Tokyo and Surroundings General Thread

[Bagel]

Given the amount of threads related to Japan and how diverse the conversations can be I thought I’d go ahead and kick off a thread to just discuss Tokyo and surrounding areas. Not sure how many posts I myself will be able to get in for my current trip so consider this aspirational as well.

I’ll start off with some recent pizza in Tokyo. Pics in medium size.

I believe this one is from Savoy Tomato and Cheese.

This one should be Seirinkan.

I went to another Savoy location before that served lunch combo. Not sure if it’s still available but tomato and cheese was the one open today. For Sei regulars, a familiar face was working here today. Seirinkan was a first for me.

I ended up getting the same menu at each place. Insalata verde, marinated octopus, and marinara pizza.

The insalata verde was to get my greens in. Seirinkan was basic and almost not worth but I liked the dressing more. Savoy was better prepped. Octopus I’d give to seirinkan. A fellow diner let me try a piece of his and I thought it was quite good and had a lot of octopus in the order. Savoy was half veggies which were great but maybe not as much value (though I didn’t see the price at seirinkan).

Now marinara pizza: I think seirinkan was better for my taste. However, of note is that seirinkan was priced at 2.5k jpy I think vs 1.6k at savoy. Pretty significant price differential. However, of all pizza in Tokyo I’m right now drawn to wanting to go back to marumo right now more than returning to either. For reference, I actually think I liked Sei’s marinara more than savoy or seirinkan.

FYI, seirinkan was not too bad a wait on I think a Monday. Seats in front with plenty of shade. Vs savoy which was at least 30+ minutes in no shade on a Thursday. One of the staff was telling another customer that Mondays after 1 pm might work better. There’s more than one savoy shop and they have different close days. However, they’re both open on Monday. Also there can be a gap in people coming in or just less people at 1 pm. There were definitely a few spots open at around that time, though by the time I left they had filled and there was a line out the door again.

[J_L]

Good idea for a thread!

[Probangbanger]

I miss that “familiar face” person so much
Like a big brother but silly enough to be a friend.

[Bagel]

I didn’t want to bug him because things were so busy but he was a pizza making machine! Looking forward to if/when he opens his own place.

[Bagel]

Overall thread update but went to Marumo and confirmed they are my favorite Marinara in Tokyo. Also tried Japanese umami and that was good (great on the second slice) but I have a significant personal bias for red sauce.

[Bagel]

Splitting this out into its own post but I had the fortune of visiting a few awesome coffee places this time. And now it turns into rambling.

Apollons Gold - Akasaka store

I heard this is a great roaster online and they had a new store/roaster in Akasaka so decided to visit. The location is fairly convenient and the space is really nice (though I’ve been to ones that are better for enjoying coffee - actual tables vs fancy benches). There was surprisingly no line, but maybe it was the weather. I had an awesome pour over and immediately bought some coffee beans, though they had to dig in the back for that specific one. Would recommend.

Fuglen - Shibuya store

I’d previously done the three drink coffee tasting at the Sangubashi store (similar to the Glitch flight but more focused/less options with some fuglen specific twists) and was quite impressed. Didn’t have time for a full tasting this trip but did have some time to drop by the Shibuya store.

This store is interesting in that it opens rather late and transforms into a cocktail bar. I, however, grabbed an iced coffee and a pour over. The iced coffee was great. If you get a drink and sit in, you can order another drink without getting back in to the sometimes long line (or at least I was fine at the counter). Unfortunately, for pour over, they only offered aeropress at the time. A solid drink but I kind wish I could taste the actual pour over version. They have other locations and I’d probably consider them next time if I have time. It’s still a cool store to visit but I’d try other drinks if the aeropress is the only option for pour over. Or maybe I should try a different bean.

Onibus - Yakumo location

I’d previously gone to Onibus Nakameguro and came away thinking I missed something. Saw somebody on reddit mention having a great Rwanda and I was a modest walking distance from this location (I didn’t know they had so many) so decided to give the chain a second shot.

The shop is a little off the regular Tokyo track. But it was a very nice shop in a rather well to do residential area. They had a Rwanda and that’s what I got. A great pour over and the chain is back on my list after this cup.

