tokyo yakitori tour

1. Virtual Tokyo Tour: Online Experience in Shibuya & Shinjuku

Planning the perfect future trip to Japan? Check out this Virtual Tokyo Tour: Online Experience in Shibuya and Shinjuku , where a local expert will help you gain valuable insight into the nuances of Japanese culture and cuisine. Learn about the secrets of yakitori and ramen in Tokyo and ask your virtual guide all your questions about traveling to Japan. You'll even get a resource guide to help narrow down your Japan bucket list after the tour!

Book the Virtual Tokyo Tour: Online Experience in Shibuya and Shinjuku >>

2. Craziest Ramen in Tokyo Ramen Hopping Adventure

Of all these Tokyo food tours, this Craziest Ramen in Tokyo Ramen Hopping Adventure might be the boldest! Challenge your assumptions about ramen by visiting two of the most creative ramen shops in Tokyo. You'll try ramen made with wildly special styles, like matcha ramen and a new type of ramen called "mixing ramen." Delve deeper than the usual spots and learn the tastiest spots to eat unique ramen in Shinjuku from a seasoned local on this adventure of a lifetime!

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3. Tokyo Tuna Show Food Tour

Is seafood your specialty? If so, be sure to book this Tokyo Tuna Show Food Tour for the opportunity to see the giant Tokyo tuna cutting show, try all kinds of Japanese tuna dishes, and grill your own savory okonomiyaki . Then, let loose in Shinjuku by playing games at an arcade and tasting traditional Japanese wagashi sweets. This Shinjuku food tour gives you a little bit of everything!

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4. Tokyo Bar Hopping Tour: "Be a Local Tonight" in SHINJUKU!

For a boozy fun and adventure on a Tokyo night out, join the Tokyo Bar Hopping Tour: "Be a Local Tonight" in SHINJUKU! Try delicious traditional Japanese bar food and drinks, like highballs, umeshu plum wine, sake with fugu pufferfish, sea cucumber sashimi , horse meat, and more. Experience the authentic charm of clinking glasses with locals in the back alleys of Shinjuku on this izakaya tour of a lifetime!

Join the Tokyo Bar Hopping Tour: "Be a Local Tonight" in SHINJUKU! >>

5. Shinjuku After Dark Izakaya Tour

Searching for a Shinjuku food tour of Tokyo's famous red-light district, Kabukicho? Don't miss this Shinjuku After Dark Izakaya Tour , which will take you on a whirlwind of an evening through the best izakaya in Tokyo. First, try out Japan's unique tachinomi standing bars, then be whisked along to Kabukicho for more tasty treats, and round off the night in a famous drinking district that houses over 200 tiny bars! You'll come away from the experience a true expert on Shinjuku izakaya gastropubs.

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6. Tokyo Yakitori and Ramen Tour in Shinjuku

On the Tokyo Yakitori and Ramen Tour in Shinjuku , you'll gain valuable knowledge about yakitori, a wildly popular izakaya food that's grilled to perfection, and ramen, a traditional dish best enjoyed in its birthplace of Japan! If you're looking for a more focused, private tour of the highest quality yakitori and ramen in Tokyo, this local Shinjuku experience is for you. Your guide has visited over 1300 ramen shops and literally written books on ramen, so you'll be in excellent hands.

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7. Golden Gai Food Tour in Shinjuku Golden District

If you ask a Tokyo local where to eat in Shinjuku, it's likely they'll point you to Golden Gai , or the Golden District. The Golden Gai Food Tour in Shinjuku Golden District will guide you through nostalgic Omoide Yokocho, the electrifying nightlife of Kabukicho, and end with yakitori and drinks in Shinjuku's Golden Gai for a night you won't soon forget! A golden gai tour is the quintessential way to experience Shinjuku drinking culture in Tokyo's most dazzling alleys .

Check out the video below to find out more about Japanese drinking culture before the tour!

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8. Ramen and Izakaya Tour in Shinjuku

Interested in a broader Shinjuku food tour that includes a stop at a local seafood izakaya? Join the Ramen and Izakaya Tour in Shinjuku for an expert's inside look at ramen, yakitori, izakaya food, and drinking culture in Japan. You'll have a blast sampling small plates of shared food with sake or beer like a Tokyo local!

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9. Shinjuku Izakaya Bar Hopping Tour

Eager to try the best street food in Tokyo and drink the night away? The Shinjuku Izakaya Bar Hopping Tour will take you down Yakitori Alley, a traditional izakaya in Kabukicho, and a spot in the famous Golden Gai for a bar crawl to remember. Anyone with a penchant for yakitori who wants a general sample of izakaya in these areas will want to check this tour out!

Book the Shinjuku Izakaya Bar Hopping Tour >>

10. Tokyo Ramen Tour with the Ramen Adventurer

The Tokyo Ramen Tour with the Ramen Adventurer may interest travelers in search of an unforgettably satisfying Tokyo food tour focused on ramen. You'll visit two ramen shops and try two different bowls of ramen: the first light and refreshing, and the second heavy and intensely-flavored. Learn about the different kinds of ramen and how to slurp your ramen from a ramen expert!

