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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Cafe Orion is A Cute and Quiet Little Escape in Nara
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Finding Good Fortune on an Ebisu Tour
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Roppongi Tour: Soaring Heights and Night Life
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From Oysters to Ice Cream: What To Eat and Drink on Miyajima
Miyajima is only a short ferry ride away from mainland Hiroshima, but this...
Enter the Belly of the Kawaii (Cute) Beast: Harajuku’s Kawaii Monster Café
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All You Can Eat Candy at Tokyo’s Dagashi Bars
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Motsunabe: Nothing Offal About It
One of my favourite regional dishes of Fukuoka.
When...
Healthy Fast Food at Onigiri Asakusa Yadoroku
The idea of healthy fast food may seem...
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Menya Saimi, one of the best ramen in Sapporo
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Da Yo Ne is A Great Little Tea Rice Bar in Roppongi
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Ponipirika Soup Curry Is A Perfect Late Lunch in Shimokitazawa
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Tokyo, Books, and You: Curl up in these Three Green Study Spaces
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Ranshu: Best Boiled Dumplings in Tokyo?
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Healthy Vegan Dining at Restaurant 8ablish, Omotesando
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An American Style Cafe; Good Town Bakehouse in Yoyogi Uehara
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All Shook Up at Osaka’s Elvis-themed Bar USAGI
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Pre-war nostalgia at Asakusa Okonomiyaki restaurant ‘Sometaro’
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Motsuyaki Ban, Tokyo’s original Lemon Sour Bar
We head to the birthplace of the Lemon Sour, ‘Motsuyaki Ban’
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Perfect Egg Sandwiches at Smart Coffee in Kyoto
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Catch your own meal at Zauo Fishing Restaurant Tokyo
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All Rise for Kikuya’s Standing Tempura in Ebisu
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Nakameguro Tour – A Taste of Trendiness
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What To Eat While Watching Sumo: Kokugikan Yakitori
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Teatime Treats and Summery Sweets: Tea at Miyoshi-ya in Narita
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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...
Canal City: A Shopping Oasis in Central Fukuoka
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Chill Out in Tokyo’s Hammock Cafes: Mahika Mano & Cafe Stay Happy
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The Char-Grilled Chicken Wonderland: Ukai Toriyama
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Rare and Extreme Japanese Beers on Tap at Beer Boy
Beer lovers have plenty to be happy about in Japan. From cheap cans...
Ambling Asakusa Tour: A Tour of Old Tokyo Part 3
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A Tuna Extravaganza at Maguro Mart in Nakano
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Dining in Dotonbori: Osaka’s Lively Entertainment District
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Cool Down With Green Tea Soba, Perched Over A Flowing River
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Japanese Craft Beer By The River: Hitachino Brewing Lab, Akihabara
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Vegan Food with a Side o’ Wonder at Saido Vegan Restaurant Jiyugaoka
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Matsuya, The Blue And Yellow Beef Bowl Place
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Gloriously Decadent Sukiyaki at Ningyocho Imahan
If you want a meal that’s guaranteed to...
Urban Oasis: Aoyama Flower Market Teahouse
Interior of Tokyo cafe 'Aoyama Flower Market Teahouse'
The...
Meat-ya Asagaya: Tokyo’s Best Spaghetti House
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Late Night Eats at Ebisu Yokocho
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The restaurant that inspired Quentin Tarantino: Gonpachi Nishi Azabu
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Superb Slurps at street pasta company
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Nestled deep in the beech covered folds of...
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After living in Kanazawa for two years, I have become picky when it...
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Freshly Fried Seafood At The New Toyosu Market
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Matcha Pancakes at ‘A Happy Pancake’ Kyoto
Anyone in Japan (or surveying it via Instagram) knows that pancakes are it...
Views and Booze at The Peak Lounge and Bar at Park Hyatt
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Torimero yakitori: A cheap chain restaurant with many locations in Tokyo
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Toddlers giggle, adults fall flat on their back, and a select few swoop...
Fabulous Kyoto-style Okonomiyaki at Oagari in Gion
Local and authentic—these are the qualities typically associated with restaurants people want to...
