DINING
DINING
Dining in Japan is, to many, a hobby. With a UNESCO listed National cuisine (washoku) and home to some of the best bars and restaurants in the world, this is a mecca for foodies. Here, you can experience seasonal kaiseki paired with locally made sake. If you’re looking for something a little more casual, go for the humble grilled yakitori and draft beer. Regardless of preference, there’s plenty on the food scene to delight you. In fact, to some the selection may seem endless. The following articles can help make dining in Japan a smooth and enjoyable experience. Read on for some of the best restaurants, cafes and bars in Tokyo, Kyoto and beyond.
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Menya Saimi, one of the best ramen in Sapporo
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Iwasa Sushi, Toyosu Market
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Green Tea Lovers Should Make a Pilgrimage To Uji… Right Now
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Hana wa Saku in Nakano Serves A Mean Bowl of Udon
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Unlimited Fun at Kabukicho’s Okinawa Paradise
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The Best Narita Airport Sushi Bar: Standing Sushi Bar in Terminal 3
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Omicho Market, Where Kanazawa Does Its Shopping
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Healthy Vegan Dining at Restaurant 8ablish, Omotesando
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Nakameguro Tour – A Taste of Trendiness
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The restaurant that inspired Quentin Tarantino: Gonpachi Nishi Azabu
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Healthy Fast Food at Onigiri Asakusa Yadoroku
The idea of healthy fast food may seem...
Anonymous pleasures at No Name Ramen in Kyoto
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What To Eat While Watching Sumo: Kokugikan Yakitori
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Mori Mori Sushi: Classy Kaitenzushi in Kanazawa
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Delicious Yakiniku at Hiro Beef, Pontocho
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Suntory Yamazaki Whisky Distillery Tours
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Suiba – A Standing Izakaya in Kyoto for Solo Diners
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Tokyo Day Trip: Koedo, Kawagoe’s Breath of Edo
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World’s Biggest Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Nakameguro
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The Jogasaki Coast: Hiking through Volcanic Cliffs and Quiet Capes
After a morning spent witnessing volcanic archery and visiting a capybara onsen, my...
Head To Toriyoshi For Some Juicy, Smoky, High-Quality Yakitori
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Learning A Thing Or Two At A Japanese Cooking Class
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Isezushi: Michelin Star Sushi in Otaru, Hokkaido
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Forest Bathing in Japan’s First National Forest: Akasawa Natural Recreational Forest
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Where to Catch Tokyo’s Food Trucks: Lunch at the International Forum
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Chill Out in Tokyo’s Hammock Cafes: Mahika Mano & Cafe Stay Happy
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Pre-war nostalgia at Asakusa Okonomiyaki restaurant ‘Sometaro’
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Cook your own dinner at Sakura Tei Okonomiyaki
The artistic interior of Harajuku Okonomiyaki purveyors 'Sakura Tei'.
Vegan Food with a Side o’ Wonder at Saido Vegan Restaurant Jiyugaoka
Historically, vegetarians and vegans have had a tricky time dining out in Japan....
Catch your own meal at Zauo Fishing Restaurant Tokyo
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Dashi Chazuke En: Comfort Food Before A Flight at Narita
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All Shook Up at Osaka’s Elvis-themed Bar USAGI
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Ambling Asakusa Tour: A Tour of Old Tokyo Part 3
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The 10 Best Foods to Eat at Nishiki Market, Kyoto
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Sara Udon: Nagasaki’s OTHER Famous Regional Dish
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Nawate dori: Matsumoto’s Charming Frog Street
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California Cuisine from a San Francisco punk rock veteran in Shibuya
*Note: This restaurant is no longer operating*
“Tonight there’s gonna...
Ponipirika Soup Curry Is A Perfect Late Lunch in Shimokitazawa
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Standing Yakiniku Restaurant Jiromaru: a great place for A5 Wagyu Beef
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Aoyama Trek: A Nature and Architecture Walk
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Could ‘American’ Be The Biggest Sandwich In Tokyo?
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Touring Harajuku – Walking the Big Two Part 2
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Urban Oasis: Aoyama Flower Market Teahouse
Interior of Tokyo cafe 'Aoyama Flower Market Teahouse'
The...
