【Restaurants in Tokyo】7 local foods to eat during Tokyo sightseeing

Tokyo is the center of Japan, so you can find a variety of cuisine restaurants everywhere.

However, can you answer what is Tokyo food if you are asked. Many people might not answer it.

We introduce long loved Tokyo foods. Moreover, we show some recommended restaurants.

When you come to Tokyo, please visit there.

Must eat Tokyo food

We introduce famous 7 local foods. They might be familiar or new to you. Please check them.

Sushi

Sushi is the representative food of Japan.

It is originated in Tokyo (used to be called “Edo”). In the past, fish for sushi was caught in Tokyo Bay.

So sushi was called “Edo-sushi.” The sushi culture in Tokyo has grown with hand-rolled sushi.

Now, there are delicious sushi restaurants everywhere.

The feature of sushi in Tokyo is rice seasoning light taste and delicious fish cooked to wait for several days.

If you want to eat tasty sushi, let’s go to sushi restaurant during Tokyo sightseeing.

Monjya

Monjya (a savoury pancake with various fillings, thinner than okonomiyaki) is known for one of Tokyo cheap eats.

It is made with flour, water and various ingredients, and flavored Worcestershire sauce.

When you see monjya for the first time, you must be doubt if it is good.

However, you’ll love it if you take a bite.

You can use various ingredients and topping for Monjya.

A large number of people enjoy mealtime because monjya is cooked with a large griddle together.

Chanko-nabe

Chanko-nabe (Japanese hot pot dish similar to stew) is usually served sumo wrestlers at sumo stables as the main dish.

Chanko-nabe is not specific nabe dish. All nabe sumo wrestlers cook is called chanko-nabe.

Tokyo has sumo‘s holy area, Ryogoku. So people except sumo wrestlers usually eat chanco-nabe.

Most restaurants with chanko-nabe is opened retired sumo wrestlers. So you’ll eat real chanko-nabe.

Chanko-nabe uses chicken soup stock.

Chicken never touches their hands (wings) on the ground, it is good luck charm for Sumo wrestlers because they lose the game when they touch their hand on the ground.

That’s why chanko-nabe never uses pork and beaf.

Una-jyu

Once upon time, Una-jyu (lacquer ware box of rice topped with grilled eel) was popular in Tokyo (used to be called Edo), which is a rice bowl topped with grilled ell with sweet teriyaki sauce.

Then time passed, it is changed as “Una-jyu.”

The texture of grilled ell in Tokyo is fluffy because ell is steamed after grilling.

Fluffy ell flavored sweet teriyaki sauce will melt in your mouth.

You also enjoy eating the rice with the sauce.

Anmitsu

Anmitsu (Japanese sandae) is one of Japanese summer dessert.

It includes boiled red bean called mitsumame, red bean paste and agar jelly. Brown sugar syrup is poured on top.

Anmitsu is originated at Ginza of Tokyo. Many people loves this Japanese dessert.

There are a variety of anmitsu.

For example, anmitsu with ice cream called cream anmitsu, with fruits called fruits anmitsu and so on.

If you get tired with Tokyo sightseeing, let’s take a break with eating anmitsu.

Fukagawa-don

Fukagawa-don (a rice bowl created in Fukagawa area of Tokyo) is famous food at Fukagawa area of Tokyo.

It is a rice bowl with stewed clam and leek with miso or cooked rice with clam.

There might be many people living in Tokyo who have never eat it.

Locally, it is called Fukagawa-meshi. This rice bowl is delicious because the soup stock of clam matches the sweetness of miso and vegetable.

You can clean your plate easily as it is not heavy.

Oden

Now, you can get Oden (a type of Japanese hot pot stewed fishcake and vegetable) at the convenience store.

Actually, the place of the origin is Tokyo.

It is said that the root of oden is tofu-dengaku or konyak-dengaku, which is skewered and roasted tofu or konjak with miso coating.

The feature of oden in Tokyo region is rich taste.

It is stewed with soy sauce, sweet sake, sake and sugar in addition to soup stock.

