2026 Tokyo Time Machine Exploring Old School Monzen Nakacho

The most wonderful tour of a beautiful area with a great mix of food, culture and history. Chika our guide was superb.

The food tour guided by Nicole in Monzen-Nakacho was easily one of the highlights of my time in Tokyo. The tour was really balanced in terms of eating and drinking a massive variety from varied shops and restaurants in the neighbourhood, and also very informative and interesting. Nicole was a great host - very friendly, easy going and knowledgeable & passionate about what she does. She has a great rapport with the business owners and the tour guests which makes for a really fun day out. I would definitely recommend you do this if you have an interest in food and exploring an area of the city in depth. I would walk back to Tokyo for some tuna spine.

There are two types of travelers- those who have discovered culinary backstreets and the others. My experience, with five others, was an education, a day long feast, and pleasure. Our guide, Chika Ito, exceeds all expectations- comprehensive culinary knowledge, spirited energy and passion, and maximizing group dynamics. If you are a serious foodie or simply eats regularly, grab a plate at this table. Perhaps expensive, but you get what you pay for. Good value. Food, drink and purveyors you would otherwise not likely to find.

I have done many Culinary Backstreet tours in various cities around the world starting when travel restarted after COVID. For our 4 day stop in Tokyo my wife and i did two of them, this one (Monzen Nakacho) and also the Yanesen tour. Both were great and I reviewed Yanesen in a different Entry. This tour was led by Chica who was fun and knowledgeable and she was well versed with the food and culture of the neighborhood having grown up in a nearby Tokyo area. The food and drink selections were really great, especially the sake shop where everyone voted for Macho of all the ones we tried. Also the cabbage based dish (I can't remember the name) we all cooked together on a grill at the table, was really great. If you like deep dives into the history, culture, and food of specific neighborhoods in Tokyo, CB is a great choice. If you just want to get stuffed you might have an expectation mismatch. CB costs more, but I think you get more.

We thoroughly enjoyed our tour. This was properly off the beaten tourist track. We tried things which were local to the area and which were different and delicious. Our guide Michelle was excellent and shared her knowledge and experience with great humour and passion.

We had such a wonderful experience on the “Tokyo Time Machine: Exploring Old School Monzen Nakacho” tour with Nicole! She was super sweet and made the whole experience feel relaxed and personal. We got to see a completely different side of Tokyo and loved exploring a neighborhood that felt authentic and not touristy at all. One of the highlights was getting to experience a temple ceremony and learning about the differences between temples and shrines. The food was amazing too! We tried delicious local foods, tasted plum wine for the first time (and absolutely loved it!), and learned about Japanese fermentation. We even got to taste different flavors created through the fermentation process, which was fascinating and completely new to us. Nicole also treated us to little snacks along the way, including roasted chestnuts and the BEST matcha mochi I’ve ever tasted! This tour was such a great mix of food, culture, history, and local experiences. Nicole was wonderful, and we came away feeling like we had seen a side of Tokyo we never would have discovered on our own. Highly recommend this tour!

Wonderful food tour with Chika! She sent a WhatsApp message the day before to make sure we knew how to travel to our meeting spot. We went to several places that were really unique and interesting including a temple for a fire ceremony. Chika provided background and explanations for each stop on our tour. We recommend this tour and Chika to others!

Wonderful experience with the knowledgeable and bubbly Nicole. We got to meet and talk with local restaurateurs and some customers. Saw areas, participated in temple event and tasted flavours we never would have otherwise. Highly recommended!

Chika was a fantastic guide. She was deeply knowledgeable about not only the food, but also about the culture, history and community associated with the cuisine. We learned so much walking in off-the-beaten path neighborhoods, and eating in beloved local spots with her! We met people who truly loved food and truly loved Japan. The experience was so much deeper than a tourist jaunt. It felt like a true gift of culture. Highly recommended!

We had a great time with Niki as our guide. This probably is one of the best guided tour we have as frequent international travels. The places they select and the varieties create a unforgettable experience. Niki is so knowledgeable about the area and so nice to share all the information. The portion of the food and drinks are very generous. Highly recommended.