We Took a Hidden Gem Food Tour in Tokyo: This is What Surprised Us
If you’re a foodie, then a taking a food tour in Tokyo is a must! For melt-in-your-mouth Wagyu, a sake-tasting experience, and a local perspective, I recommend this Shimbashi Hidden Gem Food Tour in Tokyo.
A food tour is a great way to get to know the hidden back streets of Tokyo, those places you wouldn’t know to go as a tourist. I’ve been a fan of Arigato Travel for a while now, so I knew that they would be the ultimate tour guides for taking us to the hidden gems of Tokyo.
In this review, I’ll give you the full details of our Shimbashi Hidden Gem Food Tour with Arigato Travel and why you should book a tour for yourself.
A special thanks to Arigato Travel for hosting us on our Shimbashi Hidden Gem Food Tour. As always, all opinions are my own.
Shimbashi Hidden Gem Food Tour Overview
- 5 local-favorite food stops
- Experience Tokyo like a local
- Sake tasting experience
- Complimentary drinks
Shimbashi Hidden Gem Food Tour in Tokyo: Review
The Shimbashi Hidden Gem Food Tour with Arigato Travel is a 3-hour walking tour adventure through Tokyo’s Shimbashi neighborhood (also sometimes written as Shinbashi).
Shimbashi is a business district in Tokyo, so you’ll find a lot of salarymen here but not a lot of tourists. When the work day ends, the business people flock to the areas bars and rustic izakaya for delicious eats.
The walking tour includes 5 spots that only the locals know about for dishes like ramen, Wagyu, sake, and dessert. Complimentary drinks are included.
Our tour guide, Sandra, was great and she taught us so much about Japanese work culture (and the origin of all those all-you-can-drink concepts called “Nomihodai” you’ve probably seen around). The best part was getting to try dishes that we wouldn’t have know to try on our own.
Book now for a local taste of Tokyo!
What We Ate on our Tokyo Hidden Gem Food Tour
The tour started by the decommissioned Steam Engine outside Shimbashi Station (this station was Tokyo’s first railway terminal, so it’s a fitting meeting place). We lucked out when another tour group canceled, so we had the tour all to ourselves!
Our first stop was a Wagyu izakaya where we enjoyed A5 Black Wagyu beef seared table-side. We also tried some other dishes like Chicken Nanban, Beef Tendon Stew, Dumplings, and Fried Corn. At this spot, we also got to do their all-you-can-drink self-poured wine and signature cocktails. I stuck to their cocktails, but Kevin had a great time trying out the Chardonnays.
Our second stop was a kushikatsu izakaya where we tried their signature deep-fried skewered meat and vegetables, as well as some interesting alcoholic drinks (sours) that were tomato, wasabi, and Calpis flavored. The tomato sour was surprisingly not that bad, but I still didn’t feel the need to finish the whole thing; the Calpis was definitely the best flavor.
Our third stop was a sake tasting where we tried three different types of sake in a small stand-up bar. This cute little place definitely gave us the most local feel.
Our fourth stop was a hearty ramen shop where we tried their signature shrimp broth, a less common type of ramen broth. This is one of the ramen places where you order on something that looks like a vending machine (a lot of modern ramen shops have upgraded to an electronic tablet).
Our fifth and final stop was dessert at a Taiyaki stand where we got a chocolate-filled and a matcha-filled taiyaki treat. They definitely filled the heck out of my matcha taiyaki, and it was glorious!
From Wagyu to taiyaki, your Tokyo feast starts here!
Our Experience on Arigato Travel’s Hidden Gem Food Tour
Overall, we had a really fun time on our Hidden Gem Food Tour with Arigato Travel! This was one of the most fun things we did in Tokyo. We certainly lucked out with it ending up a private tour because that made it that much more personalized, but it would have still been fun with a small group.
We had plenty to eat — in fact, we were so stuffed by the end of the tour! You definitely get your money’s worth of food on this tour. Plus, we tried so many different things that we wouldn’t have even thought to try on our own.
Our favorite dish was definitely the Wagyu.
We also learned so much about Japanese culture being on a tour with a local. We were able to get answers to questions that had been plaguing us our whole trip (like why the all-you-can-drink deal was a thing everywhere).
And it was so nice to get away from the busy tourist areas and get into a part of Tokyo that really felt a lot more local.
Drink, dine, and discover — lock in your spot now!
What I didn’t love
I thought this tour was nearly perfect, but admittedly the price is high compared to other food tours you can find around Tokyo. There aren’t a lot of tours that focus on Shimbashi, however, so this tour is pretty unique in that.
