Conrad Ru
Founder of Tourli · @conradtourli
- Founder of Tourli
- Edinburgh-based
- Travelled to 20+ countries
I’m Conrad, the creator of Tourli. I’ve travelled to over 20 countries and I’m not stopping now.
I’m based in Edinburgh, and I split my time between here, London and Cape Town. My guides lean towards insider foodie trips, the places locals actually eat, plus the mountains, ocean and nature that pull me back to a city again and again.
Edinburgh is home, so the Edinburgh guides on Tourli are written from the ground I actually walk: which queue to skip, where a roll is worth the wait, and which viewpoint pays off for the least effort.
Guides by Conrad Ru
3-Day Tokyo Itinerary (2026)
Three days, three pairs of neighbourhoods. This itinerary groups Tokyo by geography so you spend less time underground and more time eating, photographing, and getting properly lost.
5-Day Tokyo Itinerary (2026)
Five days, five neighbourhoods. This itinerary groups Tokyo by geography so you spend less time on trains and more time eating, exploring, and getting lost in the right way.
Things to Do in Asakusa, Tokyo (2026 Neighbourhood Guide)
Asakusa is Tokyo at its most traditional. While most of the city rebuilt itself into glass and steel after the war, this neighbourhood held onto its wooden shopfronts, its temple rituals, and its open-air drinking culture. Senso-ji has been standing here since the seventh century. Nakamise has been selling rice crackers and souvenirs since the Edo period. And Hoppy Street has been serving cheap beer alternatives to salarymen since the 1940s. It's the part of Tokyo that still feels like old Tokyo, and it's one of the few neighbourhoods where you can spend an entire day without running out of things to see, eat, and do.
15 Best Bars in Tokyo (2026)
Tokyo's bar scene runs deeper than any city on the planet. From 200 shoebox-sized bars crammed into Golden Gai's alleys to basement speakeasies with world-class bartenders, there's a different kind of drinking experience on every block. These 15 bars cover cocktails, craft beer, natural wine, karaoke, and a few spots that defy easy labels.
Best Breakfast in Tokyo (2026) - From 6AM Sushi to Kissaten Toast
Tokyo is one of the few cities where eating sushi at 6 AM is completely normal. Breakfast here spans everything from a three-piece sashimi set at a Tsukiji fish stall to a ¥500 kissaten morning set with toast so thick it could double as a pillow. This guide covers 11 ways to start your day, from the traditional to the trendy.
11 Best Brunch Spots in Tokyo (2026)
Tokyo takes breakfast seriously, just not in the way you might expect. The city runs on kissaten morning sets, fluffy souffle pancakes that take 20 minutes to cook, and hotel buffets that could double as Michelin-level tasting menus. This guide covers all of it.
15 Best Cafes in Tokyo (2026)
Tokyo has over 550 cafes in our database alone, ranging from century-old kissaten to cafes where a capybara sits in your lap. These 15 cover matcha specialists, third-wave roasters, themed experiences, and traditional tea shops.
10 Best Cocktail Bars in Tokyo (2026)
Tokyo doesn't just make cocktails. It elevated them into an art form. The precision you see at a sushi counter, the obsessive attention to ice, the seasonal awareness borrowed from kaiseki cuisine, all of it shows up in how this city's best bartenders approach a drink. Three Tokyo bars landed on the 2025 World's 50 Best Bars list, and that barely scratches the surface. These 10 cocktail bars cover award winners, hidden speakeasies, and neighbourhood gems where the bartender will remember your name after one visit.
10 Best Day Trips from Tokyo (2026)
Tokyo is one of the world's great cities, but some of the best parts of visiting Japan are just outside it. Within two hours, you can be soaking in a volcanic hot spring with Mt Fuji towering overhead, standing before a 13th-century bronze Buddha by the sea, or walking through cedar forests to a gold-leafed shrine that took 15,000 artisans to build.
12 Best Izakaya in Tokyo (2026)
Izakaya are where Tokyo actually eats and drinks after work. These 12 spots cover smoky yokocho alleys, refined sake counters, standing bars under railway arches, and a few chains worth knowing about.
