When it comes to Japanese food, people often associate it with Sushi and Ramen. In Japan, many different kids of local cuisines developed in different regions. Tokyo is no exception but many people don’t know what Tokyo’s local cuisine is. I’m going to introduce Tokyo’s local cuisine.

Fukagawa Meshi

Fukagawa Meshi (or Fukagawa-don) is a Tokyo local food that was created by fishermen in the Edo period. It is a rice dish that is cooked with clam and vegetable. The rice is usually wither seasoned or soaked with soy sauce or miso (fermented soybeans), and clam and vegetable broth. There are several restaurants serve Fukagawa Mesh in Tokyo and bento box is sold on Tokaido Shinkansen platforms at Tokyo, Shinagawa, and Shin-Yokohama stations.

• Fukagawa-juku honten (Main location)
• Fukagawa-juku Tomioka Hachiman (Tomioka Hachiman Branch)
• Fukagawa Kamasho
• Shinkansen Bento Box

Yanagawa Nabe

Yanagawa Nabe is a Tokyo local dish with Boiled loach, freshwater fish, and burdock in a sweet and spicy sauce added green onions and bound with eggs. Like eels, loach is considered to be a delicate food, and in the Edo period, it was thought to be effective in preventing heat fatigue. Several restaurants serve Yanagawa Nabe throughout Tokyo.

• Iidaya
• Komakata Dozeu

Kanto-Oden

Maybe Oden is ubiquitous at convenience store counters but different Oden flavors are served in different regions. Kanto Oden is a flavor of Oden developed in the Tokyo area. Compare to the Oden that you get elsewhere, Kanto Oden’s broth is more flavorful. Chikuwabu, wheat-based cylindrical shaped dough, is unique to Kanto Oden. There are a few places where you can eat Kanto-boiled oden, which contains all of the commonly used ingredients such as Ganmodoki, the fried Tofu fritter, chikuwa, the fishcake, tofu, and radish.

• Inagaki
• Otako
• Otafuku

Chanko-Nabe

Nabe is a hot pot dish that has contains all kinds of ingredients such as fish, meat, and vegetables. Chanko-Nabe is a staple food in the sumo room. It is slightly different than the “regular” nabe. Chanko-nabe is roughly divided into two types. If fish is the main ingredient, it is cooked in water, and if the chicken is the main ingredient, it is cooked in soup stock. Both are delicious and highly recommended. Why don’t you try the best Chanko Nabe as if you were a Japanese sumo wrestler?

• Saganobori
• Kotogaume (Kinshicho)
• Kotogaume (Hacchobori)
• Kurachi

Anmitsu

It is a Japanese dessert. It is topped with cubed agar jelly, adzuki bean paste, and fruits. In the Meiji era, “Mitsumame”, which is made by sprinkling honey on fruits became popular. The second-generation owner of the well-established store “Ginza Wakamatsu” served the bean paste on top of this Mitsumame. This was the beginning of “Anmitsu”. And for a long time, Anmitsu has been popular as a dessert in Tokyo. Ginza Wakamatsu is still in the same place as it was at that time, and offers Anmitsu that has been passed down since the Meiji era. Several other establishments have been serving Anmitsu for a long time. My personal favorite is the Matcha Anmitsu.

• Mihashi
• Ginza Wakamatsu
• Shinryoku-do

Monjayaki

Monjayaki is similar to Okonomiyaki, a savory pancake containing a variety of ingredients in the wheat flower-based batter. Compare to Okonomiyaki, Monjayaki’s batter is thinner and the batter is seasoned. If Osaka is known for its Okonomiyaki, Tokyo is known for Monjayaki. Monjayaki is perhaps the most famous Tokyo local food. Many restaurants specialize in Monjayaki. If you want to eat Monjayaki, I recommend going to Tsukishima Monja street. There are many Monjayaki restaurants on the street.

• Tsukishima Komachi
• Iroha Honten
• Tsukushiya
• Hiro Honten