Book the Tokyo Ramen Tour with the Ramen Adventurer >>

There's never a lack of things to do in Shinjuku, from strolling through Shinjuku Gyoen to spotting the giant Godzilla in Kabukicho. So while you're sightseeing, don't forget to book yourself a delicious food tour to gain knowledge on all the best izakaya, ramen, yakitori, seafood, and more that Shinjuku has to offer!

Can't travel just yet? Check out these online Japanese cooking classes and food experiences and subscribe to our YouTube channel !

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A Cook’s Tour of the Tokyo Food Scene

Taking a cooking class in the Japanese capital adds layers to an exploration of the city’s abundant supply of restaurants, from a pricey kaiseki spot to a chain noodle joint.

Good, inexpensive yakitori can be had at Yakitori Yoneda, just south of Nishi-Ogikubo Station in Tokyo. Credit... Chang W. Lee/The New York Times

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By Timothy Taylor

• Published Nov. 8, 2023 Updated Nov. 17, 2023

It’s a Monday afternoon in the Tsukiji branch of the Tokyo Sushi Academy and we’re about to be put to the test. Or I am anyway. Most of the other students enrolled in the Japanese Culinary Intensive course are professionals. They are local or from abroad, just brushing up on skills or adding to their repertoire. My bench mate works charter yachts out of Australia. Our sensei, the chef Hiro Tsumoto, noticed a tattoo on his forearm with Japanese characters and called out: “Hey, that’s my aunt’s name!”

I’m among the civilians whom the academy also welcomes into the course. I’m here for the challenge, certainly. But in this moment, I’m feeling distinctly in over my head.

Mr. Hiro, who is also one of the academy’s founders, has been walking us through the basics of kaiseki, a word used for both the traditional multicourse Japanese meal as well as the skills and techniques required to make it . This involves talking about a bewildering range of things, including knife cuts for notching the top of a shiitake mushroom, how to knot a sprig of the herb mitsuba for garnish, as well as the precise temperature to best extract flavor for dashi broth made from kombu seaweed and katsuobushi, or dried bonito fish shavings. On the topic of kaiseki Mr. Hiro grows briefly philosophical, noting that it’s a lifetime practice and thus approaching the ineffable.

“Like the kappa. What actually is the kappa?” he says, by way of a winking explanation. “OK, let’s cook!”

I’ll only learn later that the kappa is a mythic reptilian creature fond of cucumbers and sumo. At the moment, I have to dive into the fray of all these pros grabbing pots and grills and assembling ingredients for the fish stew we’re preparing.

My first order has arrived at the imaginary pass: an individual kaiseki serving of clear fish soup, osumashi, for one. My heart is racing. My hands are trembling. This has to be the most pressure I’ve ever experienced on what is supposed to be a holiday. But I am loving it.

A new respect for tempura and other classics

There are more obvious ways to explore Tokyo’s food scene. Following the Michelin stars makes a certain amount of sense given that the Michelin Guide lists 198 restaurants with 261 total stars this year, more than any other city on earth. But you could also arrive here without any food plan at all.

Tokyo may seem initially chaotic to visitors, but discovery and luck are key parts of the city’s charms. If you find yourself trying to find a peaceful corner — as you likely will on occasion — you might come across a jewel. For instance, wandering away from the crowds at Tsukiji Outer Market, you might stumble down some worn linoleum stairs off Namiyoke-dori and find yourself in the Tohto Grill . It’s a diner. No Michelin star at the moment or likely. But there are truck drivers eating plates of fried horse mackerel and stewed beef tendon here. There’s a jukebox and a cigarette machine and the tuna sashimi breakfast set with pickled cabbage and whitebait is unpretentiously perfect.

Cooking school, I’ve found, adds a layer to one’s explorations. And you don’t need a week at the Tokyo Sushi Academy either. I’ve done a three-hour soba intensive with Tokyo Cook and a one-hour fruit-cutting lesson at the Takano Fruit Parlor.

At the most obvious, things you have taken for granted will inspire new respect. Or at least, if you are me, you’ll rethink your longstanding indifference to tempura. It’s just too hard to make to be indifferent about. Before cooking school, I’d never thought about the perfect temperature gap between the battered item and the oil in which it’s cooked, for example, which is 295 degrees.

Neither had I considered that if you were skilled enough, you could cook tempura largely by ear. At Tempura Kondo , where the two Michelin stars induce a reverential silence among diners (good for listening), you can watch this all play out like a floor show for insiders. Tempura masters are busier than sushi chefs, Mr. Hiro said, and they never talk to the customers. Why? Well, because they’re standing over the oil with their ear cocked to hear the “pulse” of sound, which surges and recedes as the bubbles grow smaller and the dish nears completion.

And that was only the beginning of the drama. Without sweating a couple of hours over my prep at the academy, would I have noticed the knife cuts that fanned out my miniature eggplant, or how the paper was folded kimono-style on my plate, or that the daikon ginger garnish was scooped into a bowl to look like a bozu temple master’s bald head?

