Flavours of Tokyo: A Journey Through Time - Small Group Food Tour
Description
This 5.5 hours tour takes you on a journey through time, through food! Spanning three geographical districts of Tokyo and three periods of time this food tour covers the foundation of Japanese food and cooking (the Edo period), the most popular present-day foods in Japan and finishes in the future with some fusion twists on traditional flavours. Visit Nihonbashi, Ginza / Tokyo Station and Akihabara. Enjoy 14 Japanese food tastings. Come hungry! You will need to be able to walk at a reasonable pace in a group environment and should expect to walk about 6.5 km or 4 miles in total over the 5.5 hours. You will also need to be able to walk up and down a large of number of stairs at subway stations. If you are not able to meet the walking requirement, the small group tour is not suitable for you, please contact us to change to a private tour.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Starting in Nihonbashi, in the past, we will look at key ingredients and flavours that underpin Japanese food. We will learn about Dashi, the stock that forms the base of many Japanese dishes. We will focus in on two key ingredients; Katsuobushi and Kelp. From there we will enjoy some traditional Japanese snacks that have been eaten for generations. Satsuma-age (fried fish cake), Amazake (a healthy fermented rice drink), Imo Kenpi (sweet potato chips) and Daifuku (glutinous rice mochi with a sweet filling). All of the shops that we have chosen have been carefully curated. All are over 100 years old, several date back to the Edo period itself!
Nihonbashi Bridge
Fukutoku Shrine: Discover the differences between Shrines and Temples. Learn how to cleanse your spirit and pray at a shrine.
Arriving into Ginza / Yurakucho we learn about how Japan industrialised after the war. With industrialisation came Salarymen and with Salarymen came Gado Shita’s (small bars and restaurants built under the railway tracks) to serve the working men before their commute home. We will eat and drink like Salarymen at an Izakaya (Japanese style pub) and noodle stall under the tracks. On our menu we have Yakitori (grilled meat on skewers), a Sour (an alcoholic drink which is unique to Japan) and tempura soba or curry udon ( noodle soup dishes).
Arriving into Ginza / Yurakucho we learn about how Japan industrialised after the war. With industrialisation came Salarymen and with Salarymen came Gado Shita’s (small bars and restaurants built under the railway tracks) to serve the working men before their commute home. We will eat and drink like Salarymen at an Izakaya (Japanese style pub) and noodle stall under the tracks. On our menu we have Yakitori (grilled meat on skewers), a Sour (an alcoholic drink which is unique to Japan) and tempura soba or curry udon ( noodle soup dishes).
From the railway tracks of Ginza and Yurakcho, we stroll to Tokyo Station calling in at the impressive International Forum Building on the route.
Kitte Building
At Tokyo Station we will try some foods popularly eaten on a commute home; Tamagoyaki (Japanese omelette) and a Fruits Sando (Japanese milk bread sandwich filled with fresh fruits and whipped cream).
At Tokyo Station we will try some foods popularly eaten on a commute home; Tamagoyaki (Japanese omelette) and a Fruits Sando (Japanese milk bread sandwich filled with fresh fruits and whipped cream).
Arriving in Akihabara, an area famous for its many electronics shops, Maid Cafes and Anime culture, we consider the future of food in Japan. We will be trying a selection of desserts which combine traditional foods or flavours with a modern fusion twist. In addition to our three fusion desserts, we will discuss Akihabara’s prominence in bringing new technology, ideas and subcultures to Japan.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- You will be granted a full refund (excluding booking and administration charges) if you cancel more than 24 hours in advance of your tour. There are no refunds if you do not turn up for the tour or if you are late for the tour.
- You will need to be able to walk at a reasonable pace in a group environment and should expect to walk about 6.5 km or 4 miles in total over the 5.5 hours. You will also need to be able to walk up and down a large of number of stairs at subway stations. If you are not able to meet the walking requirement, the small group tour is not suitable for you, please contact us to change to a private tour.
Reviews(157)
A combination of sightseeing and tastings in three different neighborhoods of the city. We enjoyed Andrew‘s insight and his expertise. Thirteen year old says: “Very knowledgeable guide, great locations, interesting.” And he wants to go back to the same udon place for lunch today.
Hi! Thank you so much for for your kind review! We’re delighted to hear you enjoyed the combination of sightseeing and tastings across three different neighborhoods, and that Andrew was able to make the day both insightful and enjoyable for your family. It’s wonderful to know his guidance stood out. We especially loved hearing your 13-year-old’s feedback—and that the udon spot made such a strong impression! Thank you again for your kind words and recommendation. We hope to welcome you back for another memorable Tokyo experience in the future!
