Hayden Quinn COOK · TV PRESENTER · FOOD ADVENTURER

Japan

Tokyo Guide

A clean copy of the places, for your phone or a PDF. Updated October 2026.

Back to the guide

Eat

  • Afuri

    Ramen · Ebisu

  • Birdland

    Yakitori · Ginza

    On our list: a spot a mate found that we didn't get to. Next time!

  • Butagumi

    Tonkatsu · Nishi-Azabu

    On our list for tonkatsu next time.

  • Chūka Soba Tagano 中華そば 多賀野

    Ramen · Nakanobu, Shinagawa

    My mate Adam picked this 13-seater, run by a woman (a first for me), and it's one of the best ramen I've had. Get there before opening and order the spicy sesame.

  • Deli fu cious

    Burgers · Meguro

    On our list: fish burgers.

  • Fuku

    Yakitori · Yoyogi-Uehara

    Our 2019 yakitori pick and one of our favourite meals in Japan: counter seats facing the grill, served by the owner, and skewers under ¥300 each. Go early, as favourites run out by 8.30pm.

  • Hakata Issuitei

    Ramen · Mita

    On our list: Hakata-style tonkotsu ramen.

  • Hakkoku

    Sushi · Ginza

    Unreal in 2023: incredible freshness and knife skills across 25 pieces, and we walked out stuffed. It's not cheap (A$300+ each) but worth every bite.

  • Ichiran

    Ramen · Shibuya

  • Iwasa Sushi

    Sushi · Toyosu Market

    On our list: a hot tip from a restaurant critic mate. It's at Toyosu Market, where Tsukiji's inner market moved in 2018.

  • Kagari 銀座 篝

    Ramen · Ginza

    On our list: thick chicken paitan. A suggestion we didn't get to last time.

  • Kaoriya Soba

    Soba · Ebisu

    On our list: a small, traditional soba shop.

  • Kizuna Sushi

    Sushi · Kabukichō

    'The tuna is ridiculously good; you must try the grilled tuna chin,' says my mate Adam.

  • L’Effervescence

    Fine Dining · Nishi-Azabu

    Wow! Jax's parents raved and they were right: amazing service, an incredible showcase of local produce and makers, and a great wine pairing. Not cheap, so book well ahead.

  • Masakichi

    Yakitori · Meguro

    'Hands-down the best yakitori I've ever eaten,' says my mate Adam. The chicken and binchotan come from the chef's hometown. Book ahead.

  • Maze Soba Mitsuboshi

    Ramen · Koyama, Shinagawa

    Our last meal of the 2019 trip and possibly the best: 'dry' ramen, sort of like a Japanese carbonara, and so warming on a cold day. The Ebisu shop closed, and it reopened in January 2026 for lunch in Koyama, Shinagawa.

  • Men'an Chitose

    Ramen · Ichigaya

    Found while chasing tantanmen: thick, spicy and finished with sansho pepper and dried shrimp. It's a tiny counter with no English menu, so know your order before you go.

  • Mikawa Zezankyo

    Tempura · Monzen-Nakachō

    On our list for tempura next time.

  • Misoya Hachiro

    Ramen · Nishi-Shinjuku

    On our list for next time: miso tonkotsu ramen.

  • Mon Cher Ton Ton

    Teppanyaki · Yūrakuchō

    Classic teppanyaki done right in 2023: entertaining chefs, amazing beef and a standout lobster miso. Heads-up: our prepayment was only a hold, and we paid in full at the end.

  • Nakiryu

    Ramen · Ōtsuka

    One of the best ramen I've ever had: a Michelin-starred tantanmen that's somehow rich and light at once. Since 2024 you get a same-day ticket from a tablet at the shop from 8am, so no more 1.5-hour queue.

  • Niku Soba Fukurou

    Ramen · Nishi-Shinjuku

    A lucky 2023 find on a laundry walk near our hotel. Soba-style noodles that eat like ramen; I went back twice and preferred the classic chicken to the spicy red miso.

  • Oumigenji 近江源氏

    Shabu-shabu · Kabukichō

    Shabu-shabu with Omi wagyu. Lots of fun, and the beef was amazing.

