Hey, I’m Takanashi Gonzaemon. Call me Gonza. Everyone does.
Let’s get the name thing out of the way, because I know you’re wondering.
About That Name
My last name, Takanashi, is written with characters that mean “little birds playing.” But it’s pronounced in a way that means “no hawks.” The logic: no hawks around, so the little birds can play. It’s written one way and read a completely different way. Welcome to the Japanese language.
My first name, Gonzaemon, came from my grandpa, a proud old-school Tokyo guy. It sounds like a samurai from the 1700s. So whenever I meet a client in person after emailing for weeks, their first reaction is usually, “Wait, you’re young?” Apparently they were expecting a 90-year-old calligraphy master.
About Me
Born and raised in Setagaya, Tokyo. These days I live in Nakameguro, and I’m a 25-year-old freelance designer. In other words, I’m a certified Tokyo native. Ask me anything about this city.
…Is what I’d love to say. But I’ll be honest. I still get lost in Shinjuku Station. Last week I was heading for the West Exit, got distracted by a ridiculously stylish woman walking past, and the next thing I knew, I was standing in a department store basement staring at a melon that cost more than my phone bill. Tokyo has an honestly unfair number of beautiful people. For the record, I wasn’t lost. I was “exploring the beauty of Tokyo.”
I live with a Shiba Inu named Kerning. In design, kerning means adjusting the space between letters. Kerning looks like the most Instagram-perfect Shiba you’ve ever seen. His actual job, though, is eating his own poop. He has more Instagram followers than I do. His most viral video? Kerning, under the full cherry blossoms along the Meguro River, hard at work.
About This Blog
No Hawks Tokyo is a local’s honest guide for first-time visitors to Tokyo.
Guidebooks will tell you Tokyo is convenient and safe. That’s true. What they probably won’t tell you is that Shinjuku Station has over 200 exits, public trash cans basically don’t exist, and a convenience store egg sandwich might change your life.
I’ve spent 25 years in this city, and I’m here to share the stuff only locals know. A little cocky, but always honest. I’ve included plenty of my own disasters, so you don’t have to make the same mistakes.
Quick Heads-Up
This site contains affiliate links. If you book something through one of them, I earn a small commission, and you don’t pay a cent more. It goes toward my vending machine coffee habit and Kerning’s treats. For the details, check out the Affiliate Disclosure page.
Welcome to Tokyo. If you ever get lost, just look for the nearest vending machine. In this city, that’s usually the answer.