A typical day in the life of Shinjuku: skyscraper offices tower above while shoppers hustle in the high streets below, but come evening, a pocket of nightlife away from traditional party culture lies in the heart of the Golden Gai. A popular watering hole buried beneath the maze of department stores, restaurants, and arcades, the Golden Gai is made up of alleyways filled with tiny bars, boasting different themes. Each has just a few seats, maybe 6 or so, making drinking here an intimate experience where locals and tourists share stories over a glass of sake or beer. For those hankering for a late night feed, slurp some 24-hour ramen or snack on yakitori at the cozy izakayas of nearby Omoide Yokocho, a.k.a. “memory lane.” Suddenly feel like dancing? Head to the nightclubs of Kabukicho in Shinjuku’s red light district, or shamelessly sing your heart out at karaoke. Whether it’s starting the night out with a few casual drinks or sharing a heart-to-heart with a stranger before the first train, Shinjuku Golden Gai is the place to make new friends with a glass in hand. Hop through several bars or sit in the same one all night, the Golden Gai always promises a unique night out.

Shinjuku Golden Gai

Home to the futuristic capital of Japan, the Tokyo Metropolitan Area is the most populous metropolis in the world and the largest in the country. The bustling central city area of Tokyo consists of 23 wards, while the Greater Tokyo Area spills out onto its prefectural neighbors of Saitama, Chiba, and Kanagawa. Needless to say, Tokyo is simply enormous, separated into pockets of unique communities that bring the city together as a whole. Step out of the train at a different station and step into a new world, be dazzled by the vibrant city rush of Shinjuku, or wander the open park spaces and galleries of Ueno. From the top of Tokyo Tower, buildings stretch as far as the eye can see, as if the city goes on forever. Yet, every corner is interconnected by Tokyo’s impressive network of subways and train lines, a futuristic marvel that somehow moves millions of people every day. That’s 9 million, to be exact, totaling to 30% of Japan’s entire population living within the Tokyo Metropolis. 

Divided by waterways like the eastern Edogawa River and the Tama River to the south, unique districts with their own subcultures bubble beneath the city’s surface. Whether it's shopping in Shibuya or partying in Roppongi, neon lights and towering skyscrapers are deeply integral to Tokyo’s identity. With a number of big company headquarters producing the latest high-tech toys and creative designs, Tokyo represents a symbol of the future. Science meets outlet shopping on the manmade island of Odaiba, with a view overlooking the sparkling waters of Tokyo Bay. Have the happiest day on earth in Disneyland, or immerse yourself in one of the city’s major museum institutions. All things kawaii in Harajuku contrast the humility of traditional Asakusa, while salarymen help the economy go round, crunching numbers in offices throughout the city. 

Fueled by long nights of drinking sake and eating every type of food your heart could ask for, Tokyo’s fast-paced energy is undeniably infectious. However, the Greater Tokyo Area offers moments of bliss on beaches and mountains amidst the chaos of urban life. As exciting as it is overwhelming, with access to both high and low culture Tokyo offers the best in traditional sights, nightlife, and shopping. And of course, with mouthwatering Japanese food and world cuisine at every turn, it would take multiple lifetimes to explore Tokyo’s thousands of bars and restaurants.

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Spreading as far as Kanagawa, Chiba, and Saitama, the mega-metropolis of the Greater Tokyo Area functions as the country’s futuristic capital, featuring the latest in art, technologies, food, and pockets of every subculture imaginable. 

A series of tiny themed bars seating just a few people, rub shoulders with locals in the Golden Gai while drinking sake or beer in this iconic drinking hole of Shinjuku.

Gluten-free

Vegan

Vegetarian

Pescetarian

Family-friendly

With green tea

With sake

With transport

Spend a morning in Tokyo discovering the city’s best Japanese food in Tsukiji and Asakusa during a Tokyo Culinary Tour. Two of the main tourist attractions in Tokyo, this tour gives you the opportunity to explore a deeper side of both Tsukiji and Asakusa through learning about traditional Japanese foods as well as local specialties on offer. Discover some of the freshest seafood and tastiest street food; this Tokyo Culinary Tour will take you to explore Tsukiji and Asakusa, eating along the way!

