Our food tour of Tokyo — the world’s biggest city, and perhaps its most delicious — explores the exquisite culinary heritage of a single neighborhood, Kichijoji, sampling our way through old school yakitori joints, gleaming department stores, avant grade taverns, hopping street food stands and much more.
Our food tour in Tokyo neighborhood begins at a depachika to experience one of Tokyo’s incredible department store food halls, where food pays tribute to both tradition and the newest trends. Making our way past highly prized pickles, fruit fit for a king and the aisle of Japanese junk food, we arrive at the sushi bar of choice among locals. Along Kichijoji’s bustling shotengai shopping street, we’ll rub elbows with locals as they shop for daily needs, learning about the basics of Japanese cuisine and tasting some of them, such as skewers of yakitori and octopus balls prepared and served street-side. We’ll meet three generations of a family of artisanal senbei makers working side by side in their tiny shop and atelier and, further down the road, we’ll visit a restaurant dedicated entirely to miso. We’ll sample unusual food rarely served outside Japan, such as sake infused with the fin of fugu, the famous puffer fish, plus expertly-crafted old standbys like tea and sweets.
Thoroughly enjoyed our tour with Michelle! Especially loved meeting local shop owners who have excelled in their respective crafts over decades. It was a treat to be in an area of Tokyo that represented a "real Tokyo" neighborhood. I will come back when I next visit Japan.
This was my first time doing a food tour - and they have set the bar high! The pace was perfect, the food was excellent, and we visited special places I never would have found or tried without a local guide. The tour was also an excellent opportunity to learn more about general Japanese culture and history, in addition to the food. Highly recommend.
Excellent guide. Excellent food. Great insight into history, culture and food. A great w as y to learn about Japan and the Japanese people.
I really enjoyed this tour with Dennis in Kichijoji! It exceeded all my expectations despite having done a few other CB tours before, this might be my favourite one. We covered a lot of ground and I think we got a great variety of local food including miso tasting and the most delicious beef ball ever. Despite it being almost a full day thing it was well-paced and just the right amount of food. And it was also my first time trying fugu. Always a great experience with CB :-)
Kasumi was a great guide! There was a good variety in the stops and the food was delicious.
Really great tour and guide! Lots of history along with some tasty bites. Highly recommend and will be doing more culinary backstreets tours going forwards.
This was a great way to get acquainted with Japan as we took the tour on our first full day. There was a very wide and diverse selection of food and drinks (sake, matcha and coffee) and everything was delicious! We appreciated that this tour took place in a less busy part of Tokyo and was less touristy. One of the best food tours we have been on. We highly recommend!
Loved all of the places we discovered on this tour! Our guide was so entertaining but most importantly, knowledgeable! He is very passionate about the area and it really showed! Loved the miso tasting… such a unique experience! We really felt like we had an excellent feel for the area when we were done! I would definitely recommend this company!!!
Another memorable food tour with Culinary Backstreets After enjoying our first Culinary Backstreets tour in Tokyo, we joined another in Kichijoji and were delighted again. We started with a wonderful selection of sushi in a narrow back alley. One particularly memorable stop was a tiny cracker shop run by a mother and daughter. We also visited a restaurant specialising in fugu, the famously poisonous pufferfish, where we tried an unusual sake with a distinctly fishy flavour. Another highlight was a century-old soybean shop, tasting intensely flavoured fermented miso pastes and soups. A fascinating variety of flavours, places and encounters. These small businesses and the people behind them made the experience much more than a succession of delicious food stops. Kasumi, our guide, was very friendly and warm. Her kindness and hospitality made us feel especially welcome. Her thoughtful explanations gave us a deeper appreciation of Kichijoji’s food culture.
The tour was amazing. Dennis is an awesome guide, and we had a great experience. It was lovely meeting some of the shop owners in a more intimate setting and hearing their stories along with having some delicious food.
We had a fantastic experience on the Tasting Tokyo’s Kichijoji Food Tour! It was such a wonderful way to discover the hidden gems of Kichijoji, explore its charming streets, and experience a more authentic side of Tokyo. One of the highlights was meeting the local business owners who have been running their shops for many years and hearing their stories. The food was absolutely delicious, and the sake tastings made the experience even more special. A special mention goes to our tour guide, Diana, who was simply spectacular! She was incredibly knowledgeable, kind, and passionate, making the tour both informative and enjoyable. Her warmth and enthusiasm really brought the neighborhood to life. We highly recommend this tour to anyone looking to go beyond the usual tourist spots and discover the food, culture, and people that make Tokyo so special. An unforgettable experience!