You’ll find this same technical fixation behind most Japanese culinary preparations. You might hear the word datsusara when you talk to food people here. I heard it first from the ramen expert Brian MacDuckston , with whom I ate at Yakitori Yamamoto near Mitaka Station. The word datsusara captures the idea of escaping the rat race and is associated with chefs who come from the corporate world and turn their fastidious devotions to food instead. But it speaks to a detail-oriented drive for food perfection more generally.

Yakitori restaurants are mesmerizing places to observe the phenomenon. The chef is often right in front of you, leaned in over the clay box grill filled with binchotan charcoal, minutely inspecting the skewers, pinching them to test doneness, dunking them in tare sauce at precisely the 80 percent mark. After trying your hand at this, you’ll know also that when the grill guy throws one of those skewers away, it was because the prep guy didn’t balance it correctly to prevent it from rolling in place.

“That’s why you’re on skewer prep for three years before touching the grill,” Mr. Hiro said.

At Yakitori Yoneda , just south of Nishi-Ogikubo Station, I found myself noticing how the tsukune, or chicken meatballs, arrives perfectly charred, a tiny bit sweet, with a perfect spring to the bite from that potato starch added to the mixture the night before grilling. I tuck in under the red awning away from the rain with a skewer of medium-cooked chicken livers, another of crispy chicken skin. The tsukune here is plump, the size of a small zucchini. And when it arrives with its diced onion and jammy soft fried egg, I enjoy it even more for recognizing the perfect execution. It’s still one of the best plates I’ve had in Tokyo over many visits.

Yoneda also illustrates another point: You don’t have to spend a ton of dough to have these “best bite” moments. Good, inexpensive yakitori in Tokyo is going to run you around 400 yen, or about $2.65, for a couple of skewers. I think cooking classes actually lower the price of pleasure by allowing you to see how great the technique can be in many everyday Tokyo restaurants.

The Michelin-starred Kondo restaurant has brilliant tempura, no question. But so, too, does Ginza Hageten , just down the road and at a fraction of the price. Here, the lunch crowds stream through, jazz burbles in the background, and your vegetable tempura, rice and bowl of noodles all comes together.

I had the same experience exploring tonkatsu, that ubiquitous panko-fried pork loin that often comes alongside a pile of shaved cabbage. It’s ethereally good at Butagumi , where, amid woody elegance, you can choose from dozens of pork varieties and where nobody in the dining room is allowed to wear perfume. But it’s also pretty great at Danki Tonkatsu , around the corner from the Demboin shrine in Asakusa. When I ate there with Yukari Sakamoto , the author of the guide “Food Sake Tokyo,” we sat shoulder to shoulder with whoever else just happened to be hungry and walking by.

A slurpable bowl of heaven

In the Tokyo Cook kitchen at Sougo in Roppongi, I spent an afternoon learning soba with the chef Shinichi Yoshida, a natty gent who wears a shirt and tie under his apron. Mr. Yoshida walked me through the history of buckwheat in Japan. He explained dashi down to the glutamine content of various kinds of kombu seaweed, a key ingredient. He shaved off katsuobushi for the dashi from his own block of bonito, dry-aged five years, the cut surface darkly translucent like a black gemstone. We made the noodles by hand, rolling out the tricky, low-gluten dough with a long dowel, then cutting it into 1/16th inch ribbons with an enormous menkiri knife, the handle wrapped in shark skin.

I only ate a couple of bowls of noodles in Tokyo that came close to the brilliant dish that Mr. Yoshida showed me that day, with its perfectly balanced dipping sauce of five parts dashi to one part kaeshi, a slow simmered marriage of soy, sugar and dark mirin. The first of these was at Teuchi Soba Fujiya in Shinjuku, recommended by Mr. Hiro from the Tokyo Sushi Academy, where a lineup of people form 30 minutes before they open and your meal comes with a tiny jug of the soba cooking liquid to drink after your meal to help digestion.

I found the second perfect bowl at a chain called Tokyo Abura Soba with 60 Japanese locations, where you order from a vending machine and get your bowl of noodles with chashu pork in about three minutes. Abura soba isn’t really soba at all. It’s a broth-less bowl of ramen noodles napped in a sauce made with soy, bouillon powder, sugar, vinegar and white miso or Chinese doubanjiang. It’s stupidly delicious. It’s also addictive. But I wouldn’t have known what string of rules had to be broken en route to this slurpable bowl of heaven if Mr. Yoshida hadn’t shown me the fastidious perfection of “proper” soba in the first place.

How the pros do it

My osumashi clear fish soup doesn’t turn out badly in the end. My salmon slices are a bit uneven. And my mitsuba garnish is tied into a granny instead of a reef knot. Still, after the adrenaline rush and the frantic placing of each ingredient in exactly the right spot in the bowl, I get the dish up front on time.

Mr. Hiro nods, amused at my efforts. And back at my bench I catch a glance from my yacht cook colleague who gives me a nod of restrained approval. “You’re fast,” he allows.

Then I head off to Nakajima for kaiseki to see how the real pros do it. Eleven brilliant dishes. Or maybe 12. I lost count. I linger over one dish longer than the others, the dashi so clear in the black lacquered wooden owan bowl that I almost can’t see it. But I can smell the kombu, the katsuobushi. I can see the fish and the vegetables all perfectly placed. And when I take a bite of the delicate fish and a sip of that smoky broth, I have a sliver of a glimpse of the years that it must have taken to get that good at something at once so simple and so difficult.