10 Best Museums in Tokyo (2026)
Tokyo's museum scene runs from ancient samurai swords to barefoot digital art installations where you wade through knee-deep water while digital koi swim around your ankles. The Roppongi Art Triangle packs three world-class galleries into a walkable radius. Ueno has a whole museum district. And some of the best gallery spaces in the city are free, tucked inside luxury brand buildings in Ginza.
Best Nightlife in Tokyo (2026) - Clubs, Bars & Late-Night Spots
Tokyo doesn't do nightlife the way most cities do. There's no single strip, no one neighbourhood where everyone funnels in at 11 PM. Instead, the city scatters its best nights across districts that each have a completely different personality. Golden Gai is 200 tiny bars crammed into six alleys. Shibuya Maruyama-cho is basement speakeasies and DJ bars. Kabukicho has multi-floor megaclubs with LED walls the size of buildings. And when the last train leaves at midnight, half the city just... stays out. That five-hour gap until the first morning train is when Tokyo nightlife really finds its stride.
15 Best Ramen in Tokyo (2026)
Tokyo has more ramen shops than any city on earth, and the competition is so fierce that a mediocre bowl simply cannot survive. These 15 shops cover seven distinct styles: tonkotsu, shio, shoyu, miso, tori paitan, tsukemen, and abura soba.
15 Best Restaurants in Tokyo (2026)
Tokyo has more Michelin stars than any other city on earth, but the best eating here isn't always behind a reservation list. These 15 restaurants cover everything from a six-seat sushi counter in Akihabara to all-you-can-eat wagyu for ¥5,000.
Best Street Food in Tokyo (2026) - 6 Must-Try Spots & Snacks
Tokyo street food is not an afterthought. It is a parallel food universe where some of the city's best bites cost less than a subway ride. Tsukiji Outer Market alone could keep you eating for an entire morning, and that is before you hit the karaage stands in Asakusa or the gyoza joints in Roppongi.
9 Best Sushi Restaurants in Tokyo (2026)
Tokyo is the sushi capital of the world, full stop. From three-generation Edo-mae masters in Ginza to tiny six-seat counters in Akihabara where the chef speaks English and books through Instagram, these nine restaurants cover every price point and style.
11 Best Temples and Shrines in Tokyo (2026)
Tokyo is home to over 2,900 temples and 1,400 shrines, tucked between skyscrapers, hidden down residential lanes, and sometimes sitting directly beneath Tokyo Tower. These 11 are the ones worth building a day around.
11 Best Themed Cafes in Tokyo (2026)
Tokyo takes the concept of a themed cafe and runs with it in about fifteen different directions at once. There are cafes where costumed maids call you master and cast spells on your latte. Cafes where owls blink at you from ornate perches while classical music plays. A cafe where an actual capybara sits in your lap like a 50-kilogram guinea pig. Cat lounges where two dozen rescue cats roam freely across designer furniture. And a Pokemon Cafe where Pikachu visits your table and the pancakes have ears. None of this is ironic. Tokyo's themed cafe scene is a genuine cultural phenomenon, and the best ones balance spectacle with real warmth.
11 Best Tonkatsu in Tokyo (2026)
Tokyo takes its fried pork cutlets very seriously. Tonkatsu has been a defining comfort food here since the early 1900s, and the best shops in the city treat a single breaded cutlet with the same precision a sushi master brings to a piece of tuna. These 11 restaurants cover everything from a 120-year-old Ueno institution to a reservation-only spot in Minami-Asagaya where the chef fries each cutlet so gently it comes out white.
11 Best Udon in Tokyo (2026)
Tokyo's udon scene lives in the shadow of its ramen obsession, which is honestly fine by the people who know where to find it. While tourists queue for three hours outside a tonkotsu shop, the city's best udon restaurants are serving handmade noodles in sardine dashi, carbonara sauce, and bubbling curry broth to shorter lines and lower bills. These 11 spots cover the full range, from Sanuki purists to viral TikTok sensations.
11 Best Views in Tokyo: Observation Decks, Rooftops & Free Spots (2026)
Tokyo has more observation decks than any city on earth. The question is not whether to go up, it is which one. These 11 spots cover the full range, from the open-air rooftop buzz of Shibuya Sky to the free observatory at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, plus rooftop gardens and a classic tower that still earns its keep.
