A 24-hour tour of Tokyo in a Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo
An all-electric tour of the Japanese capital using the Type 7 Tokyo Travel Guide
From hidden bookshops to futuristic temples and cake shops shaped like pineapple baskets, join in a perfect Porsche road trip around one of the world’s most exciting cities
In March 2024, the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team headed to Tokyo for the first ever Japanese E-Prix. After an intense weekend of wheel-to-wheel racing on a street circuit in the city, the team had 24 hours to spare before heading back home. So, some of the team jumped into a Taycan Turbo Cross Turismo (sadly, the single-seater 99X Electric Gen 3 racecars have no space for passengers!) and went to explore some of the city’s many intriguing sights.Using the Type 7 Travel Guide to Tokyo book, they headed off to visit futuristic-looking temples, mooch around a mecca for bookshops and tucked into bowls of warming ramen. Here’s their tips for a top time out on a daytrip to Tokyo.A visit to the Jimbōchō Book Town district in Chiyoda offers a unique taste of Tokyo life. It’s a fascinating place to visit, whether you’re a book fan or not | PHOTO: Porsche1 Jimbōchō Book Town: a great place to begin a Tokyo storyIn the heart of Tokyo you will find a bibliophile’s dream come true – the Jimbōchō Book Town district. Famous for its array of second-hand bookshops, publishing houses and antique shops, it’s a mecca for literary fans from all over the world. Whether you’re interested in first-edition manga, rare academic texts or even foreign language publications, chances are you’ll find it all here.• Jimbōchō Book Town JimbōchōStation,2 Jimbōchō, Kanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0051 2 Onibus Coffee: one for the caffeine aficionadosAfter wandering through the hushed aisles of Jimbōchō’s bookshops, why not switch gears and treat your senses to a different kind of indulgence?Nestled in the tranquil Nakameguro district, Onibus Coffee beckons caffeine lovers with mouth-watering aromas wafting from a quaint storefront in this renovated, traditional, Tokyo split-level house. A speciality shop that sources beans from all over the world, Onibus offers visitors coffee served in just four ways – espresso, Americano, latte or hand drip. A coffee shop that focuses on quality and the purest of flavours.• Onibus Coffee 2 Chome-14-1, Kamimeguro, Maguro-ku, Tokyo 153-0051Located in the fashionable Minami-Aoyama district, the SunnyHills cake shop is designed to look like a Japanese pineapple basket and constructed using traditional Japanese wooden architectural techniques | PHOTO: Porsche3 SunnyHills: a unique building… and unforgettable cakes There are certain advantages to taking a city tour in a Taycan, one of them being the chance to spy plenty of architectural wonders on your road trip.Designed by renowned Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, SunnyHills is a unique latticework building that seeks to find harmony between nature and structure and created to look like a traditional Japanese pineapple basket. Inside SunnyHills is a cake shop that – unsurprisingly – specialises in delicious pineapple cakes.Although it’s highly recommended that you step inside to taste one of its famous treats, even from the outside the SunnyHills cake store is a calming presence in a city whose heart otherwise beats fast.• SunnyHills 3 Chome-10-20 Minamiaoyama, Minato City, Tokyo 107-0062Traditional Japanese wagashi sweets are not only delicious but also beautiful to look at, making them the perfect treat to bring home from your travels | PHOTO: Porsche4 Toraya confectionery store: treat yourself at a Japanese institutionAfter one delightful encounter with Japanese architecture, time for another at a destination that tantalises the tastebuds and dives deep into Japan’s sweet heritage.First founded in Kyoto in the early 16th century, Toraya is a world-renowned producer of wagashi – traditional Japanese sweets typically made from mochi, anko (sweet bean paste) and fruit. This venerable establishment has been perfecting the craft of these delicate, silky treats for more than five centuries. You can taste the history in every bite.Beyond sweets, the Toraya store also offers a glimpse into the art of Japanese hospitality, with the option of enjoying your sweet selection in the on-site café or stopping on the third floor to watch the creation of these confections behind a glass wall. Surrounded by Japanese cypress trees and black-painted walls plastered in the traditional shikkui technique, take a moment to reflect and appreciate the subtle flavours in here before moving on to your next destination.• Toraya (Akasaka flagship store) 4 Chome-9-22 Akasaka, Minato City, Tokyo 107-84015 Reiyukai Shakaden temple: a vision from the futureNo trip to Japan would be complete without a visit to one of its elegant temples and shrines – and none are as head-turning as the Reiyukai Shakaden temple. Its futuristic design was completed in 1975 and serves as the headquarters for the Reiyukai Shakaden movement. The temple looks like a flattened black pyramid, which some say is meant to represent a pair of hands raised in prayer. Inside you’ll find conference rooms, a cafeteria, an eight-metre-high carved Buddha and even a huge water reservoir built to supply Tokyo residents in case of an emergency. • Reiyukai Shakaden temple1 Chome-7-8 Azabudai, Minato City, Tokyo 106-0041Kinkabo, a restaurant in the Chiyoda City area of Tokyo, boasts that it serves ramen “to delight all five senses”. The queues outside suggest that many agree | PHOTO: Porsche6 Kikanbo: sign off with a reviving bowl of ramenFor our last stop of the day, we park up the Taycan Turbo Cross Turismo outside Kikanbo. With a long, galley-style seated area, it’s known far and wide for serving some of the most tantalisingly spicy miso ramen in all of the city. Kikanbo’s atmosphere is as vibrant as its flavours, with energetic shouts from the staff and the rhythmic clanging of pots and ladles setting the stage for a truly immersive yet refreshingly simple dining experience.The star of the show is Kinkabo’s signature spicy ramen, which comes in various levels of spiciness to suit every palate. However, be warned, as even the medium level packs a mighty punch. Accompanied by tender chunks of fatty pork belly, fragrant coriander and a soft-boiled egg, it’s an incredibly satisfying dish that’s a proper taste of Tokyo – and a great way to sign off a day well spent in this fascinating, exciting city.• Kinkabo 2 Chome-10-9 Kajicho, Chiyoda City, Tokyo 101-0044
Consumption and emission of the cars mentioned in this articleTaycan Turbo Cross Turismo (WLTP): Electric energy consumption combined: 22,0 - 19,1 kWh/100 km; CO₂ emissions combined: 0 g/km; CO₂ class: A.
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