The soup is beyond delicious. I drain the bowl.

At Tohto Grill , simple meals cost from 950 to 1,500 yen, or about $6.50 to $10.

Lunch at Tempura Kondo runs from 8,800 to 12,100 yen. Dinner ranges from 14,300 to 23,100 yen.

At Yakitori Yamamoto , plates are from 210 to 980 yen. At Yakitori Yoneda , they range from 185 to 320 yen.

At Butagumi , pork loin and filet cutlet meals cost from 2,000 to 4,200 yen.

At Danki Tonkotsu , a meal runs around 2,100 yen.

Lunch at Teuchi Soba Fujiya ranges from 1,200 to 2,000 yen.

Noodle bowls start at 880 yen at Tokyo Abura Soba .

At Nakajima , dinner is 15,730 yen per guest.

Timothy Taylor’s next novel, “The Rise and Fall of Magic Wolf,” chronicles the fortunes and failures of a chef and restaurateur who tries to open a Japanese restaurant in Vancouver, British Columbia. It comes out in September 2024.

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram and sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to get expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places to Go in 2023 .

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Kyoto:  The Japanese city’s dry gardens offer spots for quiet contemplation  in an increasingly overtouristed destination.

Iceland:  The country markets itself as a destination to see the northern lights. But they can be elusive, as one writer recently found .

Texas:  Canoeing the Rio Grande near Big Bend National Park can be magical. But as the river dries, it’s getting harder to find where a boat will actually float .

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The Best Kichijoji Food – Must-Try Tokyo Street Food

Last Updated January 11, 2024 William Tang

You are here: Home » Eat & Drink » The Best Kichijoji Food – Must-Try Tokyo Street Food

Kichi-where?  For those that don’t know, Kichijoji (吉祥寺, Kichijōji) is a western suburb of Tokyo that is quickly becoming the most popular neighbourhood to live in right now.  There’s a lot of good reasons for that including liveability, easy access with the JR Chuo line, and beautiful Inokshira Park, popularity amongst young people but the one big reason to visit as a traveller is their food.

There is so much deliciousness packed into the city that it is one of the best day trips for any foodie from Tokyo.  To help with your trip planning, I’ve laid out exactly where you should go in this “ Best Kichijoji Food ” itinerary, restaurants you should eat at, and also the best street food you have to try.  If you enjoy Tokyo street food, this one’s for you because it’s inexpensive, high quality, and a great escape from the hustle and bustle of the core.

More to read

• Kamakura day trip from Tokyo
• How to get around Tokyo
• Best ramen in Tokyo
• Food souvenirs from Japan you need to buy

Where to stay in Japan?

• Looking for a place to stay in Tokyo or the best accommodations in Kyoto , these neighbourhood guides will serve you well.  Otherwise, make sure you head to my recommended booking platform which is Booking.com which has the best selection of hotels, guest homes, and hostels.

In This Article

Best Kichijoji food map

#1 – satou kichijoji, #2 – tsukada suisan, #3 – taigashi hompo amane, #4 – ibuki udon, #5 – crepe house circus, #6 – wood berry’s, #7 – iseya, bonus – kurikoan taiyaki, inokashira park, ghibli museum, the trendy street, harmonica yokocho, kichijoji sun road, how to get to kichijoji, where to stay in kichijoji, the kichijoji food tour.

In 2011, Kichijoji was voted as the #1 place people wish they lived in Tokyo .   As Hiroshi from Ramen Beast told me during our food tour, it’s become so popular because it’s the go-to hangout spot for students and young professionals and now that I’ve been there myself, I can see why.  Street food and its plethora of snacking options and cafes make it a great spot to hangout for locals and visitors alike.  It’s all set in a chill, trendy, and laid-back vibe.

This best of Kichijoji food tour gives you step-by-step instructions for the order you should take to visit each food spot once you walk out of the JR train station, and also options for other spots to check out to fill in the time in between as you digest and get ready for more eating.

Best part is that you can enjoy the neighbourhood on a budget, with take-out snacks often costing less than 500 JPY.  That’s $5 USD or less!

All food spots, sightseeing destinations, and shopping areas worth visiting are marked in this map.  This is a great addition to something like the 12 day Japan itinerary.

North of Kichijoji JR station and at the corner is a wildly busy shopping arcade intersection is take out windows of Satou.  This garners the longest queues that spill out onto the adjacent street and after you finally get to order and sample their savoury snack, you’ll understand why.

Satou Kichijoji is best known for what’s called their Maru Menchi Katsu which essentially translates to minced beef cutlet.  These are golden crisped balls of perfection filled with minced beef, chopped onions, salt, and pepper.  You wouldn’t think it from just looking at it from the outside but once you bite into the warm and moist filling, you’ll wish you ordered more.

It’s balls-out that good, the best maru menchi katsu you’ll find in Tokyo, and a great first stop along the tour.