8 Best Self-Guided Walks in Tokyo (2026 Neighbourhood Routes)
Tokyo is a city built for walking, even if it doesn't always look like it on the map. The train system is so efficient that most visitors never think to go on foot between neighbourhoods. That's a mistake. Some of the best things about this city only reveal themselves at walking speed: the tiny shrine tucked between two apartment blocks, the smell of freshly grilled rice crackers on a shopping street, the sudden moment when a concrete canyon opens up into a riverside lined with cherry trees. These eight routes cover the full range, from centuries-old temple districts to vintage shopping streets to the kind of waterfront walk that makes you forget you're in a megacity of 14 million people.
10 Best Yakitori in Tokyo (2026)
Yakitori is one of Tokyo's great culinary traditions, and the gap between a good yakitori restaurant and a great one is enormous. These 10 spots cover everything from Michelin-starred omakase counters to smoky standing bars in Shinjuku's memory lane.
12 Best Cheap Eats in Tokyo (2026) - Budget Food Under ¥1,200
Tokyo is one of the cheapest cities on earth to eat extraordinary food. Thanks to the weak yen, a full day of incredible meals can cost less than a single dinner in London or New York. These 12 spots cover ramen, gyoza, karaage, street food, and all-you-can-eat wagyu, all for well under ¥5,000.
Cherry Blossom Guide to Tokyo (2026) - Best Hanami Spots & Tips
Tokyo's cherry blossom season lasts roughly two weeks between late March and mid-April, and it transforms the entire city. These 10 spots cover the best of hanami in Tokyo, from quiet moat-side rowing to packed riverside festivals with street food and beer.
12 Best Date Night Spots in Tokyo (2026)
Tokyo might be the best date night city on earth, and most of the reasons are architectural. Restaurants here are small. Counters seat six. Bars fit eight. The intimacy isn't manufactured, it's just how this city eats and drinks. Omakase becomes a shared experience when you're watching a chef work three feet from your face, reacting together to each piece. Cocktail bars have the hush of someone's living room. And then there are the rooftop views and immersive art spaces that feel like they were designed specifically for the kind of evening where you want to lose track of time.
13 Best Free Things to Do in Tokyo (2026)
Tokyo is one of those rare megacities where you can fill an entire week without paying a single admission fee. The temples are free. The shrines are free. The parks, the markets, the rooftop gardens, the observation decks. Even the best people-watching intersection on the planet doesn't charge a cover.
Things to Do in Ginza, Tokyo (2026 Neighbourhood Guide)
Ginza is where Tokyo puts on its best suit. It is the city's oldest and most prestigious shopping district, home to more sushi counters per block than anywhere else on earth, and the place where a department store basement food hall can be just as exciting as a Michelin-starred restaurant upstairs. But it is also, five minutes on foot from the brand-name boulevards, the gloriously chaotic Tsukiji Outer Market, where you eat grilled scallops standing up at 8 AM. This guide covers all of it.
Best Late Night Food in Tokyo (2026) - After Midnight Eats
Tokyo doesn't really close. When the last train leaves around midnight, the city just shifts gears. Ramen counters fill up with salarymen, yakitori smoke drifts through narrow alleys, and convenience stores quietly serve some of the best cheap food you'll eat on your entire trip. This guide covers the best places to eat after dark.
Nakameguro Guide: Tokyo's Coolest Riverside Neighbourhood (2026)
Nakameguro is the neighbourhood where Tokyo's creative class goes to unwind. A tree-lined canal, independent cafes, and enough design stores to fill a weekend. One stop from Shibuya but a world away from the noise.
12 Best Things to Do in Tokyo on a Rainy Day (2026)
Tokyo is one of those cities where rain barely slows you down. Between immersive digital art museums, multi-story arcades, themed cafes, underground shopping labyrinths, and some of the best food halls on the planet, a wet day in Tokyo can be just as packed as a sunny one.
