Tokyo Food Guide: Edomae Sushi, Monjayaki & Tokyo Ramen

Edomae Sushi

The ultimate single bite born from the blessings of Tokyo Bay, which Japan proudly presents to the world—that is Edomae sushi.

The true value of Edomae, drawing a clear line from a mere "dish of raw fish on top," lies in the artisan's handiwork. The moment seafood, carefully given "work" such as simmering, curing, and marinating, combines with small vinegar-effected rice, a flavor that seems to melt in your mouth spreads. The glow of gizzard shad, the soft sweetness of conger eel, the sweetness of the rolled omelet—the artisan's philosophy dwells in each and every piece.

Best season and recommended hours Sea bream in spring, saury and matsutake in autumn—seasonal seafood of all four seasons is the lead of Edomae sushi. Especially autumn to winter (October to February) has fish rich in fat gathered, and can be called the best season. At a long-established counter sushi shop, visiting right after opening at 11:30 to 12:00, or for dinner the early time around 18:00, has the artisan facing you most carefully.

Local-style way to enjoy and hidden-gem info Not only the Tsukiji Outer Market popular with tourists, but at Toyosu Market's "Uogashi Yokocho," authentic seafood bowls and sushi favored by brokers can be tasted reasonably. Locals in the know start with "tamago" (egg) to check the quality of the ingredients, and finish with "tekka-maki" (tuna roll), savoring the artisan's skill from end to end. If you want to keep your budget down, the lunch omakase course is a hidden gem where you can enjoy the same artisan's skill for less than half the dinner price.

Access

• Tsukiji Outer Market: About a 3-minute walk from Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line "Tsukiji Station"
• Toyosu Market: About a 3-minute walk from Yurikamome "Shijo-mae Station" (a tour of Toyosu Market requires advance confirmation)

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Monjayaki

"Is this really food?"—the highly distinctive visual that first-time viewers can't help but murmur about is the first impression of monjayaki. But once you know that unique gooey texture and the savory aroma of the moment you scrape off the thin "okoge" (crispy bits) spread on the iron griddle with a small spatula, there's no doubt you'll become captivated.

Born in the old town of Tsukishima, the common people's flavor that children ate clutching a 10-yen coin at the penny-candy shop has now grown into a soul food representing Tokyo. Evolved creative monja such as mentai mochi cheese, curry seafood, and tomato Italian have also appeared, and just comparing them lets you happily spend half a day.

Best season and recommended hours Enjoyable year-round, but autumn to winter (October to March), when you long for the piping-hot iron griddle, is especially recommended. Visiting from evening to night, around 17:00 to 19:00, makes it relatively easy to get a seat, and you can taste the deep atmosphere of rubbing shoulders with local regulars. Because weekend daytimes are extremely crowded with tourists, a weekday visit is by far the target.

Local-style way to enjoy and hidden-gem info Tsukishima's "Monja Street (Nishinaka-dori Shopping Street)" has about 70 shops lined up, but the ones locals frequent are the long-established shops in the north-side area of the street. The old-fashioned, simple "mentai mochi" and "pork kimchi" monja, not turned into a tourist menu, are the true flavor of Tsukishima. For first-timers, the correct move is to honestly say to the staff, "Please teach me how to grill it." That they kindly teach you is also the warmth of this town.

Access

• About a 1-minute walk from Exit 7 of Tokyo Metro Yurakucho Line and Toei Oedo Line "Tsukishima Station"
• Even moving from Ginza or Tsukiji, the travel time is within about 10 minutes, with outstanding access

Tip for travelers Because the oil from the iron griddle can splatter on your clothes, avoid important garments. Because some shops form lines, lining up before opening is wise on weekends.

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Tokyo Ramen

A journey to visit the "hometown" of ramen—that is a Tokyo ramen tour. Known as the birthplace of soy-sauce ramen, Tokyo is the city where you can enjoy the greatest diversity of ramen in Japan, from an old-fashioned bowl clad in clear golden soup, to the punchy "Jiro style," to the "Iekei" style descended from Yokohama Iekei.

The moment you slurp a mouthful of the clear soup woven from chicken bones and soy sauce, a sensation as if "ah, this is the flavor of Tokyo" soaks into your body. It looks simple, but in fact the depth of the broth, taken over many hours, lurks within.

Best season and recommended hours Season doesn't matter for ramen. But the happiness of slurping piping-hot soup on a cold winter day (December to February) is exceptional. If avoiding lines, the 11 o'clock hour on a weekday (right after opening) or the idle time of 14:00 to 17:00 is the target. Popular shops often sell out at both lunch and dinner, so acting early is the iron rule.

Local-style way to enjoy and hidden-gem info Keep in mind a few areas that Tokyo ramen connoisseurs call "sacred ground." Around Osaki and Gotanda, famous shops where lines are inevitable are densely gathered, with the charm of distances close enough to hop between. Ogikubo has long-established shops, said to be the roots of Tokyo ramen, still operating actively, where you can feel "the history of ramen" within a single bowl. Also, if you extend your steps to the Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum (Shin-Yokohama, Kanagawa), famous shops from across the country gather under one roof, and you can enjoy comparing them.

