A food tour that was uniquely not just about food - This was by far the best food tour I have ever done- because it wasn't just about the food. We ate, drank coffee, had an open container happy hour at a park, shopped at unique stores and felt like we got a local's look at a neighborhood in Tokyo we would have never seen without this tour.

Fantastic food and experiences off the beaten path - Excellent tour, great food, cultural learnings and unique experiences outside the normal well trodden tourist areas of Tokyo. This is a tour that gives you a glimpse into real life in Tokyo, experiencing some great local shops , food, and artisans. Michelle was a wonderful guide who shared some fantastic insights on Japanese culture , alongside knowing the local area very well. She is really passionate and went above and beyond to make sure everyone had a great time! Would highly recommend this tour, whether it’s your first or fifth time in Tokyo !

You’ve got to do this tour! - My partner and I have been to Japan dozens of times, but had never explored Kichijoji. What a great experience! Our guide Elly was absolutely fantastic, and she was so well versed in both Japanese and international culture/news that it made the whole tour even better. We learned so much, had great foods and had an amazing time. Highly recommend!

Amazing local food tour with wonderful guide! - I had a phenomenal time! All of the food was absolutely amazing, and it was an awesome variety (sushi, miso sampler, drinks, rice crackers, sweets, and more) and all small, local places I never would have found on my own. I was a bit nervous registering as a vegetarian, but there were plenty of options! I am so glad I got to explore Kichijoji - what a cool neighborhood! Michelle was AMAZING, as was the rest of the group. If you’ve been thinking about registering for it, it’s well worth the cost and a total BLAST.

Amazing tour, local insights, great guide. - We had a wonderful time on our tour of Kichijoji. Thank you so much to our wonderful guide Michelle for sharing her local expertise and for going above and beyond to make tour a special experience.

Great time in a great neighborhood - Dennis was great. This was the highlight of our trip. Interesting food, great pace and our teenage kids loved it too. Highly recommend.

Great Food Tour - Ken was an amazing guide! It was one of the best things we have done in Japan. We really appreciate his guidance and enthusiasm!

A delicious, fun and unique taste of Tokyo - Dennis was an incredible food guide - he made sure we had many, many great tastes and experiences in this very cool neighborhood. He knew so much about the area and Japanese history - way beyond food. And he has great relationships with the local food community and shop owners. It was a fun group too!

Taste of Japan - Our family had the pleasure of having Dennis as our food guide with Culinary Backstreets Kichijoji. He is a fellow American who now lives and teaches in Japan. Dennis was very professional, knowledgeable and personable and was able to accommodate our food allergies/ preferences and our request to shorten our food tour due to a recent foot surgery. Dennis made sure to pack in a great deal in a shortened experience, and we really appreciated it. We were able to enjoy some delicious foods in Kichijoji, such as sashimi, fugu (puffer fish prepared in various ways), waygu beef fried meatball, savory and sweet rice crackers, chicken ramen noodles, pickled vegetables, chicken wings, miso sampler (where we got to choose our miso soup flavor and try miso in different preparations such as vinaigrette, sauce, and in cheesecake and nuts), and matcha. We were so full and satisfied in the end, and the walking was very manageable (even terrains, elevators, establishments were close in proximity, and clean restrooms). The experience was greatly enhanced by meeting the local owners of 2 establishments and learning how rice crackers and miso were made and how their culinary skills were passed down through generations. We highly recommend Dennis and Culinary Backstreets for a great introduction to Japanese foods in wonderful food scene.

Disappointing Turn After a Promising Start - Culinary Backstreets Tokyo - My experience with Culinary Backstreets Tokyo was a rollercoaster, with the initial high from the first restaurant quickly descending into disappointment. The tour began on a high note; the first restaurant was exceptional, offering a taste of authentic Japanese cuisine that was both delightful and memorable. However, the journey took a peculiar turn when our culinary exploration culminated in a picnic with just one drink and a snack sourced from a Seven Eleven , also what is it was very disappointing was going to different restaurants with not reservation or any itinerary or plan to fallow. We got rejected from one of the restaurants for not having reservation, The tour girl didn’t have a program or something a little bit more organized to have a better experience for us, in the market she ask us if we want something to try from the market that we have to share it with the whole group instead she could say we are going to buy this to try it. ( No body ask for anything and she didn’t buy anything) we didn’t try anything from the market. It feels very awkward the way she said it. ( If the whole group wants to try it I buy for everyone but if is just you, you buy it) When I thought I was going to have an amazing experience trying different foods. While I appreciate the cultural aspect of showcasing even the convenience store offerings in Japan, which are admittedly of higher quality than most, I found this stop underwhelming for a tour priced at $180 per person. The expectation was for a continued exploration of unique, local eateries, not a convenience store experience. This pivot in the tour's theme felt more like a cost-cutting measure than an enriched culinary journey. For the price, I expected a consistent level of quality and uniqueness throughout the tour, which was not met. In summary, while the first stop was great, the overall experience left much to be desired. If you're looking for a high-value, consistently engaging food tour in Tokyo, this might not be the one for you. Perhaps, with some adjustments or clearer expectations set for what the tour entails, it could be a better fit for future guests. But for me, this was not worth the investment. Ps The Photos are from the First restaurant… the only thing I like it. The rest I can’t recommend. The price is not worth it.