Things to Do in Roppongi, Tokyo (2026 Neighbourhood Guide)
Roppongi used to be the neighbourhood your guidebook warned you about after midnight. It still has that side to it, the neon-lit strip of clubs and bars where the evening goes sideways in the best and worst ways. But modern Roppongi is also home to three world-class art museums within walking distance of each other, two of Tokyo's most ambitious mixed-use developments, a relocated teamLab Borderless that draws nearly two million visitors a year, and some genuinely excellent places to eat. This guide covers all of it, from the 53rd-floor observation deck to the gyoza shop on the back street.
Things to Do in Shibuya, Tokyo (2026 Neighbourhood Guide)
Shibuya is more than a crossing. It's an entire ward of Tokyo that stretches from the neon-drenched scramble intersection through the backstreet bars of Maruyama-cho, the fashion corridors of Harajuku and Omotesando, the forested grounds of Meiji Jingu, and the quieter, more grown-up neighbourhood of Ebisu. This guide covers all of it.
Shimokitazawa Guide: Tokyo's Coolest Neighbourhood (2026)
Shimokitazawa is the neighbourhood that Tokyoites themselves escape to when the rest of the city feels too polished. Seven minutes from Shinjuku on the Odakyu Line, it runs on a completely different frequency: vintage clothing racks spilling onto narrow streets, curry shops with hand-painted signs, record bars the size of a closet, and a theatre scene that has been quietly thriving since the 1980s.
Things to Do in Shinjuku, Tokyo (2026 Neighbourhood Guide)
Shinjuku handles more train passengers per day than any other station on earth, and the neighbourhood around it matches that energy. This is where neon-drenched Kabukicho collides with the immaculate gardens of Shinjuku Gyoen, where 200 tiny bars cram into six narrow alleys in Golden Gai, and where salarymen eat shoulder-to-shoulder at smoky yakitori stalls in Omoide Yokocho. There are 282 places in our database for this neighbourhood alone. Here are the ones actually worth your time.
15 Best Things to Do in Tokyo (2026)
Tokyo has more to do than any city on earth, and most of it costs less than you'd think. These 15 experiences cover temples, towers, street food, digital art, and the neighbourhoods that make this city unlike anywhere else.
Tokyo with Kids: 12 Best Family-Friendly Things to Do (2026)
Tokyo is one of those cities that's genuinely better with kids than without them. The vending machines, the capsule toys, the trains, the arcades, the animal cafes, the conveyor belt sushi. Everything that makes Tokyo delightfully weird is exactly the stuff that makes a seven-year-old lose their mind with excitement. You don't need to seek out kid-specific activities here. The city itself is the attraction.
Vintage Shopping in Tokyo: 11 Best Thrift Stores & Districts (2026)
Tokyo might be the best city on earth for secondhand fashion. Entire neighbourhoods are built around vintage clothing, from the bohemian thrift streets of Shimokitazawa to the luxury resale boutiques of Omotesando. This guide covers the best stores and districts for every budget and style.
One Day in Edinburgh: The Perfect 1-Day Itinerary
How I'd spend one perfect day in Edinburgh: five essential stops on a single walkable line from Edinburgh Castle down the Royal Mile to a Calton Hill sunset, with a Victoria Street lunch in the middle.
2 Days in Edinburgh: The Perfect 2-Day Itinerary
How I'd spend two perfect days in Edinburgh: the Castle and the Old Town on day one, then whisky, Holyrood, the Arthur's Seat climb and a Calton Hill sunset on day two. All on foot.
3 Days in Edinburgh: The Perfect 3-Day Itinerary
How I'd spend three perfect days in Edinburgh, planned by geography so each day flows in one direction: Old Town and the Castle, then whisky and New Town views, then Holyrood, Arthur's Seat and the Water of Leith.
5 Days in Edinburgh: The Complete Itinerary
A day-by-day Edinburgh itinerary covering 25 places across Old Town, New Town, Leith, Stockbridge, and beyond. Restaurant picks and tips you won't find in generic guides.
11 Best Afternoon Teas in Edinburgh (2026)
The 11 best afternoon teas in Edinburgh, from grand hotel salons and a tea served afloat in Leith to the traditional tearooms locals actually book, with prices and booking tips.
