Tokyo’s Most Tempting Japanese Dishes
Hello everyone! In this post, we’ll introduce 9 delicious dishes you can try in Tokyo, Japan.
As a city that has long attracted people and goods from all over Japan, Tokyo has naturally fostered a diverse range of food cultures.
It’s a place where you can enjoy everything from world-renowned Japanese dishes to lesser-known yet incredibly delicious meals that are still relatively unknown globally.
Whether you’re planning a trip to Tokyo or not, we hope you’ll find your new favorite Japanese dish in this article!
1. Monja yaki
Monjayaki is a classic local dish that represents Tokyo.
It’s a dish where ingredients are mixed into a batter with a high moisture content and then pressed onto a griddle, allowing everyone to share and enjoy it together.
The charm of monjayaki lies in its variety of textures, offering a unique experience with every bite.
It’s perfect as a snack or a side dish with drinks, so gather your friends and enjoy this fun, interactive meal!
2. Edomae sushi
There are many cities across Japan known for their delicious sushi, but sushi actually originated in Tokyo and is beloved as “Edomai Sushi.”
One of its unique features is the use of aromatic red vinegar, which gives the rice a slightly reddish tint.
Unlike simply serving raw fish, Edomai Sushi often involves adding a little extra touch, such as marinating the fish in soy sauce.
While there are some incredibly expensive sushi restaurants, be sure to do some research about the place before you go, as prices can vary significantly!
3. Ramen
In Tokyo, you can enjoy both classic, traditional ramen and a variety of creative, modern variations.
For example, a ramen made with a broth combining both animal and seafood-based stock, topped with chashu, menma, and naruto, is known as Tokyo Ramen, with a history of over 100 years.
In Tokyo’s ramen hotspot, new types of ramen are constantly being created to attract customers, incorporating high-end ingredients and even international cooking techniques.
Additionally, because people from all over Japan gather in Tokyo, there are also many shops serving local ramen from various regions.
So much so that there are people who come to Tokyo just to go on a ramen tour—it’s truly a holy place for ramen lovers!
4. Soba
When it comes to noodle dishes in Tokyo, ramen is great, but the most traditional and still widely enjoyed dish is soba.
Just like sushi, soba has been loved by many Japanese people since the time when Tokyo was still known as Edo.
You can enjoy the authentic flavor of soba with a refreshing bowl of zaru soba, or try a warm bowl of soba with tempura and vegetables.
Many soba shops also offer alcohol, and especially Japanese sake pairs perfectly with soba.
5. Fukagawa-meshi
Fukagawa-meshi is a traditional dish from Tokyo, believed to have originated as a lunch for fishermen.
It’s made by cooking a generous amount of clams with a Japanese-style seasoning.
This dish gives you a sense of homey, Japanese food culture, with the gentle flavors coming from the clams standing out.
If you’re planning to take the Shinkansen to another city, it’s often sold as a train station bento, so it might be a great idea to enjoy it on the train!
6. Chanko-nabe
Chanko-nabe is a hot pot dish originally eaten by sumo wrestlers during their training.
Packed with nutrition, it was designed to build the massive bodies of sumo wrestlers.
The ingredients vary from shop to shop, but typically, you’ll find a hearty chicken broth filled with meat, fish, and vegetables.
Eating this filling dish will surely energize you from the inside out.
Enjoy a hot bowl of chanko-nabe while reflecting on the traditional Japanese culture of sumo wrestling!
7. Tenpura
Tempura, like sushi and soba, has been loved by the people of Tokyo for a long time.
In the past, it was a popular street food, easily enjoyed as a quick snack.
Today, it has become one of Japan’s high-end dishes, with tempura that has been refined over many years to perfection.
Be sure to try the fresh seafood and vegetables, all wrapped in a crispy, delicate batter.
8. Yanagawa-nabe
Yanagawa-nabe is one of Tokyo’s representative local dishes.
It’s made by simmering long, slim fish called dojo, along with eggs and burdock root in a hot pot.
The fluffy texture of the eggs and the earthy flavor of the burdock root enhance the delicious taste of the dojo.
Some variations of dojo-nabe replace the eggs and burdock with a generous amount of green onions, so feel free to try it according to your taste!
9. Kusaya
Tokyo includes distant islands like the Ogasawara Islands, and one of the traditional dried fish products from the Izu Islands is Kusaya.
Kusaya is made by soaking fish in a special curing liquid that has been developed over 300 years, giving it a distinctive and strong smell.
It’s definitely an acquired taste, so it might not be for everyone, but if you’re feeling adventurous, give it a try!
Which Tokyo Gourmet Dish Caught Your Attention?
How did you like it?
Was there a dish from our list of 9 recommended Tokyo foods that caught your eye?
The dishes we’ve introduced are all beloved classics that have been enjoyed throughout Tokyo’s long history.
I’m sure you won’t regret trying any of them if you visit Japan.
While we didn’t cover them here, there are also plenty of trendy dishes and sweets popular among younger crowds.
And if Japanese food isn’t to your taste, you’ll find restaurants serving international cuisine everywhere you go.
You won’t have to worry about running out of food options while in Tokyo—though you might find yourself stuck deciding what to eat!
Either way, I hope your trip to Tokyo will be a wonderful experience.
For more about Tokyo’s sightseeing spots, check out this link. I hope you find it helpful!
We’ve also posted a video version of this article on our school’s YouTube channel.
The video includes photos that we couldn’t share in the article.
It’s in both Japanese and Burmese, so if you’re interested, feel free to check it out!