First, you’ll arrive in Tsukiji to wander through the market with your local guide. Tsukiji was previously the biggest fish market in the world until it was moved to the new Toyosu location, yet the outer market of Tsukiji is still buzzing with food and fish galore. You’ll taste some of the freshest seafood and ingredients on sale in the market, before heading over to Asakusa to discover some tasty street food. Exploring the traditional district while snacking along the route, you’ll encounter attractions such as Nakamise Dori shopping street and Sensoji Temple. During this Tokyo Culinary Tour: Food in Tsukiji and Asakusa, you’ll discover the best restaurants and shops, places where the locals like to eat, with the help of an English or Chinese-speaking guide.

Note: The wholesale market of Tsukiji moved to Toyosu at the end of 2018. This tour will continue to run, covering the outer market of Tsukiji.

Menu:
-Japanese omelet
-Fried fish cake
-Fresh tuna
-Dashi soup and katsuobushi (sample)
-Japanese matcha green tea (sample)
-Sake (Japanese rice wine)
-Sushi
-Japanese sweets

Food tour of a particular area or neighborhood.

Neighborhood/Area Tours

Tokyo Culinary Tour: Food in Tsukiji and Asakusa

Learn etiquette

With its bite-sized pieces of chicken that are skewered and roasted to perfection over a hot grill, it’s no wonder that a lot of people – locals and tourists alike – love yakitori. Made conveniently over a hot grill, yakitori is a simple dish that is packed with so many flavors. Seasoned perfectly every time, either sweet or salty-sweet, yakitori is best paired with condiments such as shichimi togarashi, wasabi, and yuzukosho. You can eat yakitori as a whole meal with rice and miso soup, or have it with a serving or two of sake, or simply enjoy its delicious grandeur on its own. You can also make other variations of yakitori at home by using other ingredients such as shiitake mushrooms, shishito (small green peppers), and other tasty produce. Discover the delicious yakitori and ramen on offer in Shinjuku and join a Tokyo Yakitori and Ramen Tour in Shinjuku!

You’ll be guided by one of Tokyo’s top ramen experts, who has been writing about the local ramen scene for over 10 years. He’s visited over 1300 ramen shops, written two books about ramen, and even has experience talking about ramen on TV! He’s held tours for chefs, food writers, and all kinds of food enthusiasts. It’s safe to say that you’ll be in safe hands, plus, your guide has plenty of knowledge to share about Tokyo yakitori in one of these private tours.

So, after you’ve had the best ramen in town, you’ll find yourself squeezing in with the regulars in their favorite Tokyo yakitori and ramen and shops. A big bowl of ramen is hearty and delicious on its own, but it’s also best paired with a plateful of yakitori. The savory broth and chewy noodles combined with the succulent, juicy meat from the yakitori is something you wouldn’t want to miss for the world! Best combinations always lead to a happy customer, of course. You’ll cap off the evening over a round of drinks and enjoy a great shouting kanpai! with new-found friends.

Tokyo Yakitori and Ramen Tour in Shinjuku

Pick a location

Hailed as Japan’s greatest invention of all time, ramen isn’t just a bowl of noodles ready to be consumed. It’s a masterpiece of its own, placed beautifully in a bowl with its colorful ingredients and a broth so delicious and flavorful; some people claim it’s like going through a process of healing or being welcomed home. It’s a versatile dish that can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Some even have it for a midnight snack. Found not only in food stalls along crowded streets, the best ramen noodles are popular too in high-end restaurants. Some restaurants also specialize only in serving great, authentic bowls of ramen to loyal patrons. And in this popular food tour, you’ll learn your way into the art of slurping your ramen while it’s hot.

In a span of two hours, you’ll visit two popular ramen shops for some of the best ramen noodles in Shinjuku. First stop, you’ll try having something light but full of umami flavors that will burst into your mouth. Savor the moment and taste that refined ramen with its unique and premium ingredients. Next stop, something heavy and fatty but packed with intense flavor that will surely hit the spot. Satisfying and deliciously prepared, just for you, this food tour is great for those who want to have a taste of Japan’s exceptional dish that won’t be soon forgotten. Taste some of Tokyo’s best ramen noodles during a Tokyo Ramen Tour with the Ramen Adventurer!

