Lionel Beccat of Two MICHELIN Stars ESqUISSE Shares His Favorite Parts of Tokyo

"In my experience, French people generally aren’t enamoured with Japanese sweets, but these ohagi are really special—beautiful, full of delicious flavour, and sure to delight as a small gift; you could say this is truly a Japanese artisanal technique. At the main Setagaya store a short walk from Sakura-Shinmachi Station, which many people know from the popular comic strip series Sazae-san, these treats feel like ephemeral art that lasts a single day: alongside standards like tsubu-an and koshi-an, there are five special seasonal varieties (for example, Sakura no Machi with salted yaezakura, coffee, and raspberry purée), with ingredients rarely seen together with red bean paste co-starring in traditional wooden bento boxes. Reservations can also be made online in advance." - Wakana Kubo