There are other things on the menu and we also tried the pork cutlet on a stick but I recommend that you just stick to the minced beef cutlet.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Address:   1-chōme-1-8 Kichijōji Honchō, Musashino, Tōkyō-to 180-0004, Japan

Hours:   1oAM – 7PM but the minced beef cutlet specifically is only served starting at 10:30AM.

Price:  220-240 JPY each.

Do they accept credit card?:   I’m not 100% sure but I’d recommend paying cash to keep the line moving.

What to order:  Minced beef cutlet

Tips: 

• If you buy 5 minced beef cutlets, the price is 220 JPY.
• You have to eat these hot and fresh so I wouldn’t recommend buying too many to save for later.
• Proper Japanese etiquette is to not eat food while walking.  Since there isn’t a convenient space to eat next to the store and there are signs that tell you not to eat in front of the grocery store, look for an empty spot to chow down.

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Japan Trip Planning Essentials and Discounts

If you’re in the middle of booking your trip to Japan, here are the most important places you need to go to book:

• JR Pass – The two most reliable places we always check are JRailPass and JRPass . If you are taking long distance Shinkansen across multiple region, get the full JR Pass . If you’re focusing on one specific area, you only need a JR regional pass .
• Shinkansen – The JR Pass prices have gone up and for many of you, it’ll make more sense to book tickets individually. The secret is that when you buy your Shinkansen tickets through Klook offers special vouchers for Don Quijote and BIC when booking. Their tickets are super easy to redeem as well. Right now, use code SKS10OFF to save $10 USD off.
• Hotels/Ryokans – In Japan, the best website for accommodations, hands down is Agoda . When we’ve compared them against Booking , Agoda consistently came out cheaper.
• Tours – While Viator and GetYourGuide are our go-to’s, Klook and KKDay are much popular in Asia so it’s always worth comparing across all of them to make sure you get the best price.
• Pocket Wifi – While we do love eSIMs, having a pocket wifi is great for sharing data with a large group. The most popular is NinjaWifi which is easy to pick up at the airport. Use code AWESOME15 to save 15% (automatically applied). Alternatives are offered by JRPass and JRailPass but they aren’t as cheap. For a more global solution, consider Solis and PokeFi .
• eSIM – The best one is Airalo . Save money by getting the Japan region eSIM and use referral code WILLIA9500 to get $3 USD credit on your first purchase. From now to Feb 29, the 10GB package is half price as well! Ubigi is another one that we’ve had success with where they uniquely offer 5G coverage. Use code AWESOME10 to save 10% on your first order.
• Car Rental – Big companies like Budget , Avis , and Enterprise operate in Japan but they’re usually the most expensive. The best companies are the local Japanese ones such as Toyota Rentacar, Nippon Rentacar, Orix Rentacar, Nissan Rentacar, and Times Car Rental. To make things easier, use Rentalcars and Klook to compare prices all in one place. Don’t forget, you need an IDP to drive in Japan so get one before you leave your home country.
• Learn Japanese – It helps to know even a bit of the language before you go. Start your learning with Rosetta Stone Japanese .
• Cash or credit – Cash is still very important to have in Japan but when you use credit cards, make sure you’re not getting charged those extra exchange rate fees. The best card right now is the Wise Multi-Currency Card which is actually a debit card where you can convert at favorable rates beforehand. This cuts out any sneaky transaction fees.
• Travel Insurance – Make sure you’re covered in case something happens. Get quotes from Insured Nomads and if you’re from Canada, get quotes from RATESDOTCA .
• Shopping – Discovering Don Quijote is a quintessential part of the Japan experience. The secret for tax-free shopping is that they have a coupon that can help you save 10% off + additional 5% off if you spend ¥10,000 or more.

Right around the corner from Satou is a shop that you’ll easily miss if you don’t know what to look for.  In English it’s Tsukada Suisan (塚田蒲鉾店) but you won’t find any English characters on the store sign.  This is a store that has been open for over 70 years and specializes in oden, and something they call Kichijoji-Age which translates to Kichijoji fry.

With the store front that seems to sell so many different things, train your eyes towards to the right where you’ll see the homemade crispy fish cake delicacies.

The store boasts 4 kinds of Kichijoji-Age, one with shrimp, scallops, octopus, and one with a mix of cheese, spinach, and bacon.

Each one of these is packed with high-quality paste and chunks of fresh ingredients.  The outer layer is crisped to perfection and the inside incredible juicy and flavourful.  What really impressed me was the fresh seafood you could find inside as most fish cakes are just made out of the paste or surimi.

As far as street food goes, I love how cheap it is and how it isn’t too filling either so you can move onto the next spot in the tour.

Address:  Japan, 〒180-0004 Tōkyō-to, Musashino, Kichijōji Honchō, 1-chōme−1

Hours:  9:30AM – 7:30PM (Closed January 1-3).

Price:  130-270 JPY each.

Do they accept credit card?:  No.

What to order:  Any Kichijoji-age.

To balance the savoury, we head to an extremely popular sweets shop in an area of Kichijoji known as Harmonica Yokocho.  In an extremely narrow alleyway of a maze-like market, you’ll find Taigashi Hompo Amane (有職たい菓子本舗 天音) or just Amane for short.

