Do as the locals do

Kumiko Ouchi // Tokyo Architect

We first met Kumiko when we featured the 'House for Two' apartment she designed for herself, her partner and her cat. Allow this stylish designer of calming and elegant spaces and Tokyo native be your guide for a day.

Start your day the right way with a traditional Japanese breakfast set at Yakumo Saryo in Setagaya City. It's one of my favourite places in Tokyo and offers a modern interpretation of Japan's legendary tea culture. Once you're done with breakfast, take a stroll through nearby Todoroki Valley. A lush green oasis set below street level, it feels a world away from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo proper.

Next stop is Matterhorn patisserie in Meguro for a coffee and cookie. They've been operating since 1952, so they know what they're doing (and also stock adorable wrapping paper by illustrator Shintaro Suzuki). From there take the Metro north to the Japan Folk Crafts Museum, a collection of traditional Asian ceramics, textiles and woodwork and a constant source of inspiration for my design work.

Grab lunch to go from your nearest OZEKI supermarket. They're all over Tokyo and have great produce, as well as a huge range of pre-made sushi and bento options.

Spend the afternoon exploring some of Tokyo's more traditional areas. One of my favourite places to wander around is the Kappabashi Dougu-Gai, an old-fashioned kitchenware district where countless wholesalers hawk everything you could ever need. Treat yourself to a sweet from the local Toraya confectioners if you need a pick-me-up.

Right next door are the Yanaka, Nezu and Sendagi districts, a postcard from old Tokyo, filled with temples and shrines and traditional shitamachi architecture. Make sure to pay a visit to the SCAI Bathhouse, an exceptional modern art gallery set in a 200-year-old onsen.

As night falls, it's time for one of Japan's most singular experiences: exciting Shinjuku station. It's a tourist cliché, but the sensory experience is like nothing else on earth. Even after all these years it feels like something out of a science fiction movie. Wander around until you can't absorb any more neon and then head to Vinmari near Yoyogi station for a cocktail and some fried chicken. It's a cosy and unpretentious joint run by a woman named Anri and she makes it easy to while the night away.

David and Koichi // Tokyo Creatives

David and Koichi are the lucky residents of one of our favourite Tokyo pads. This clever and creative pair co-designed their home and artfully mingle their passion for African art, designer objects and vintage finds within it. Wander through David and Koichi's favourite Tokyo haunts.

In the morning we love to get moving with a coffee and doughnuts from Sunday Vegan before taking a walk though Inokashira Koen, a beautiful and massive park out in Musashino. There's a lot to explore – highlights include a sizeable zoo and the tranquil Benzaiten Shrine – but it's the beautifully appointed Ghibli Museum that really draws people in. Pro tip: you need to buy your tickets a day in advance or they won't let you in.

Once you're done head back to Kichijoji Station, taking time to explore the winding labyrinth of small cafes, antique stores and secondhand bookshops. Our favourite is a section called Harmonica Alley that's lit by red lanterns and filled with cosy izakaya and bars – you could really spend all day and night there.

In the afternoon, take in some of the galleries in Ginza and Roppongi. We always make time for the Gallery Koyanagi, which has been showcasing the best of Japanese and international art since 1995, as well as the 21_21 Design Sight, a stunning design museum created by Tadao Ando and Issey Miyake (who is still one of the museum's directors). Visit the Dover Street Market in Ginza – half high-end fashion store, half exhibition space – and the 7th floor Rose Bakery to bring it back down to earth.

Dinner beckons and one of our favourite haunts is Eifuku Shokudo in Eifukucho. Delicious food and delicious wine in a cosy setting, but once again make sure you book the day before. After you're done head into Shibuya and try some of the many, many gins at Tokyo Family Restaurant. If you're still feeling energetic, have a pint at the Ginza Lion, the oldest German beer hall in Japan and still one of the best.

Aya and Sho // Tokyo Vloggers

Aya and Sho are the picture perfect Vegan YouTubers behind HIGE and ME. You might remember their charming rental and the innovative upcycling that made it so special when we featured it in our NTS Renters series. Explore the city in style with Aya and Sho.

We're not big breakfast eaters, so we'll usually just grab something from the corner store and get going with our day!

Shops and galleries (and even cafes) don't open until 11 or later, so spend the morning taking a stroll along the banks of the Tama River – it's our favourite place in Tokyo. Not that far from the city centre, but walking along the river banks you feel like you're in deep nature.

Once the hour has become more civilised, it's time to shop. For well-crafted design pieces and homewares it's hard to go past Cibone in Omotesando, while D&department offers an exceptional collection of Japanese fashion, furniture and tableware. It's also worth paying a visit to the Conran Shop in Daikanyama – it stocks a beautiful collection of homewares from Asia's best designers and has a lovely tea shop next door.

No trip to Tokyo is complete without an hour or two spent exploring Koenji, Tokyo's mecca for vintage clothing. Our pick of the bunch is Sokkyou, which specialises in American pieces from as far back as the early 1900s. N id in Shibuya also does unique menswear with a modern Japanese twist.

We think one of Tokyo's best features are the small galleries that seem to be tucked around every corner. Check out Curator's Cube for a rotating line-up of international and Japanese artisans with a focus on traditional crafts, while Mizusai gallery in Asakusabashi showcases some of Japan's best up-and-coming artists.

Grab a late lunch at Oborozuki in Ginza, a six-seat ramen joint specialising in rich thick broth tsukemen. The queues can be intimidating, but you can usually get a seat if you arrive just before lunch finishes at 4pm.

Ease your way into the night with a trip to Motsuyaki Ban, the birthplace of Japan's (in)famous lemon sour – a little soda, a little syrup, some lemon juice and generous slurp of shōchū. You get to mix your own ingredients right there at the table, so you can make it as potent as you like.

Once you've worked up an appetite, enjoy some superlative tonkatsu at Butagumi in Nishi-Azabu. Fried pork is pretty much all they do, so know what you're getting yourself in for. If that doesn't sound like your idea of a good time, then Alaska Zwei does great vegan food. Whichever you choose, finish things off with a drink at Lug in Hatagaya – they offer more than 150 different rums as well as a rotating selection of natural wines that you can enjoy all the way until 3am.