The 10 Best Street Food Spots In Tokyo For Foodie Travellers

Best Japanese Street Food Spots In Tokyo

Feasting on street food in Tokyo is an experience unlike any other. Tokyo is a global food mecca, home to one of the world’s largest concentrations of Michelin-starred restaurants. In saying that, their street food scene is, to put it mildly, off chops.

From century-old recipes for deep-fried meat patties to viral Tik-Tok dessert sensations, hunting for the best street food in Tokyo will take you deep into the crevices of some of the oldest streets in the city.

The 10 Best Street Food Spots In Tokyo

In a country where bad food is just not possible and endless food options are everywhere you go, where do you even start with street food?

We’ve got you covered! Below is a list of the 10 best street food spots in Tokyo for you to explore, eat, shop, and eat again and again.

  1. Takeshita Street, Harajuku
  2. Nakamise Dori, Asakusa
  3. Ameya Yokocho
  4. Tsukiji Fish Market
  5. Tsukishima Monja Street
  6. Yanaka Ginza Shopping Street
  7. Hoppy Street
  8. Musashi Koyama Shopping Street
  9. Sugamo Jizodori
  10. Togoshi Ginza

Here are these 10 spots on a map so you can locate them easily.

1. Takeshita Street, Harajuku

Takeshita Street Harajuku Tokyo

Takeshita Street is arguably one of the most popular attractions in Japan, and of course, it’s a reigning champion for being the host to some of the best street food spots in Tokyo!

Takeshita Street offers plenty of shopping and photo opportunities, and their food options are impressive. The vibrant colors, big crowds, and delicious smells that waft through the air will draw you in and keep you there for an entire day.

Takeshita Street Harajuku Tokyo

Of course, you can hop into many restaurants for a delicious meal, but there’s nothing quite like purchasing street food and wandering the alleys of Harajuku. People-watching and street photography here are on another level!

Takeshita Street Harajuku Crepes

If we had to pick street food to try here, it would have to be the famous Harajuku crepes!

  • Address: Takeshita Street
  • Direction: 3-minute walk from Meiji-Jingumae Station

2. Nakamise Dori, Asakusa

Nakamise Street Asakusa 1

The lantern-lined streets of Nakamise Dori in Asakusa are a must-visit location when you’re visiting Tokyo. Not only is it a spectacularly beautiful place to take some distinct photos for your Instagram feed, but the street food options here are pretty impressive as well.

Nakamise Dori Asakusa Mochi Cakes

It’s considered one of the oldest shopping streets in Tokyo, and some of the stalls have been around for longer than you can imagine! There’s a variety of food to try here, but if we had to pick only few items, we’d recommend trying the buns with adzuki red bean paste or curry filling and mochi cakes covered by roasted soybeans flour.

Wander around and do a fair bit of souvenir shopping whilst taking frequent breaks to eat, that’s how we’d recommend exploring this place!

3. Ameya Yokocho

Ameya Yokocho

Ameya Yokocho is one of the coolest Yokocho in Tokyo! It translates to ‘candy store alley’, and it’s a bustling street market located in Tokyo’s Ueno neighborhood.

Historically, it was a market where residents could purchase American goods. These days, it’s full of international food options such as Chinese, Turkish, Korean, and Thai!

Ameya Yokocho Fish Market

Ameya Yokocho is also a fantastic destination to purchase fresh ingredients, grab a bargain whilst shopping, and gorge on street food!

Ameya Yokocho Fish Market

One of the must-try foods here includes candied fruits; more specifically, the skewers of big juicy strawberries that are glazed with sweet and delicious melted sugar.

  • Address: Ameya Yokocho
  • Direction: It is across the street from Ueno Station.

4. Tsukiji Fish Market

Tsukiji Fish Market

Most people know Tsukuji Fish Market as the place to go to watch the world-famous tuna fish actions that start in the wee hours of the morning. They also know that it’s one of the best places in the world to get a taste of hours-fresh fish straight from the Japanese coastline.

Tsukiji Fish Market

But did you know that the street food scene at Tsukiji Fish Market is world-class as well?

We highly recommend purchasing fresh sashimi to eat here. From perfectly-sliced pieces of fish to aesthetically pleasing chirashi bowls filled to the brim with fresh sashimi, you can’t go wrong with the seafood here.

Tsukiji Fish Market

However, head to the busy parts of the intersections at Tsukiji Fish Market and you’ll find bustling stalls selling some unique and memorable street foods. 

We recommend trying their tamagoyaki sticks (fresh egg rolled into an omelette with a hint of sugar), and their fried corn and fish cake skewers. Our favorite, though, has got to be the potato salad on a stick! Creamy potato salad encased in a soft, light battered, lightly deep-fried, and served fresh.

  • Address: Tsukiji Fish Market
  • Directions: 1-minute walk from Tsukiji Shijo Station, using exit A1.

