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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Exclusive Beers and A History Lesson at Sapporo Beer Museum
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Prime Chicken and Flaming Charcoal at Ganchan Roppongi
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Delicious Yakiniku at Hiro Beef, Pontocho
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The 10 Best Foods to Eat at Nishiki Market, Kyoto
Food lovers rejoice, the Nishiki Market in downtown Kyoto is a mecca for...
Spicy, Soupy, Sublime: That’s Soup Curry at Yellow Company
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A $500 Sandwich At Nakameguro’s Wagyu Mafia
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Tokyo Tower and a Tour through Surrounding Areas
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For Fabulous Shoyu Ramen, Head to Junteuchi Daruma
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Where To Get Japanese Breakfast in Tokyo Without Breaking The Bank
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Sampling, Shopping and Snacking at Tokyu Food Show
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Laid back, tattooed staff, grungy design, avocado on toast and cold drip coffee....
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Touring Harajuku – Walking the Big Two Part 2
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Japanese Food for Fussy Eaters
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Learning A Thing Or Two At A Japanese Cooking Class
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All You Can Eat Candy at Tokyo’s Dagashi Bars
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Menya Saimi, one of the best ramen in Sapporo
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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...
A Perfect Layover Lunch near Narita Airport: Grilled Unagi Rice Bowls at Kawatoyo
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Delicious French Fusion in Nakameguro
Outside the Nakameguro French Restaurant, La Gueule de Bois
We visit...
Gluten-Free in Tokyo: Everything You Need to Know
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Hinatomaru: A Sushi Bar Making A Case for Tuna Head Sushi
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Tobusakana—A Local Seafood Izakaya in Shimokitazawa
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Soup Curry in Tokyo: Where and Why You Should Eat It
If you like soup and if you love...
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A visit to the mountain city of Matsumoto...
Head To Toriyoshi For Some Juicy, Smoky, High-Quality Yakitori
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Late Night Eats at Ebisu Yokocho
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Refined Kaiseki and Stunning Gardens at Tofuya Ukai
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Stunning Izakaya Food at Fuwari in Kanazawa
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The artistic interior of Harajuku Okonomiyaki purveyors 'Sakura Tei'.
Akihabara to Ueno Part 2: An Ueno Tour
Unlike Akihabara, which comprises the first part of this tour, Ueno offers a...
Ikebukuro Tour: Sunshine City and Beyond
Of all the major transit and shopping hubs in Tokyo, Ikebukuro seems to...
Things To Do (And Eat) in Nagano City
The main hall of Zenkoji Temple
As a mountainous...
Rare and Extreme Japanese Beers on Tap at Beer Boy
Beer lovers have plenty to be happy about in Japan. From cheap cans...
Daimyo: Fukuoka’s Super Cool Neighbourhood
Amitabha Tattoo shop in Daimyo.
As a one-stop-shop for...
Best Oyaki in Nagano: Ogawanosho, steps from Zenkoji Temple
While Nagano Prefecture’s geography is not conducive to...
Exploring Hiroshima-style Okonomiyaki at Okonomimura
Calling all okonomiyaki fans! If you haven’t already done so, you simply must...
Hot Pies, Cold Drinks: A Taste of Australia at Punk Doily
Biting into my classic steak pie, I relished a flavour profile I hadn’t...
Japanese Craft Beer By The River: Hitachino Brewing Lab, Akihabara
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Tokyo Sake Bar in Ebisu: Frozen Sake Bar Buri
Head west of Ebisu Station into the backstreets...
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Shibuya’s Underbelly: A Walk Through Love Hotel Hill and Dogenzaka
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Hearty Tsukemen in Akihabara: Menya Musashi Bujin
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Vegan Food in Tokyo: A Complete Guide
Travelling while vegan can be difficult; worrying about whether you’re going to be...
Chill Out in Tokyo’s Hammock Cafes: Mahika Mano & Cafe Stay Happy
In all my years on this earth, I’ve never met a single person...
Chinzao: Taiwanese Tea House in Ine Village
Ine, the quaint fishing village in Kyōto’s northwest, is arguably one of the...
Freshly Fried Seafood At The New Toyosu Market
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Togakushi Soba: One Of Nagano’s Unique Varieties
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Aoyama Trek: A Nature and Architecture Walk
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Ranshu: Best Boiled Dumplings in Tokyo?
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Nagatoro: An Outdoorsy Day Trip From Tokyo
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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...
Explore Osaka’s Shinsaibashisuji shopping street
The Shinsaibashi area of Osaka is well-known for its shopping options and is...
The Best Narita Airport Sushi Bar: Standing Sushi Bar in Terminal 3
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Japanese Table Manners: A Full Guide
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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...
