Are you a foodie planning to visit Tokyo soon and trying to explore the best street food spots? Look no further, we have got you covered. In this article, we will introduce you to the Best Tokyo Street Food Spots that offer authentic and delicious Japanese cuisine. From traditional markets to shopping streets, these places are sure to entice your taste buds and provide you with an unforgettable culinary experience.
1. Ameya Yokocho
Ameya Yokocho, also known as “Candy Store Alley,” is a lively market located in Ueno. It’s famous for its wide variety of food stalls offering fresh seafood, fruits, sweets, and snacks. Visitors can indulge in savory dishes like yakitori, okonomiyaki, takoyaki, and ramen, or satisfy their sweet tooth with mochi, taiyaki, and other Japanese desserts.
2. Tsukiji Market
Tsukiji Market, the world’s largest seafood market, is a must-visit destination for seafood lovers. The market offers an array of fresh seafood and sushi options that are hard to find elsewhere. Tuna auctions take place in the early morning, and visitors can get a glimpse of the action by arriving at the market before sunrise.
3. Yanaka Ginza
Yanaka Ginza is a charming shopping street that offers a glimpse into old Tokyo. It’s lined with traditional shops selling handmade crafts, souvenirs, and street food. Visitors can try local specialties like senbei (rice crackers), manju (sweet buns), and yakitori while exploring the quaint streets.
4. Harajuku
Harajuku, known for its vibrant fashion scene, is also home to some fantastic street food spots. Takeshita Street, one of the busiest streets in Harajuku, is lined with food stalls offering delicacies like crepes, cotton candy, and ice cream. Visitors can also try savory dishes like gyoza, yakisoba, and karaage.
5. Sugamo
Sugamo is a traditional shopping district located in the north of Tokyo. It’s known as “Grandma’s Harajuku” due to its popularity among older Japanese women. The area is home to numerous food stalls that offer local favorites like daifuku (sweet rice cakes), oyaki (stuffed buns), and yakitori.
6. Nakano Broadway Nakano Sun Mall
Nakano Broadway and Nakano Sun Mall are shopping complexes located in Nakano. They are a paradise for anime and manga fans but also offer various street food options. Visitors can try taiyaki, ramen, takoyaki, and other Japanese snacks while exploring the stores.
7. Sunamachi Ginza
Sunamachi Ginza is a lively shopping street located in East Tokyo. It’s known for its friendly atmosphere and traditional shops that have been in business for generations. Visitors can try tempura, soba noodles, and other classic Japanese dishes while exploring the street.
8. Musashi Koyama Shopping Street
Musashi Koyama Shopping Street is a bustling market located in Shinagawa. It’s known for its fresh seafood and seasonal produce, which vendors sell at affordable prices. Visitors can taste sushi, sashimi, and other seafood dishes or try local delicacies like tamagoyaki (rolled omelet) and karaage.
9. Togoshi Ginza
Togoshi Ginza is another traditional shopping street located in Tokyo’s southern ward. It’s known for its low-key vibe and local food stalls that offer mouth-watering snacks like yakitori, karaage, and gyoza. Visitors can also try Japanese sweets like wagashi and mochi.
10. Oyama Happy Road
Oyama Happy Road is a street located near Oyama Station in Adachi. It’s lined with food stalls that offer a mix of Japanese and international cuisine. Visitors can try tacos, burgers, and pizza or go for traditional dishes like yakitori and takoyaki.
11. Okonomiyaki – Japanese Savory Pancake
Okonomiyaki is a popular food in Osaka, Japan. It’s commonly referred to as “Japanese savory pancake” or “Japanese pizza”. This dish is unique because it allows you to grill it however you like it, which is where the name Okonomiyaki comes from – a combination of “as you like it” and “grill”.
Fluffy Kansai-style Okonomiyaki | best street food in tokyo
Okonomiyaki is a Japanese pancake that primarily consists of flour, and other ingredients can be added based on one’s taste and preference. Therefore, this dish offers a diverse range of options such as seafood, meat, eggs, vegetables, shrimp, octopus, squid, seaweed, and cabbage. It is typically served with nori, tonkatsu sauce, ginger, and sometimes Japanese mayo and fish.
Hiroshima Okonomiyaki | best street food in tokyo
Even Western countries have embraced the popularity of this delicious pancake that can be grilled to one’s liking..