Access (major areas)

• Ogikubo area: Around JR Chuo Line "Ogikubo Station," many famous shops within walking distance
• Kanda and Higashi-Kanda area: Within a 5-to-10-minute walk from JR "Kanda Station" and "Akihabara Station"
• Osaki and Gotanda area: Around JR "Gotanda Station" and "Osaki Station"

Tip for travelers Many popular shops accept cash only. Be sure to prepare cash including small change. At shops with a ticket system, if you're unsure, first choosing "soy-sauce ramen (chuka soba)" is the classic way to measure that shop's true ability.

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Fukagawa-meshi

How many people know that Tokyo has "local cuisine"? Fukagawa-meshi, nurtured by the old town of Fukagawa, is the "true flavor" of Tokyo continuing since the Edo period.

The seasoned rice using plenty of short-necked clams and hard clams has the umami of the shellfish firmly soaked into each and every grain of rice, and the moment you eat it, the scent of the Edo sea spreads. It's said to originate in the "crew meal" that Fukagawa fishermen once quickly made on their boats, and within that rusticity dwells a powerful drive to live. There are two types—the broth-poured style (Fukagawa-don) and the seasoned-rice style—and comparing them is one of the pleasures.

Best season and recommended hours Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November), the season of short-necked clams, are the most delicious periods. The eateries lined up before the gates of Fukagawa Fudodo and Tomioka Hachimangu are most lively during lunchtime (11:00 to 13:00), and on fair days (the 1st, 15th, and 28th of each month), food stalls also appear and it's especially bustling.

Local-style way to enjoy and hidden-gem info If you visit the "Fukagawa Edo Museum" before eating at Monzen-Nakacho, your understanding of Fukagawa's Edo-period townscape and food culture deepens, and a single bowl of Fukagawa-meshi feels many times more moving. At a set-meal eatery the locals frequent, the simple set meal of Fukagawa-meshi with clam soup and pickles is superb. The reasonable price range, not tourist-spot prices, is also a delight.

Access

• About a 3-to-5-minute walk from Tokyo Metro Tozai Line and Toei Oedo Line "Monzen-Nakacho Station"
• Good access too, about 20 minutes by subway from Tokyo Station

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Tokyo Sweets

Tokyo sweets are a cultural experience beyond a mere "snack." Japanese techniques with a history of over a thousand years and the Western-confectionery sensibility that blossomed from the Meiji era onward overlap, and a universe of "Japanese-Western fusion sweets" unparalleled in the world spreads out.

The fluffy sweetness of ningyo-yaki munched at Asakusa's Nakamise, the crunchy texture of kaminari-okoshi in front of Kaminarimon—these are the very flavors that the common people of Edo kept loving. On the other hand, head to Ginza and you can meet delicate French sweets handled by world-top-class patissiers, and modern Japanese sweets using Japanese tea. Within the same Tokyo, you can enjoy a sweets journey as if traveling back and forth over hundreds of years.

Best season and recommended hours In spring (March to April), limited Japanese sweets with a cherry-blossom motif line up at each shop, and your heart bounces just looking at them. In summer (July to August), shaved-ice culture blossoms, and at specialty shops, lines of a several-hour wait also form. Visiting Asakusa's Nakamise on a weekday morning at 9:00 to 10:00 has fewer people, and you can shop while leisurely conversing with the shop staff. For sweets shops in Ginza, the cafe time of 14:00 to 16:00 is the time of day to enjoy calmly.

Local-style way to enjoy and hidden-gem info Not only the main streets of Nakamise where tourists gather, but in the back alleys of Asakusa (around Hoppy Street), long-established Japanese-sweets shops favored by locals stand quietly. Also, the Yanesen area (Yanaka, Nezu, Sendagi) is a hidden famous area where unique Japanese-sweets and sweets shops gather along with old-town atmosphere. It's a place we'd love travelers who seek "real flavor" over Instagrammability to visit. In Ginza, the B1 of department stores such as Isetan and Matsuya is used by locals too as a good-value spot where you can compare famous shops' sweets at once.

Access

• Asakusa area: About a 1-to-3-minute walk from Tokyo Metro Ginza Line and Toei Asakusa Line "Asakusa Station"
• Ginza area: Directly connected to Tokyo Metro Ginza Line, Marunouchi Line, and Hibiya Line "Ginza Station"
• Yanesen area: Within walking distance of Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line "Sendagi Station" and "Nezu Station"

Tip for travelers Because ningyo-yaki and kaminari-okoshi are also popular as souvenirs, some products sell out by evening. Purchasing in the early-morning hours is reassuring.

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Access Information

Tokyo's gourmet spots are dotted in good balance across the city's major areas, and the great appeal is being able to hop between them efficiently using the subway. If touring several areas in one day, refer to the following route.

**Recommended gourmet-tour route (