A vegetarian bentō of inarizushi fried tōfu cooked in a sweet syrup and stuffed with rice. Inarizushi are popular with many of my food tour clients.
Tsukiji Breakfast Toto Grill
Tohto Grill @totogurill is where the workers at Tsukiji go for breakfast and lunch. This breakfast is the B Set for the day. Seven small bites including tuna sashimi, oysters, and shūmai dumplings for 950 yen ($7). As you can see in the photos of the was food the menu is extensive. Fried shrimp, curry,…
Onigiri at Tokyo Station
Onigiri, also called omusubi, #Japanesebreakfast at #TokyoStation Honnoriya. I was craving roe so picked mentaiko spicy pollack roe and ikura salmon roe. Include miso soup with carrots, spinach, and fried tōfu. Diners select from one of @marukome_family’s four miso flavors. I chose sea bream which was oishii delicious. There is a small eat-in section and…
Tonki Tonkatsu
Old school #tonkatsu in a #Ginza basement. Grated daikon and ponzu is recommended by the shop and was delicious. #Tonjiru #miso soup of pork and vegetables. とん㐂 #Tonki Chūō-just, Ginza 6-5-15
Salmon Ikura Pasta
Starting the day with #salmon and #ikura #pasta at #Tsukiji Market Tadokoro Shokuhin. Buttered noodles makes this lip-smacking good. They have the same dish with buttered rice! https://www.tsukiji.or.jp/english/shoplist/cat-a/cat-3/086/
Ginza Kikunoya
Kikunoya in Ginza came up with the idea of dry confectionaries for tea time and this colorful fukiyose was developed. Presented in colorful tins the sweets have a long shelf life and are a fun omiyage gift for friends. Opened in 1890 Kikunoya is a busy shop in the heart of Ginza (Ginza 5-9-17). The…
Mikado Kissaten Hot Dog Breakfast
The morning hot dog set at Mikado kissaten in Nihonbashi. Mikado has been roasting coffee beans and serving coffee since 1948. The shop is also famous for its mocha soft serve. Service here is very kind. Tokyo-to, Chūō-ku, Nihonbashi Muromachi 1-6-7 https://mikado-coffee.com
Kyobashi Isehiro Yakitori
Not far from Tokyo Station is one of my go-to yakitori shops. Isehiro has been grilling chicken skewers for over one hundred years (est. 1921). The tsukune chicken balls, my favorite in the city, have a meaty texture. Isehiro calls these dango on their menu. When I worked at Takashimaya depachika down the street I…
Yellin Pottery Gallery
I was so happy to pick up a yunomi tea cup from Katsuya Kato. Kato san’s kiln is in Aichi prefecture. I love the contrast of the clay and the natural ash glaze. It’s hard to choose one to bring home. Holding the cups in my hand I could find one that felt just the…
Parlour Kimuraya Kissaten
The morning coffee set at Kimuraya kissaten in the Shinbashi Building near Shinbashi station. Thick toast, boiled egg, and coffee for 490 yen ($3.50). I added a salad and was tickled. Fun presentation – and pineapples! I love these retro coffee shops. The music playing was from when I lived in Japan in the 80s…
Kanazawa Kazu Nakashima Fruit Mochi
Mochi stuffed with a sweet white bean paste and seasonal fruit. Café @Kazu_Nakashima in the Higashi Chaya district of Kanazawa specializes in fruits mochi. The building housing the cafe dates to the Edo period (1603-1867) and is as charming as the sweets. The shop serves teas, other sweets, and mattcha latte. Chef Nakashima is a…
Food Sake Tokyo
Three years ago today I had the pleasure of taking Alton Brown on a tour in Tokyo. We did a book exchange at the end, he gave me a copy of this newest cookbook and I gave him Food Sake Tokyo. It was such a pleasure to meet him and help him find knives at…
Department of Salad
It’s been a long time since I have updated my blog. While coronavirus cases in Japan are relatively low to the US, we are far behind on getting vaccinated. The Olympic Games start in about a month and the Paralympic Games in about two months. For now the Food Sake Tokyo market tours have come…
Nobu’s Cup Sushi
Nobu Matsuhisa introduced serving sushi in sake guinomi cups in his sushi cookbook. It’s a quick, easy, and fun way to serve sushi for parties. While we’re not hosting friends in our home we sometimes use this colorful method for ourselves. Simply put vinegared sushi rice in guinomi sake cups and top with sashimi, roe,…
Salmon Takikomigohan and Ikura
Salmon cooked with rice and topped with ikura. A mother and child dish, oyakodon. Most people will think of a chicken and egg dish. This is the same, just a seafood version. Grilled salmon (we use salted salmon filets) is added to the rice before it is cooked. Do not put in raw salmon as…
Food Sake Tokyo Updates
Thank you very much for purchasing Food Sake Tokyo. Arigato. Here is a PDF of the Food Sake Tokyo Updates 20170829. It is current as of 4 July 2019.
