Joanna James
Tokyo, the trailblazing cityscape of cutting-edge emporiums, lush gardens, heritage secrets, and eccentric modes of recreation also boasts some of the world’s most lip-smacking cuisine. Here are some authentic eatables that ardent gastronomes can’t afford to miss!
There’s nothing ordinary about this unconventional imperial city, whether its browsing museums dedicated to origami masterpieces, luggage trends throughout the ages, and diverse parasites, racing tiny go-karts past behemoth skyscrapers and dazzling neon displays or chatting with a robot at the Electric Town, and this rule of thumb applies to its iconic food culture. While Tokyo lets you tantalise your tastebuds to the next level with concoctions like raw sea urchin and saucy sea cucumbers, you can’t go wrong with Sushi in its birthplace, even if it's sold at the tiniest standing bar! Shiny, fresh seafood is guaranteed, from deliciously fatty salmon and tuna belly to vinegared mackerel and creamy yellowtail, accompanied by soy sauce and wasabi or rich with condiments and ponzu.
If you’re busy chasing heightened sensory escapades in Tokyo, whether it’s solving high-stakes intrigues at the Tokyo Mystery Circus, defying gravity at Flystation, or spying on the renowned Shibuya Crossing at night time as the lights play across pedestrians, you’ll need an exceedingly delicious and heartening snack to keep you energised! One of the most munchable treats in all of Japan is the batter-fried golden morsels of vegetables, sweet potato, and seafood, also known as tendon. If you’re looking for sophisticated Tokyo long-stay apartments amid its enticing gastronomic hotspots, venture no further than the likes of Oakwood Residence Azabujyuban Tokyo.
If you’ve been binging on sweetly tart charcoal-grilled unagi (freshwater eel), saucy omurice, and spicy hotpots, and your stomach needs a breather, this chewy, nutty, moist noodle dish is just what you need. Served hot or cold, often with a side of steaming dashi broth, a prawn tempura cutlet, or soba sauce if eaten chilled, this dish may not be as colourfully elaborate as ramen or udon, but it still hits the spot just right!
A seafood snack that is dangerously addictive, these grilled octopus balls dipped in a simple yet delicious egg batter comprising of wheat flour, dashi stock, and soy sauce, enhanced with crunch scallions and fried tenkasu scraps, can be eaten by the dozen.
If warm, fluffy bread is your fail-safe comfort food, there’s something undeniably addictive about artistic Japanese bakes, especially those filled to bursting with unique local flavours, such as red-bean paste, salty Sakura blossom, seasonal pumpkin, or creamy chestnut. The soft and spongy Kameido’s Cream Pan, wobbly with sweet custard cream filling, is another well-kept speciality of Tokyo’s food chronicles.
If your sweet tooth is known to get the better of you, save yourself the struggle and sample as many variations of this summer-sweet shaved ice dessert as possible in different artisan cafés and eateries, with toppings as diverse as Italian tiramisu, mint-chocolate, spiced apple, mango-yoghurt, and milk tea decorated lavishly with blueberry macrons, to spoil you for choice!
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