Tokyo After 5

Tokyo is renowned for its vibrant food scene, and what better way to experience it than touring the culinary hot spots with a local? Your English-speaking guide will explain the history of the food and places that you visit and share local food traditions and customs.

We'll begin our tour taking a quick stroll through Depachika, the food section at the basement of the department store, where you can find a wide variety of dishes, from slightly upscale delicacies for when you have guests over, to those that are usually used as side dishes. All sorts of exquisitely presented Japanese, Western, and Chinese sweets satisfy any sweet taste. A wide range of culinary options, sweets stores, information on the wide array of traditional Japanese sweets (Wagashi), and, best of all, the chance to choose a Wagashi to sample! These sweets, which are often composed of rice and red beans, fluctuate according to the ingredients that are in season and even take shapes that originate from seasonal plants and animals. If possible, we'll go to the Itoya stationery store, which opened its doors in 1904 and is a good place to see how prevalent Japanese paper culture is even now.

We'll visit "Monja" Street in Tsukishima to see the claimed birthplace of "Monja-Yaki" after enjoying a nighttime stroll around Ginza lighted by neon signs. Monja-yaki is a style of pan-fried Japanese batter with various toppings that is sometimes likened to Okonomi-yaki in Osaka. Before grilling, the ingredients are coarsely diced and incorporated into the batter. You may converse with the chef while your dish is being prepared and eat your Monja-yaki right off the hot plate. Be careful as you eat directly off the grill in genuine native fashion using a little metal spatula.

After enjoying Monja, we'll take the subway back to Ginza and proceed to Yakitori Alley, which is home to a number bar style restaurants and is also the origin of yakitori, a popular appetizer among many Japanese people. We'll have a glass of sake or a regional beer, as many businesspeople do after 5 o'clock, and then have some yakitori at one of the numerous nearby eateries, each of which has its own "tare" (sauce) made with its own special ingredients

The tour concludes here, but don't forget to ask for recommendations on additional sights, activities, and meals to enjoy while you're here or you can return with your guide to the meeting spot.

Please Note: Legal age for drinking alcohol in Japan is 20 years old. Vegetarian, Vegan, or Gluten Free options are not available on this tour.The itinerary and locations that are included in the tour are subject to change. The food contents are subject to change, depending on what is available that day.