15 Best Bars in Edinburgh (2026)
The 15 highest-rated bars in Edinburgh, from a 1,000-whisky den to a UK Top 50 cocktail bar. Covers Leith, Old Town, Stockbridge, and beyond.
11 Best Bookshops in Edinburgh (2026)
The 11 best bookshops in Edinburgh, the world's first UNESCO City of Literature. Award-winning independents, antiquarian dens, and specialist shops across Stockbridge, Old Town, and beyond.
12 Best Breakfast Spots in Edinburgh (2026)
12 best breakfasts in Edinburgh: Full Scottishes, bakery mornings, grab-and-go pastries, and where to eat before your day starts.
14 Best Brunch Spots in Edinburgh (2026)
14 best brunch spots in Edinburgh: Full Scottishes, breakfast bao buns, vegan benedict, Bombay naan rolls, and the queues that prove they're worth it.
18 Best Cafes in Edinburgh (2026)
18 best cafes in Edinburgh: specialty roasters, sourdough bakeries, police box espresso, and the neighbourhood spots locals love.
The 12 Best Cocktail Bars in Edinburgh (2026)
The 12 best cocktail bars in Edinburgh I'd actually send you to, ranked, from world-ranked speakeasies Panda & Sons and Bramble to Leith's Nauticus, with the concept, one honest catch and whether to book at each.
The 9 Best Fish and Chips in Edinburgh (2026)
The 9 best fish and chips in Edinburgh I'd actually send you to, ranked, from the award-winning Fishmarket at Newhaven to the neighbourhood takeaways locals use, with the exact price of a supper, whether it's sit-in or takeaway, and one honest catch at each.
11 Best Live Music Venues in Edinburgh (2026)
The 11 best live music venues in Edinburgh, from sweaty basement clubs to a 2,200-seat Edwardian concert hall. Covers jazz, folk, rock, electronic, and classical, with gigs running every night of the week year-round.
15 Best Museums in Edinburgh (2026)
15 best museums in Edinburgh: the free national collections, underground tours, a royal yacht, medical oddities, and the smaller galleries that most visitors walk past.
11 Best Pizza in Edinburgh (2026)
The 11 best pizza places in Edinburgh, from a world-ranked slice bar to tiny neighbourhood Neapolitan joints. Covers Old Town, Leith, Marchmont, and beyond.
15 Best Pubs in Edinburgh (2026)
15 best pubs in Edinburgh: Victorian interiors, real ale, live folk music, whisky collections, and the locals' pubs that tourist guides skip.
16 Best Restaurants in Edinburgh (2026)
The 16 highest-rated restaurants in Edinburgh right now, from 12-seat chef's tables to Korean street food stalls. Every place holds a 4.6+ Google rating.
8 Best Rooftop Bars in Edinburgh (2026)
The 8 best rooftop bars and terraces in Edinburgh, from craft beer under the castle walls to 12th-floor cocktails with 360-degree views.
The 10 Best Scottish Restaurants in Edinburgh (2026)
Ten Edinburgh restaurants I would actually send you to for genuinely good Scottish food, ranked, from Michelin-level tasting menus built on the Scottish larder to a proper plate of haggis, neeps and tatties, with what to order and one honest catch at each.
11 Best Street Food Spots in Edinburgh (2026)
The 11 best street food spots in Edinburgh, from hog roast rolls on Victoria Street to blue corn tacos in Leith. Covers markets, food trucks, police box kitchens, and walk-up counters.
10 Best Sunday Roasts in Edinburgh (2026)
The 10 best places for Sunday roast in Edinburgh, from a gastropub near Haymarket that people cross the city for, to a Bavarian beer hall with live music and lava stone steaks the rest of the week.
The 9 Best Vegan Restaurants in Edinburgh (2026)
The 9 best vegan restaurants in Edinburgh I'd actually send you to, honestly split into the fully vegan kitchens and the vegetarian greats with strong vegan menus, each with the signature dish, the price, one honest catch and whether to book.
11 Best Views in Edinburgh (2026)
Edinburgh's best viewpoints, from free hilltop panoramas to a 287-step Gothic tower climb. Covers sunset spots, summit hikes, rooftop bars, and the angles of the castle that most people miss.
