With Japanese food becoming increasingly common around the world, people often think of sushi (寿司), ramen (ラーメン, Rāmen), tempura (天ぷら, Tenpura), and katsu curry (カツカレー, Katsu Karē) when it comes to Japanese cuisine. There is, however, much more depth and unique Japanese dishes that can be found in Tokyo that you are unlikely to find outside of Japan. Some of these are traditional dishes that haven't made it overseas, some are modern takes on classic dishes, some of these are completely new inventions that push the needle on Japanese cuisine. Be sure to try out this list of Top 10 Unique Dishes to try in Tokyo that can't be found outside of Japan!
21 Jan 2024
Written by Pitari Japan Team
Top 10 Unique Japan-only Dishes to try in Tokyo
Don't miss out on these non-mainstream dishes!
1. Soup Kaisendon: Dig into this seafood bowl that transforms with a soup broth
つじ半
Tsujihan
Viral Kaisendon w/ Fresh Seafood & a Hearty Broth
Traditionally, a kaisendon (海鮮丼, Seafood rice bowl) typically involves a simple rice bowl with slices of sashimi (刺身) placed on top.
Tsujihan’s kaisendon is vastly different, rather than sashimi slices, they use a seafood paste made using a variety of sashimi ingredients, topped with an in-house blend of shoyu (醤油, Shōyu, Soy Sauce). Then to take it a step further, the bowl is changed into a chazuke (茶漬け) by adding a hot tai (鯛, Sea Bream) dashi (出汁) into the rice bowl, gently cooking the seafood and turning the bowl into a porridge like dish.
From the starting appetizers, slices of tai sashimi in a sesame sauce, to the raw seafood bowl, and lastly to the seafood chazuke, having a meal here at Tsujihan is like taking your tastebuds on a course meal journey.
There’s only one dish at Tsujihan, their kaisendon with prices being extremely reasonable, starting at around ¥1,300 for the basic bowl, and the more premium bowls being the basic bowl plus zuwaigani (ズワイガニ, Snow crab), ikura (いくら, Fish Roe), and uni (雲丹, Sea urchin).
What often strikes people about eating at Tsujihan, is how the ambience gives off the vibe of being at a high-end sushi bar, the ingredients themselves taste fresh and of a high-quality, and yet you often can’t believe the value that you are getting for the price that you pay.
Even for people that aren’t big fans of raw fish, having the hot broth poured onto the seafood bowl allows them to also savor the freshness of the seafood, and the umami of the broth. It’s truly a unique dish that stands out from other kaisendon across Japan.
つじ半
Tsujihan
2. Melon Pan: Munch on this buttery melon-shaped bread
浅草花月堂
Asakusa Kagetsudo
Famous 80 Year Old Melon Pan Bakery
Asakusa Kagetsudo is one of Asakusa's most famous shops, with its jumbo fluffy and crispy melon pan (メロンパン, Meron Pan) that are often featured on Japanese television shows. Selling over 3000 buns a day, these buns are freshly baked in-house, and a must-try when you are in Asakusa. There's a reason why the shop is famous and popular amongst locals, because this unassuming pastry is one of the most iconic breads you can get in Japan. The top of the bun is crisp, while the inside is light and fluffy, with a delicious buttery taste, and most of all, it's a jumbo-sized bun that is much larger than the usual melon pan. It's no wonder that this bakery has been famous in the area for so long, and has grown a cult-following from being featured on Japanese television.
浅草花月堂
Asakusa Kagetsudo
3. Japanese Branded Pork Tonkatsu: Bite into some of Japan's unique local pork breeds
豚組食堂
Butagumi Shokudo
Tokyo's Best Tonkatsu Restaurant
Butagumi Shokudo is definitely one of Tokyo's Best Tonkatsu Restaurants, located in Roppongi (六本木, Roppongi) and offering up some of the most mouth-wateringly juicy and delicious tonkatsu (とんかつ, Pork Cutlet) at an affordable price. Butagumi Shokudo specializes in serving up brand-name pork (ブランド豚, Burando Buta) tonkatsu at affordable prices, perfecting the art of tonkatsu for the everyday consumer. The menu at Butagumi Shokudo is incredibly simple, you just pick between rosu katsu (ロスカツ, Loin Katsu) or hire katsu (ヒレカツ, Tenderloin Katsu), and then the size of tonkatsu that you would like. For dinner, you have the added choice of picking a "premium" version as well that is typically an even higher-end range of pork that comes with nicer marbling and "meaty" taste to it.
Tonkatsu might seem like a simple dish at first, after all, it's just pork that's breaded in panko (パン粉, Breadcrumbs) and deep-fried right? However, there's an art to tonkatsu that few restaurants go for. Typically, at the fast-food or lower-end tonkatsu shops, you get tough and dry meat, that has a soggy breading, and you just cover the entire thing in tonkatsu sauce (トンカツソース, Tonkatsu Sōsu) so all you get is the taste of the tonkatsu sauce. Here at Butagumi Shokudo, the tonkatsu itself is the star. Rather than covering the entire taste of the tonkatsu in sauce, you lightly deep the meat in a bit of Andean Rock Salt that allows you to really enjoy the natural sweetness of the pork, taste the juiciness and umami (旨味, Savoriness) of the meat, and crunch on the light and crisp breading of the pork. It's an entire world of difference that redefines what tonkatsu can be like. It's the difference between real tonkatsu lovers who appreciate the satisfaction of eating it as a dish vs eating it as a quick and easy fast food.