Cokuun - Omotesando (location revealed only after booking)

I heard about this from Jack at endorffeine and had to give it a shot. It’s run/owned by some barista coffee champion types. Rather pricey for a coffee omakase, but I can see why as it’s a whole nother level of complexity. It’s pretty eye opening in many ways. The tastings are very small group (less seats than Hayato) and they approach coffee and coffee beans in a very different way from my experience. Over half the seating were a group including coffee professionals from China (specifically Shanghai - seemingly a Chinese megahub for coffee) where apparently coffee has gotten very serious very fast. Just listening to their discussion was super interesting. I was clearly the least serious of those there, but still very warmly welcomed. It was well worth it in my opinion but I think coming in with an open mind will be quite helpful. It’s unique enough an experience I’d prefer not to spoil more but I’m sure there’s plenty more nuanced discussions elsewhere online. Oh also it’s a beautiful space.

Leaves Coffee Roasters - Asakusa/Sumida

This is clearly a famous coffee roaster. My first experience with this roaster was at a Koffee Mameya Kakeru tasting but I’d otherwise have known from the line of foreign customers and the almost monk-like appearance and attitude of the main brewer. As another sign of Chinas coffee scene, I spoke with another coffee professional with a shop in ningbo standing next to me in line.

Anyways, I got there at roughly 3 PM and waited 30-40 minutes to order. And this was partially thanks to the couple in front of me bailing right before being seated for some reason. Though after 4 pm the seating does open up (shop closes at 5 though). I had 2 pour overs, both of which were absolutely delicious. They also have some pretty cool looking serving option involving milk, espresso, a thermometer, and evaluation of temperature changes. The brewer himself seems to use a more complex pour over recipe but I don’t think my understanding is good enough to properly relate what he said. Additional drinks do not require waiting in line. Nor does buying coffee beans. You just wait the line once and ask the staff if you have additional orders. The space itself is also pretty nice and well suited to enjoying coffee so long as you can ignore anybody anxiously waiting for a seat.

Honorable mention:

Camelback - Shibuya

Met a fellow frequent Tokyo traveler from Australia who showed me this coffee shop. A bit more of a coffee stand with food. Hidden away in the backstreets of shibuya. Had a nice iced americano. I’d consider it again were I to be in the area.

[Bagel]

Another late report from my last trip in May 2025, this time focusing on sake bars! I visited 4 places as follows:

Kiyoi - New to me
Tsumirino - New to me
Eureka
Nihonbashi Stand Moto

Kiyoi (Shibuya)

Google Link: Google Search
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/777.sake/?hl=en

This spot has been mentioned before on this forum by the departed sakenoguy. He’s also posted about this place elsewhere on the internet if you know where to look so it’s been on my list for quite some time.

It’s located in Shibuya, though a bit northwest from the main tourist area. I prefer this as just as you leave behind the crowds you get this cool little sake bar/izakaya. I walked in, I think on a weekday night, and no wait. All clientele was Japanese. I did not try to test their English but they post their calendar on their IG stories and they can accommodate Chinese and Korean on certain nights (I think that’s when staff that speak those languages are working).

Great sake selection and really friendly staff. They also had English menus available. I already had dinner and only ordered a snack but it was so good I wish I’d ordered more. Really great shop and I think it’s a really approachable and convenient option for seriously good sake if your Japanese is weaker. Definitely recommend reservations on potentially busy nights or if coming with a group. It’s a small shop.

Tsumirino (Sangenjaya)

Google: Google Search
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tsumirino_tamaki/

I don’t remember how I found out about this place except it was through Instagram. I think one of the sake accounts I follow really liked it? Anyways, there’s a few other sake-focused places in Sangenchaya and this wasn’t actually my first choice. Yes, down the road there’s the famous Akaoni but I didn’t want to call in a reservation. I was first thinking of Firenze, another spot highlighted by sakenoguy which features Italian cuisine paired with sake. Unfortunately it didn’t seem to be open for dinner the night I dropped by so I headed down the street to Tsumirino.

