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9 Quintessentially Japanese Dishes and Where To Eat Them in Tokyo

Slurp, chomp, and nibble your way through Japan’s sprawling capital.

diners at a Japanese restaurant
Hi, I'm Selena!

Selena Takigawa Hoy is a Tokyo-based writer focusing on travel, food, and culture. She has written for Atlas Obscura, BBC Travel, and The Japan Times, Travel+Leisure, Kinfolk Magazine, and more. She loves rural Japan, cafés, and folk tales.

With more than 130,000 eateries and the world’s highest number of Michelin-starred restaurants, Tokyo is an exciting (and sometimes daunting) place to eat. As the country’s capital, this sprawling metropolis offers specialties from all across Japan—and the world—and the food scene here gets more diverse all the time.

Before you dive into the city’s trendy snacks and famous culinary mashups, however, you’ll want to make sure to try its most famous and classic dishes and cooking styles. Here are the standards you should enjoy on your visit to Tokyo.

1. Ramen

ramen noodles being dropped into a bowl of broth
Ramen comprises noodles and broth—and many other ingredients.Photo Credit: iamshutter / Shutterstock

Slurp up some noodles.

This flavorful soup—made with alkaline wheat noodles, a rich broth, and a seasoning sauce known as tare (plus a variety of toppings)—has quickly become one of the country’s most famous foods. Ramen can be eaten as a quick lunch, a satisfying supper, or a late-night snack, and there are a variety of ramen shops in every part of the city. Tokyo’s signature style is flavored with a soy sauce (shoyu tare), but look around the city, and you’ll also find versions from pretty much every other part of the country, each with its own flavor profile.

Where to try ramen in Tokyo: For a classic bowl, head to Kazuya (Kaduya), which has outposts in a few different neighborhoods and serves a version with a light, complex broth made from shoyu, pork, chicken, mackerel, sardines, and kelp. Or, for something different and modern, try the plant-based “rainbow vegan ramen” at the Afuri chain of restaurants—it’s packed with vibrant vegetables and made with a noodle dough that incorporates lotus root (instead of egg).

2. Sushi

plate of sushi
A chef presents a plate of sushi.Photo Credit: Richard Hanson / Shutterstock

Enjoy a true local classic.

This iconic food has come a long way since its humble beginnings as a street food in Edo (as Tokyo was called until 1868). It’s original format, Edomae-zushi (Edo-style sushi) consisted of vinegared rice topped with preserved seafood that had been caught in what is now Tokyo Bay. Later, the version we’re most familiar with—made with raw fish—became popular.

Where to try sushi in Tokyo: Sushi’s city of origin is still one of the best places in the country to enjoy it. For a really upscale bite, try the two Michelin-starred Ginza Sushi Kanesaka. Or, for a friendly, affordable—and still excellent—experience Sushi M.

3. Kakigori

kakigori shaved ice with condense milk topping
Kakigori is a sweet treat.Photo Credit: thaweerat / Shutterstock

Cool down with a fluffy, flavorful treat.

Shaved ice topped with bright fruit syrup is a summer staple, often sold from stands at local festivals. In recent years, kakigori has become so popular that you can enjoy it year-round, and shops have started making premium versions with ice shavings so fine and fluffy they melt like gossamer, accompanied by toppings such as natural fruit syrups, condensed milk, matcha tea, and cheese.

Where to try kakigori in Tokyo: For a particularly delicious version, try the yuzu yogurt at Kanna, or the strawberry milk (made with ice from Mt. Fuji at Atelier Sekka.

4. Soba

person eating soba noodles with chopsticks
Soba noodles can be served hot or cold.Photo Credit: raianonita / Shutterstock

Fall in love with buckwheat.

The hearty, earthy buckwheat noodles known as soba are a staple almost everywhere you go in Japan. Served hot in a broth or cold with a dipping sauce, the noodles can be slurped on a train platform between connections or lingered over in a fine dining setting.

Where to try soba in Tokyo: For some of the best versions in town, try Soba Osame (which boasts a Michelin Bib Gourmand award), where Chef Osame kneads up 100 percent buckwheat noodles for a toothy, rich offering; or Dashin Soan, which serves a variety of flavorful options in a beautiful garden setting.

