2015-10-27に投稿

Saito Shoten is a tobacconists which lies in the Noge district of Yokohama. It is run by an old lady with a deep love for Davidoffs; she smokes Davidoff cigarettes, Davidoff pipe tobacco, and Davidoff cigars.

So if you are ever in need of Davidoff cigars, you can be sure that the Davidoffs at Saito Shoten are in good condition.

Of course, the shop also sells other cigar brands, both Cuban and non-Cuban, and they are in decent condition as well. But the proportion of Davidoffs to non-Davidoffs is so extreme you might just as well call this shop a Davidoff store. It is a small shop with about two cupboard-type humidors, and the last time I went, about a third of the cigars were Davidoffs.

By the way, did I mention this place has Davidoffs?

(I used the word "Davidoff" 11 times in this review. Wait, that makes it 12.)

2015-10-27に投稿

A tobacconists with cigars in unsmokable condition is like a surgeon with dirty scalpels and reused needles. Worthy to be stripped of permits and denounced in public. Well, sort of.

I have visited this tobacconist once and once only; and although they have an impressive walk-in humidor, it has gone out of use over the years. I will not mention the series of events which lead to its disuse, and I sympathize with the shop; however, it is not an excuse to turn cigar wrappers into parchment and its fillers into crumbling dead leaves.

The shop itself is large and has much potential, so I really hope they get back into the game. So much is going to waste.

2015-10-27に投稿

Humidor Sugishima is a tobacconist in the Motomachi shopping district of Yokohama. It sells everything from cigarettes, roll-your-owns, pipes and pipe tobacco, and best of all, a walk-in humidor as its name suggests.

Actually, the shop didn't have a walk-in humidor until a few years ago, but they have renovated the place to live up to its name since.

The cigars are in decent condition, and has a good assortment of Cubans and non-Cubans. The condition and selection is good considering it is not a tobacconist specializing in cigars. I have purchased quite a few cigars from them over the past five years and haven't come across any in bad condition.

The location is good as well, since the Motomachi district offers several other interesting shops (albeit, not cigar related) to peek in.

2015-10-27に投稿

It is the perfect place for coffee and cigars.

Dun Aroma looks like a bar, smells like a coffee shop, and is everything in between. In other words, a coffee bar. It is where I had my best cup of coffee, and is where I go to when I'm in the mood to home brew a cup (perhaps brew is not the right word; I use a french press).

With an assortment of freshly roasted beans and flannel dripped coffee made so carefully it could be called craftsmanship, you are bound to find the right cup in Dun Aroma. And I don't mean just the right coffee; you can ask for your coffee to be served in one of several dozen different cups that decorate the back shelf behind the counter. They also serve Dutch coffee, if you want something cold and packed with coffee goodness.

The only downside with Dun Aroma is that they do not have cigar ashtrays and their cigarette ashtrays are rather small. If you have a Siesta or some other kind of cigar rest, bring it along.

2015-10-27に投稿

Located near the Kappa-Bashi shopping street in Asakusa, Cafe LWAN is a nice, quiet cafe. At first sight, it does not look like much; but hidden inside is a walk-in humidor with an assortment of shop-aged cigars.

Although these vintage or semi-vintage cigars will cost you extra, if you know how to pick your cigars they are worth the price. Note that LWAN's cigars are on the slightly drier side of the spectrum, so if you like moist cigars, you might want to purchase some beforehand and stock them in your humidor for a few weeks.

Drink-wise, LWAN has a modest assortment, plus a "special drink" such as homemade ginger ale or lemonade every now and then. They also have a homemade pie on occasion.

Another remarkable feature of LWAN is its location. The front of the cafe faces a small park with a street in between. The street is perfect for parking in, as parking is scarce in the area and you can keep an eye on your ride. Quite often, other customers will park luxury cars there; I have seen Maseratis, Aston Martins and Ducati motorcycles on previous visits.

Also, in springtime, you will be able to enjoy the aforementioned park's cherry blossom flowers while smoking your cigar; a practice we call "Hanami Cigar". If you happen to be in the area during March or early April, I highly recommend you give LWAN a visit.