Food Sake Tokyo Cooking Classes
Food Sake Tokyo has resumed cooking classes out of our home. The private cooking classes are held in a traditional (small) Japanese kitchen. We can host one or two guests. The topic of the class are catered to your needs. Some possible topics include: Japanese Basics (rice, miso soup, two vegetable dishes and a protein…
First Day at Toyosu Market
I have written an article regarding the move from Tsukiji to Toyosu for AFAR magazine. It lists some of the shops and restaurants in the new Toyosu Market and more about the move. This post is about the issues that came up today. Toyosu Market, replacing the historic Tsukiji Market, opened today, Thursday, October 11,…
Metropolis magazine for restaurants, trends, and new openings.
I have returned to writing for Metropolis magazine. Here you’ll find restaurant reviews and monthly columns on new restaurants and food trends in Tokyo. Here is a link to my pieces: https://metropolisjapan.com/author/ysakamoto/ Thank you for following Food Sake Tokyo. We are still offering market tours in Tokyo.
Yukari Sakamoto: Shochu advisor
About my wine and Shochu days for The Indigenous Bartender.
Ito Onsen – Shizuoka
Ito Onsen in Shizuoka is a lovely onsen resort town that can be reached using the cool Super Odoriko train, from Tokyo Station. Ito Onsen is on the Izu Hanto (peninsula), famous for onsen (hot springs) and seafood. The train has extra large windows, which overlooks Tokyo Bay in Shizuoka (left side of the train…
Food Sake Tokyo updates
We are sad to hear that in Kyoto’s Nishiki Market, that the Yaoya no Nikai restaurant above the Kanematsu vegetable shop has closed. Nearby is a similar restaurant serving meals based on Kyoto vegetables, Kyo no Okazu. Here is a PDF food-sake-tokyo-updates-20170221 of the most current updates to Food Sake Tokyo. Please print for your next…
Osaka
Osaka is a city for great eats and should be on your radar if you love Japanese food. I have family in Osaka and have always enjoyed visiting, but have forgotten how good the food is here since I have been spending more time in Kyoto. Now I am kicking myself. Osaka is easily accessible…
2017 Tsukiji Tuna by the Numbers
Today is the first day that Tsukiji Market is open, and the first tuna auction. The most expensive is called #1 tuna, ichiban maguro, and went for 74,200,000 JPY ($632,000 USD). The buyer was a popular sushi chain, Sushi Zanmai. The president, Kiyoshi Kimura, has bought the #1 tuna for the last six years running….
