Culinary Stroll through Tokyo
～Gastronomic Day Trips to the Suburbs of Tokyo～
Culinary Stroll through Tokyo ~ From Edo to Tokyo ~
Food and culture change with the times.
However, some things do not change.
They include sushi, tempura, soba noodles, and broiled eel—which are well known as the four main cuisines of the Edo Period, and also hot pot dishes and simmered dishes, cooked with fish and other ingredients from Edo-mae (the bay of Tokyo).
There are many cuisines loved by local people throughout the ages, from the Edo Period to the present day.
With local food in Tokyo as the theme, foodies are now embarking on a culinary stroll.
An encounter with a unique and outstanding personality through a dish on the table
Nishiazabu Kamikura(Nishiazabu)
Nishiazabu Kamikura(Nishiazabu)
Why did you become a sushi chef?
When asked the question, Takashi Kamikura says: "Sushi was the first thing that occurred to me, when I thought that I wanted to cook in front of customers because I loved cooking."
Foodies are welcomed by a chef with a smile standing over a polished wood counter.
A sushi restaurant is originated from a food stall of the Edo Period.
In those days as well, customers must have been welcomed with such a smile at a street food stall.
Nihonbashi Toyoda x Jyanoichi Honten
Nihonbashi Toyoda x Jyanoichi Honten
Nihonbashi Toyoda x Jyanoichi Honten
Nihonbashi Toyoda x Jyanoichi Honten
There are two long-established sushi restaurants, which know better than anyone else the food history of Tokyo.
One is a Japanese restaurant that has conveyed the Edo idea of stylishness for about 160 years from 1863, when it started as a street food stall.
The other is a sushi restaurant that started from a street food stall in 1889 near a riverside fish market in Nihonbashi and has since kept up the tradition of Edo-style sushi.
A special night event was held with the collaboration of the two restaurants, in which the owners talked to the foodies about Tokyo cuisines passed down from the Edo Period, by using the terms "nikiri," "umami" and "dashi."
～Through the five senses, experience, learn, enjoy, and talk about culinary delights～
Inshokujuku(Shinjuku)
Shizuoka
To better understand local food culture, it is important to eat local food, learn about its ingredients, and cook it.
Today, sushi is very popular around the world.
How many foodies have an experience of making sushi?
To understand much more about Tokyo's food culture through sushi, the foodies visited a wasabi farm located in the mountains and learned how to make sushi at a sushi academy for aspiring sushi chefs.
After returning to their home countries, they will definitely talk about their sushi-making experience to their families and friends as a memory of the food scenes in Tokyo.
～Gastronomic Day Trips to the Suburbs of Tokyo～
Foodies explore various places around the world to savor delicious food.
It is a pleasure for them to travel to an unfamiliar land to seek culinary experiences.
How could several hours of travel time in Japan be an obstacle to their culinary trip?
During the trip, the foodies visited to Kanagawa Prefecture, next to Tokyo, to seek exciting culinary experiences.
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Approx. 30 minutes from Tokyo Station to Odawara Station on the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen Lines, and approx. 15 minutes from Odawara Station to Hakone-Yumoto Station on the Hakone Tozan Railway
Hakone Kawadoko Gyunabe Ukon(Hakone)
Shizuoka
Shinkansen (Japanese Bullet Train)
～Participating Influencers～
Joe Sasto
Chef and food influencer from Chicago, who runs a restaurant in the U.S. based on his experience working at a Michelin-starred restaurant. He is also a cooking show judge.
He appeared on one of the world’s most popular reality cooking shows "Top Chef" and finished in top 3.
"It is incredibly diverse, and not limited to things like sushi and ramen. There is a huge focus on seafood, given that Japan is an island. There are many unique things that you can only find in Japan. Each area and each store specializes in one or two things, and it is often the best that you can find of that particular food and cuisine. It is easy to spend and entire day eating only one type of thing and find so many difference versions and varieties of it."
Michael Chen
YouTuber and food influencer based in the U.S. He runs several food related YouTube channels. Among them, "Strictly Dumpling" has gained great popularity worldwide.
He was nominated under the Best in Food category for the Shorty Awards, an international awards competition honoring outstanding achievements or superior performance on social media, such as Facebook and YouTube.
"The food scene in Tokyo is an incredible journey through tradition and innovation, especially the Edo-mae sushi experience, which is a must-try. This style celebrates the art of sushi-making with fresh, locally sourced seafood, offering a taste of Tokyo's rich culinary heritage. Beyond sushi, Tokyo's food landscape is vast, from bustling street food stalls to elegant kaiseki dinners that tantalize all senses. Each dish tells a story of meticulous preparation and cultural significance, making dining in Tokyo an unforgettable exploration of flavors and craftsmanship. Whether it's the savory depth of a simple bowl of ramen or the delicate balance of a sushi piece, Tokyo's food scene is a testament to the city's love affair with gastronomy."
JP Mercado
Digital creator and photographer from Canada. As a professional photographer, he breathes new life into food through photo shooting.
In collaboration with world-class chefs and cooking brands, he catches the artistry and stories hidden within each dish on video and puts them out into the world.
"Tokyo is a paradise for gourmets. Taking time to understand your options and look for authentic eats will be the biggest challenge. Keen research will help you find stores that may not have mainstream attention but have been carrying on traditions of culinary excellence for hundreds of years. This type of food heritage may be one of the most unique things about dining in Tokyo."