I felt like we did get plenty of value from both the food and the knowledge of the tour guide, though, so I definitely think it’s worth the price. But if you’re on a budget, then you could find a cheaper tour.
Good to know
- 3 hour tour
- Includes 5 stops
- Isn’t offered on Sundays
- Is only for those 20+ because it includes alcoholic beverages
- Involves a good bit of walking
- They can accommodate vegetarian, no-seafood, no-pork, and pescatarian diets, but they can’t guarantee allergy-free or dietary-specific meals since they aren’t the ones preparing the food
- Rain or shine tour
About Arigato Travel
Arigato Travel is a tour company that specializes in food tours led by local experts. They offer over 40 culinary adventures, tours, and experiences in Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, the Mt Fuji area, and Hiroshima.
Each of their tours focuses on local and regional specialties, taking you to off-the-beaten-path restaurants that other tourists don’t even know about.
The Arigato Travel team is made up of locals and expats who all love Japan, and everyone speaks English fluently. Each guide is able to give you insider local tips and explain cultural Dos and Don’ts for your time in Japan.
They also offer custom day trips (we took one to Mashiko); if you want to explore that, reach out for their Tailored Travel service and mention that you were referred by Paige Minds The Gap!
Why Take a Food Tour in Tokyo?
A food tour is such a good way to get to know Tokyo, both through your stomach and through a local perspective.
A Tokyo food tour will give you the perfect opportunity to try new foods that you may have never heard of, see a more local side of the city, and learn even more history than you could exploring on your own.
Before taking a food tour in Tokyo, I had no idea that the Nomihodai all-you-can-drink places were related to Japanese work culture. And I probably wouldn’t have ordered a shrimp ramen just because that’s not my usual order.
So a food tour is great for branching out and getting out of your comfort zone, but with the guidance of someone who knows what to order.
Is the Arigato Travel Hidden Gem Food Tour Worth It?
The Shimbashi Hidden Gem Food Tour with Arigato Travel is definitely worth it! We got a lot of bang for our buck, with a ton of mouthwatering food that left us stuffed (it’s a good thing there’s a lot of walking in Tokyo to help us walk it all off!).
If you want the most authentic Tokyo food tour, this is definitely the one to book!
Reserve your spot — sake and street secrets await!
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Tokyo Hidden Gem Food Tour FAQ
Are food tours worth it in Tokyo?
Yes, a food tour of Tokyo is definitely worth it if you’re a foodie looking for an authentic Japanese food experience! Food-lovers will get so much joy out of taking an authentic food tour in Tokyo because they’ll get to experience local culture and learn about the traditions surrounding Japanese food culture.
What is the best food tour in Tokyo?
Honestly, the best food tour in Tokyo is the one that fits your tastes and your budget. I loved the Shimbashi Hidden Gem Food Tour from Arigato Travel because we got to explore a part of Tokyo that I, and other tourists, wouldn’t have gone to on our own, and because our guide gave us so much great information about local culture.
Which part of Tokyo is best for food?
Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ginza, and Tsukiji are popular foodie areas of Tokyo for a variety of dining options from street food to restaurants. Shimbashi is a great hidden gem foodie area where you can find a more local after-work crowd.
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Where to Stay in Tokyo
- Where We Stayed (Shinjuku): La’gent Hotel Shinjuku Kabukicho
- Where We Stayed (Minato City): Shiba Park Hotel
- Top Hotel: The Tokyo Station Hotel
- Great Value: Hotel Villa Fontaine Grand Haneda Airport
- Unique Stay: The Millennials Shibuya (capsule hotel)
More Japan Travel Tips
Plan the best Japan trip ever with the help of these posts:
- 11 Days in Japan: Tokyo & Kyoto Itinerary for First-Timers
- 26 Fun Things to Do in Tokyo, Japan
- 15 Delicious Restaurants in Tokyo, Japan
- TokyoTreat Review: Is It Worth It?
- 10 Terrifying Haunted Castles Around the World You Can Visit
- 13 Abandoned Places Around the World You Can Visit
Ready to visit Tokyo, Japan? Plan your trip with these tips.
- Book your flight: Find the cheapest flights using Skyscanner, my favorite flight search engine.
- Find accommodation: You can find top hotels in Tokyo using Booking.com
- Pack for your vacation: Make sure you’ve packed everything you need by checking out my packing list resources.
Cheers!
Paige
Did you find this review of the Shimbashi Hidden Gem Food Tour in Tokyo from Arigato Travel helpful? Let me know in the comments!