What is the feature of Tokyo food?

Tokyo is located near the sea and the political center of Japan.

It is a place where various ingredients are sent from all over Japan. That situation grows Tokyo food culture.

Many single men used to live in Edo, so they liked quick and easy food such as suhi, tempura, soba, don.

Now, everyone likes eating those food.

Quick and easy foods have always been liked by busy people in Tokyo.

The flavoring of Tokyo region is rich taste using soy sauce.

So Tokyo food with sweet and salty taste matches white rice.

Must visit restaurants in Tokyo

We introduce good restaurants for your Tokyo sightseeing.

All restaurant has long history, however they welcome everyone. Please visit there.

1. Sushi Saito

This is a famous sushi restaurants with a three star Michelin rating.

Sushi cooked by chef evaluated internationally is almost an art.

The sushi is cooked with selected natural salt and red vinegar with good aroma in addition to well-cooked white rice.

Popular sushi dish includes lean, fatty and medium fatty tuna.

You can enjoy tasting the difference.

The sushi is to eat once in your life.

2. Monjya Kura

Monjya Kura is the most popular restaurant in Tsukishima, which is a famous area of monjya.

It is located 3 minutes walk from Tsukishima Station.

Most monjya restaurants serve monjya cooked by staff, however you can cook it by yourself there.

This style is good for tourist, so the restaurant is always full.

It also has interesting flavour such as salmon cream monjya.

You will find your favorite one. It is good to go with a large number of people.

3. Mienoumi

This restaurant is owned by Mienoumi who is 57th grand champion of sumo wrestler.

Michelin Guide has evaluated here as a Bib Gourmand restaurant twice.

This chanko-nabe is the dish stewed over 13 ingredients with chicken soup stock.

Moreover, you can enjoy various chanko-nabe like tomato chanko in only summer.

There are various side dishes except chanko-nabe. It is good to hold a party.

4. Obana

Obana is a long-running restaurant established in Meiji period. Everyday, there is crowded with many people.

The feature of Obana una-jyu is glossy grilled ell called golden grilled color.

Less sweet sauce go well with the grilled ell.

When you eat una-jyu, you will smile thanks to fluffy grilled ell and tasty sauce.

In addition to una-jyu, Japanese rolled omlettee using soup stock and mixed with grilled ell is popular.

5. Ginza Wakamatsu

The restaurant was opened as oshiruko (Sweet red bean soup) shop at Ginza in Meiji period.

The restaurant created anmitsu.

So you can eat traditional anmitsu including mitsumame and handmade red bean paste topping with brown sugar syrup.

The simple sweetness of red bean paste is really good.

The taste will relax your tiring body by sightseeing.

The popular menu is shiratama dango (sweet dumplings) cream anmitsu including sweet dumplings and ice cream.

If you are tired with Tokyo sightseeing, we recommend you to take a break with anmitsu.

6. Fukagawashyuku Tomioka-Hachiman-Ten

Fukagawa-don is known as Fukagawa food. Fukagawa is a town developed near the shrine.

Fukagawashyuku Tomioka-Hachiman-Ten is famous for serving traditional Fukagawa-don.

There are two types of Fukagawa-don. One is “bukakke” which is the dish put calm stewed with miso on rice.

Another is “Takikomi gohan” which is cooked rice with calm.

If you want to eat both of them, we recommend you to eat “Tatsumi- konomi(¥2150)” including both dish.

7. Otakou-Honten

Otakou-Honten opened in 1923 and moved from Ginza to Nihonbashi in 2002.

It serves Kanto styled oden stewed with sweet and savory soup stock.

The popular menu is “Tomeshi” that is a dish well stewed tofu oden is topped on white rice.

It is a good price. If you want to eat Oden around Nihonbashi, please visit there.

Summary

Tokyo food has been created in Edo period and still eaten. Tokyo has reasonable or fancy restaurants serving it.

When you come to Tokyo, you will be caught by the affection of Tokyo food.

Let’s enjoy Tokyo food during Tokyo sightseeing.

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