Tokyo Ramen Tour with the Ramen Adventurer

With 1 drink

Most working class Japanese people spend their time going to an izakaya to drink, relax, and have a good time after a long day at the office. While it could be a bit intimidating at first because of its frosted glass and quiet exterior, izakaya is actually the perfect place if you want to spend some time with friends or co-workers and have a drink or two. What’s unique about izakaya is that you can always order small servings from their menu and share them with your company. There’s always something for everyone, ranging from sushi to fried potatoes to yakitori and salads. Based on their best catch of the day, their menus change but you’re always assured to have the best one! Learn about ramen and izakaya culture in a private Ramen and Izakaya Tour in Shinjuku!

You’ll be guided by one of Tokyo’s best ramen experts, who’s been in the business for well over 10 years. As a ramen writer, he’s been to over 1300 ramen shops and written two books about it, and has even appeared on TV to talk about ramen. Clearly, your guide knows his stuff, and can shed insight on the drinking culture in Japan as he leads you to some of the tastiest ramen and best drinking spots in Shinjuku. With experience leading tours for chefs, other food writers, and food enthusiasts, you’ll be in safe hands on during this private tour.

After enjoying a great bowl of ramen, you’ll visit one of the best izakayas in town. The vibe inside is light and friendly and you can always talk to everyone, so you can meet locals and make new friends. Get served some delicious small plates that go perfectly with your sake or a glass of beer, and snack while having lively conversations with your friends and your guide. Spend the rest of the evening sharing great stories and a laugh, and then cap off the night with a cheer, kampai!

Ramen and Izakaya Tour in Shinjuku

Wheelchair accessible

Stroller accessible

With recipe

One of Japan’s indispensable staple dishes, sushi has been pleasing people for centuries, both locals and foreign visitors alike. People can’t get enough of this simple dish, where raw fish and rice come together in a satisfying combination of delightful texture and flavor. But wait, what about vegetarians, or people who might not eat fish? Sometimes you might think that it can be difficult to find vegetarian food in Tokyo, but look no further! You can call on vegetarian sushi to save the day, a taste of Japanese culture, but one that’s fish-free!

Healthy and delicious, sushi that uses vegetables will change the way that you see sushi. In this vegetarian sushi making class, you’ll learn how to make all different styles of sushi with vegetable fillings, from hand-rolled sushi to individual nigiri sushi pieces. With generous servings, fresh ingredients, and beautiful presentation, this vegetarian sushi making class is a fun and delicious to cooking class, that’s also a great alternative to fish! 

Menu:
-Nigiri sushi
-Gunkan-maki sushi
-Inari sushi
-Rolled sushi

A fun, hands-on cooking experience for home cooks, people with basic cooking skills, or kids.

Casual Cooking Classes

Vegetarian Sushi Making Class in Asakusa

Halal

Kosher

Free drinks

A staple food in Japanese culture, bento boxes are synonymous with being a nifty lunch-to-go in Japan. Widely sold at storefronts of restaurants and convenience stores, and families often make homemade ones from scratch. With rice and a number of additional sides for variety, bento boxes can be carefully laid out, a beautiful kind of art form skillfully that was considered by the maker. Beautifully arranged in an order that’s a feast for the eyes, these bento box packed lunches are a convenient way of preparing meals to take to school or work. You’ll often picture something cute whenever you hear the word bento, as your packed lunch might have cute animation or comic book characters proudly on the lid. This is the perfect cooking class to bring bento boxes together with cuteness in a style of packed lunch called a kyaraben: a type of cartoon character bento you can make at a Kyaraben: Cartoon Character Bento Making Class in Tokyo.

