Meal Muji

[Eating at Muji]

I must say as a big Muji fan myself, the highlight of my recent trip to Tokyo was a pilgrimage to the Japanese design retailer's flagship store at Yurakucho. Despite being housed in a warehouse-style building, the minimalist designs of Muji permeates each space, making all the 5000 well-designed and simple products stand out in its own "less is more" way.

[Healthy set at Y650]

The huge non-smoking deli-style cafeteria is a great spot to have a bite break from all the shopping one would have done. The food is a fusion of Western and Japanese, with entrees such as pumpkin quiche, broccoli with scallops and tofu, fried chicken, lotus root salad, and five grain rice. A set meal starts at Y650, which is a bargain, and the menu changes depending on the time of the day.

[Muji Yurakucho's flagship store in Tokyo]

For those not in the know, the name Muji is short for Mujirushi Ryohin, which means "no brand, good product". This alludes to their design philosophy of not having the company logo or name to appear on or inside their products. Even their advertising campaigns are so streamlined, it uses impressive images to convey its message with only a tiny "Muji" imprinted on it. If you are are tempted to make your own way to this huge Muji shrine, be reminded that it is just walking distance from the Ginza shopping district.

In the know:
Muji Yurakucho
3-8-3 Marunouchi
03-5208-8241
http://www.mujiyurakucho.com