12.Japanese Crepe
When you go to Harajuku, you will definitely come across crepe shops that are mainly found on Takeshita Street and have become a famous food symbol of this area. Japanese crepes are an excellent dessert creation in the world, surpassing even Dango!If you visit Harajuku, you will surely find crepe shops on Takeshita Street which have become a well-known food symbol of the area. Japanese crepes are an amazing dessert that is even better than Dango!
Can you picture a thin, well-cooked layer of pastry that’s been folded and stuffed with whipped cream, ice cream, matcha cake, and a mix of fresh fruits such as strawberries, bananas, blueberries, kiwis, or mangoes? To top it off, it’s decorated with chocolate sprinkles and other toppings. Doesn’t that sound interesting?
13. Watame – Japanese Cotton Candy
Watame cotton candy is usually packaged in bags printed with popular characters of Japanese animations and is often sold at Japanese festivals.
The Watame cotton candy is usually pink, has a velvety consistency and is very tasty. Unlike regular cotton candy that dissolves rapidly in your mouth, it turns into a gum-like texture when chewed, which is uncommon and intriguing. Japanese children highly desire this type of cotton candy.
14. Ikayaki (# best food to try in tokyo)
Ikayaki, a grilled squid dish, is a popular street food in Japan. It is made using various types of squids that come in different sizes. The serving size typically consists of the whole body, rings cut from the body, or parts of the tentacles skewered on a stick.
You can find numerous Ikayaki restaurants in the vicinity of Tsukiji fish market or in the Shinjuku area.
15. Yaki Imo – Roasted Sweet Potatoes
In Japan, during colder seasons, Yaki Imo is a popular street snack which involves roasting sweet potatoes over charcoal. These sweet potatoes have a reddish-purple skin and white flesh, but turn bright yellow when fully cooked. Yaki Imo is not only tasty and enjoyable, but also nutritious and healthy due to the delicate smoky flavor obtained from being roasted over wood/coal fire.
16.Tamagoyaki – Japanese Rolled Omelets (# must eat in tokyo)
Tamagoyaki is a Japanese style fried egg that involves rolling multiple layers of beaten eggs into a square shape using a special rectangular pan called makiyakinabe or tamagoyakiki.
There are several types of Tamagoyaki that combine eggs, sugar, and soy sauce. Some use sake and mirin. Others like “dashimaki tamago” use grated fish sauce and dashi seaweed, and yet some use pureed shrimp, grated mountain yams, sake to cook into a sticky paste.
Tamagoyaki often appears in Japanese-style boxed lunches. These days, it is not only a street food but also one of the most beloved and popular breakfast in Japan.
17. Yaki Tomorokoshi – Japanese Grilled Corn (# best japanese food tokyo)
Yaki Tomorokoshi, which is also called grilled corn, is prepared by putting it on a bamboo stick and adding miso, soy sauce, butter, and salt. The process of making Tomorokoshi follows a traditional Japanese method that involves using basic ingredients with great care and attention..
To prepare Japanese grilled corn, the husk is removed or tied back to create a handle. The corn is then placed on an oiled grill and often brushed with soy sauce for added flavor. Many people consider this version of grilled corn to be the best worldwide..
18. Yakitori – Japanese Skewered Chicken/Seafood (# Tokyo Street Food )
Yakitori is a Japanese style of skewered chicken or seafood and vegetables. You can find Yakitori everywhere in Tokyo. The delicious smell, the crispy outside and soft sweet inside of the chicken and seafood together with draft beer or sake are perfect for street snacking or dining with your friends.
You can relish Yakitori at any time of the day as most Yakitori spots operate from morning to late night. Tokyo has numerous such places, but if you want to have the best Yakitori experience, head to Omoide Yokocho (Memory Lane or Piss Alley) in Shinjuku.
19. Shioyaki – Japanese grilled salted fish (# must eat food in Tokyo)
Shioyaki is grilled salted fish, either mackerel or salmon. And as the name suggests, the seasoning of this dish is often nothing but salt. Therefore, it is quite salty.
First, the fish undergoes a cleaning process before being salted for 20 minutes. After that, it is skewered on a stick for grilling. Shioyaki complements various foods such as rice and miso soup, but it may not be suitable for people who do not like salty food. Nonetheless, it is delicious and worth a taste.
