Few cities around the world can claim to have a food culture as rich, varied and boundlessly exciting as Tokyo.
From street markets teeming with life, to sky-high places to eat sushi, there’s inspiration to be found on pretty much every street corner. Whether this is your first time in the city or whether you’re a fully-fledged gourmand, our Tokyo food guide will help you navigate the must-eat dishes, where to find them and the things you surely shouldn’t miss.
Savouring Tokyo’s Iconic Dishes
Tokyo’s food culture is a deep one, rooted in history but always adventurous. Here are some of those essential dishes that help make up the city’s gastronomic offering.
Sushi at Tsukiji Outer Market
The famous Tsukiji Fish Market may have moved its inner workings to Toyosu but its outer market remains the perfect place for anyone looking for Japan’s famously fresh seafood. Prepare your taste buds for some of the purest sushi combos you’ll likely ever eat, with nigiri served melt-in-your-mouth-style and mixed sea bowls crowning varied assortments with tuna, sea urchin and salmon roe.
Ramen in Shinjuku
Every Tokyo ramen bar has its own secrets, styles and broth flavour – whether that be the creamy tonkotsu or the light shoyu. The narrow streets around Shinjuku are jam-packed with some of the most delicious broth variations possible. From the ultra local styles at the hermit-like Ichiran to the ramen houses that pack just a little less oomph like Ramen Nagi.
Yakitori in Yurakucho
Down under the Yurakucho train tracks sits a rowdy, smokey collection of izakaya pubs that cook some of the best yakitori skewers found in the city. There’s no greater counterpart to a cool place of real-time cold beer and a glass or two of sake.
Wagyu in Ginza
If your budget is a little larger and you want to treat your taste buds to some of the best meaty morsels in town, drop some hard-earned coins at some of the city’s finest steakhouses for a wagyu experience like no other. There’s no stopping the melt-in-the-mouth flavour of authentic Japanese beef. Slice into a teppanyaki-style steak or grill at a yakiniku house to perfection for that buttery marbling flavour at its peak.
Tokyo’s Street Food and Hidden Gems
While the Michelin-hatted restaurants and world-famous places to eat in Tokyo are impressive they’re not the only places this city excels in terms of flavour!
- Taiyaki – a fish-shaped cake sealer filled with a sweet red bean or custard; fun, classic and delicious in equal measures, locals and tourists love this treat.
- Tonkatsu sandwiches — surprisingly delicious crispy pork cutlet sandwiches made by the staff at 7-Eleven.
- Okonomiyaki in Asakusa — an excellent example of the ‘savoury pancake’ filled with cabbage and more, it’s the tangy sauce that makes Tokyo’s famous take a delight.
Exploring Tokyo’s Food Culture
A guided food tour is one of the best ways to eat your way through the city, all while discovering the stories behind each bite. Some of the best food tours in the world are found here, from hidden izakayas to century-old sake breweries to bustling local markets to the uniquely Tokyo intersection of the traditional and the digital. Whether you opt for a guided tour of the Tokyo food scene or dive into ramen tastings and sushi-making classes, Tokyo food tours help you see another side of the city’s incredible food culture.
