The sun is out, it’s peak spring and the Golden Week holidays are here. But so too is the latest COVID-19 state of emergency, and this time it’s serious. Like it or not, for the next few weeks Tokyo will have to dial back on drinking and dining out — particularly the former.
But that doesn’t mean we can’t go out at all. We all know the key criteria to look for: anywhere that’s quiet, uncrowded and properly ventilated, preferably with plenty of outside seating. That sounds like a perfect description of Jinnan House and its simple, casual, tea-specialist dining room, Sakuu.
From the frazzle of central Shibuya it’s less than 10 minutes’ walk, but once you’re there it feels so calm and secluded, you could be out in the suburbs. Around a gentle curve, up a short, tree-lined slope, through a gateway and past a sign reading “Ocha and Good Things” you reach a large compound filled with greenery, an assortment of outdoor furniture and a retro food truck.