Eat Like a Local: Food Tour of Ikebukuro, Akabane, and Jujo
See a new side of Tokyo, exploring depachika food basements, bustling shotengai shopping streets, and izakaya gastropubs frequented by locals.
Highlights
Start by exploring a depachika food basement in Ikebukuro and sampling dishes
Go off-the-radar in Jujo, a Tokyo neighborhood with a shopping arcade
Finish up at Akabane, an old-school area where you won’t be likely to find tourists
10 meals
+Experience Details
On this food tour of Ikebukuro, Akabane, and Jujo, you’ll be eating like a local! If a couple of those locations don’t sound familiar to you, that’s because this tour starts off in the entertainment hotspot of Ikebukuro, then veers towards the more off-the-beaten-path areas of Tokyo. You won’t find any tourist traps here!
During this Tokyo tour, you’ll eat and drink your way through 3 distinctly Japanese food locations: a food basement in Ikebukuro, shopping street in Jujo, and izakaya in Akabane.
First, we’ll check out Ikebukuro, a buzzing district with heaps to consume, from food to drinks to entertainment. Here, we’ll visit a “depachika” (food basement) located just outside Ikebukuro Station. Passing by glistening cases of prepared food, immaculately decorated sweets, and perfectly packaged omiyage (souvenirs), we’ll work up an appetite, tasting a few samples here and there, then choose a snack or two to share.
Next up is Jujo, a more residential area in Tokyo that is known for its “shotengai” (shopping street). Here you can find everything from piping hot street food to sake shops to miso specialty stores. We’ll also enjoy samples of various sake and shochu at one of these shops. Then, we’ll indulge ourselves in some more tasty snacks and browse local mom-and-pop shops, stopping to chat with the owners.
For our last stop, we’ll head to Akabane, a laid back area where you’ll visit niche izakayas that are unknown to most foreign tourists. The word to know here is “tachinomiya” (standing bar), which are casual eateries where you can enjoy a variety of izakaya foods like karaage fried chicken and edamame alongside refreshing beers or fragrant umeshu (plum wine).
This Tokyo food tour is run by an easygoing British host who has been living in Japan for 17 years and has accumulated a repertoire of tasty local restaurants and bars to quench your thirst. Come hungry, because you won’t want to miss out on any morsel during this food tour!
Inclusions
Ikebukuro: depachika food samples & snacks
Jujo: food stops (takoyaki, gyoza, dumplings, chicken), liquor store (tasting of 3 shochu/sake)
Akabane: standing bar (with food and drinks), izakaya dinner
Exclusions
Transportation fees during the tour
Transportation to/from the meeting point
Souvenirs & extras
Meeting Point and Meeting Time
Meet your host at the information desk at the central concourse of the central JR exit at Ikebukuro Station. Your host will be holding a red fan.
Remarks
The drinking age in Japan is 20, and alternative drinks will be served for underage guests. Children must be at least 13 to participate.
For guests under 20 years old or those who prefer nonalcoholic drinks, this tour is 20% off. Please select “child.” Those who will be drinking alcohol, please select “adult.”
Please wear comfortable shoes for walking. Casual dress is ok.
Cancellation Policy
Cancel your booking at least 2 days before the experience start time to receive a full refund minus a 3.2% transaction fee.
Experience Location
One of Tokyo’s major city centers, the vibrant area of Ikebukuro serves as a huge commuter and electronics hub. It’s the second busiest station in Tokyo, just after Shinjuku Station, and is surrounded by hundreds of shops, bars, restaurants, and entertainment venues. While it’s not as famous as Akihabara, Ikebukuro has a strong otaku culture, but one that caters towards female clientele, featuring a number of butler cafes and cosplay shops. The area is also the home a rooftop aquarium and a number of other attractions within Ikebukuro’s Sunshine City, an enormous mall complex.
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10 meals
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Sample a variety of sake, including rare premium-ranked sake, with a certified sake sommelier as your guide. Learn to pair sake with different dishes, and feast on A5 Wagyu sushi, izakaya staple dishes and a mini ramen bowl!
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