Tokyo Food Tours and Cooking Classes: Types and How to Choose

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Practical guide

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A food tour or a cooking class is one of the easiest ways to understand Japanese food. A local guide helps you order, explains what you are eating and takes you to places you might not find alone. Here are the main types and how to choose.

Types of food tours

• Night izakaya tours: a guide takes a small group to several bars in areas like Shinjuku’s Omoide Yokocho or Shibuya. Good if you are shy about ordering. See our izakaya guide.
• Tsukiji Outer Market tours: morning tours with tastings of seafood, tamagoyaki and snacks. See our Tsukiji guide.
• Neighborhood tours: walking tours with street food in areas such as Asakusa or Yanaka.
• Sake tastings: learn the main types of sake with small samples.

Types of cooking classes

• Sushi making: learn to make nigiri and rolls, then eat what you make.
• Ramen and gyoza: make noodles or dumplings from scratch.
• Home cooking: classes in a home kitchen with everyday dishes like miso soup and rolled omelet.
• Wagashi: shape seasonal Japanese sweets and enjoy them with tea.

How to choose

• Check what is included: number of stops, food and drinks, and whether there is a vegetarian option.
• Look at the group size. Small groups are easier for asking questions.
• Check the meeting point and the cancellation policy before you book.
• Tell the organizer about allergies or dietary needs in advance. See our vegetarian and halal guide.

Two evening izakaya tours we checked

If you want to start with an izakaya night, these two tours on Klook were rated 4.9 out of 5 when we checked. Both take about three hours with an English-speaking guide.

• Shinjuku: an izakaya and bar crawl around Omoide Yokocho, Golden Gai and Kabukicho.
• Shibuya: an evening crawl of local bars and izakaya.

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