We did this tour on our first full day in Japan and it was one of the stand out experiences of our trip! Our guide, Michelle, was fantastic. Spending the day with her felt like having a friend show you their hometown you never got to visit. We learned so much and tried a variety of incredible foods. Kichijoji was an awesome neighbourhood to explore and gave us a great insight into a buzzy, less touristy, area of Tokyo. I would absolutely recommend doing this tour to anyone visiting who loves to eat!
Ken was a fabulous guide, extremely knowledgeable. We very much enjoyed every place we were taken. The food was varied and delicious and we had a new appreciation for the what we were eating after learning the history and details of preparation. We would not have changed a thing. It was the highlight of our stay in Tokyo.
This tour was the highlight of our stay in Tokyo. Michelle, our tour guide, was fantastic. She reached out to us on the day before the tour, to make sure that we had all of the information needed to make it to the meeting point. (The meeting point itself was also really easy to find.) She ensured that our entire group had a lovely experience. At its heart, this tour is about embracing local culture and experiencing the parts of Tokyo that might be missed if one only sticks to the "touristy" sites. Michelle has taken the time to cultivate genuine friendships with the restaurant and store owners at each site on our tour. She knows the people, their families, and their stories and celebrates all of them on this tour. We learned about authentic rice cracker making from a lovely 94-year-old store owner who has been operating the family-run business since 1958. We sampled miso that was carefully crafted by an older gentleman who comes from a long line of miso experts--Michelle regularly buys miso from this shop herself. We learned so much about Japanese history, culture, and traditions, as well as present-day life in Japan. Michelle even taught us a few useful phrases to use on the rest of our trip, which we practiced throughout the day. The food was outstanding at every site; everything was fresh, seasonal, and beautifully prepared by experts in the neighborhood. It was some of the best food that I've ever had. These are spots that are frequented by those living in the area, so it's no surprise that everything was exquisite. Come hungry, as you will definitely leave full! We had pleasant walks through the charming Kichijoji neighborhood and had a true "local" experience. Some of the members of our group were nervous about trying the food, due to limited prior experience with Japanese cuisine. Michelle was patient, kind, and inclusive--gently encouraging them to try new foods that they ended up loving, and also finding alternatives when required due to dietary restrictions/preferences. Michelle took the time to get to know every person in our group and created a lively and fun experience. The small group setup is perfect, because you not only get a chance to meet new people and share a fun experience, but you also get plenty of time to savor the food/drinks and soak up the environment/traditions. Some of the members of our party were senior citizens with mobility challenges, and this tour was definitely manageable for them. There is some walking involved, but the distances between all of the stops are fairly short, with plenty of opportunities to sit/rest along the way and at each stop. Additionally, the streets are flat, wide, and easy to navigate. It is not strenuous. The pace was perfect--no one felt rushed, and Michelle made sure that everyone was able to keep up throughout the day. It was an efficient, yet relaxing tour. This is an ABSOLUTE MUST for anyone who visits Tokyo. Thank you, Michelle, for an incredible experience!
The tour was fantastic and Ken was an excellent guide. Was wonderful learning so much about the different food businesses and the people who work in them. There is no way we could have gathered all that information ourselves. Ken was so knowledgeable and I would highly recommend people take this tour.
We had a fantastic six-hour food tour with Diana and rated the experience 5/5. What made the day so special were the unique experiences Diana introduced us to — places, food and little corners of Tokyo that we simply wouldn’t have discovered on our own. Having a local expert made such a difference and gave us a much more personal experience of the city. We booked the tour to celebrate a big milestone birthday, and it was absolutely worth it. Sometimes it really does pay to put yourself in the hands of someone who knows the city well and can take you beyond the places you’d normally find as a visitor. We enjoyed our time with Diana so much that we’ve already recommended her to friends who are travelling in Japan right now. Thanks, Diana, for helping make a milestone birthday in Tokyo such a memorable one!
So much food to try and a really nice atmosphere on the tour with Diana!
Michelle was fantastic in terms of local knowledge and the way in which she introduced Japanese culture and etiquette. She was engaging and thoughtful accommodating all our needs. In fact she took us to a local pharmacy and provided translation assistance as my daughter had developed a severe allergy the night before. Culinary Backstreets is always a cut above the normal tours and we use them wherever they operate.
Highly recommend for solo travelers- great experience not only learning about the city but meeting a great group of people.
