I always want to go on food tours when I travel but somehow I seldom do. For me, I think the key is to commit and sign up in advance rather than wait until I’m already traveling and I get caught up in the minutiae.
When the Japanese travel and tour company, Arigato Tours, learned through a mutual friend that I would be visiting Tokyo in March, they generously offered to host me on a food tour. I happily said yes. Knowing the dates I’d be in Tokyo, they gave me a choice of a few of their many Tokyo food tours.
The description of the Best of Shibuya evening tour peaked my interest, because when I travel I am more interested in going to the restaurants where the locals go to rather than the ones where the tourists go to. The website describes the tour like this:
In this 3-hour Shibuya Food Tour, you will not need a Shibuya map or Shibuya travel guide. We show our guests the delicious side of Shibuya, a place more known for being at the forefront of culture and fashion, and rarely known for its food. People always ask where to go in Shibuya. Of course, there is the Shibuya crossing location and most people know that Shibuya is close to Harajuku but Shibuya restaurants either cater to tourists or they cater to the locals. We want to show our guests the places to go in Shibuya, the places the locals go, so the next time they visit they can do as a local does. Experience a part of Shibuya that no tourist will ever see on their own with the most delicious food only locals usually get to taste. Get the chance to try different amazing dishes and traditional desserts! Nestled in the back alleys, these places are an unforgettable experience you won’t want to miss.
The tour description promised five local food stops (including one drink) with a local tour guide.
The meeting point for the tour was in front of the Wall Mural of Hachiko (the famous Akita dog who waited years for his owner) right outside Shibuya Station. There was some construction at the station so it took us a bit of time to find the Hachiko exit, but we did find it and met the tour guide, Yappy, and the others on our tour.
At every stop and even along the way, Yappy would give us a little lecture about the local culture and cuisine.
This is a statue of Hachiko near Shibuya Station. As you can see from all the umbrellas in the background, it was raining. Thankfully, the rain let up for most of the tour.
There were six of us on the tour. We were from the US, UK, Sweden and South Africa. We quickly all became friends. Yappy guided us into Shibuya station. Looking out on the famous Shibuya Crossing he introduced himself and spoke a little about the history of Shibuya and the places we’d be going.
The rain cleared and we were off and walking on our gastronomic tour! The idea was simple: our guide would teach us about the area and take us to places serving delicious and authentic dishes that we would not have otherwise found on our own.
The first stop was a ramen restaurant. This was perfect for a cold, rainy day!
Next, we were treated to sushi at a stand-up sushi restaurant. It was so good.
We continued up and down local streets.
The next stop was very interesting – we had Okonomiyaki (Japanese style savory teppanyaki pancakes) which we cooked at teppan grills at our table. This was delicious! I had never had (or even heard of) Okonomiyaki before! I particularly enjoyed hearing Yappy tell us about how his family ate this dish in Osaka, where he grew up.
A little more walking . . .
Next up was a popular local Gyu-Kaku (meaning Horn of the Bull) restaurant where we together cooked meat on small table-side flaming grills.
More scenes from our walks.
Our last stop was the food hall of a popular department store where we had mochi, a sweet glutinous Japanese dessert. I was too full to eat by this time!
The food tour was enjoyable, educational, and delicious. I will definitely sign up for more food tours in the future!
If you are interested in booking a tour with Arigato Travel, feel free to use this code for 10% off on future bookings for you or your friends and family: 20DRef10
A New York frequent flyer who elegantly combines her passions for worldwide travel, running a gazillion marathons all over the globe and staying fit ... without sacrificing her fancy for good wine and food.
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