Katrina Markoff, the founder of Vosges Haut-Chocolat, shares some of her recent epicurean discoveries in Tokyo:

I took my second trip there in May 2007 and discovered a truly amazing restaurant and a wonderful ryokan not far from the city. The Gora Kadan (www.gorakadan.com) ryokan is located by a natural spring, which is great since bathing is a big part of the experience. When you get to your room, a cedar-wood bathtub has already been filled to the brim and is overflowing onto the rocks around it. You start your stay with a private bath and before you go to sleep you can request someone to come to your room for a shiatsu massage. Most memorable was the twenty-two course kaiseki meal, whose miniature courses illuminated Japan’s rare ingredients. It’s a truly special place.

As for eating in Tokyo, I wholeheartedly recommend Aronia de Takazawa (www.aroniadetakazawa.com), a restaurant in the Akasaka district. Up-and-coming chef Yoshiaki Takazawa cooks for only for about ten diners every night, so reservations are essential. He sources every ingredient personally and his modern Japanese cuisine is so innovative. It’s not as over-the-top as Ferran Adrià but also a sensory-oriented dining experience with a multitude of creative small plates… have you ever tried yam charcoal?”

Click on the links for Markoff’s insider tips from Croatia, Chicago, and Poland.