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Stupendous Wood-Fired Pizza at da ISA in Nakameguro
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Pizza Toast and Kombucha at Café Benisica
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Yanaka Beer Hall: Craft Beer In A Traditional Setting
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Spice Chamber Serves Keema Curry with a Kick in Kyoto
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Forest Bathing in Japan’s First National Forest: Akasawa Natural Recreational Forest
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Where to get an afternoon drink in Harajuku, Tokyo
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A Leisurely Yokohama Seashore Tour
After Japan opened to foreign trade in the middle of the 19th century,...
Meat-ya Asagaya: Tokyo’s Best Spaghetti House
Do one thing, and do it well. Many restaurants in Japan subscribe to...
Sampling Local Sake at Niigata’s Ponshukan Sake Museum
Each of Japan’s 47 prefectures has something they're particularly proud of; in Niigata,...
Hana wa Saku in Nakano Serves A Mean Bowl of Udon
One of our favourite areas in the metropolis to hang out and eat...
Beat The Heat With These Three Kawadoko River Dining Spots in Kyoto
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Roppongi Tour: Soaring Heights and Night Life
Full of bustling shoppers and businesspeople by day and partygoers by night, Roppongi...
Kengo Kuma’s Starbucks design in Fukuoka
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Soup Curry Ganesha—A Salaryman Favorite in Shinbashi
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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....
Ariso Sushi: A Great Pre-Flight Meal at Haneda Airport
Airport food doesn’t have a good reputation. Thankfully, Haneda Airport’s culinary offerings defy...
Fukuoka’s Hakata Ramen Packs Rich, Porky Goodness
A bowl of ramen is a wonderfully comforting...
All Shook Up at Osaka’s Elvis-themed Bar USAGI
It’s easy to let the night get away from you in Osaka; it's...
Tokyo Day Trip: Koedo, Kawagoe’s Breath of Edo
We hear music in the distance. Drums beat and flutes whistle a traditional...
Motsunabe: Nothing Offal About It
One of my favourite regional dishes of Fukuoka.
When...
Dashi Chazuke En: Comfort Food Before A Flight at Narita
Narita International Airport has dozens of eating options, from ramen and sushi to...
The Retro Post-War Izakaya of Hoppy Dori, Asakusa
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Goto Udon: One Heavenly Hell Pot
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Kurogi’s Killer Kinako Kakigori – A Shaved Ice Dessert to Die For
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Sangenjaya Tour – Burgers, Cafes and a Stop in the Park
Tokyo is filled with trendy neighborhoods. Some of them, like Ginza, are more...
Urban Oasis: Aoyama Flower Market Teahouse
Interior of Tokyo cafe 'Aoyama Flower Market Teahouse'
The...
A Fancy Cocktail (Or Two) At Finlandia Bar, Kyoto
Tucked away in a quiet backstreet of Kyoto’s Gion district is the classy...
A Charming Kyoto Lunch Course at Tsuburano in Higashiyama
The rickshaw driver pants as he passes by, breathlessly regaling the couple in...
Views and Booze at The Peak Lounge and Bar at Park Hyatt
If you only have a limited time in Tokyo, you’ll no doubt be...
A Visit To The Oldest Eel Restaurant in Tokyo: Izuei Honten
Unagi is a bit of a thing in Japan. Loved for centuries with...
Myojinmaru’s Famous Salted Bonito Tataki
The word bonito would, for most, evoke the common visual of little flakes...
Tokyo Station Bars: Top-shelf Drinking In The Urban Hub
Like most Tokyo neighborhoods, the area surrounding Tokyo Station has a thriving nightlife...
Things To See And Do In Nozawa Onsen (That Don’t Involve Snow!)
Nestled deep in the beech covered folds of...
JK For A Day: Embracing Your Inner Teen In Tokyo
Living in Japan, I can’t help but look around at all the cute...
All-You-Can-Eat Tuna Bowl at Kashi no Ichi Fish Market
Tuna, or ‘maguro’ in Japanese, is a heavyweight of the sushi and sashimi...
Pizza Slice—A Taste of New York in Tokyo
Japanese pizza has a reputation for being a little strange. Where else would...
Café Hassui, Arashiyama’s Luxury Teahouse
Arashiyama is one of Kyoto’s most popular tourist...
A Brooklyn Brunch that’s Beyonce approved, right in Harajuku
One day I was on my way to Harry’s Sandwich Co., and I...



































































































