From dining on aged Wagyu beef to eating Yakitori under the tracks, two neighbourhoods you have to visit for food in Tokyo are Ginza and Yurakucho. Fortunately, they are directly beside each other. Ginza is Tokyo's most famous upscale shopping and dining district and it features some of the best restaurants in the city. If you’ve ever seen Japan featured in a Hollywood movie, some of those scenes were most certainly set in Ginza. I’m sure you have seen this area before. Directly beside it is Yurakucho, which offers a dining experience you will not get at home. Yurakucho has restaurants built directly under the elevated train tracks that carry the Shinkansen (bullet train).

One neighbourhood in Tokyo is regarded as the heart of professional sumo in Japan, and the other a hidden gem for food by the water. Ryogoku is the sumo wrestling district of Tokyo and it’s where the sumo stadium, sumo stables, chanko restaurants and other sumo-related attractions can be found. Right across the Sumida River is an up-and-coming food district called Kuramae.

Did you know curry is as popular as ramen in Japan? Did you know Tokyo has a curry district? Well, it does! You can find it in Shimokitazawa, an area with a bohemian vibe and chill atmosphere that’s tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the more popular districts. The area is known for its thriving arts and music scene, hipster coffee shops, second-hand and vintage fashion stores and, of course, hole-in-the-wall eateries that serve some of the best curry dishes I have ever had! They even have a curry festival! The Shimokitazawa Curry Festival is Japan’s largest curry festival and it takes place every October. In 2018, festival goers walked around the town tasting different curries from 151 shops, including 128 curry shops and 23 sweets shops. This 10-day event is visited by an estimated 100,000 people every year.

This gorgeous area is called Tama and it’s located in the Okutama Mountains in the western part of Tokyo. It is the largest municipality in Tokyo that has the highest peak at Mount Kumotori and is usually, on average, 6 degrees cooler than the city. This area is absolutely stunning and you would have never guessed that it’s still in Tokyo! Almost all the food served in Tama is seasonally prepared with locally sourced ingredients, including wild plants from the forest, local river fish, and meat caught in the Tama region. Needless to say, it’s home to some of the freshest and most delicious dishes in Tokyo, and it offers some of the most incredible views in Japan.

Whether eating in Tokyo or anywhere in Japan, following a few simple etiquette rules can make you look good. Don’t worry, most Japanese people will forgive you for not understanding their customs, but by trying to follow common etiquette you demonstrate respect to the culture you are visiting.