Our Tokyo tour starts from the contemporary and slightly nostalgic Claska Hotel in Meguro-Ku, a neighbourhood made of minute alleys, short buildings, eclectic geometries and multi-coloured roofs. The hall opens on Claska Dining & Cafe Kiokuh, a pretty eatery where North-European and Japanese design melt into a charming equilibrium. We have a western-style breakfast that includes thin granola crackers, honey, a small portion of candied fruit and a generous one of fresh fruit. At lunch, the room becomes a curious lively melting pot where hotel guests eat alongside neighbourhood young people and tribes of ever-smiling mothers and children. In the meanwhile, soft light-brown poodles cast curious glances from the windows of Dog Man – one of the hippest dog trimming salons in town. On the first floor, Claska Gallery & Shop “DO” is the not-to-be-missed address to buy souvenirs of exceptional beauty. All the hotel rooms are different from each other, and were designed – some even hand-built – by talented emergent Japanese designers.