First a little about Harmonica Yokocho .  What used to be a flea market post-war, it was revitalized in the 90’s and soon became a hot spot for nightlife and modern bars. Ducking into the alley feels like you’re walking into a completely different area where wide and tall shopping arcades shrink down to shoulder-width alleys, trendy clothing stores, hidden restaurants with lines spilling out, and lively bars.

Now Amane has that Mom and Pop feel with relics of taiyaki mold on display, weather-worn wood panels, and spartan kitchen in the back.

Stepping into line, there’s two things you need to order.  1)  dango if you enjoy it (mochi balls on a skewer and drizzled with a soy glaze) and 2) taiyaki .

Personally, I am not a big fan of dango and I’ve come to learn that it’s not because of the shops I get it from but it’s the consistency of the mochi which I find not bouncy enough and the salty-play of the soy confuses the heck out of me.

The taiyaki on the other hand is superb here as it’s made in the traditional way.  Unlike other places that have giant molds that can make 4 or 5 at a time, each fish is made with it’s own mould over the fire and when it comes out, you get the whole rectangle as opposed to a perfectly trimmed fish.

Depending on your tastes though, you might find the batter to be a little more plain than usual but the sweetness of the red bean from Hokkaido, large chunky bean consistency, light sweetness of the brown sugar, and freshness is what really makes their taiyaki shine.

Piping hot is the only way to have it – just try not to burn your tongue while doing it.

Fun fact:   The molds used here are made by the same craftsman that made the stand for the Olympic flame in Tokyo in 1964.

Address:  1-chōme-1-12 Kichijōji Honchō, Musashino, Tōkyō-to 180-0004, Japan

Hours:  11AM – out of stock

Price: 124-183 JPY

Do they accept credit card?:   No.

What to order:  Red bean taiyaki, and dango

• The store has a sign for 170 JPY for taiyaki but it’s actually 183 JPY after tax.

Read My Review

Now that you’re filled upon sweets, it’s time to dip back into a savoury bowl of udon.  Under the train tracks is a this standing-only udon hotspot in Kichijoji.  Popular amongst locals, this is the spot to have quality udon noodles.  Expect to see a line forming outside the shop doors when you come here.

If you decide to head inside to eat, you’ll have plenty of options including this curry udon that you see above paired with a crispy chicken tempura.  Space is tight inside but the service is quick and as you’ll see with everyone around you, it’s very much a slurp-and-go kind of eatery.

Alternatively you can use the take-out window.  Instead of waiting in line, you can order udon in a styrofoam container to eat elsewhere.  Inokshira Park is the perfect place to slurp these for later so I recommend that you pick up cold noodles so they don’t continue cooking in the hot broth if you need to walk somewhere else to eat them.

When you get to the take-out stand, you’ll find that the menu is all in Japanese so you might need to pull out the Google Translate app to get you sorted.  Or there’s always Japanese Rosetta Stone ahead of time ;)

Address:   5-chōme-5-16 Tenjinbashi, Kita-ku, Osaka, 530-0041, Japan

Hours:   11AM-10PM.

Price:  300-550 JPY each.

What to order:  Any cold udon.

• Buy the cold udon noodles if you’re doing a take away.
• Standing only restaurant so not that great for large groups or those wanting to sit down while eating.
• If eating in, there’s a machine to order similar to ramen restaurants.  Luckily the touch screen can switch to English and there are photos.

This unassuming shop down a side alley of one of the main shopping arcades of Kichijoji is a neighbourhood classic that you just can’t miss.

The story is a heart-warming one.  The couple behind Crepe House Circus  started in France and learned about French crepes.  When they came back to Japan, they wanted to bring the authentic taste of France back home.

40 years later, they’re still the most delicious sweet and savoury crepes and the long line ups prove just how popular they continue to be because they make each crepe fresh one at a time and to order.

The must-order item is the whipped cream chocolate banana crepe.  With a giant dollop of chocolate spread, a huge triangle of whipped cream, freshly sliced bananas, this has got to be the best bang for buck in town when you consider the size of it, the cost (440 JPY), and how satisfying it is down to the very last bite.

Those that are looking for something a little savoury to perhaps fill in as lunch is the ham and lettuce crepe which is topped with mayonnaise and black pepper balanced with the soft crepe and crunchy lettuce.

At first we were worried that we wouldn’t know how to order but luckily at the counter, there’s a fully translated English menu so this should help you figure out what to get if you haven’t been convinced by the top classics.

Address:  Japan, 〒180-0004 Tōkyō-to, Musashino, Kichijōji Honchō, 1-chōme−12−13

Hours:   1:30PM – 8PM.  Closed on Tuesdays.

Price:  270-440 JPY each.

What to order:  Fresh cream, banana, and chocolate crepe.

• The crepes are big enough for two if you’re not looking to have it as a full meal.
• One thing to note is that the plain crepes with say strawberry is just jam.  If you’re looking for fresh strawberries, you have to get the crepe that has strawberry and cream.

Froyo – not exactly a brand new concept if you’re coming from other parts of the world.  It’s something that’s been rather overplayed in North America but in Japan you’ll realize that finding a good one is rather difficult, especially in Tokyo.