It was exactly what I was looking for, a truly local led food tour. Ken, our guide, kept us well informed throughout and shared his passion for food, the history behind it, the process of making the dishes and the quirks behind some of them. Highly recommended!
We had a fantastic time with Elly! A really great tour at just the right pace and with a few fun culinary surprises along the way. We're not really "tour" people but took a chance on this one and it was well worth it--highly recommended.
Kelly was the BEST. She was so knowledgeable. She’s created such relationships with our tour stops and it was nice to see some inner workings of shops on the tour. I’d recommend this to everyone and anyone. We even went back a few days later to retry some of the food we had days before. We get the hype now.
Thanks Ken for a fabulous day. We highly recommend this tour. You will meet some lovely traders and eat delicious food!
This was our fourth Culinary Backstreets tour and it was amazing! Mairi hit all the highlights that others have mentioned in their reviews and probably more. It was the perfect mix of trying new foods, general sightseeing when we needed to "rest" from eating, and hearing stories about the wonderful history of Kichijoji. We highly recommend this tour!
Our family had an amazing time with Michelle on our first full day in Tokyo. It was a great way to orient ourselves to Tokyo, learn about the food and culture, and ask a million questions. She was a great guide and took us to places that we would never find. We loved all of the food and it was one of the highlights of our two week trip to Japan.
My wife’s colleague highly recommended this tour so we booked it; it was our first ever experience with a food tour. Diana was a wonderful, knowledgeable guide, and we tried many foods and places that we definitely would not have found on our own. I do not have any food allergies but also do not prefer seafood. I booked the tour without any dietary restrictions listed and really enjoyed the sushi spot that we visited and will now try some sushi back home now. We left the tour very full of food and memories.
Our guide Elly was great! Despite the rain we had a wonderful time learning about the area and trying many different delicious bites. Our 11 year old also enjoyed it - it was very mature-kid friendly. Definitely recommend.
This tour was excellent and well worth almost 200.00. We visited many restaurants and food shops in Tokyo, which I would never have found without our guide. Highlights were a visit to a senbei (rice cracker) shop where we saw how they grill the crackers and sampled a variety with the 94 year old proprietress and her daughter. We also learned about varieties of miso from a chef and enjoyed several miso dishes, including miso cheesecake. We visited the original 551 Horai shop and ate pork dumplings, and at another shop we had Wagyu beef fried meatballs which were delicious. Other foods sampled included Japanese fruits, including loquats, sushi, Japanese snacks, puffer fish, fermented cucumbers, Japanese bar food, and matcha. The walking was level and easy, and we enjoyed our guide’s stories about the places we visited.
We had an amazing time on our tour. Ken was our tour guide- we did this tour on the last day of our 2 week trip to Japan. Ken's knowledge of all the food, the neighborhood and of Japn were outstanding. The food was remarkable. This is our second experience with culinary backstreets- and both experiences have been the best tours we have been on. Also the neighborhood of Kichijoji felt like hidden gem
Incredible tour and one of the highlights of our trip. A great combination of education, eating great food, exploring an awesome neighborhood we likely would not have gone to otherwise, and meeting real locals. Special shout out to our guide Mairi!
We had a brilliant time on this tour with Ken! He's built amazing connections with all the artisans, restaurants and shops on the tour and this comes through in the walk.
Wonderful tour with Ken who explained so much about the food and also Japanese culture. Visited many different places & had such amazing food. Also loved meeting some of the local people producing what we were sampling & seeing their passion for their products, especially Mr Miso!
Michelle was an amazing tour guide and gave our group such great insight into the culture and food scene of Kichijoji. We got to try so many different types of food that we otherwise would not have even thought to try. This tour was such a fun way to get to know more about the less touristy aspects of Japan, and I especially appreciated getting to learn more about the small mom and pop shops that Michelle brought us to. She was so knowledgeable and kind and definitely a highlight of my trip!
this tour has been a MAJOR highlight of our trip to Japan. our guide Michelle has lived in Japan for 20 years, and was not only knowledgeable about the food, but also history, culture, and the people we visited on the tour. on top of that, Michele was SO fun to be with, in that magic way that makes tours magical. highlights included a few stops where we met shop owners with a deep history in food - a 4th generation rice cracker shop, and a miso store. we’d never have found this on our own, or understood the history so well. great value for the price. I especially recommend early in your trip to help you orient.