In this cooking class in Tokyo, you’ll learn how to turn Japanese animation into boxed bento lunch using the fresh ingredients of the season at a kitchen studio in Yotsuya. You’ll learn about the history and culture around a Japanese home-style bento box but with a playful twist. Sip on a refreshing drink before rolling up your sleeves and prepare to create and eat your very own kyaraben character bento (sometimes also referred to as a charaben). With the help of handy new gadgets and old style Japanese tools, get creative in this kyaraben bento making class. You’ll make your very own kyaraben from fresh ingredients, and finish off with a recipe that you can use to recreate it back home.

Kyaraben: Cartoon Character Bento Making Class

Literally translating to “Japanese food,” washoku is the broad word that covers either Japanese cuisine in general or any Japanese-style meal. It’s a collection of traditional Japanese food that has drawn a lot of attention from the whole world, as it’s not only delicious but notoriously healthy. The significance of washoku is proven where it’s even been registered in UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity.

In this “UNESCO Recognized Washoku” Cooking Class, you’ll learn how to make delicious washoku dishes from scratch at a Tokyo kitchen studio in Yotsuya. You’ll learn how to make four different dishes, each of which only take 20 minutes to make, which you’ll see in a detailed demonstration with help from your instructor. You’ll also learn how to make dashi from scratch, a soup stock that is a part of the foundation of most Japanese dishes, also learning how to transform this simple element into a soup. This cooking class is a great opportunity to learn about Japanese cuisine by making it yourself. After eating your wonderful washoku you’ll have recipes to take home so that you can make this simple and healthy Japanese food anytime.

“UNESCO Recognized Washoku” Cooking Class

Soba are served in a variety of places throughout Japan, from affordable hole-in-the-wall eateries to classy specialty restaurants. They can be found anywhere and are used to complement many different types of dishes, eaten not only as a main dish. For example, soba noodles work really well as a foundation for stir-fries and salads, but then are fresh and delicious served with soy sauce and wasabi. The noodles are made from buckwheat flour which has many health benefits, as buckwheat promotes heart health and is also rich in fibre and protein. Simple yet healthy and tasty, soba is a big part of the Japanese diet. 

This warm, friendly class is perfect for small groups of people who want to learn how to make healthy soba noodles. Held in a home cooking studio in a private residence, you’ll be offered a warm and comforting cup of green tea while you watch and learn how to make soba buckwheat noodles from scratch. It’s a healthy ingredient that you may have overlooked the importance of learning to make, but you’ll quickly discover that the process of making soba noodles is both fun and relaxing. Using traditional tools, you’ll be guided how to mix, roll, cut, and prepare soba and then eat them with delicious condiments for that authentic soba taste!

This soba noodles cooking class offers the perfect setting for learning how to make your diet even healthier by allowing you to learn with a friendly, healthy cooking instructor in a small group. By learning how to hand make soba noodles, you’ll be learning to appreciate the simplicity of a key ingredient in many Japanese dishes. Create lifelong memories in this class while you learn new noodle-making skills which you can take home with you in a booklet of recipes. Engage your senses while honing your concentration as you continue your learning and experimenting at home after this healthy Handmade Soba Noodles Making Class!

In addition to the soba class, this option allows you to taste 5 different types of Japanese sake.

Handmade Soba Noodles Cooking Class

Tea experience

Have you got what it takes to become a ninja? Skilled in the Japanese martial art of ninjitsu, a ninja was a trained assassin employed for espionage and surprise attacks during the samurai age! These ancient spies of Japanese were deftly skilled in military deception and served as specialized warriors, all while being incredibly stealthy. Also called a shinobi, a ninja was a sneaky and cunning type of expert fighter, creeping through the shadows, waiting to surprise. For those who have ever wanted to become a ninja, this Tokyo Ninja Food and Experience is perfect for you! For your chance to become one of these mythical Japanese assassins, join this fun Tokyo Ninja Experience, complete with ninja-themed food and dining in a themed restaurant!

