Tokyo Street Food Guide!

Tokyo is one of the world's most exciting dining destinations. The city features a wide range of both local and regional Japanese cuisine in addition to all types of international fare. Its top restaurants have accrued more Michelin stars than both Paris and New York combined. But good food can be found at every price range from cheap hole-in-the-wall joints to expensive high-class restaurants with every budget in between.

As Japan's political center for over four centuries, Tokyo has naturally exerted great influence on Japanese cuisine. Consequently, some Tokyo specialties have become so popular that they are now known as the standard version of the dish rather than a local specialty. Local creations from Tokyo (formerly called Edo) are often referred to as "Edo-mae", literally meaning "in front of Edo", in reference to Edo Bay (now Tokyo Bay) which provided the city with its local seafood. The following are some popular Tokyo specialties:

Nigiri-Sushi

The most popular type of sushi today, nigiri-zushi originated as a fast-food dish in Tokyo. Consisting of a piece of seafood put onto a small ball of rice, it takes much less time and effort to prepare than more traditional sushi dishes. Nigiri-zushi are served at all sushi restaurants from inexpensive conveyor belt sushi to Michelin-starred restaurants. Tsukiji Fish Market is one of the best places to eat fresh sushi

Tempura

Another of Japan's most famous dishes, tempura also underwent major development in the capital city. Before the Edo Period, mainly vegetables were used for tempura, but Edo cooks started to deep fry seafood from Edo Bay in tempura batter, resulting in the more varied dish we know today. A visit to a specialized tempura restaurant (tempura-ya) is the recommended way to enjoy tempura.

Soba

Soba noodles (buckwheat noodles) are a popular dish in many regions of Japan. In Tokyo, they were particularly popular during the Edo Period, and can be found all across the city today, including at standing soba eateries and establishments specialized in soba (soba-ya). The dipping sauce used in Tokyo is traditionally relatively thick, and diners are encouraged to dip their noodles into it only lightly

Chankonabe

Chankonabe is a hot pot dish that serves as the diet of sumo wrestlers. It is a healthy, protein-rich dish that contains mainly fish or chicken and seasonal vegetables. The best place to try chankonabe is at one of the specialty restaurants around the Kokugikan Sumo Stadium in Ryogoku, many of which are run by ex-sumo wrestlers

Tokyo Sweets

Tokyo is home to various types of traditional Japanese sweets (wagashi). These include sweets such as ningyoyaki, small red bean paste filled cakes,dorayaki, a pastry made of sweet pancakes with a layer of red bean paste sandwiched in between; and anmitsu, a dessert typically consisting of agar jelly, a scoop of red bean paste, small mochi balls and seasonal fruits topped with sweet black sugar syrup

Regional Specialties from across Japan

Tokyo is also a good place to enjoy regional Japanese foods from across the country, which have been available in Tokyo since the Edo Period when the regional lords (daimyo) from across Japan were forced to maintain large villas in the capital and spend alternate years there. A by-product of this policy to keep the regional lords under the shogun's control was the influx of various regional cooking styles into the capital.

These days, foods from across the country can be found at many restaurants specialized in regional cuisines. Some of the most popular regional foods that can be sampled around Tokyo come from Okinawa, Kagoshima, Fukuoka, Kyoto and Hokkaido. In addition, successful restaurants from across Japan often open outlets in Tokyo in an effort to branch out and make a name for themselves.

Casual Dining

There are lots and lots of casual dining restaurants of all types found across Tokyo. While restaurants are easy to find just about anywhere in the city, good places to go for a large variety of them are around train stations, entertainment districts and the restaurant floors of most department stores, where there is usually a good selection of restaurants ranging from Japanese cuisine to international dining.

Izakaya are the most common type of casual dining establishments and are good places to try a variety of Japanese foods. They can be found in droves around train stations and entertainment districts, and serve popular food items such as yakitori, sashimi and of course beer. The following are a few casual dining areas around Tokyo that are well known for their atmosphere:

On the northwest side of Shinjuku Station is Omoide Yokocho, a small network of alleyways colloquially known as Piss Alley. The narrow lanes are filled with dozens of tiny eateries serving mostly yakitori, but also ramen, soba or kushiyaki. Many of the restaurants consist of just a small counter and can seat less than a dozen diners, while larger ones may have a couple of tables or a second floor.

A lively restaurant district can be found nestled beneath the train tracks around Yurakucho Station. The area is typically known as "Yurakucho Gado Shita" (lit. below the guardrail), or sometimes as "Yakitori Street" due to the numerous yakitori restaurants in the area, but izakaya and casual international pubs are also popular. Diners can enjoy their meals surrounded by the chatter of other customers mixed in with the sound of trains passing overhead.

Fine dining

Tokyo is well known for its fine dining, and has the highest number of Michelin-starred restaurants of any city in the world. Fine dining restaurants are often found on the top floors of skyscrapers and major hotels, and the cuisine served at these restaurants ranges from traditional Japanese to international and fusion fare. Of course, they tend to be priced accordingly, and some restaurants may require advance reservations. The following are a few districts that are known for their fine dining establishments.There are several skyscrapers on the Marunouchi side of Tokyo Station, such as the Marunouchi Building, which offers a variety of nice restaurants on its top two floors with views out over the city. There are also several fine restaurants at the district's leading hotels, such as the Tokyo Station Hotel, the Peninsula and the Shangri-LaGinza is Tokyo's most famous upmarket shopping and dining district, and is also home to some of the most expensive real estate in Japan. While there are not many skyscrapers, fine dining restaurants can be found in department stores and in buildings off the main streets