Tokyo has more great food than you can eat in one trip. This list of Japanese dishes to try will help you read menus, choose where to eat and make sure you do not miss a favorite.
Quick answer
Do not miss: sushi, ramen, tempura, tonkatsu, yakitori and a convenience store onigiri.
Easy for first-timers: many restaurants have picture menus or ticket machines, and set meals (teishoku) come with rice, soup and pickles.
The classics
- Sushi: from conveyor-belt shops to counter restaurants. See How to eat sushi.
- Ramen: noodle soup in many styles, such as soy sauce (shoyu), miso, salt (shio) and rich pork bone (tonkotsu). See Ramen in Tokyo.
- Tempura: seafood and vegetables fried in a light batter. Try a tempura set or a tendon (tempura on rice).
- Soba and udon: buckwheat noodles and thick wheat noodles, hot or cold. Standing soba shops in stations are fast and cheap.
- Sukiyaki and shabu-shabu: thin slices of beef cooked at the table, sweet and savory in sukiyaki, light in shabu-shabu.
- Unagi: grilled eel glazed with a sweet sauce, served on rice.
Everyday favorites
- Tonkatsu: a breaded and fried pork cutlet with shredded cabbage.
- Gyudon: a bowl of rice topped with simmered beef. Chain shops serve it quickly at all hours.
- Japanese curry rice: a mild, thick curry, often with a tonkatsu on top (katsu curry).
- Yakitori: grilled chicken skewers, a classic at izakaya. See our izakaya guide.
- Gyoza and karaage: pan-fried dumplings and Japanese fried chicken.
- Onigiri: rice balls with fillings like salmon or tuna mayo, sold at every convenience store. See our convenience store guide.
Tokyo specialties
- Monjayaki: a runny savory pancake cooked on a hot plate, famous in Tsukishima.
- Edomae sushi: the Tokyo style of sushi. According to Tokyo’s official guide, nigiri sushi took shape in Edo, today’s Tokyo, in the 1800s, using fish from Edo Bay.
- Fresh seafood at Tsukiji: the outer market has seafood bowls and street snacks. See our Tsukiji and Toyosu guide.
- Depachika food: department store food halls with bento, sweets and gifts. See our depachika guide.
Sweets and drinks
- Wagashi: traditional sweets, often made with sweet bean paste, served with green tea.
- Matcha: powdered green tea, as a drink or in ice cream and desserts.
- Taiyaki and dango: a fish-shaped cake with a filling, and sweet rice dumplings on a stick.
- Sake and Japanese whisky: try them at an izakaya or a tasting.
Tips for eating out
- Look for a ticket machine at the entrance of ramen and gyudon shops: buy a ticket, then hand it to the staff.
- Lunch sets are often much cheaper than the same food at dinner.
- If you have a dietary need, see our vegetarian and halal guide.
- Read How to eat out in Tokyo for ordering, paying and manners.
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FAQ
What food is Tokyo famous for?
Sushi, especially the Edomae style, ramen, tempura, soba and monjayaki are all closely linked with Tokyo.
Is food in Tokyo expensive?
It does not have to be. Ramen, gyudon, soba and convenience store meals are cheap, and lunch sets are good value.
Do I need to tip in Tokyo restaurants?
No. Tipping is not expected in Japan.
Keep reading
Sources
Tokyo specialties and the history of Edomae sushi come from Tokyo’s official travel guide, GO TOKYO (checked November 5, 2026).
