koko
Finds one tiny izakaya they love and wants to go back before the trip is even over.
Finds places with character and quickly develops favourites. You like Tokyo small and loud: a lively local spot you found on purpose and already call yours.
Your four letters
OffbeatDiscovery
Prefers local, niche, unexpected or lesser-known experiences.
The other side is C, Classic.
PlannedPlanning
Likes structure, research, reservations and knowing what comes next.
The other side is S, Spontaneous.
Tokyo, for an OPBN
Where to stay
Sangenjaya or Koenji. Real neighbourhoods with more counters than tourists.
Sangenjaya's Sankaku Chitai
A triangle of tiny alleys and tinier bars. Pick one. Come back tomorrow.
Koenji, under the tracks
Yakitori smoke, plastic crates and regulars who'll want to know where you're from.
Nonbei Yokocho, Shibuya
Bars with six seats, five minutes from the scramble, researched in advance.
What to skip
Anywhere with a laminated English menu out front.
Your people, and your problem
OTAKUオタク
“When you're into something, you go deep.”
Otaku just means someone who goes all the way in on the thing they love, whether that's anime, coffee, vinyl, denim or one specific izakaya. Otaku travelers research like planners, but what they're researching is a rabbit hole, not a top ten.
How to travel: Pick your obsession and let it draw the map. Tokyo has a whole building, street or neighbourhood for nearly any interest, and it rewards people who show up knowing what they're looking for.
Not sure this is you?
Two minutes, no wrong answers. Koko works out your four letters and picks places in Tokyo to match.
Take the quiz