Tokyo Food Tour: Japanese Food Through the Ages
Get a birds-eye-view of Japanese food culture with this comprehensive Tokyo food tour that will fill your belly with a series of classic delicacies from Nihonbashi, Ginza, and Akihabara.
Highlights
Explore Tokyo with an English speaking guide and prepare to fill your belly with numerous Japanese snacks and dishes
Visit 3 Tokyo districts: Nihonbashi, Ginza, and Akihabara
10 meals
Experience Details
Hop on a time machine, spanning three geographical districts and three eras, with a seasoned tour guide! This food tour of Tokyo is packed with various traditional and innovative Japanese specialties.
Nihonbashi represents the past. Here you’ll learn about some key ingredients that underpin Japanese cuisine. These are dashi, the almost ever-present stock at the base of countless dishes; katsuobushi, millimeter-thin bonito fish flakes; and finally kelp, a seaweed. In addition, you’ll get to try fried fish cake, a fermented rice drink, and more! The shops introduced here are carefully selected and some date back to the Edo period, all are over 100 years old.
Moving on to the present day, you’ll hit Ginza and Yurakucho, which offer a myriad of eateries and izakaya gastropubs, located under the railway tracks, with fast food options and flowing drinks like sake. These “gadoshita” (literally translating to “below the girder”) establishments under the tracks are the result of post-war industrialization and of thousands of salarymen commuting through this area to work. Stop by and enjoy classic dishes at these buzzing food stalls. The menu includes quintessential “yakitori” (meat skewers), a “sour” drink which is an alcoholic beverage unique to Japan, and a steaming bowl of noodles.
Passing by Tokyo Station on your journey towards the future, you’ll get to try representative dishes of today’s Japan: tamagoyaki (Japanese sweet omelet) and fruit sando (a delicacy that is absolute perfection, composed of milky bread, whipped cream, and fruit). The last stop is Akihabara, a wonderland for electronics buffs, anime fans, and maid cafés, which also offers a selection of desserts combining traditional flavors with a modern twist.
Inclusions
Selection of 14 Japanese typical snacks and dishes
Guided food tour of Tokyo
Exclusions
Any additional food and beverages
The two subway tickets needed
Meeting Point and Meeting Time
Nihonbashi Subway Station. Exit B12.
Remarks
This is a walking tour and you should expect to walk about 6.5 km or 4 miles in total over the 5.5 hours. You will need to be able to walk at a reasonable pace in a group environment.
Please be reminded to wear comfortable shoes.
All tours take place as scheduled (including in heavy rain) except under a Red Warning or Purple Emergency Warning.
Solo travelers may book this experience, but please note that for this tour to run, there but be a minimum of 3 guests
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
In Nihonbashi, you can still find traditional shops that were founded in the Edo era, as well as historical landmarks that have survived rapid post-war urbanization and Westernization. Ginza is an upscale shopping area in Tokyo, home to luxury brands, high-end restaurants, and even a kabuki theater. Yurakucho has many traditional Japanese-style eating establishments and is the favorite drinking place for most businessmen. It has a charming and authentic local vibe, with cheap yakitori joints and casual eateries as well as trendier beer halls and French wine bars.
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10 meals
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