Snacking in Tokyo

In addition to all the great restaurants we dined at during our travels to Tokyo, Japan, we also had a chance to grab snacks along the way.  Check it out!

Travels to Tokyo, Japan

Tokyo is the capital of Japan and the largest metropolitan area in the world.  It is the seat of the Japanese government and has been described as one of the three "command centers" for the world economy, along with New York City and London.  Today, Tokyo offers a seemingly unlimited choice of shopping, entertainment, culture and dining to its visitors.  As a foodie, I was excited to visit this city as the Michelin Guide has awarded Tokyo by far the most Michelin stars of any city in the world.

Wakaba

On our last day in Tokyo, we had some time to kill before leaving for the airport and so we went back to the Tsukiji Market area one last time.  Along the main street outside the market area are more food vendors in makeshift stalls selling sushi and noodle dishes.  It was just before 10am, yet most places were already packed with businessmen eating a late breakfast.  I spotted steaming bowls of fresh ramen being served by Wakaba and convinced Keith to stop so we could each get a bowl.

Kyubey

Founded in 1935, Kyubey is a high-end sushi restaurant in between the Ginza and Shimbashi districts of Tokyo, Japan that has been named as one of the ten best restaurants in Asia.  We were inspired to try Kyubey after reading a post from the Tiny Urban Kitchen.  She wrote: "Yosuke Imada is the second generation chef-owner and has won numerous awards for his restaurant, including a Michelin star back in 2008. In fact, Chef Imada is obsessed with freshness and quality that he makes sure Kyubey serves only local, Japanese fish. There are no imports here but over 40 types of local wonders. Being one of the biggest players in the fish market (Tsujiki Fish Market is less than a 10 minute walk away), Kyubey has access to some of the top picks at the fish market, and Imada makes sure he gets it." 

Cafe Hula Hawaii

We planned a little day trip this Friday and took an hour train ride southeast from Tokyo to the beach town of Kamakura.  In between sight-seeing we were hungry for lunch and spotted Cafe Hula Hawaii located on the corner of the main train station.  Having grown up in Hawaii, I was intrigued - "Hawaiian food? In Japan?... Let's check it out."

Tsunahachi Honten

Founded by Kyuzo Shimura in 1923, Tsunahachi Honten opened its doors ushering in the restaurant's long and illustrious history in the Shinjuku area of Tokyo, Japan. Honten means "original shop" and is housed in a traditional, albeit extended building that was pretty easy to find. "Serving delicious tempura to as many customers as possible," is their motto.

Sobakichi Shimmarubiru (ソバキチ ～新丸ビル～)

Sobakichi Shimmarubiru is located on the seventh floor of an office building called the Shin-Marunouchi Building, near the Imperial Palace in Tokyo.  The commercial zone building is based on the concept of "having a delightful time" and hosts approximately 150 distinctive shops and restaurants. We found Sobakichi on the building's main directory outside as a "last resort-we are starving-let's just go somewhere" lunch spot.  Offering mainly soba and udon noodles from 650-1300 JPY, there are also cheaply priced deep-fried skewers of fish, vegetables and meats starting at just 150 JPY per skewer.

Momi & Toy's Creperie

Momi & Toy’s Creperie is a "non-franchise crepes outlet" with 80 shops in Japan, 3 in Shanghai and 6 in Taipei. We found one at the underground Shiodome area in Tokyo, near our hotel and stopped in for breakfast one morning.  It was on our way to the Shinbashi Subway station and had patio seating that looked welcoming.

Gonpachi

If the screen shots of Uma Thurman in a yellow jumpsuit didn't clue you in, Gonpachi is the place that inspired the Lucy Liu sequence in Kill Bill (think Charlie Brown and the Crazy 88). Located in the middle of Roppongi, one of the busiest and foreign friendly parts of Tokyo, the building itself is almost quaint outside with a nice garden, some seats with umbrellas, but nothing flashy hinting at the sprawling room inside.

Tsukiji Market

Tsukiji Market is the biggest wholesale fish and seafood market in the world and also one of the largest wholesale food markets of any kind. The market is located in Tsukiji in central Tokyo (just east of Ginza), and is a major attraction for foreign visitors. The market is located near the Tsukijishijō Station on the Toei Ōedo Line and Tsukiji Station on the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line.

Umai Sushikan (うまい鮨勘)

It may sound odd to have sushi for breakfast, but that was our goal for our first full day in Tokyo.  Umai Sushikan is situated in the shopping area inside Tsukiji Market. The fish market has become quite a popular tourist destination, though signs are placed everywhere reminding one that it is a real place of business - so don't get in their way.  We woke up pretty early, and headed out towards the market that opens at 9am.  We walked around the little alleyways and looked at the various shops before checking out the few restaurant options.  Some had longer lines that others.  None of the places had names in English, so we took a stab and picked one that Keith thought he recognized from his research.

Rangetsu

In June 2011, Rangetsu celebrated its 65th anniversary of operations in the heart of the Ginza district of Tokyo, Japan where it began in 1947 as a family operation founded by Mr. Masanori Konaka. In Japanese Rangetsu means "Orchid Moon" and thus defines the soft and romantic spirit of the restaurant.  We arrived in Tokyo on a Tuesday afternoon and after getting settled in to our hotel, we freshened up and went to the Ginza district to walk around.  This area is next to the financial district and is filled with many high-end stores and restaurants. Keith had done all the dining research before our trip and picked Rangetsu for us to try.