The proprietor runs it himself with the occasional help of a wait staff. He handles all the food and cooking in a counter setting. As typical with this sort of operation, the shop is rather small. I had no problem walking in early and was the only customer for a bit. The menu is not very approachable and I’m pretty sure there’s no English spoken. With all that said, you can run the menu through a translation app and I thought the food was pretty great and the sake selection was really really great. Food was a little more refined than your typical izakaya perhaps. Maybe not as many of the typical crowd pleasers with greater focus on dishes utilizing dashi. Dashi tamago, soups, etc. Also a great selection of oysters.

On to the biggest draw: the sake! Once you start looking at the sake menu and run it through your translation app, you’ll notice a lot of interesting names and descriptions. Apparently, this shop focuses on warmed and aged sake. It also seems to have quite a collection of rare sake, including some of the cult labels - though again focusing on aging. For that alone it might be worth a visit, despite the language barrier. They’re not the only warmed/aged sake place in town of course but I’m only able to talk about places I’ve visited so far.

Service was fine for me, though I checked the reviews and some apparently had not as pleasant experiences. I intend to return at least.

Eureka (Nishi Azabu)

Google: Google Search
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eureka.sake/?hl=en

I like this place and I try to drop by when I’m in Tokyo. The sake selection is great, the menu is available in English and made with more care, and the food is good. It is quite popular though.

For the first time, I saw somebody with a video setup recording themselves eating pretty much everything on the menu. This time the clientele was 80%+ foreigner and 100% foreigner by the time I left with a lot of walk-ins at a relatively full bar. In past visits, there was a native fluency English speaking staff. But this time she wasn’t present so the staff had a little more trouble dealing with the influx and had a tougher time juggling the crowd.

It’s still a great place, but I’d make a reservation and just have some patience with both the staff and the crowd.

Nihonbashi Stand Moto Kayabacho Store (Nihonbashi - Kayabacho station)

Google: Google Search
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nihonshustandmoto/

Another place I try to stop by when I’m in Tokyo. When I first dropped by ages ago, I understood it to be a stand-alone operation. I’ve since gotten the sense there is quite a number of connected stores and more recently confirmed that via their IG. They have a site now (that I hadn’t seen before) and you can see all the stores in the group here: モトインプレッションジャパン株式会社｜日本酒専門店・酛グループ｜オフィシャルサイト . As you can see, quite a few stores all over Tokyo. The Tokyo station one even has a Pocket Concierge page for dinners paired with sake (Moto Tokyo)!

Regardless, they always have a neat izakaya type menu. Unfortunately, no menu in English here. But if you want to rub elbows with locals this is another possibility. It is a standing bar, so no seats. I always just ask for recommendations but they have a fridge you can peer into and inquire about. The staff are always friendly and there is plenty of delicious sake to be had. I think they annually offer some special Aramasa bottles as well and guess that they likely typically have something from them on hand. It was pretty packed when I dropped by but they do have early starts if you’d like to get some early or mid-day drinking. And of course, now I know of even more options for great sake bars in Tokyo affiliated with them that I can consider for future trips.

This is also one of the more convenient shops being right outside the Kayabacho station. It is a little easy to miss though given how narrow the space is so pay close attention to your maps app and surroundings. Of these 4, the only one more convenient is Tsumirino right outside Sangenjaya station but the area it is in can be a little maze-like (which is fun in its own way).

Tip: As we all know, Japan doesn’t really do tipping. However, at most (if not all) bars, you can always treat your bartender to a drink! Something to consider when you’re having fun and, every time I’ve offered, the staff have been delighted to receive.

[Bagel]

Finally wrapping up the summary of my last trip with a round up of sit-down restaurants. Really more of a visits highlights as my memory is a bit fuzzy after so long. Tabelog ratings for finer restaurants as of late October 2025 when I grabbed them. All of these were very easy to book (almost all reservations were made within a week of going - some just a couple/few days before). Any prices mentioned are whatever is listed on the reservation site when writing this. All value statements made considered an exchange rate of low-mid 140 JPY to 1 USD (specifically 142-144ish).