What to Eat and Drink in Arima Onsen
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Learning A Thing Or Two At A Japanese Cooking Class
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Togakushi Soba: One Of Nagano’s Unique Varieties
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Magurodake Bono Shirakawa’s Tuna Donburi Keeps Lunch Sweet and Simple
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Onden’s Japanese Curry Rice—a Taste of Home in the Heart of Harajuku
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Join in the Japanese tradition of eating KFC for Christmas
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JK For A Day: Embracing Your Inner Teen In Tokyo
Living in Japan, I can’t help but look around at all the cute...
Nagi Shokudo is Where to Go for Affordable, Delicious Vegan Food in Shibuya
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Finding New York Style Pizza at The Pizza in Hiroo
One of the first things I tell people who visit Tokyo is that...
Delicious Yakiniku at Hiro Beef, Pontocho
The Pontocho area is one of Kyoto’s go-to spots for food, drink and...
Gallivanting around Ginza – A Tour Through Old Tokyo Part 1
Many people come to Tokyo for the bright lights of Shibuya and Shinjuku....
A $500 Sandwich At Nakameguro’s Wagyu Mafia
In Tokyo, you can totally get by eating on a dime. But when...
Forests, Lakes and Ancient Trails: Day trips in the Kiso-Valley
Deep in the mountains of Nagano prefecture, sidling the Japanese Central Alps, lies...
Tokyo Tower and a Tour through Surrounding Areas
Jutting out of the city center, you’d be mistaken for thinking that the...
Kengo Kuma’s Starbucks design in Fukuoka
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Exploring Local Nightlife at a Japanese Yokocho
For an authentic, down-to-earth Japanese dining experience, head straight for the nearest yokocho,...
Spicy, Soupy, Sublime: That’s Soup Curry at Yellow Company
Eat out in Japan often enough and you’ll notice a certain dearth of...
Tokyo Craft Beer at Far Yeast Brewing in Shibuya
Note: the Shibuya location moved to Gotanda to...
Tokyo Day Trip: Koedo, Kawagoe’s Breath of Edo
We hear music in the distance. Drums beat and flutes whistle a traditional...
Omicho Market, Where Kanazawa Does Its Shopping
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Delicious French Fusion in Nakameguro
Outside the Nakameguro French Restaurant, La Gueule de Bois
We visit...
Hearty Tsukemen in Akihabara: Menya Musashi Bujin
These days, ramen is a household name. But have you ever heard of...
Touring Harajuku – Walking the Big Two Part 2
Between Shibuya and Shinjuku is the sprawling greenery of Yoyogi Park that dominates...
A Brooklyn Brunch that’s Beyonce approved, right in Harajuku
One day I was on my way to Harry’s Sandwich Co., and I...
Arashiyama’s Luxury Tofu Kaiseki at Shoraian
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Stupendous Wood-Fired Pizza at da ISA in Nakameguro
Japanese pizza is notoriously ‘weird’—as many disgruntled expats might like to complain. Putting...
Cook your own dinner at Sakura Tei Okonomiyaki
The artistic interior of Harajuku Okonomiyaki purveyors 'Sakura Tei'.
Japanese Table Manners: A Full Guide
Table manners vary between all countries across the world. Even nations that are...
Standing Yakiniku Restaurant Jiromaru: a great place for A5 Wagyu Beef
Whenever I have visitors in town, I love taking them to a stand-up...
The Opposite of Chaos at Khaos Spice Diner in Kyoto
There are few things more delicious and comforting than a plate of curry...
Japanese Hot Pot Guide – Sukiyaki and Shabu Shabu
Many types of nabemono 鍋物 or hot pot dishes exist as part of...
Shopping on Miyajima: What to Buy
Miyajima Island, with its sacred shrines and pristine nature, makes a wonderful day...



































































