  • Rokurinsha

    Tsukemen · Tokyo Station

    Can be tricky to find inside Tokyo Station: head to Tokyo Ramen Street, B1F near the Yaesu exit. Thick, rich tsukemen and worth the queue. Go at breakfast for a shorter line.

  • Seirinkan

    Pizza · Nakameguro

    On our list: they only do a pomodoro or a margherita. Get the margherita.

  • Seito Masamune Tantanmen Tsujita

    Ramen · Kanda

    Chasing tantanmen, I found this gem. You pick your spice level (I went medium and could've gone hotter), there's a proper Sichuan-pepper tingle, and a side of mapo tofu and rice. No queue at 11.30am.

  • Sushi Aoki

    Sushi · Ginza

    On our list: very well written up and loved.

  • Sushi Arai

    Sushi · Ginza

    On our list: a highly rated Ginza sushi counter. A great tip from a mate.

  • Sushi Sawada

    Sushi · Ginza

    On our list: very well written up and loved.

  • Sushi Ya

    Sushi · Ginza

    Our one big sushi splurge in 2019: seven seats at the counter with a young sushi master who spoke great English. Expensive, but one of those Japanese experiences you need to have.

  • Tempura Fukamachi

    Tempura · Kyōbashi

    On our list for tempura next time.

  • Tempura Kondo

    Tempura · Ginza

    On our list for tempura next time.

  • Tempura Shinjuku Tsunahachi Souhonten

    Tempura · Shinjuku

    Honestly just okay: we were seated out the back with the apprentice, it was pricey and the vibe was flat, but the beer was bloody cold and creamy. A concierge tip I wouldn't repeat.

  • Tonsui

    Tonkatsu · Shimokitazawa

    A tiny eight-seat tonkatsu shop run by a couple for 40 years. Get the cheese tonkatsu, then hit the second-hand shops nearby. Tip from a restaurant critic mate.

  • Yakitori Imai

    Yakitori · Jingūmae

    Happy to pay a premium and not have to choose your chicken cuts? This is your spot. Tasty, delicious chicken, and the veg options were a highlight. Pours are small, so get a bottle (lots of fun wines). Not cheap, and not a down-and-dirty yakitori joint.

  • Yakitori Ton Ton

    Yakitori · Yūrakuchō

    Yakitori under the train tracks: look for the big carved wooden pig out the front. A tip from a restaurant critic mate.

  • Yakumo Saryō

    Kaiseki · Yakumo, Meguro

    Our 2019 fine-dining moment with Jax's parents: hospitality to a tee, built around a monthly seasonal ingredient (fugu when we went). Dinner usually needs an introduction or an earlier breakfast or lunch visit.

  • Yoroniku

    Yakiniku · Ebisu

    A great way to try lots of wagyu cuts, grilled in front of you by your server. The 'silky loin' was the best. Book early if you want the omakase.

Drink

Do

Shop

Stay

Tips

Getting there and around

Fly into Haneda or Narita. Tokyo Station is the shinkansen hub when you are heading on to Kyoto or anywhere else on the bullet train. None of these are places to 'do'. They are how you arrive and how you leave.

Subway. It is less daunting than it looks. Use the larger ticket machines with a screen and an English option. Plan the trip in Google Maps first so you know the time, the entrance and the best exit. Stations and trains usually have free wifi.

Taxi. Have the address in Japanese. We screenshot Google Maps, Japanese address and all, and showed the driver. That worked. Look for English-speaking or foreigner-friendly signs. There are also women-only taxis. I only saw one.

Money and tipping

Have cash. A lot of smaller shops and ramen ticket machines still want yen, even where cards are catching on.

Tipping isn't part of eating out in Japan. Don't leave money on the table.

Etiquette

Tokyo and Kyoto share this Japan etiquette. The same notes apply in both cities.

Some key Japanese etiquette tips, particularly around dining, that are worth sticking to when you eat out in Japan, and especially at the more high-end places.

Don't double book. Plan ahead (that is what this guide is for) and don't put yourself on waitlists you may not make if the other booking comes through. Use a hotel concierge, a friend who speaks Japanese, or a booking service such as Omakase (https://www.omakase-japan.jp/en) or Tableall (https://www.tableall.com/).