Late May 2025

Fine(r) Dining

Sakai Shokai (Shibuya)

Google: Google Maps
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sakai_shokai_tokyo/
Tabelog: 3.69 (Sakai Shokai - Shibuya/Izakaya (Tavern) | Tabelog)

An upscale izakaya that’s been on my list for a while - think I first picked this up on IG? I reserved a course menu that’s currently going for 11K JPY. My notes speak well of several dishes but my overall impression at this stage was just a good/solid meal. I found the pairing of sake more memorable. I didn’t ask for a full pairing and just asked for recommendations as I finished glass. Even then, I recall some of the sake not just matching a dish but working together to be more than 1 + 1. They also had some really interesting a la carte options and I saw several - if not most - non-Japanese customers going ALC. The food was a little on the richer side and I had a late lunch so I was unable to explore that further. Can’t recall English level but they did have a menu in English.

Note: This is part of a group that also includes the restaurants Sowado and Shizen. Sowado is another interesting upscale izakaya-type but doesn’t seem to take solo reservations. Shizen however does take solo reservation and is a bit more interesting to me, having been separately described as a modern take on kaiseki and as focusing on wood-fired cooking and fermentation. I’ll likely be going to Shizen on my next trip in November/December.

Ji-Cube (Nishiazabu)

Google: Google Maps
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ji_cube3/
Tabelog: 4.13 (Ji-Cube - Roppongi/Chinese | Tabelog)

I swear the Tabelog was lower (something like mid 3.8?) when I first went here for lunch a couple years ago. I’d picked this up when Max Shapiro went to Tokyo. I believe he used the Hungry Tourist service and they did a lunch here. Finer Chinese cuisine generally seems to straddle a number of Chinese cuisines in Tokyo and I picked up on Canto, Shanghainese, and Sichuan at lunch. It was an awesome lunch for a great price then - they currently offer courses at 5.5K and 6.6K JPY which I still feel would be a steal.

My last trip to Tokyo I did dinner at another, at the time, more highly rated Chinese restaurant. I enjoyed it but thought I had a much better experience and got more value at Ji Cube. Thus, this time I made a point of returning to Ji Cube for the dinner course. I’m really happy I did! Dinner was surprisingly adventurous with what I see as an Italian influence due to the inclusion of basil in Xiao Long Bao soup dumplings and cheese on top of an abalone fried rice/risotto. To my surprise these worked really well! I also really enjoyed the rest of the menu so thought it was great value at 19.8k JPY. This is definitely on my return list. They also have a neat selection of Chinese alcohols with some set tasting options.

Can’t recall if English was used - everyone besides me looked to be locals. I think at my previous lunch there was someone though but I also remember I used my Japanese a lot so I could be wrong.

FYI this has been a very easy booking for me previously and still looks easy but this Tabelog score is new to me and not sure if this will change things. I did another Chinese that was in the 4 range and also an easy reservation so maybe sub top 3-5 is fine.

Sushi Tada (Tsukiji)

Google: Google Maps
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sushitada
Tabelog: 3.74 (Sushi Tada Reservation - Tsukiji/Sushi | Tabelog)

I originally saw this on IG from previous FTC contributor beefnoguy. When I see a sushi spot he likes, I definitely take notice. This trip was actually a second visit I like the first time so much. It helps that it’s an easy booking that has largely gone under the radar. I’ll also note that I am a rather unnuanced sushi enjoyer so take my words with a grain of salt. I enjoy his sushi, though I’d guess not every piece matches the perfection at some of Tokyo’s best. However, I’ve had very enjoyable sushi and some mind blowing otsumami/appetizers! Some pretty (in my unnuanced view) unique preps like (I think?) an egg yolk, soy sauce, rice, anago dish that is so delicious.

I’m not as interested in trying more sushi places these days, especially given the rise in prices in Tokyo and my past experiences have been good but not quite so memorable (more my fault for having bad sushi memory). So it’s nice for me to have a place where I can return and truly enjoy a memorable sushi meal.

On the sake: an enjoyable selection. My picture doesn’t show anything in the typical fine sake categories some know (ex: Juyondai, Aramasa, etc etc) but it’s quite an interesting line up with items that I think match well with the food (ex: NOTO, Hidakami, Dewanoyuki, and more). Surprisingly, the sake menu does have some English (just names and locales). FYI, no English spoken and counter was all locals this time.

