I WENT I Saw, HATE

Ten years ago, I went to Tokyo on a lark. I was invited to the opening of the 38-story Aman Tokyo hotel, a beautiful example of urban minimalism and a destination unto itself.

- DREW BARRYMORE

I don't usually go to fancy events like this one, but when friends suggested that I come with them, it all felt too good to pass up. Homebound with two babies under 3, it had been the longest period of my life that I could remember without globe-trotting, and I was bursting at the seams with pent-up wanderlust. Travel is my life, essential to my mental, physical, and spiritual well-being.

But while I appreciate a luxurious hotel as much as the next person, I am always searching for those off-the-beaten-path experiences that get at the soul of a place. So instead of having a multicourse Japanese hotel breakfast the first day, I did my usual "high-low," venturing out of my hotel and running to the subway station across the street.