We had a fantastic experience with Kelly. This is the third time we’ve booked a tour with Culinary Backstreets (the previous ones were in San José, Puerto Rico, and Oaxaca, Mexico), and once again we were thrilled with the quality of the experience. First, the tour is perfectly designed—the Tokyo neighborhood, the length, the number of stops, and the variety of foods are all just right. The quality of the food is top-notch, and so is the warm welcome we received at each stop. It is also absolutely worth the price. Finally, Kelly is an excellent guide, and we want to emphasize this: in a day and age when there is a plethora of guided tour options everywhere, Culinary Backstreets hires guides who are truly professional and highly trained. Kelly is no exception—in fact, she is outstanding: extremely knowledgeable, very friendly, and incredibly generous with her time. We learned not only about the food we were eating, but also about Japanese history, Tokyo culture, and broader social topics. It was simply the perfect tour.
We had a terrific tour with Michelle! All the food was delicious, interesting and varied. Michelle explained everything about the food and also provided relevant and interesting info about Japan. Highly recommended!
Excellent tour from CB! KICHIJOJI is a wonderful area to explore. Ken was so knowledgeable and energetic- we very much enjoyed learning about Tokyo’s food history.
Amazing tour with fantastic food, history and knowledge about the neighborhood and people
We cannot say enough good things about this food tour! Mairi was an outstanding guide who showed us a side of Tokyo we never would have discovered on our own. The stops were fantastic—each one unique, interesting, and incredibly delicious. We loved the small group size, which allowed us to duck into intimate, "locals-only" establishments that wouldn't fit a larger crowd. It made the whole experience feel authentic rather than touristy. Mairi seemed to know everyone in the neighborhood. Watching her interact with the shop owners made us feel like welcomed insiders rather than just visitors. This was a highlight of our trip!
Ken was an amazing tour guide. We had a lovely mix of food experiences that we never would’ve found on our own. He even showed us where to go that night for a jazz club.
From the start of the tour until the end we had a great time in the company of our guide, Ken, who took us on a tour of the local food scene with a couple of hidden gems that the ordinary visitor to Tokyo would not be aware of. Ken gave us an interesting commentary about the different foods we tasted and because of the small number in the group (only four of us) it felt very close and personal. From sushi to fugu to tempura, sashimi, miso - we enjoyed a variety of flavours and textures and got to experience the genuine side of Japanes cuisine away from the tourist centre of Tokyo. Unfortunately, Mrs G and I had to leave the tour early as we had booked something in town and it was going to be a close call getting to it on time. This was a great pity as I would love to know what we missed out on (Ken had two other venues lined up). To pick out a favourite venue is difficult. The miso tasting with "Mr Miso" was definitely an eye opener as to the different flavours available. The chicken wings I sampled at Toriyoshi were absolutely divine. The fugu was certainly... interesting and the venue we started at in the morning (sushi and sushimi) was excellent. Overall I would thoroughly recommend this tour.
Ken was an engaged and interesting guide who had developed deep connections with restaurant owners in the neighborhood. He gave us a range of experiences that gave us a real feel for life in Kichijōji.
Fantastic tour. Our guide, Elly, was terrific — excellent English. We walked, talked and especially ate! The highlight of our trip!
They have cancelled multiple attempts to book in an untimely manner, which made planning very inconvenient and frustrating. I would not recommend relying on them for timely reservations.
This was hands down the best food tour I have ever been on. The choices were unique and the city was authentic and charming. Michelle was the absolute best host, she was knowledgeable, engaging, and fun. She knew everyone and cared deeply about their stories which really added to how genuine she/this tour was. Thank you and I really hope I can enjoy this tour again with more friends.
Everything about our tour was perfect. Ken, our guide, was engaged and engaging. We ate wonderfully and, thankfully, not excessively. And seeing a lovely , fascinating neighborhood we never would have gone to on our own was great. I can't recommend this tour too highly.
Great experience. Small group nearly and all day tour - knowledgeable guide and brilliant food. Found hidden gems off the beaten path.
The tour was absolutely awesome! We went with 3 couples and they are still raving about it. It was a highlight of our trip to Japan.
Outstanding tour. Ken was engaging, prepared, and always checking in to ensure everyone was happy. The stops were all great. The food was excellent and really enjoyed seeing some longstanding experts in their craft. It was a great day. Loved seeing the neighborhood and a small slice of Tokyo life.
The your was amazing. We got to experience a wonderful neighborhood that really felt like a neighborhood - the real Japan. We visited small family restaurants and vendors learning as we went. Michelle was wonderful.
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