When you arrive at the LeTAO Main Store, the first thing that catches your eye is its European-style exterior. You can't help but stop and admire it as you pass by.
Besides LeTAO's signature sweets, there are also many exclusive items only available at the main store, making it hard for dessert lovers to resist. There's also a seating area where you can take a break when you're tired from walking around and enjoy desserts and drinks. The super-popular cheesecake is a must-order~
Eslite Spectrum Nihonbashi
Taiwan’s one-stop shop in Japan for books, lifestyle, and cultural goods. In addition to the latest hot items from Taiwan, here you’ll even find a lineup of brands that of-fer the best of Japanese culture.
When you're in Nihonbashi, Tokyo, I recommend stopping by Eslite Spectrum on the 2nd floor of COREDO Muromachi Terrace.
For those familiar with Eslite, the space carries on its signature simple, elegant aesthetic. Books, stationery, lifestyle goods, and various curated items are cleverly arranged together without feeling overcrowded, allowing each product to have its own presence. Browsing through the store feels like reading a thoughtfully edited lifestyle magazine, with small details everywhere that are worth stopping to look at.
In addition to books, you can also find many distinctive Taiwanese products, from snacks and tea drinks to stationery, design items, and lifestyle goods. Everything is carefully selected, presenting familiar Taiwanese flavors in a different setting.
Haneda Airport (Tokyo International Airport)
Haneda is Japan’s largest airport, officially called Tokyo International Airport. Each of the three terminals has an observation deck where you can watch closely the airplanes take off and land, shopping facility, and restaurants with different cuisines.
Haneda Airport is close to central Tokyo and much more convenient to get to than Narita Airport, making it a shopping paradise for many travelers at the end of their trip. The souvenir shopping areas in the airport are seriously crowded, with so many airport-exclusive items, collaborations, and cute packaging options that it's hard to know where to look.
Interestingly, it isn't just tourists who shop here. Even Japanese people make special trips to Haneda Airport to buy exclusive souvenirs, which shows just how appealing this place is!
If you're a souvenir lover, don't underestimate how much time you'll need to shop at the airport. Most of the exclusive items are concentrated in the domestic terminals. If you want to browse leisurely and take your time choosing without rushing to board, I recommend arriving at least 3–4 hours early so you'll have enough time to explore.
Sapporo Hitsujigaoka Observation Hill
Even though located in Sapporo City with 2 million residents, Hitsujigaoka Observation Hill offers the beauty of mother nature. In spring, the hay comes out in green. In summer, lavender fields send out fragrant greetings. Fall foliage will be exquisite, and winter will spread a white snowy carpet. The majestic scenery in all four seasons is perfect for photography.
I made a special trip to see the famous statue of Dr. Clark at Hitsujigaoka Observation Hill. Dr. Clark was an American agricultural scientist and educator who came to Hokkaido in 1876 and helped establish Sapporo Agricultural College, greatly influencing the development of agricultural education in Hokkaido at the time. What left the deepest impression was his phrase, “Boys, be ambitious!” which also became a symbol of Hokkaido’s pioneering spirit. Standing at the observation hill and seeing the doctor pointing into the distance, it felt as though he was reminding people to bravely pursue their goals.
It was raining during this visit, so we missed the expansive grassland views you get on a clear day. Because of the bad weather, the sheep were resting indoors, so we didn’t get to see them grazing on the grass. I heard that on sunny days, around 200 to 300 sheep graze outside, leisurely feeding in the lush green fields. It must be a very soothing sight.
