Taste Tokyo: The Ultimate Shibuya Food & Drinks Tour

Sightseeing through Tokyo can be pretty overwhelming. In a city with millions of shops, signs and people vying for your attention 24/7 - it’s hard to know where to start. That’s where this three-hour food and drinks tour comes in: it’s designed to show you a good time in Shibuya - arguably the city’s busiest pocket - touring places that you wouldn’t even come close to finding on your tod.

The focus of the evening is food, and the good stuff comes in thick and fast from a variety of small venues you’ll visit along the way. The itinerary includes an old ramen bar, a Tachinomi (standing) bar and a niche dessert joint, among other spots. All the venues are vastly different but they do have one thing in common: they’re local haunts. Places that have stood the test of time in shape-shifting Shibuya.

A super enthusiastic foodie-guide is also part of the deal. Their aim? To fill you in on Japanese culture and cuisine, as well as encourage you to try some bites you probably won’t have eaten before. Sign up for this tour and you’re guaranteed a good time with new pals, plus an array of epic restaurants to revisit again and again.

About your guide

If you’re into Japanese food, and are keen to learn the stories behind the dishes too, a tour with Arigato Japan Food Tours is more than a safe bet. The team’s experience goes well beyond your average tour guide – their knowledge of the cuisine, culture and local traditions is second to none. The best part? They’ll leave you with some epic restaurant recommendations, too.

Here’s the plan…

Meet the group in front of the Wall Mural of Hachiko (The famous local dog) right outside the station, at Hachiko Exit. From here, you’ll be in the capable hands of a local food fanatic turned tour guide. Across the next few hours, your guide will take you to a series of small food joints and drinking bars, where you’ll try a few of the best dishes in Tokyo - ranging from dishes you’re probably familiar with, like smooth, delicious ramen, to stuff you won’t have heard of, or wouldn’t think to try back at home (this is where the fun begins). Venues sometimes change depending on opening hours and other variables, but on the list of places includes: a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it old ramen joint that’s been open for 60+ years; an izakaya (Japanese pub); a no frills Tachinomi (Japanese standing bar); and a cute little dessert spot. You’ll have more than 12 different dishes (arrive hungry) and three drinks too. Afterwards, your tour guide will direct you to the various transport options or to the closest cool bar if you fancy kicking on - we know which option we’d pick.

Note: In case there are any dietary issues, restrictions, food allergies or cross contact (nuts, shellfish - molluscs and crustaceans, ocean/sea fishes, gluten, soy and/or lactose intolerance) that you are concerned about, don’t forget to mention them clearly in our Special Requests section while booking the tour. If this is not enough, you can always give us a call or drop us an email and we will connect with you at the earliest possible. Additionally, please make sure, in scenarios like this, that you try and make the booking along with all your dietary requests as much prior to the tour as possible. We try our best to accommodate all our customers’ health requests to the best of our abilities (after all, health is wealth) but please understand that it might not be possible to accommodate last-minute requests - especially with food, as they require preparations in advance.