5. Tsukishima Monja Street

Tsukishima Monja Street 1

The world knows all about the Osaka specialty, okonomiyaki. But what about its lesser-known cousin, monjayaki?

Tsukishima Monja Street

Monjayaki is similar to okonomiyaki in terms of ingredients used and is a local Tokyo dish. It uses slightly more liquid than okonomiyaki, so the ‘pancake’ ends up looking a little runnier than okonomiyaki. However, don’t let its appearance deter you, because it’s quite delicious!

Tsukishima Monja Street

The Tsukushima distinct is known to be the birthright place of monjayaki, and its Monja Street boasts more than 70 monjayaki restaurants! Give this place a visit if you’re a confessed foodie.

If you want to try Japanese street food in a guided tour, make sure you also check out our list of the 10 best food tours in Tokyo.

6. Yanaka Ginza Shopping Street

Yanesen Tokyo - Yanaka Ginza Shopping Street

This shopping street located in Yanesen is a must-visit for cat lovers. After all, its streets are lined with cat-themed memorabilia, statues, decor, and posters – the perfect photo opportunity if you’re a feline fiend!

Yanaka Ginza Cats

The historic Yanaka Ginza Shopping Street used to be home to several street cats, thus its unofficial nickname, the cat-themed shopping street. However, aside from the adorable cat visuals, Yanaka Ginza Shopping Street is also home to some of the most delicious street food snacks in Tokyo.

Yanaka Ginza Street Food

A must-try here would be the hasami-age renkon or lotus root sandwich with a patty. The traditional dango dumplings are also a fan favorite here. 

Down for something a little greasier? Look for menchi katsu at Niku no Suzuki. It is essentially a fried minced meat patty that’s super juicy and tasty, and this place does its best! Wash it down with a fresh beer at one of the bars there.

7. Hoppy Street

Hoppy Street Food

Just two streets away from the popular Nakamise Dori in Asakusa lays Hoppy Street, an equally as charming albeit slightly smaller area that offers some elite street food options.

Hoppy street was named after the beer often served at Japanese izakayas. Here, you’ll find stalls lined up along the street for you to purchase food and sit down for a quick bite and a drink.

Hoppy Street Food

Keen on something adventurous? Try the motsuni beef (beef trip stew) or the horse sashimi here.

Not quite that adventurous? You’ll also find plenty of places selling delicious yakitori, grilled seafood, and katsu here.

  • Address: Hoppy Street
  • Directions: 2 minutes from Asakusa Station.

8. Musashi Koyama Shopping Street

On a rainy day, our recommendation would be to spend your day exploring Musashi Koyama Shopping Street, the longest covered area shopping street in all of Tokyo.

From clothing to electronics, you can find almost everything you need in one place here, and the food scene here isn’t too shabby either.

Komine Bakery, a popular bakery in Tokyo, resides here. If you’re a fan of fluffy cloud-like baked goods, we highly recommend that you try their anpan bread.

You’ll also find plenty of street stalls selling yakitori skewers fresh from the grill. 

How do you spot them? Simply follow the smell!

9. Sugamo Jizodori

Sugamo Jizodori Street Food 1

The crowd at Sugamo may a little older, but that just means it’s full of Tokyo’s best-kept secrets!

Sugamo Jizodori is one of the oldest shopping streets in Tokyo. Extending to more than 780m with more than 170 shops and restaurants to explore, Sugamo Jizodori is where you’d go if you want a great shopping and food experience minus the huge crowds.

Sugamo Jizodori Street Food 2

A popular street good item you should try at Sugamo Jizodori is the Japanese crispy rice crackers or senbei. They’re often glazed with a tasty soy sauce that makes them quite moorish. Other street food items that are popular here include shio daifuku or salted mochi rice cakes.

10. Togoshi Ginza

Togoshi Ginza

Togoshi Ginza is a 1.3km shopping strip that boasts more than 400 shops, including street food stalls, fashion stores, restaurants, and souvenir shops.

After a long, tough day of shopping, wind down with an okonomiyaki taiyaki. This fish-shaped pastry is usually filled with red bean or custard, but you can get it here with okonomiyaki filling. Otherwise, there are plenty of stalls selling freshly made onigiri and menchi katsu as well.

  • Address: Togoshi Ginza
  • Directions: Located outside of Togoshi Ginza Station.

We hope you enjoyed our list of the best street food spots in Tokyo! We’ve taken you all over the amazing city with this list and we hope you manage to experience some of the best food you’ll eat here across your trip!

We’ve mentioned our recommendations at each spot but of course, if you’ve come across a life-changing street snack, please let us know in the comments section below! We’d love to hear about your experience.

If you want more info about the food you will find in these places, make sure you read our list of the 10 best Japanese street foods!

Visiting Osaka and Kyoto too? Check out the 7 best street food spots in Osaka and the 6 best street food spots in Kyoto!

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