Food Guide to Tokyo — Where and What to Eat

Tsukiji / Toyosu — the fish market story

The outer market at Toyosu is where Tokyo eats breakfast. Sushi Zanmai: the otoro (fatty tuna) is world-class, the price is half what you would pay in Ginza. Daiwa Sushi: consistently rated the best sushi in the market. Walk the outer market at 8am before the tour groups arrive. The inner market (where the real auction happens) is open to the public at 5am but you need to register online and arrive by 4:30am — not worth it unless you're very committed.

Ramen alleyways — Shinjuku Golden Gai food

Shinjuku Omoide Yokocho (Memory Lane, behind the west exit): 80 metres of tiny yakitori stalls and ramen shops, the kind of place that has been cooking the same thing since 1949. Fuunji: tsukemen (dipping noodles), the broth is a concentrate that takes two days to make. Ichiran: solo dining booths with a curtain, the ramen arrives through a hatch. Ganso Ramen Yokocho (Yoyogi): the newer ramen alley, 30 shops, all different.

Ginza — the high-end dining capital

Sukiyabashi Jiro (Roppongi, Michelin 3 stars): the sushi that launched a thousand films. You cannot book it directly; your hotel concierge can try. Narisawa (Minami-Aoyama, 2 stars): innovative French-Japanese, the bread course involves live mycorrhizal fungi. Ten-Ichi (Ginza): the tempura omakase that made Tokyo tempura famous. Book 2–3 months ahead for any Michelin-starred restaurant.

Ueno and Yanaka — the old Tokyo food neighborhood

Yanaka is one of the few Tokyo neighborhoods that survived the 1923 earthquake and the 1945 firebombings. Yanagi-cho has the most concentrated cluster of old-school cafés and restaurants. Sakura-tei: charcoal-grilled mochi in a traditional Japanese house. Kozaru: the izakaya with 30 varieties of sashimi. Walk the Yanaka cemetery between meals — cherry blossoms in spring, maple leaves in autumn.

Convenience store food: Japan's best-kept secret

Tokyo convenience stores (7-Eleven, FamilyMart, Lawson) have better food than most restaurant chains in the world. The onigiri (rice balls) are perfect: freshly made, wrapped to order, from ¥120. The Lawson Premium line (developed with Michelin-starred chefs) includes a chicken katsu sandwich that has won global food awards. This is not a joke: the convenience store is a legitimate dining option in Tokyo.