Another secret of Kichijoji is that one of the early pioneers in the country of frozen yogurt actually originated here near Inokashira Park.  For over 20 years, they’ve been a steady presence here and is a tiny shop that’s not be missed especially on a hot summer’s day.

Wood Berry’s specializes in blending in their rich and tart homemade yogurt with fresh fruits.  It’s bringing back the original concept of frozen yogurt as we found in our New Zealand 3 week itinerary where everything is mixed together as opposed to pre-made flavours with toppings.

What makes Wood Berry’s frozen yogurt so good is that it has its own unique characteristics of being subtly sour, light, while also creamy as well thanks to their use of mascarpone at the bottom of your cup.

The shop’s recommended mix is to go with the strawberries but honestly I don’t think you can go with any flavour.

Address:  Japan, 〒180-0003 Tōkyō-to, Musashino, Kichijōji Minamichō, 1-chōme−4−1 井の頭ビル1F

Hours:   12PM – 10PM.  Closed Christmas Day.

Price:  350-580 JPY each.

Do they accept credit card?:   Not sure but I have a feeling that they would.

What to order:  Strawberry frozen yogurt.

• The prices for the size includes tax.
• There are some ingredients that require an extra charge including strawberry.
• Extra whipped cream is 50 JPY.
• Mixing of two fruits is 50 JPY (only the large size includes two fruits).
• You can turn any of these into a parfait by adding 100 JPY.  A parfait is essentially frozen yogurt (raw) with fruits on top.

The finale on your Kichijoji food tour is a culinary institution of yakitori.  Open since 1928, there’s a lot of history behind the current site.  Although it’s been rebuilt to reflect the modern age, the interior has a pleasant blend of design elements from the Showa period while also bringing in contemporary elements as well.

At its core, Iseya is all about its skewers and that part is immediately obvious when you pass by and see the heaving if smoke that billows out from the take out windows.  As the meat licks the flames from the charcoal below, the savoury smells fill the street and greet anyone taking the stairs down to the park.  Due to it’s location, popularity, you’ll always find a line up here.

While the take-out window is always an option, I still recommend that you queue up to get a seat inside because you’ll want to order lots of food and pair that up with refreshing bubbly golden beer.

Thankfully, they offer English menus inside.  If you’re not feeling too adventurous, I’d recommend the leek, chicken, meatball, chicken tail, and chicken skin skewers.  If you’re wanting to try something a little different, pork tongue, and pork temple are good ones to pick that don’t look and taste like what they sound like.  Everything else is probably best left to aficionados.

In terms of non-skewer items, I thought the fried chicken (karaage), sashimi tuna, and sashimi octopus were also quite good.

Overall, I thought the yakitori was just OK.  I thought Yakitori Ton Ton in Tokyo  was miles better but I do admit that the comfortable seating and great selection of food options did make Iseya a great spot for larger groups.

Address:  1-chōme-15-8 Kichijōji Minamichō, Musashino, Tōkyō-to 180-0003, Japan

Hours:   12PM – 10PM.  Closed on Mondays.

Price: 90-800 JPY each.  To give you an idea, for the 5 of us, we spent 7,130 JPY.

Do they accept credit card?:   Yes.

What to order:  Chicken skin, pork temple, chicken tail, and meatball skewers, fried chicken, and tuna and octopus sashimi.

• The full name of the restaurant to search for is “Iseya Koen-ten”.
• There are multiple Iseya locations in Kichijoji so don’t get mixed up with the other ones.  Again, look for “Iseya Koen-ten”.
• The grilled corn is soggy and I wouldn’t recommend ordering it.

Yes you’ve already had taiyaki on your food tour but if you’re still up for some dessert before you head home, Kurikoan Taiyaki .  They’re on the same street as Satou Kichijoji and you might’ve passed by on your way there when you first started.   It has a giant fish on the store front – you can’t miss it.

Completely opposite to Amane, this is a chained taiyaki shop that you’ll see all over Tokyo including Kichijoji but what I like about them is that they’re not afraid to try different flavours.

The one flavour that we got to try this time around that I really loved was their cookies and cream.  It may be a little sweet for some but I loved it!

Address:  1 Chome-1-7 Kichijoji Honcho, Musashino, Tokyo 180-0004, Japan

Hours:   10AM – 9PM.

Price: 130-196 JPY.

What to order:  Premium cream, and cookies & cream taiyaki.

What to do in Kichijoji

So what do you do in between all of this eating and snacking while doing your Kichijoji food tour?  Here are a few places I recommend that you incorporate into your itinerary as you plan out your day trip.

Officially named Inokashira Municipal Onshi Park, most people just call it Inokashira Park.  This is a giant green space that anchors the city and is one of the defining features that make it such a great neighbourhood to live in.

With the Inokashira Pond running through it, you’ll find row boats and swan boats out on the water.

The park is often filled with families and visitors alike and is especially popular during the cherry blossom season where people will lay out blue tarp and set up a giant group picnic.

You’ll also find a zoo, outdoor stage, outdoor events on weekends, cafes, temple, Japanese gardens and much more.

