Cuisine

What to eat in Tokyo

Most people decide what they want to eat before they decide where in the city to eat it. Start here: what each cuisine is, how Tokyo serves it, and what to know before you go.

01 Ramen

Tokyo-style shoyu, tsukemen and many regional styles. Buy a ticket, eat, and go.
02 Sushi

From conveyor-belt lunches to eight-seat omakase counters, and how to tell which is which.
03 Conveyor-belt sushi

Kaiten-zushi: one of the cheapest, least intimidating ways to eat sushi in Tokyo.
04 Izakaya

The Japanese pub: drinks first, then small plates to share all evening.
05 Yakitori

Chicken over charcoal, by the skewer in a smoky shop or as a course at a quiet counter.
06 Wagyu

Yakiniku, teppanyaki, sukiyaki or steak: the ways Tokyo serves Japanese beef.
07 Tempura

One piece at a time at a counter, or over rice as tendon. Both are Tokyo traditions.
08 Unagi

Grilled freshwater eel over rice, steamed first in the Tokyo style.
09 Shabu-shabu & Sukiyaki

Thin-sliced beef cooked at the table, two ways. Easy for groups and families.
10 Kaiseki

The seasonal multi-course meal, and kappo, its counter-side relative.
11 Japanese-French

French technique, Japanese produce: course menus and the bistros that do it casually.
12 Shojin (Buddhist cuisine)

Temple cooking without meat or fish, and the one thing vegetarians should check.