Food and Ramen in Tokyo
Part of the Tokyo travel guide — see every topic in All Tokyo Guides.
Tokyo has more good food than any visitor can try. You do not need to book expensive restaurants to eat well. A bowl of ramen, a plate from a department store food hall or a night at an izakaya can be the best meal of your trip. This guide explains how ramen shops and ticket machines work, what a depachika is, how izakaya ordering works, and a few simple manners that help.
Ramen styles
Ramen is wheat noodles in a hot soup. The soup base gives each style its name. Shoyu is soy sauce, clear and brown. Shio is salt, light and clear. Miso is thick and rich. Tonkotsu is pork bone soup, white and creamy. Tsukemen is a popular style where cold noodles come on one plate and a thick hot soup comes in a bowl, and you dip the noodles. Most shops are small, with a counter and a few seats. Famous shops can have long lines at lunch. Eat while the noodles are hot. Slurping is normal and not rude. Many shops do not take bookings.
How ticket machines work
Many ramen and noodle shops use a ticket machine near the door. You choose and pay first, then give the ticket to the staff. The top left button is often the house special. Pictures help, and some new machines have an English option. Extra toppings, like egg or more pork, and bigger noodle sizes have their own buttons. Put money in first, then press. Some machines take only cash, and some old ones do not take large notes, so carry coins and small notes. Sit where the staff point, and hand over the ticket. They may ask how firm you want the noodles. Futsu means normal.
Depachika food halls
Depachika means the basement food floor of a department store. Big stores in Ginza, Shinjuku, Nihonbashi and Ikebukuro have huge food halls. You find bento lunch boxes, sushi, fried food, salads, bread, fruit and beautiful sweets. Staff wrap everything with care, so it is a good place to buy food gifts. Many counters give small tastes. You can take food to a park or back to your hotel, since there is often no place to sit inside. Near closing time, usually around 7 to 8 pm, some counters put discount stickers on fresh food. Look for the stickers on bento and sushi.
Izakaya and ordering
An izakaya is a Japanese pub where people drink and share many small plates. Typical dishes are grilled chicken skewers, fried chicken, sashimi, edamame and potato salad. When you sit down, you get a hot or cold towel. Many places add a small table charge and bring a little starter dish without asking. This is normal. Order drinks first, then food a few plates at a time. Many izakaya now use a tablet or a QR code on the table to order, often with English. To call staff, say sumimasen. Many chain izakaya give a set time for the table, often about two hours.
Convenience stores and manners
Tokyo convenience stores, called konbini, are open all day and night. They sell rice balls, sandwiches, hot snacks, coffee and cold drinks, and the quality is good. Staff will heat a bento for you if you ask. There are few bins on the street, so keep your rubbish and use the bins at the store. Eating while walking on busy streets is not common. Stand to the side or eat at the shop. Tipping is not part of the culture, and staff may try to return the money. Many places take cards and IC cards now, but small shops may want cash.
Food and Ramen at a glance
| Getting there | Ramen shops near every big station; depachika under department stores in Ginza, Shinjuku, Nihonbashi and Ikebukuro |
|---|---|
| Hours | Ramen often from 11 am, some until late night; depachika about 10 am to 8 pm |
| Cost | Ramen and konbini meals are cheap; izakaya may add a table charge |
| Best time | Go before noon or after 2 pm to avoid lunch lines |
| Bring | Cash in coins and small notes for older ticket machines |