5. Tempura

shrimp tempura with nori
Tempura is all about the texture.Photo Credit: Kanok Inthuwanarud / Shutterstock

Satisfy your crunch craving.

Properly made, tempura consists of the freshest possible vegetables and seasonal seafood dipped in a special batter and fried until the outside is shatteringly crisp. Common ingredients include eggplant, shrimp, kabocha squash, lotus root, and shiso leaves—but most anything can be battered and given the tempura treatment.

Where to try tempura in Tokyo: You can sample a high-end version at the two Michelin-starred Tempura Kondo, or enjoy a classic presentation at local favorite Tenshige, a cheap and cheerful joint established in 1965.

6. Anmitsu

person pouring tea next to anmitsu dish
There's often a DIY element to your anmitsu.Photo Credit: naturepicture_rika / Shutterstock

Get playful with your dessert.

This traditional Japanese concoction consists of a jewel-like assortment of chilled agar cubes, sweet red bean paste (the “an” of anmitsu), and bits of fruit, all served with a molasses-like syrup (the “mitsu”) to pour over the top. Newer variations also include a variety of other treats, ranging from ice cream and whipped cream to sweet mochi.

Where to try anmitsu in Tokyo: For a bowl in an atmospheric setting, head to the Takemura teahouse; or, for a lovely version made with matcha ice cream, visit Amamidokoro Hatsune, which was first established in 1837.

7. Okonomiyaki

okonomiyaki on grill
Okonomiyaki originated in Osaka, but it's now served all over Tokyo.Photo Credit: Bluesnaps / Shutterstock

Pile in the ingredients.

This famous dish has been likened to an omelet, a savory pancake, or a Japanese pizza—among other things. Originally from Osaka, okonomiyaki is made with a flour-based batter that is mixed with cabbage, eggs, and grated yam; cooked on an open griddle; and covered with toppings that can include mochi, cheese, pork, bonito flakes, green onions, mayonnaise, and more.

Where to try okonomiyaki in Tokyo: For a classic version, pull up a chair at Okonomiyaki Kiji (originally from Osaka). Alternatively, to try Tokyo’s local, thinner version, called monjayaki, head to Tsukishima Monja Street, in the Tsukishima neighborhood, which is home to dozens of different vendors.

8. Shabu shabu

Viator
Don't skip the full Japanese hot pot experience.Photo Credit: naturepicture_rika / Shutterstock

Enjoy a cook-your-own dinner.

Nabemono, or hot pot dishes, are popular in Japan. These include sukiyaki (thinly sliced beef and vegetables cooked in a soy sauce broth), chanko nabe (a thick stew favored by sumo wrestlers that include chicken, vegetables, udon noodles, and other meats), and the classic shabu shabu.

This dish’s name is an onomatopoeia meaning “swish swish,” and it consists of thinly sliced pieces of meat, tofu, and vegetables that you cook yourself by dipping in a simmering clay pot set on the table.

Where to try shabu shabu in Tokyo: For a meal boasting high-end wagyu beef and beautiful presentation head to Rokkasen. Alternatively, for an all-you-can-eat version, visit the local chain Nabezo.

9. Shojin ryori

ingredients in blue and white bowls
Shojin ryori is part of the Buddhist tradition.Photo Credit: ITO_IKI / Shutterstock

Seek vegetarian enlightenment.

Shojin ryori is not just a dish but an entire style of vegetarian cuisine, traditionally eaten by Buddhist monks in training. These meals consist of numerous small dishes that can include tofu, vegetables, fruit, and noodles. The ingredients are highly seasonal and often extremely local—sometimes even farmed or foraged nearby—and the presentation is minimalist and elegant, designed to encourage mindfulness.

Where to try shojin ryori in Tokyo: Lay people can try these traditional preparations at restaurants like Kashiwa Tei, located in the Chofu area of western Tokyo, or by visiting a restaurant at a local temple. At Yakuoin Temple on Mt. Takao (on the outskirts of the city), for instance, you can combine a day of mindfulness (and hiking) with an ascetic but delicious lunch.

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