Toyosu Market Sushi Restaurant: Iso Sushi
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Unique Foods in Japan – A Guide
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Fukuoka’s Hakata Ramen Packs Rich, Porky Goodness
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Best Oyaki in Nagano: Ogawanosho, steps from Zenkoji Temple
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The Best Tantanmen in Tokyo: Bazoku
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Japanese Food for Fussy Eaters
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The Opposite of Chaos at Khaos Spice Diner in Kyoto
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Stunning Izakaya Food at Fuwari in Kanazawa
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First Avenue: Characters, Ramen and Sweets
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Akihabara to Ueno Part 2: An Ueno Tour
Unlike Akihabara, which comprises the first part of this tour, Ueno offers a...
Late Night Eats at Ebisu Yokocho
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Meat-ya Asagaya: Tokyo’s Best Spaghetti House
Do one thing, and do it well. Many restaurants in Japan subscribe to...
Get Your Fill at Tokyo’s All-You-Can-Eat Restaurants
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Kyoto After Dark: An Evening Stroll through Pontocho and Gion
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Exploring Hiroshima-style Okonomiyaki at Okonomimura
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Retro cocktails, hip coffee, and Michelin Italian food: An evening in Yoyogi Uehara
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Teatime Treats and Summery Sweets: Tea at Miyoshi-ya in Narita
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A Perfect Layover Lunch near Narita Airport: Grilled Unagi Rice Bowls at Kawatoyo
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Hearty Tsukemen in Akihabara: Menya Musashi Bujin
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Pizza Slice—A Taste of New York in Tokyo
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An American Style Cafe; Good Town Bakehouse in Yoyogi Uehara
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Sampling, Shopping and Snacking at Tokyu Food Show
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Take a Refreshing Pause at Shizuoka’s ‘Tea Room in the Sky’
Green fields of tea ー almost ready to be harvested ー extend out...
Where to get an afternoon drink in Harajuku, Tokyo
OK, so you’re on vacation and you’ve been sightseeing or shopping all day....
Canal City: A Shopping Oasis in Central Fukuoka
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Da Yo Ne is A Great Little Tea Rice Bar in Roppongi
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Ranshu: Best Boiled Dumplings in Tokyo?
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Arashiyama’s Luxury Tofu Kaiseki at Shoraian
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Shibuya’s Underbelly: A Walk Through Love Hotel Hill and Dogenzaka
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Onomichi Cat Alley is a Cat Lover’s Paradise: Prepare to Lose your Mind
If Studio Ghibli were inspired by a real town, Onomichi would be it....
Matsumoto Musts: Folk Crafts and Unique Foods To Seek Out
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A Tuna Extravaganza at Maguro Mart in Nakano
Tuna lovers visiting Tokyo should consider a meal at Maguro Mart. As the...
Nagasaki Champon: The City’s Most Famous Regional Dish
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Phenomenal Ramen in the Suburbs: Shibasakitei in Umegaoka
With literally thousands of ramen restaurants in Central Tokyo and across the Greater...
Hinatomaru: A Sushi Bar Making A Case for Tuna Head Sushi
Asakusa is not the first place most people think of when it comes...
Ikebukuro Tour: Sunshine City and Beyond
Of all the major transit and shopping hubs in Tokyo, Ikebukuro seems to...
Gallivanting around Ginza – A Tour Through Old Tokyo Part 1
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Views and Booze at The Peak Lounge and Bar at Park Hyatt
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The Healing Waters of Hitoyoshi: Tokyo to Okinawa Day 11
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Tokyo, Books, and You: Curl up in these Three Green Study Spaces
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The Char-Grilled Chicken Wonderland: Ukai Toriyama
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Liquid Tiramisu in a Cup: Vietnamese Egg Coffee at Cafe Giang in Yokohama
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A Leisurely Yokohama Seashore Tour
After Japan opened to foreign trade in the middle of the 19th century,...
Bib Gourmand Zen Buddhist Vegetarian Cuisine: Shigetsu in Arashiyama
As I swept aside Shigetsu’s entrance curtain an hour ahead of my reservation,...
Enter the Belly of the Kawaii (Cute) Beast: Harajuku’s Kawaii Monster Café
Lights, camera, monsters? Delve into the belly of the beast (a cute beast...