Akanezaka Onuma (Akasaka)

Google: Google Maps
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/akanezakaonuma/
Tabelog: 3.95 (Akanezaka Oonuma Reservation - Akasaka/Japanese Cuisine | Tabelog)

I was looking for easy to reserve, highly rated Kaiseki restaurants in Tokyo that would take solo bookings and I hadn’t been to before. That’s how I came upon this restaurant while browsing Tabelog. I was seated at the counter and ended up talking to a family of tourists also trying it and ended up not taking any detailed notes of my impressions. I remember they served Juyondai (which I see a little less of these days vs Aramasa) and that the food was overall pretty good. They had a lot of spring and even some winter ingredients (Fukinoto, Udo, Bamboo, Boar, etc) which seemed a little later than usual but maybe that’s just a sign of climate change and shifting seasonality.

They have lunch and dinner course options and I did dinner. One nice thing is that they specify the difference between dinner options. They have 27.5K and 30.8K JPY options and the difference is 10 vs 11 dishes. I got the 30.8K version and I think the additional item was some very nice Kuroge Wagyu.

Some other notes, the restaurant is very convenient - heart of Tokyo and just a few minutes walk from a few train stations. There was a fluent English speaking service staff introducing dishes. Sake list was handwritten in Japanese though. Leftovers of the rice course was provided to-go in a bento-style box.

Would I go again or recommend it? Yes, it was a great time and meal. I probably won’t return for a while though. As good as it was, there’s still more I want to try and this did not dissuade me from that. And for now, in Tokyo for Kaiseki, I lean more towards Tagetsu for a restaurant I’d like to return to.

Noura (Asakusa)

Google: Google Maps
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nouraasakusa/
Tabelog: 3.69 (NOURA - Asakusa/Bistro | Tabelog)

There are many sources one can refer to when figuring out places to eat. Tabelog is great but is almost too much. One source I use is the Tokyo Gourmet blog. I’ve had mixed experiences with French and French-leaning restaurants in Tokyo (thought Abysse was ok, was mixed on Lature, and really enjoyed cocon in Meguro) so wanted something that didn’t require as much buy-in and could be done at lunch. I think I read about this French bistro on there and decided to give it a go.

It’s the little sibling restaurant to neighboring 2-star French restaurant Hommage. There is a ton of flexibility with the menu. I made a reservation via Tablecheck and booked the 6K JPY lunch course but there were 3.3K set menus and you can also order a la carte. The restaurant is a little bit of a walk from the nearest train station, though you can also take a bus from the station that gets you close.

The course consisted of pea soup, a “salad” which included a variety of additional bites, a fish entree, a chicken entree, a dessert, and a beverage and financier to finish. Also offered was a supplement oyster dish - same recipe as that used in neighboring 2-star Hommage, and a Taiwanese style Lu rou fan/Braised pork rice. Drink pairings were offered with 2 wine pairings and a non-alcoholic pairing. I got all the supplements and the non-alcohol pairing.

The food was awesome and I felt an incredible value. The oyster included I believe a sorbet, mousse, and champagne gelee of oyster and was delicious. The salad included fish, pork cheek(?), chicken gizzard, and they included extras of liver and egg omelet. Everything tasted great with the non-extras being my favorites. Both mains were solid and the extra Lu rou fan was awesome and I would order again. Also incredible value for a half bowl at around 300 JPY (under $3 USD). Non-alcohol included de-alcoholized wine (eh), a non-alcoholic cocktail (think this was pretty good), and a nice tea. Ultimately, the meal was so great that I’m putting the sibling 2-star Hommage in my next itinerary to see how that works out. Noura is, in my view, an awesome restaurant and I’d highly recommend. Definitely think it punches higher than what it’s Tabelog rating suggests.

Ukiyo (Yoyogi Uehara)

Google: Google Maps
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ukiyo_tky/
Tabelog: 3.17 (Ukiyo Reservation - Yoyogi Uehara/Innovative | Tabelog)

A classic example of a restaurant rated low on Tabelog because it is too new. Tabelog doesn’t always get it right and that is most true with low review restaurants. This applies mainly to really old and no longer trendy and/or famous restaurants and brand new restaurants. In Ukiyo’s case, they are new and low review so if the score is low I don’t consider it much of a negative point. Also, Tabelog has an average (I assume non-weighted) page for each restaurant and the overall shows as 4.08. It’s already been mentioned elsewhere in this forum and is quite popular on some other corners of the internet. I personally found it through the Tokyo Gourmet blog so credit to him.