Arrive early. Get there 5–10 minutes before your reservation, but not too early. Punctuality matters.

Allergies and aversions. Tell the restaurant when you book, so there is time to plan. You should do this wherever you are dining.

Dress. Smart casual. No shorts, no singlets, no thongs. Same idea as the sign at an RSL back home. Keep it sharp.

No perfume. This matters at a sushi counter. The meal is a sensory thing, the rooms are small, and you don't want to fill the room with it.

Voices. This one is hard for me, because I am loud. In Japan people are respectful of everyone else's space. Keep it down. There are moments when it is expected to be lively, like a few too many sakes with the locals at a small izakaya. Don't be the westerner who is kuuki yomenai (can't read the air).

Photos and phones. Ask before the camera comes out. A lot of places would rather you eat the food at its best than five minutes later, after the photos. Many rooms are phone-free. Don't take calls at the table or the counter. No flash, and no photos or video that include other guests. Keep the phone on silent.

Eat it when it lands. Sushi and tempura need to be eaten straight away. Don't wait for the rest of the table. If yours arrives first, eat it.

Countertops. If you are at the counter, don't rest a phone, camera or bag on it. A lot of them are serious wood or stone, and that space is for the food.

Chopsticks. Use the rest when you are not eating. Don't stand them upright in the rice. That is a funeral rite, and it is incredibly disrespectful.

Sushi. Chopsticks for the tsumami (the appetiser). Hands or chopsticks for nigiri, whichever you are less likely to drop. I use my hands. Eat a piece of nigiri in one bite. The sushi is already seasoned, so don't add soy unless you are told to, and then only dip the fish. Ginger (gari) is a palate cleanser between courses, not a topping. The wet towel stays with you so you can wipe your fingers between bites.

Tempura. Salt, tentsuyu (the dipping sauce) and lemon will be on the table, or a selection of them. Ask which one goes with which piece if it isn't clear. The grated radish is a palate cleanser, and you can add it to the tentsuyu. The shime, the last dish, tells you the meal is ending. At a tempura counter that is often tendon, tencha or kakiage. When I have had yakitori, the shime has been a small bowl of light chicken soup.

Ramen ticket machines. A lot of ramen shops take payment at a machine before you sit down. Insert your yen or you won't be able to order.

Markets. Don't eat and walk. Most stalls have a spot to stand and eat, and walking off with the food offends the vendors. Same with a drink in your hand. Don't eat one stall's food in front of another stall.

Queues. People wait in an orderly line for a train, a bus, a bowl of ramen or the till. On the escalator, follow the locals: stand on the left, pass on the right.

Groups. More than three of you and you probably won't be at the counter. You'll be at a table if there is one.

Smoking. You can still smoke inside at a lot of bars. I don't love it, but the ventilation is usually decent, and some places are non-smoking or have a smoking section.

A few phrases I actually use. People warm up if you have a go, and most will switch to English if they can. Good morning: ohayo (gozaimas). Good evening: konbanwa. Thank you: arigato. Please: kudasai. Yes: hai. No: iie. Sorry: gomen nasai. Excuse me: sumimasen. Do you speak English: eigo o hanasemasu ka. I'd like a beer please: biru o onegai shimasu. Same again: okawari. What's that: sore wa nan desu ka. Where is the toilet: toire wa doko desu ka. The bill please: okanjo o kudasai. Let's go: iko. I don't understand: wakarimasen. Please take me here, shown with a map screenshot: made onegai shimasu.

Download Google Translate and the Japanese pack for offline use before you go. iPhone: https://apps.apple.com/au/app/google-translate/id414706506 Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.translate

References I still use: https://savorjapan.com/ https://www.tableall.com/ https://www.omakase-japan.jp/en https://jw-webmagazine.com/ https://www.eater.com/maps/best-tokyo-restaurants https://www.japan-guide.com/

Safety

The cities feel very safe. The things that actually get you into trouble are the small ones: standing chopsticks in rice, eating while you walk through a market, and not watching your bag on a packed train. Take your shoes off where you see other people doing it, and carry your rubbish with you until you find a bin. There aren't many on the street.