Niigata Echigo Yuzawa
Just one hour from Tokyo on the shinkansen, Echigo Yuzawa is a fun get-away to a snowy paradise. There are mountains for skiing, and even play areas for kids to sled. Even ski gear and snow boots can be rented, so no need to go up with heavy bags. We left sunny Tokyo and after…
Niigata – Sake Tasting at Echigo Yuzawa Station
Echigo Yuzawa is a short shinkansen ride from Tokyo station, just over an hour. We left Tokyo on a sunny morning and when the train shoots out of the the Niigata mountain side of the tunnel, we were in a snowstorm. It was like a dream come true. Echigo Yuzawa station has a special sake…
Table-worthy Canned Goods
We keep a big variety of canned foods in the pantry, in case of an earthquake, and because Japan offers great options. Canned foods in Japan offer a wide variety of seafood and meats, many worth putting on the table with a glass of wine or saké. Kokubu is a company that offers a colorful…
Food Sake Tokyo Radar
Sharing food and drinks news that are on our radar. I am most excited about the new shops that have opened up at Nakameguro’s Koukashita, including a branch of NYC’s City Bakery and a new Tsutaya bookstore, small but worth visiting. The shops are all underneath the Toyoko train tracks. Had a falafel sandwich at City…
Early Breakfast at Daikanyama T-Site
Daikanyama’a T-Site is home to one of Tokyo’s best bookstores, Tsutaya, and to a cozy restaurant, Ivy Place. Ivy Place opens at 7:00 a.m., the same time the bookstore opens, which is just next door. The frittata had a touch of Japan with shiitake and maitake mushrooms with spinach, mozzarella, and feta cheese served with a…
2017 Tsukiji Market Calendar
The 2016 Tsukiji Market Calendar is out. We are still offering tours to the market, as the move has been postponed until the end of 2017 or possibly spring of 2018. There is also a chance that it will never move. Calendar link is below. Avoid any days with RED. http://www.shijou.metro.tokyo.jp/calendar/2017/ FYI – the tuna…
Japanese Egg Salad Sandwich
Shinjuku Station’s NEWoMaN area at the South Exit, inside of the JR station, has the only branch of Wa’s Sandwich. Wa’s Sandwich’s egg salad is made with mayonnaise, shio kōji, and sweet Saikyō miso, perhaps Japan most Japanese sandwich? The seasonings are light, so it’s hard to perceive. But, the bread is a very good…
Nakameguro Sumi-Grilled Yakitori
Maru, just a few minutes’ from Nakameguro station, is a great lunch spot for sumi (charcoal) grilled yakitori. The chicken, Amakusa Daiou, from Kumamoto, is called the king of chicken, and is known for it’s rich in texture and flavor. The oyako-don (900 JPY), on the left above is a popular dish of chicken and eggs…
Fend Off Colds with Ginger Kuzu-yu
Kuzu was first put on my radar by the famous vegetarian chef, Yumiko Kano. Kano Sensei is a prolific cookbook author with 29 cookbooks, all vegetarian, except for the very last one, Okazu Salada, which is vegetable-rich, but does introduce a bit of fish and meat. At a cooking class Kano Sensei talked about…
Le Pain de Joel Robuchon
One of my favorite bakeries in Tokyo is from the famous chef Joel Robuchon, for savory breads made with excellent ingredients. Le Pain de Joel Robuchon has recently opened near Shinjuku station in the NEWoMaN mall. Imagine one of France’s top chefs creating breads and sweets using French and Japanese ingredients? I love the l’Atelier…
Tuna Lovers’ Day Trip From Tokyo
Misaki Maguro Kippu is a special discounted train, bus, and lunch ticket that is a fun day trip from Tokyo for tuna lovers. Many Japanese train and bus lines offer discounted tickets for round-trip excursions. Misaki is a famous port for tuna. Maguro is tuna, and kippu is for ticket. The Misaki Maguro Kippu can be…
Tokyo’s Coolest Tea and Spirits Bar
One of the most magical tea tastings I have experienced was at Souen Sakurai Tea. The original shop was in Nishi-Azabu at a terribly inconvenient location. Souen has moved to Minami-Aoyama’s Spiral Building on the 5th floor, which is easy to access. Woo-hoo! Souen offers a simple tea with wagashi tasting, but the flight of tea…
New Breakfast Spot at Tsukiji Market
There is a brand new place to have breakfast at Tsukiji Market that is void of tourists and offering a value priced meal. There is a new facility, Tsukiji Uogashi, with about sixty retail shops for seafood and produce on the first floor. The first floor is open to the general public after 9 a.m. Prior…