This is also a level that's typically priced pretty high, but Butagumi Shokudo, especially for lunch, offers extremely affordable set lunches that bring the price of these high-end brand-name pork to one that is gentle on your wallet. Furthermore, as with most self-respecting tonkatsu restaurants, the rice and cabbage are refillable, and you also get a heart bowl of tonjiru (豚汁, Pork Soup) to go with it.
Butagumi Shokudo is the casual dining spin-off of Butagumi, a Michelin Bib Gourmand-awarded tonkatsu restaurant in Roppongi. At their main restaurant, you can choose which cut of pork you would like, which prefecture's brand-name pork you would like, and really customise the exact type of meat that you're getting. Here at Butagumi Shokudo, all that complexity has really been stripped away, and left up to the chef's choice for the day, allowing the experts to make the decisions, and you to reap the fruits (or pork) of their labour. As self-proclaimed tonkatsu lovers, we've combed through many tonkatsu restaurants in Tokyo before settling on Butagumi Shokudo as our self-proclaimed Best Tonkatsu Restaurant in Tokyo.
Butagumi Shokudo has 3 Axioms of How to Dine There:
- Eat the tonkatsu sideways. (かつは横向き, 横に倒して食す, katsu wa yoko muki, yoko ni taoshite tabemasu) The side that's cut should be facing upwards. (切り口が上, kiriguchi ga ue) - The idea is that by letting the meat-side touch your tastebuds directly, it increases the taste of the pork.
- Place the sauce in the small saucer, and dip a little each time you eat it. (ソースは小皿に, 都度つけて食す, sōsu wa kosara ni, tsudo tsukete tabemasu) Just like how you would eat sashimi (刺身のごとく, sashimi no gotoku) - The idea is not to drench the coating in the sauce but to just dip it a little before you eat it.
- Start with the salt, then try again without adding anything else. (はじめは塩から, 何もつけずに食す, hajime wa shio kara, nani mo tsukezu ni tabemasu) Then go back and eat it with salt, before eating it with the tonkatsu sauce. (塩で食す, ソースで食す, shio de tabemasu, sōsu de tabemasu) - The idea is so that you can experience the natural taste of the pork and how it changes with the different condiments used
豚組食堂
Butagumi Shokudo
4. Jiggly Pancakes: Wobble some of these fluffy Japanese pancakes
フリッパーズ渋谷
Flipper's Shibuya
Tokyo's Popular Jiggly Pancakes Chain
Unlike your American flat pancakes, Japan’s fluffy pancakes (パンケーキ, Pankēki) have gone viral on social media for their wobbly appearance and eye-catching toppings. Flipper’s is one of the most popular shops for getting some of these pancakes, with an ever-changing rotation of seasonal pancakes.
フリッパーズ渋谷
Flipper's Shibuya
5. Mentaiko: Get some free-flow spicy cod roe alongside your Tempura
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6. DIY Wagyu Hamburg: Grill your own hamburg steaks
極味や渋谷
Kiwamiya Shibuya
Fukuoka's Famous Kuroge Wagyu Hamburg
Kiwamiya is a hamburg (ハンバーグ, Hanbāgu, Hamburger steak) shop like no other, specializing in bringing out the umami (旨味, Savoriness) of high-quality meats, you will always find a snaking queue of locals outside all of their branches.
Unlike most hamburg shops that serve it fully cooked, at Kiwamiya, the hamburg comes half-cooked where you will finish the meat off on the hot grill yourself to your desired doneness. Kiwamiya uses only Kyushu (九州, Kyūshū)-produced kuroge wagyu (黒毛和牛, Kuroge Wagyū) called Imari Beef from Saga Prefecture (佐賀県, Saga-ken), buying it directly from farmers every single week for the freshest quality. They also offer halal-certified beef as an option for Muslim customers.
極味や渋谷
Kiwamiya Shibuya
7. Roast Beef Don: Try out some slow-roasted beef
ローストビーフ大野秋葉原
Roast Beef Ono Akihabara
Tokyo's Best Wagyu Roast Beef Don
Roast Beef Ono is a roast beef specialty shop that aims to offer the luxurious dish of roast beef at an affordable price range. Their specialty is the Roast Beef Don with a choice of Australian beef or Kuroge Wagyu (黒毛和牛, Kuroge Wagyū).
It is a donburi (丼, Rice Bowl) that consists of slices of roasted beef, wrapped in a conical shape, topped with a raw egg, sitting on a bed of rice. You have a choice between the classic Chaliapin sauce (a savory sauce), and the Yama-wasabi (山葵) sauce (a more shoyu (醤油, Shōyu, Soy Sauce)-based flavor with the pungency of wasabi).