You can’t mention Inokashira Park without mentioning the famous Ghibli Museum.

Located on the south western end of the park and roughly 20-25 minutes walk from the start of the park at Iseya, you’ll find a museum that showcases the work of Japanese animation studio, Studio Ghibli.  It’s a combination of a fine arts museum, children’s museum, and technology museum where you’ll learn about how classics such as Spirited Away and My Neighbour Totoro came to life.

The grounds also features a café, bookstore, rooftop garden, and theater.

Since this is a hot attraction close to central Tokyo, it’s mandatory to reserve ahead of time.  You can get advanced Ghibli Museum tickets for an afternoon tour .  When you book with them, let them know that you want to stay in Kichijoji afterwards for your own self food tour.

Get your Ghibli Museum tickets

I tried to figure out the name of this street but couldn’t find it so I’ll settle on the “Trendy Street”.  This is the street that leads towards Iseya Koen-Ten and Inokashira Park.

This street was extremely unique because it was dotted with antique stores, used clothing stores, sticker stores, European-style cafés, and curio shops that looked like they were out of Thailand.  It was a little bizarre but I loved it.

These are the kind of streets that you can spend a lot of time browsing through and find most random of knick-knacks that you didn’t expect to find in Kichijoji of all places.

After you finish snacking at Amane, I highly encourage you to walk around the different aisles that make up Harmonica Yokocho.  If you’re there during the day, you’ll find a lot of interesting stores to explore including one that sold an interesting mix of USA-branded bag gear, denim, and overall really hip clothing.

While you’re here, it’s a good opportunity to look for souvenirs to bring back home on top of everything you’ll be buying in the Japan souvenir guide .

If you’re here at night, you’ll have a lot of fun at any one of the sake, izakaya bars, or even European-style bars.

This is the main covered arcade north of the Kichijoji train station and where you’ll be walking through to get to Satou Kichijoji and Tsukuda Suisan.  Along this street are plenty of shops and restaurants to check out.  I think I even spotted a bunny café here.

When you look at the map, Kichijoji probably looks like a whole other city but with how large the metropolis of Tokyo actually is, Kichijoji is actually a neighbourhood or a suburb if you will.

Getting to Kichijoji is super simple thanks to the JR Chūō Main Line which runs West to East through Tokyo.  This line has major hub connections to Shinjuku, Kanda, and Tokyo Station and is primarily meant to connect Nagoya with Tokyo for those commuting in.

What makes things confusing is that this line has two coloured trains. Yellow are local trains and rapid trains are orange.  When it comes to going to Kichijoji, either line will work especially if you’re hopping on in Shinjuku.  However, if you’re trying to get on or off at Tokyo Station, the Chuo line and Sobu line goes there but Chuo-Sobu does not.  You’ll also need to change trains at Ochanomizu Station or Kinshicho Station to get to Tokyo Station.

Recommendation:   I know that sounds confusing and trust me, once you’re in one of these giant hub stations, you’ll feel quite overwhelmed.  My recommendation?  Fire up Google Maps on your phone and just let it tell you which train is going to get you to Kichijoji the fastest, what train to take, and what platform to go to.

What about the JR Pass?

With the JR pass, your commuting from Tokyo to Kichijoji and back via the Chuo Main Line is covered and free. Grab your JR pass

The journey shouldn’t take any longer than 25 minutes from Shinjuku.  Grab a seat and enjoy the ride!

If you’re thinking about making the most of your time in Kichijoji, you can definitely look at staying here overnight.  The Japan travel guide has numerous recommendations but here I’ve isolated it down to accommodations in or near Kichijoji itself.

KICHIJOJI TOKYU REI HOTEL

Just one minute walk from the JR station, this is a modern hotel that is well furnished although rooms are quite compact.  There is free wifi in the property.  Parking is available and luggage storage can be found at the reception desk.

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KICHIJOJI DAI-ICHI

Comfortable accommodations located just north of the Kichijoji station.  The rooms are compact but well-furnished and relatively large for Japan.  There is free wifi and excellent buffet available for an extra price.

Have you heard about Kichijoji before reading this?  If you’ve been, what were your favourites from this food tour?  Drop your thoughts in the comments down below!

What you should read next

• Ultimate Tokyo Food Guide in Japan – Where And What To Eat
• Best Ramen in Tokyo Japan – From Michelin Star to Unexpectedly Mind Blowing
• Review of the Prestigious Conrad Tokyo
• Tokyo Transportation Tips – Best Way to Get Around Tokyo By Train
• Where To Stay In Tokyo – A Guide To The Best Hotels and Neighborhoods

About William Tang

William Tang is the Chief of Awesome behind the award-winning Going Awesome Places which is focused on outdoor adventure, and experiential travel. His true passion lies in telling stories, inspiring photography and videos, and writing detailed itineraries and travel guides. He is a member of Travel Media Association of Canada (TMAC), Society of American Travel Writers (SATW), Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), and Travel Massive. He has also been featured in publications such as Reader's Digest, Entrepreneur, Men's Journal, and Haute Living. Make sure to learn more about William Tang to find out his story and how Going Awesome Places started.

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