Immerse yourself in a Tokyo Ninja Experience at a ninja-themed cafe and bar, it’s a special dining experience you can become a ninja for a meal, which features ninja training included and fun a meal of ninja-themed food! Almost hidden, your first ninja mission is to find the restaurant and open up its heavy doors. Decorated like a traditional ninja house, at this ninja-themed bar and cafe your wait staff are fellow ninjas, too. During this awesome dining experience, you’ll be able to wear a ninja outfit while receiving ninja training of shuriken, blowgun, and sword skills. You’ll eat a ninja-themed meal from the menu, where you can taste delicious themed dishes like ninja curry or ninja noodles. With a drink from the cafe and bar selection, you’ll finally finish off an exhilarating Ninja Tokyo Experience with a humbling, casual tea ceremony. Have a taste of what it’s like to be a ninja during this exciting Tokyo Ninja Experience!

Menu: (choose one dish)
-Ninja curry and rice
-Ninja noodles
-Shuriken-yaki
-Ninja pasta
-Ninja sausage
-Ninja dry squid

Premium Dining

Tokyo Ninja Food and Experience

tokyo

Food

Drinks

Tableware

Let’s face it — vegans don’t have it easy in Japan. This is a country basically obsessed with seafood, with beef coming in a close second. However, it wasn’t always this way. For centuries of its history, Japan was a vegan’s dream, as meat consumption was heavily regulated and frowned upon due to Buddhist religious beliefs. 

Things may have changed considerably since then, but there are still some safe havens for vegan diners in Tokyo. AIN SOPH is a company which manages a few of the best, and their Ikebukuro branch is one of the newest. 

The theme of the decor is glamping, meaning you can either choose to sit at white wood countryside-style tables, or languish on the long, deep, cushioned seating running across the window.

The menu is a fusion of Japanese and Western elements, with everything using only plant-based ingredients. Think deep fried tofu cutlet, soy and mushroom burgers with coconut cheese, fries with vegan chili, tofu karaage, and delicious vegetable curries. Organic wines and vegan desserts (caramel and nut brownie, anyone?) complete what must be one of the most appetizing vegan menus in the country.

As a bonus touch for inclusive dining, the management even includes an allergy chart on each of their menus, to help diners with strict dietary requirements navigate the choices.

One of the best vegan menus in Tokyo, with a wide range of choices, delicious desserts, and a chic setting to enjoy them in. Book your seat here.

AIN SOPH. Soar IKEBUKURO | Vegan Restaurant in Tokyo | byFood

AIN SOPH. Soar IKEBUKURO

Sushi

After tasting the sushi from Satio you will be basking in the afterglow of one of Japan’s top five sushi restaurants, according to the Michelin Guide. Since 2010, Sushi Saito has consistently achieved the maximum three stars in the foremost gourmet handbook in the world. It only has 8 seats making it very difficult to get a reservation here, with only a few seats open per night.

The sushi made by Mr. Takashi Saito exhibits an elegant simplicity. He uses a larger rice grain for the rice beds of his nigiri, and he mixes it with red vinegar and salt, adjusting the temperature to match the seafood toppings.

On top of the technique, Mr. Saito makes sure that the ingredients are of the freshest possible. The humble artistry of the chef and the careful procedures he follows makes a dinner at Sushi Saito one of the very best of its kind in the world.

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The sushi made by Mr. Takashi Saito exhibits an elegant simplicity. Witness how minor alterations to ingredients alter the flavors significantly at this sushiya.

Saito | Tokyo Sushi Restaurant | byFood

Saito

Hidden away from the hustle and bustle yet still centrally located in the neighborhood of Roppongi, L'equateur is a mysterious little hideaway right in the heart of the city. Despite its incognito nature, this place is one of the most popular French restaurants in all of Tokyo. 

Trained in France, the chef brings authenticity and tradition to L'equateur. Its recent shift from an exclusively French restaurant to a combination of influences from various other foreign cuisines like Chinese, and other Western cuisines, has raised its popularity even higher. Look forward to duck dishes, truffles-infused creations, and a completely complete top-notch wine pairing service.

Look forward to duck dishes, truffles-infused creations, and a completely complete top-notch wine pairing service at this French-Chinese fusion restaurant in Tokyo.

Food Experiences

Restaurant Reservation

Gourmet Product

Shinjuku Golden Gai

AIN SOPH. Soar IKEBUKURO

Saito

Restaurant L'equateur