Tokyo Asakusa Food Tour: 12 Dishes & Sake Bar Walk

4.90

(175 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

Someone was frying something near Kaminarimon Gate—oil popping, smoky sweet—and that’s what pulled me off the main drag in Asakusa. Our guide, Emi, waved us over with this grin like she knew what was coming. We squeezed into a tiny place where the tables were sticky (not gross, just… lived-in), and she ordered monjayaki before I could even try to pronounce it. The whole place smelled like grilled cabbage and batter. I didn’t expect to use a mini spatula to eat dinner, but here we are—scraping up gooey bits while Emi explained how this dish is basically Tokyo’s soul food. She teased me for using too much sauce; apparently there’s a “right” way.

We wandered out past lanterns and neon signs, stopping at an izakaya where the walls were covered in faded baseball posters and salarymen were already laughing too loud for 7pm. Emi poured us sake—three kinds from different parts of Japan—and told us which one would go best with yakisoba. I tried to say “kanpai” with some confidence; Li laughed so hard he nearly spilled his drink. The sake burned a little going down but left this weirdly floral aftertaste—I still think about that one glass sometimes.

By the time we got to Hoppy Street, my jeans felt tight but I couldn’t skip dessert. Taiyaki: warm, fish-shaped waffles filled with red bean paste (or custard if you’re feeling less traditional). There was this moment where we all just stood around under the yellow glow of vending machines, eating quietly because it was honestly too good for small talk. On the walk back toward Senso-ji Temple—lit up and almost empty except for a few locals on bikes—I realized I’d totally lost track of time. That always feels like a good sign on these food tours in Tokyo.