My Go-To Brasserie
My go-to brasserie is Girandole at the Park Hyatt Tokyo. The menu includes many classics like Salad Nicoise (2,300 JPY) and Pate de Campagne (2,600 JPY). I love the Japanese twist on the salad which included seared tuna. The pate de campagne is dense without being heavy. There is a nice selection of wines by…
Our Local Burger Shop
I love a good burger. While I was born in Tokyo, I grew up in Minnesota eating burgers and fries. There are some good burger shops in Tokyo, but it’s nice to have a local spot that we can decide to go to at the last minute and not have to make a special trip…
Vegetarian Sushi in a Traditional Japanese Home
Just south of Nishi-Ogikubo station on the JR Chuo line is a quaint kominka, traditional Japanese home, with a restaurant and retail shop. Re:gendo offers nutritious meals in a rustic setting that is worth a trip out of the city. A good friend put this shop on my radar and she even knew to pre-order the…
Tempura-ya That Should Be on Your Radar
On the back streets of Kagurazaka in the basement of a modern building is Tempura Arai. The entrance to the restaurant is a small door that one must bend over to enter. Tempura Arai is the sister shop to the famous Tenko that opened recently and should be put on your Go List. The contrast…
Savory Unagi
Ikebukuro Tobu is Tokyo’s largest depachika with over 200 food stalls. The depachika is spread out over two floors and two buildings, and is worth a careful peruse. The restaurant floors on the upper five floors of the department store offers tempura, tonkatsu, sushi, unagi, and much more. The restaurant floors are packed on weekends,…
Simmered Pork Belly Curry Pan
Ikebukuro Tobu is Tokyo’s largest depachika. While exploring it recently we came across what is one of Tokyo’s great curry pans, bread filled with curry and deep-fried. This one caught my eye as it is called 豚の角煮カレーパン buta no kakuni kare-pan, simmered pork belly curry bread. The bread is studded with shards of bread that when…
Japanese Curry with Some Fried Pork
Tonkatsu on its own is a great dish, as is curry, but combined as katsu curry is a great way to hit two sweet spots in one dish. Ouroji 王ろじ is a tonkatsu shop on a quiet back street near Shinjuku Isetan. Katsu curry here is served in a bowl and is called tondon (tonkatsu donburi). The…
Sadaharu Aoki
Sadaharu Aoki is a Japanese pastry chef who first made his name in Paris before moving back to Tokyo. His retail shop with a café near Yurakucho station is a nice spot to rest your feet and rejuvenate with French pastries, some with Japanese flavors like yuzu, mattcha, and wasabi. The mattcha served at his…
A Rainbow of Pickles
A colorful meal based on Japanese pickles is refreshing and light. Nishiri is a famous pickle shop based in Kyoto. My favorite meal here is the pickle sushi, made with pickles on top of the rice instead of raw fish. Here are two other set meals composed of pickles including eggplant, daikon stuffed with lemon,…
Dinner after Ben Fiddich
Just around the corner from Bar Ben Fiddich on a quiet pedestrian side street is a local tonkatsu-ya, Tonchinkan 豚珍館。The assistant bartender at Ben Fiddich had recommended it for “good tonkatsu and bad service”. He also warned us that there most likely would be a line. We didn’t see a line when we turned the…
Food Sake Tokyo Updates
Attached, please find the updates to my book, Food Sake Tokyo. The bottom link is a PDF to the complete updates. Ginza Harutaka has moved to Ginza 8-3-1, Ginza Tokiden 6F. food-sake-tokyo-updates-20161110
Family-friendly Yakitoriya
Once in a while we adults want to have yakitori, grilled chicken skewers, but many yakitori-ya are smoky joints that are not kid-friendly. Iseya in Kichijōji near Inokashira Kōen Park is both family-friendly and a good value. It is also perfect for groups as it is a large space. The only challenge is that it is wildly popular. On…
Family-Friendly Sushiya Chain
Going out for sushi as a family cuts out many options. High-end sushiya are out of the question as are many mid-range spots. Our kid loves sushi, could eat it three days a week and when we go out, it’s often for sushi. We eat a lot of sashimi at home and will also make donburi…
Food Sake Tokyo 