Lonely Planet Pocket Tokyo

Tokyos oldest temple complex.

Tokyos top culinary destination.

Tokyos signature Shint shrine.

Explore Tokyos historical imperial heart.

Interactive digital art experience.

Showstopper shopping and entertainment complex.

Iconic bohemian bar district.

Worlds largest Japanese art collection.

Edo-era garden inspired by poetry.

Master animators magical world.

Japans ancient sport.

See Japans top performing art.

As visitors to Tokyo quickly discover, the people here are absolutely obsessed with food. The city has a vibrant and cosmopolitan dining scene and a strong culture of eating out popular restaurants are packed most nights of the week. Best of all, you can get superlative meals on any budget.

Tokyo foodies take pride in what they like to think of as their boutique dining scene. Rather than offer long menus of elaborate dishes, many of the best restaurants make just a few things and sometimes even just one! Sushi shops make sushi; tempura shops make tempura. A restaurant that does too much might be suspect: how can it compare to a speciality shop that has been honing its craft for three generations?

Tokyoites twin passions for novelty and eating out means that the city is also a hotbed for experimentation. Trends come and go, but one that has stuck around and spread roots is the citys homegrown farm-to-table movement. Increasingly, owner-chefs are working directly with rural producers to source ingredients, which might be used in orthodox-style Japanese cooking or creatively, to add a new twist to a classic dish or a fresh take on an imported one.