20.Yakisoba – Japanese Stir-fried Noodles (#Tokyo Street Food blog)
Yakisoba is a popular noodle dish in Japan, made by stir-frying ramen noodles with sliced pork and vegetables such as cabbage, onions, and carrots. It is a variation of Chinese fried vermicelli and has a unique flavor due to the addition of yakisoba sauce, salt, pepper, seaweed powder, pickled ginger, fish scales, and mayonnaise. The thick sweet sauce used in Yakisoba is similar to oyster sauce.
Yakisoba is widely accessible in Japan, ranging from street vendors and budget-friendly eateries to high-end restaurants. It has gained popularity as a tasty and healthy breakfast option. Additionally, you can purchase Yakisoba in a box and consume it outdoors, such as in a park or while waiting for a train at a station.
21.Taiyaki – Japanese Fish-shaped Pastry (# food must eat in tokyo)
Taiyaki is a popular snack that resembles a cute sea bream fish and is known for its sweet and crispy outer layer. It is filled with tasty options such as red bean, custard, chocolate or cheese.
22. Mochi (# must try food in tokyo)
Mochi is a classic Japanese dessert made of sticky rice flour that has a soft and chewy texture outside and a sweet filling inside, such as sakura and matcha or red bean paste. It has always been a treat that brings families and friends together, representing good fortune, success, and most importantly, unity and happiness.
If you go to Tokyo, don’t miss the chance to taste this cake which is skillfully made with great attention to detail and comes in a variety of shapes and flavors that are both sweet and savory. You can indulge your love of sweets by trying handmade mochi at the food stalls near Ueno Park or by purchasing this delicacy at various cafes throughout Tokyo..
22.Takoyaki – Grilled Octopus Balls
Takoyaki is a beloved and very “addictive” Tokyo street food. It is a ball-shaped snack which some people call “Octopus Dumplings” or “Grilled Octopus Balls”.
The filling of Takoyaki contains chopped octopus that can be combined with other ingredients, seasoned with spices and sauce. Its crunchy outer layer is made from a blend of Dashi stock, flour, baking powder, eggs, salt, and soy sauce. Takoyaki is commonly served with mayonnaise, seaweed, and scallions, and pairs well with beer or other alcoholic drinks..
You can find Takoyaki at various places such as street vendors, convenience stores, supermarkets, food courts, and specialized restaurants. It is an inexpensive and delicious snack.
23.Kyuri Sticks (# tokyo best street food)
Kyuri is usually served with a layer of miso on top. Take a bite and you will enjoy the cool, lightly sweet and wonderful taste.
24. Gyoza
Age GyozaJapanese Gyoza, originated from Chinese dumplings called Jiaozi, has an attractive crispy bottom of the outer layer wrapping the delicious inside with the flavor of lots of stuff such as wood ear, minced pork, onions, Nari chives, cabbage, ginger, garlic, etc. blended to create the famous Gyoza dish.
There are three main cooking methods for Gyoza: pan-fried, boiled/steamed, and fried. It’s a simple dish to prepare and tasty to eat, so it’s popular with many people. Gyoza can be found in various locations throughout Tokyo, including ramen shops, Chinese restaurants, and street food stalls.
25. Kakigori
Kakigori is a delicious summer treat that consists of thinly-shaved ice flavored with syrup, sweetened condensed milk or ice cream. It’s simple, smooth, and has a pleasant taste.
This dessert comes in various fruit flavors such as strawberry, cherry, lemon, green tea, grape, and melon. Some places also offer unique flavors like “Blue Hawaii,” sweet plum, caramel, and chocolate. In some instances, the dish has multiple colors achieved by using different syrups simultaneously.
During summertime in Japan, Kakigori, a popular summer dessert, can be easily found at festivals, convenience stores, cafes, and restaurants across the country.
Final note
You don’t need to go to expensive restaurants with Michelin stars to fully enjoy Tokyo’s diverse cuisine culture. Popular modest eateries or street food stalls can give you the same experience.
There are so many great Japanese street foods to enjoy in Tokyo, and this post only lists the top ones recommended for you. With a very cheap price, you will see these dishes made before your eyes and enjoy them straight from the stove. Such an interesting and fascinating experience you should gain during your visit to the capital of Japan.