For the sake of this thread, I’ll summarize and say it falls into the innovative category while using Japanese ingredients. It’s multi-component with some focus on spice. Lunch is ultra affordable at 6K JPY as of Oct 2025 if you want to dabble and can fit it in (most restaurants doing lunch will do it only on specific days) but I think the dinner is great value. It was a very exciting meal and I would highly recommend.

Additional notes: the restaurant is very convenient to the train station. Service staff have very good English and can serve all dishes in English (chef is Japanese Canadian and is native-level fluency). They have an amazing non-alcoholic pairing (personally speaking) and turn into a wine bar after hours on some nights. The neighboring couple had gotten the wine pairing and it looked interesting. I took particular note that they served a warm sake one course which I was tempted to try adding on. Menu is entirely in English.

Casual(er) Dining

Daps Hood Joint (Kichijoji)

Google: Google Maps
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedaps125/

With all the times I’ve been to Tokyo, there’s always an urge to try something different. I saw this online before and decided to check it out this trip. They’re basically a New York City style bodega serving sandwiches and a halal cart style chicken with white sauce over rice. The chicken over rice was what I was there for.

I haven’t been to NYC in a long long time and my only experience with chicken over rice was Halal Guys which I found way too rich for me, among other things. This version was almost a completely different animal from that and way better. Very delicious. The sauce was rich in flavor but with a lightness that felt like I couldn’t stop eating (and also wouldn’t feel sick after). I don’t know what it’s like in actual NYC but happy to have tried this version all the way in Tokyo of all places. It’s a bit out of the way for your typical tourist but if you find yourself near Inokashira Park or on the way to the Tokyo Ghibli Museum I’d highly recommend. Just note that the setting is a bit awkward. Not much standard seating and there’s a haircut shop in the back.

---

And that’s it! Can’t believe I actually fully put down a post. Not having pictures really helps though it probably makes things less interesting. I’ll put in a couple additional notes:

• Cocon (Nakameguro, Tokyo) - A French/Australian(?) restaurant where I really enjoyed the meal. Insane value at about 15K JPY for full dinner course and an awesome non-alcohol pairing. Not every dish worked but what did work was great and I was really impressed by what he was able to pull off for a one-man show. A gem that’s underrated by Tabelog right now but has been recommend by that Tokyo Gourmet blog and is a fairly popular under-the-radar recommendation from the fine dining reddit for Tokyo.
• Nihonryori Fuji (Shizuoka City, Shizuoka) - This sits on Tabelog at a 4.49 (was 4.43 when I went) and is one of the best Kaiseki meals I’ve ever had. Unfortunately, reservations appear very difficult. I got lucky with a cancellation but they’ve become very scarce since I went last year (2024). I hear Tableall can get you in and honestly this restaurant is one of the very few that will get me to pay Tableall’s very high fees (right now its 8K JPY just for reservation fee). The fish were delicious, the dishes amazing, and the course was unique. Great local sake selection and I never knew warabi mochi could be so good (it was made fresh right in front of us and had an unbelievable silky smoothness and bounciness). Also absolutely insane value (I paid 25K JPY including some sake - I regret not getting more sake). Really want to go back.

[chinwah]

Just returned from Japan (3 days in Tokyo, was mostly in Ishikawa-ken) and the only reservations we made were for Ukiyo. We did the alcoholic pairing and they already wowed us at the first pour of a Blanc des Blancs champagne (we had just visited Reims last month and did a few champagne tours). The meal is as described: innovative Japanese with use of spice. The servers were attendant, explained everything in English, and noticed I was left handed and made accommodations. Chef came out to say hi at the end of the meal and when asked how we learned of the restaurant, I told him about FTC! The only issue is that my partner and I were quite drunk at the end of the night, we can’t hold our liquor anymore

Aside from Ukiyo, I was wishy washy and didn’t make any reservations for Pizza ahead of time so didn’t try for any places, but I had bookmarked Sabasu (Akasaka) and Tototo (Nakano) for a future visit.