As you dig into the roast beef don, you can usually taste the simple sweetness of the beef, which is well complemented by either of the two sauces that are served with it. The savouriness of the sauce also goes well with the rice, which gets pumped with even more richness when the egg is broken. It’s a dish that is simple, yet comforting with each bite.
ローストビーフ大野秋葉原
Roast Beef Ono Akihabara
8. Motsu Tsukemen: Slurp down some dipping noodles
ラーメン龍の家
Ramen Tatsunoya
Popular Ramen Shop in Shinjuku, famous for its Motsu Tsukemen
While ramen (ラーメン, Rāmen) may be very well-known internationally, in Japan, tsukemen (つけ麺, Dipping noodles) are a popular variant often also sold at ramen shops. Rather than getting a one bowl of noodle soup, tsukemen usually comes as two parts: noodles and a dipping broth. The noodles usually come dry on a plate (served either hot or cold), with a piping hot (or cold) bowl of rich dipping broth at the side. You dip the noodles into the broth and slurp it down directly.
At Tatsunoya, the most popular dish is the Tsukemen Motsu, where the dipping concept is the same, but rather than a thick rich broth, you get a lighter umami filled broth that still ticks all the right boxes. While tsukemen can feel quite filling at times, Tatsunoya’s light dipping broth with a strong soy sauce taste helps the meal feel light and delectable. The noodles have a smooth, chewy and slurpable texture, and the soup comes topped with crispy bits of fried motsu (もつ, Innards). While the idea of innards might be appalling to some, having them fried makes them taste more similar to crispy chicken skin. You can also get a small serving of rice at the end to add to your leftover soup, so that you can turn it into a form of porridge and switch up the taste and texture.
You should also consider getting the Coconut Silky Flan set. With only limited quantities every day, this dessert tends to sell out before the end of dinner. The dessert is similar to smooth pudding, with a rich coconut taste and covered with a thin layer of coconut milk. It’s a great way to end off the meal!
ラーメン龍の家
Ramen Tatsunoya
9. Monjayaki: Tokyo's very own local specialty
月島もんじゃ もへじ
Tsukishima Monja Moheji
Tokyo's Best Monja Restaurant
Moheji is a well-known brand name in Tokyo for its monjayaki (もんじゃ焼き), originating from the Tsukishima Monja Street (月島もんじゃストリート, Tsukishima Monja Sutorīto) and commanding long queues at its branches across Tokyo. Moheji has the perfect combination of great high-quality seafood products, together with a really affordable price range, and also a great ambience for gatherings over meals.
Moheji is a pretty no-frills dining experience, the staff will help you cook up your meal tableside, and also help to spray you down with some Febreeze after the meal to keep you smelling fresh. Each shop also has a bustling atmosphere of people sharing their monjayaki, chatting away over a round of drinks, or just being very merry. It's a great place to experience the livelier atmosphere of Tokyo, without feeling too intimidated by places like an izakaya (居酒屋, Japanese pub).
Each Moheji does usually command a significant queue, but you'll realize that it typically has more locals than foreigners in the queue. It is very much a place that is popular for its quality and price-range that attracts locals, than being some sort of tourist trap. Furthermore, monjayaki is pretty well-known amongst locals, but not foreigners, and so if you really want to experience an interesting Tokyo local specialty, you should make sure to check out Moheji.
All of the items are cooked fresh by the staff at the table, right before your eyes. So it’s both a great way to eat, and also a sort of entertainment shop as you watch the staff mix, dice, and flip through cooking your meal.
月島もんじゃ もへじ
Tsukishima Monja Moheji
10. Soup Curry: A hearty Hokkaido dish with fuses Japanese curry and soup
路地裏 カリィ サムライ 吉祥寺
Rojiura Curry Samurai Kichijoji
Popular Hokkaido Soup Curry
You might be familiar with Japanese curry (カレー, Karē) – a thick roux served on top of rice, usually made with beef broth and topped with crispy tonkatsu (とんかつ, Pork Cutlet) – but have you heard of soup curry (スープカレー, Sūpu Karē)? Soup curry is a dish that originates from Hokkaido, which has a light viscosity akin to soup, but with the flavor profile of curry and topped with a wide variety of fresh vegetables.
We recommend getting the Chicken and 20 Types of Vegetables, which comes with either a boiled or crispy-skinned chicken drumstick, as well as one day’s worth of vegetable intake. You can choose the style of broth: Regular is the classic vegetable broth, mild mixes some soy milk into the broth, coconut mixes in coconut milk, and mild coconut mixes in both coconut milk and soy milk. For spicy lovers, you can also up the level of spiciness till you’re satisfied.
Each spoonful of soup, while light, comes packed with flavor, and the vegetables are sweet and fresh. Even the chicken meat comes extremely tender, and the skin soaks up the soup curry. Served together with a plate of rice, it makes for an extremely homely and comforting meal.
路地裏 カリィ サムライ 吉祥寺
Rojiura Curry Samurai Kichijoji
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