Old Town Tokyo Food Tour

Explore Yanaka’s nostalgic charm, savor local street snacks, visit century-old shops, and enjoy a traditional tea ceremony on our Old Town Tokyo Food Tour.

Duration: 3 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Coffee Room Renoir Nippori Yanaka - Meet your guide here! And then start a 3-hour food tour of Tokyo’s Yanaka (Yanesen) District.
  • Tennōji Temple - Tennō-ji
  • Kyōōji - Kyōōji Temple
  • Yūyake Dandan - Yūyake Dandan
  • Yanaka Ginza - Visit small shops with history and try local specialties.
  • Yanaka Cemetery - Yanaka Cemetery Park
  • Okakura Tenshin Memorial Park - Okakura Tenshin Memorial Park
  • Yanaka - A 3-hour food tour of Tokyo’s Yanaka (Yanesen) District: Get insights into local life and Japanese culture from a local English speaking guide, enjoy a regional lunch using the best seasonal ingredients and finish up with a traditional tea ceremony & Wagashi.
What's Included
  • Dishes and drinks at 6 Food Stops
  • Local English speaking guide
  • Shopping Time
  • Wagashi and Tea Experience
  • Lunch in restaurant
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Transportation costs
  • Additional drinks or food
Additional Information

Our tour will take you through the charming area of Yanaka, filled with nostalgia and rustic charm. Our tour will offer you a sightseeing opportunity different from the “big city” feel of other parts of Tokyo.

Yanaka was one of the few areas that survived the Great Kanto Earthquake and Fire of 1923 and was spared the Allied fire bombings during WWII. An afternoon stroll down the tiny side streets that dissect the area south of Nippori Station will highlight the diversity of craft still being produced in the area: textiles, ink prints, wood carvings, traditional cuisines, stationery, pottery, jewelry, and much more.

You will have the chance to try local street snacks, stop by shops that are over 100 years old, see local shrines and temples and enjoy a regional and seasonal lunch, before ending with a traditional tea ceremony with Wagashi (traditional Japanese sweet). By the end of this lovely tour, you will have tried a lot of different Japanese dishes and drinks that locals LOVE!

  • Children must be accompanied by an adult. Passport information copy is required for kids 10 and above.
  • Family-friendly
  • Changes to tours and spots we visit may occur due to schedules of restaurants, public holidays, weather conditions and other unforeseen circumstances. Applicable substitutions will be made in this case.
  • Vegan, Vegetarian, Pescetarian, Gluten-Free friendly
Location
Coffee Room Renoir Nippori Yanaka
Meet up point: The front of Coffee Room Renoir Nippori (next to 7/11) 喫茶室ルノアール 日暮里谷中店 Address: Tokyo Taito-ku Yanaka 7-20-6 〒110-0001 東京都台東区谷中7丁目20−6 谷中ホームズ
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(48 Ratings)
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Chloesms
Jul 18, 2024
Expert guidance & excellent tours - This morning Claire took us on a relaxed and informal tour of Yanaka district. Taking in both the well-trodden, and no so well-trodden sights, she gave us a real taste of so many culinary delights. From kawaii cat tail doughnuts to the best egg sandwich ever, we rounded off the tour with a tranquil and friendly tea ceremony at the Gallery Okubo. Claire was the perfect guide, giving us insight into this wonderful culture, answering our many questions and catering to our varied dietary requirements within our family. Thank you Claire! We also thoroughly enjoyed the Tsukiji Breakfast Tour two days ago - book this company, they’re great!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
M4147ttelizabetht
Jun 8, 2024
A day in Old Town Tōkyō - Amazing and enriching experience!! Sandra was an incredible guide and lovely for our family to spend a few hours with. The food experience was great and there was more than enough to leave us feeling full and satisfied by the end. Would 100% do another Arigato tour!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
641kyley
Jun 2, 2024
Yanaka Food and Culture Tour - Now that I've had several weeks to look back on my first trip to Japan, I can say that my experience with Hannah and Mick was a wise choice and one of the best things we did. Tokyo is so big and it can be intimidating to explore areas that aren't talked about as much. We enjoyed walking around Yanaka and savoring the foods we tried. Our favorite was the menchi-katsu! The tea ceremony was also a unique experience. Overall, I would highly recommend Arigato Travel and suggest anyone who loves Japanese food and culture book a tour with them.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Resort01432228442
May 26, 2024
Contact Arigato - They’re the Best!! - On the advice of our son and his family who visited Tokyo approximately one year ago, I contacted Arigato and emailed Lauren regarding what we were looking for in a tour guide. I told her we will be in Tokyo for 2 1/2 days prior to joining another professional tour for two weeks. I explained that we wanted someone who could take us around Tokyo to see the sights our other tour would not be seeing. After several emails back-and-forth, I was assured that someone would be taking us to the sights of Tokyo we wanted to see and helping us with regards to choosing restaurants and food that would please our adventurous palates. When we got to Tokyo, we were thrilled to meet our tour guide and driver, Josh. Josh was absolutely amazing! He is so knowledgeable and fun. We ended up going all over the city, enjoying the sights and enjoying all the new foods that he introduced us to as well as joining us, along with Lauren, for a fabulous dinner. We were so pleased with our choice of using Arigato and the services that Arigato provides. Do not hesitate contacting Lauren for your tour guide needs. She and Josh are just amazing!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Z2747xbanad
May 24, 2024
Great time with Arigato! - Sandra was such a wonderful accommodating guide! She was flexible to our requests, calm, funny, knowledgeable, and overall ensured we had a great time! I would definitely recommend Arigato tours and you should definitely ask for Sandra as your guide!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Traveler02627075993
May 4, 2024
Wonderful Tokyo Old Town Tour - We had a fantastic morning with Hannah and Kazuno on the Old Town food tour. We sampled loads of wonderful food and drinks along the way and stopped for an amazing Japanese curry for lunch (one the best we’ve had!) The owner of the restaurant was such a delight and made us feel very welcome. We also took part in a wonderful tea ceremony and again the hosts wear incredibly warm and welcoming. Hannah and Kazuno were so knowledgable about the areas we explored and the history. All in all it was a wonderful day, thank you.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sasan_g
Apr 11, 2024
Fantastic visit to old town - Sandra was an excellent tour guide. We covered the Tokyo old town and had a fantastic tea ceremony. I highly recommend this walking food tour.
Review provided by Viator
370thel
Mar 31, 2024
Personalised and perfect. - Delightful day through old town Yanaka with Sandra who was the perfect guide for all things food and craft. Delicious goodies and lunch. Even accommodating me as a vegan. And a tea ceremony too! What a treat.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Til2000
Mar 25, 2024
Great and recommended! - We had a very nice day with guide Makiko. She told us a lot about cultural customs in an inspiring and enthusiastic way. The Yanaka district is ideal for this. The food along the way was very tasty. The traditional tea ceremony was also impressive. Our group only consisted of 4 participants so we had plenty of time to ask questions. I can recommend this tour with Makiko to everyone!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Belyndah
Mar 15, 2024
Fantastic tour - Fantastic tour. So interesting and all the food was so yummy. Our guide Makki was wonderful- lots of knowledge but also felt we were walking around with a friend. Highly recommend- hope Makki is your guide x
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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up to 10 guests
2 Adult
September 2024
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