beef carefully selected by artisans.
This is the most popular item on the menu, the Demi-Glace Cheese Hamburg Steak, a single for 2,300 yen. The hamburg steak is made of 100% Japanese Black beef and grilled to medium rare perfection. Juices will spill out when piercing this fluffy hamburg steak with your chopsticks.

With the delicious flavor and satisfying texture that only red meat can offer, the Yazawa Steak (inner thigh) (3,600 yen for 150 g) is delivered to your table on an iron plate. Choose from one of four sauces for your steak: Yazawa original sauce, herb butter soy sauce, homemade ponzu with grated radish, and wasabi soy sauce.

All lunches come with a mini salad, rice, and miso soup. The Hitomebore rice from Tottori Prefecture, carefully selected by a five-star Meister, is a perfect match for the steaks & hamburg steaks.

Surrounded by a western-style interior, you will be thrilled by the meat dishes delivered from the open kitchen. Come and enjoy the finest Japanese Black beef.

Among the many great eats found in Gotanda, this famous restaurant is always getting rave reviews. We recommend going early, as you will inevitably have to wait in line on weekends.

Rustic and stylish Scandinavian sundry goods that will add gentle color to your everyday.

Meaning “flea market” in Finnish, Kirpputori is a specialty shop featuring vintage and handmade items collected by the owner, Shimada-san, from flea markets and other markets in Scandinavia.

The shop offers a wide variety of goods, ranging from antique ceramics to kitchenware, traditional and handcrafted goods, and books. These small vintage plates depicting men and women in traditional costumes were produced in Finland up until the 1960s.

When we say Scandinavia, this is what we mean! These are cups and saucers by Arabia, a leading Finnish ceramics brand. Apparently many people collect them, attracted by the cute, simple stencil patterns.

You will find characters known around the world, too

Various sundry goods featuring Moomin, a character from in Finland, are also available. The nicely textured Moominpappa and Moominmamma figures and the cute mini mug ornament would make great gifts.

You can feel the warmth of the creators of these hand-knitted dolls.

Casually displayed on the wall are Scandinavian textile fabrics and hand-knitted mittens made in Latvia. The mittens have a unique design with triangular fingertips.

Sundry goods made from natural materials, such as birch baskets and teak vessels, will blend in with any interior and will make your kitchen or dining room look much more stylish.

The shop offers a selection of old and new items that will last and last. Come and look for something special; you will feel like you are at a flea market!