11 Best Walks in Edinburgh (2026)
11 of the best walks in Edinburgh, from volcanic summit hikes and coastal causeway crossings to flat riverside paths and botanic garden strolls. All free.
11 Best Whisky Bars in Edinburgh (2026)
The 11 best places to drink whisky in Edinburgh, from a 1,000-dram bar to underground vault tastings and Scotland's oldest independent bottler.
The 8 Best Whisky Distilleries & Tastings in Edinburgh (2026)
Where I'd actually tour and taste whisky in and around Edinburgh: eight working distilleries, big brand experiences and serious tasting rooms, ranked, with exact ticket prices, tour lengths and who each one suits.
14 Best Cheap Eats in Edinburgh (2026)
14 best cheap eats in Edinburgh: hog roast rolls, Brazilian crepes, French lunches for £12.90, Tibetan momos, and the fish and chips locals actually eat.
12 Best Date Night Spots in Edinburgh (2026)
The 12 best date night spots in Edinburgh, from candlelit cocktail bars to a Michelin-starred tasting menu at The Balmoral. Covers romantic restaurants, intimate bars, and a gin distillery where you bottle your own.
The 12 Best Day Trips From Edinburgh (2026)
The twelve best day trips from Edinburgh, split honestly into the easy DIY-by-train escapes and the Highland runs worth handing to a coach tour, each with real journey times, return fares and one honest catch.
Edinburgh Christmas Markets 2026 Guide
Your complete guide to Edinburgh's Christmas markets and winter festivals. Where to eat, drink, and warm up between the market stalls, ice rink, and Big Wheel, all within walking distance of Princes Street Gardens.
Edinburgh Fringe Guide 2026: Venues, Tips & Food
Everything you need for the Edinburgh Fringe 2026: key venues, free shows, where to eat and drink between performances, and practical booking tips from people who've survived August in Edinburgh.
The Best Ghost Tours in Edinburgh (2026)
The Edinburgh ghost and underground-vault tours I'd actually recommend, ranked, honestly split into the history-rich and the scare-led, with exact prices, how scary each really is, and who each one suits.
Edinburgh With Kids: 12 Best Family Days Out (2026)
The 12 best things to do in Edinburgh with kids, from free museums and interactive science centres to beaches and chocolate-making workshops. Covers all ages, rain or shine.
15 Best Free Things to Do in Edinburgh (2026)
15 best free things to do in Edinburgh: free museums, volcano hikes, Victorian cemeteries, beach walks, and the closes most visitors miss.
Harry Potter Edinburgh: 10 Locations (2026)
10 real Harry Potter locations in Edinburgh, from the cafe where Rowling wrote to the graveyard that inspired Voldemort. All walkable in a single afternoon.
Edinburgh Hogmanay Guide (2026/27)
The complete guide to Edinburgh's Hogmanay, from street party logistics and fireworks viewpoints to the best restaurants and bars for New Year's Eve.
Leith, Edinburgh: The Complete Neighbourhood Guide (2026)
How I'd spend a day in Leith, Edinburgh's best-eating district: down Leith Walk to The Shore waterfront, past two Michelin restaurants, the best bars and bakeries in the city, the Royal Yacht Britannia, and out to Newhaven harbour, with honest advice on getting there and what to skip.
12 Best Things to Do in Edinburgh on a Rainy Day
Edinburgh's best indoor activities for rainy days, from a free world-class museum to underground streets beneath the Royal Mile. Whisky tastings, gin distillery tours, and a Gothic church turned student theatre.
15 Best Things to Do in Edinburgh (2026)
The 15 highest-rated things to do in Edinburgh that aren't just castles and museums. Escape rooms, chocolate tours, underground whisky, street art, and the walks locals actually do.
Where to Stay in Edinburgh: Best Areas & Hotels (2026)
Where to stay in Edinburgh, by area, with the honest trade-off for each and a real hotel or two across budgets. The short version: Old Town for first-timers who want the postcard, New Town for elegance and value, Leith for food, Stockbridge and the Southside for a local feel, the West End for a quiet base near the trains.