Yasu was such a lovely guide. He was very thoughtful in choosing locations to visit in Tokyo for us. He shared wonderful historical information which we loved. He was extremely knowledgeable and very kind. His love for Tokyo showed! Having him meet us at your hotel and return us to our hotel eliminated any type of worry trying to navigate Tokyo on our own! It was an amazing 5 hour private tour. I’d highly recommend booking a private guided tour with Yasu.
Hi T, thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re delighted to hear that you had such an enjoyable experience with Yasu. It’s great to know he was thoughtful in planning your route and that you appreciated the mix of historical insights and modern Tokyo highlights. We’re also glad the hotel pick-up and drop-off made your day more comfortable and stress-free—especially when exploring a busy city like Tokyo. We’ll be sure to pass your kind words on to Yasu. Thank you again for your recommendation, and we hope to welcome you on another tour in the future!
Andrew is thebideal guide for this tour. His knowledge experience and dedication was incredible. He never rushed, get ready for a long day full of experiences.
Hi! Thank you so much for your kind review! We’re delighted to hear that you had such a great experience with Andrew. It’s wonderful to know you enjoyed a full and immersive day without feeling rushed. We’ll be sure to pass your kind words along to Andrew. We hope to welcome you again on another tour in the future!
Really excellent. Yuma was a great guide who knew so much and was very personable company. I would highly recommend this tour.
Hello! Thank you very much for your review! We are very happy to know that you had a really excellent food tour with Yasu! We appreciate your recommendation and we look forward to accommodating you on another tour soon!
Amazing food tour! Our tour guide Yasu was great. Very knowledge about the areas, food, and culture
Hello! Thank you very much for your review. We are very glad to know that you enjoyed your food tour with Yasu! We hope to welcome you again on another tour soon!
What a fantastic day we had with Miko! She had carefully planned a really interesting day - taking us to quality, local food businesses - treasures way beyond the scope of what the ubiquitous instagram folk are recommending - we were treated like guests and got to try so many interesting foods - Im still enjoying some of the packaged delicacies I bought home -
Hello! Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re delighted to hear that you had such a fantastic day with Miko. It’s great to know you enjoyed the variety of foods—and that you’re still enjoying the treats you brought home! We’ll be sure to share your kind words with Miko. We hope to welcome you again on another tour in the future!
Absolutely fabulous tour. Our group of 3 friends did this tour whilst in Tokyo and it was a highlight of our 5 days in the city. Our guide Miko was fantastic - knowledgeable and passionate about the history of Japanese food. The tour was in 3 stages taking us from food of the past, to food of the present and ending with food of the future. Each stage was in a different area of Tokyo. We tried so many different types of foods that we would never have found on our own. Everything we tasted was absolutely delicious. You certainly will not need dinner after this tour! I’d highly recommend this tour to anyone in Tokyo who wants to learn a little more about the history of Japanese food or those who simply love food.
Hi Brian! Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re absolutely delighted to hear that the tour was a highlight of your time in Tokyo. It’s great to know that you enjoyed the “past, present, and future” concept of the experience and had the chance to explore different areas of the city through its food. Miko will be so happy to hear your kind words. We’re also glad you discovered new dishes you might not have tried on your own (and that you left very full!). Your recommendation means a lot to us, and we truly appreciate you taking the time to share your experience. We hope to welcome you again on another tour in the future!
Excellent food tour with Yasu. Our ten year old daughter said it was the best food tour she's ever been on!
Hello! Thank you very much for your kind review! We are very happy to hear that you had an excellent food tour with Yasu and that your ten year old daughter feel it was the best food tour she's ever been on! We will surely pass along your kind comments to Yasu. We hope to welcome you on another tour soon!
Great tour, Yasu is an excellent tour guide, very knowledgeable, easy to talk to, and very friendly. Absolutely loved the tour, learnt so much about Tokyo and Japan.
Hello! Thank you for your wonderful review! We’re delighted to hear you enjoyed the tour and learned so much with Yasu—he’ll be thrilled to know his guidance and friendliness made your experience so enjoyable.
It was very refreshing to be introduced to the past (Nihonbashi), present (Tokyo Station) and future (Akihabara) of Tokyo on a food tour. I also really enjoyed the simple and easy-to-understand explanation of the guide MIKO, and the food selection at each store, which I don't even know about. The four guests were pro-Japanese, very friendly and knew Japan well. Thank you very much for letting me experience it. MIKO-san has been a guide for about two years, and I thought his knowledge was really amazing.
素敵なレビューをありがとうございます！東京の過去・現在・未来を体験いただけて、そしてMikoの説明や食のセレクションを楽しんでいただけたとのこと、とても嬉しいです。Mikoも皆さまの温かいお言葉に大変喜ぶと思います。また東京でお会いできる日を楽しみにしています！