Tokyo food tours and cooking classes compared
Izakaya alleys in Shinjuku, market stalls in Tsukiji, sushi and ramen you make yourself. For each tour and class we show what the ticket covers, who may drink under the age-20 rule and which diets the operator can handle.
Food tours, izakaya crawls and market walks
Read the food and drinks columns before the price. A low ticket price often means you pay for everything you eat on the night. Most-reviewed first; tap a column header to sort by price or reviews.
| Photo | Tour | Area | Duration | Food in the ticket | Drinks in the ticket | Age rule | Diets | Reviews ↕ | Price ↕ | Book |
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Shinjuku Food Tour (15 Dishes and 4 Eateries) Traveling Tokyo | Shinjuku west side, Omoide Yokocho, Kabukicho | 3 h | Yes, 13 dishes in the description (15 in the title) | 2 drinks | Not stated | Tell the operator in advance | ★ 4.9 (3,725) | $83per person | Book on GetYourGuide |
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Best of Shinjuku Izakaya Food Tour Ninja Food Tours | Shinjuku, east to west side | 3.5 h | 14+ tastings at 3 to 4 stops | 3 drinks of your choice | Not stated | Requests a week ahead; vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free limited | ★ 5.0 (3,610) | $90per person | Book on Viator |
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Shinjuku Local Bar & Izakaya Crawl Travel Japan Together | Omoide Yokocho, Shinjuku | 3 h | No, you order and pay on the spot | No, pay on the spot, bring cash | 20 and over only | You choose what you order | ★ 4.9 (2,826) | $36per person | Book on GetYourGuide |
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Tsukiji Fish Market Guided Walking Tour Traveling Tokyo | Tsukiji Outer Market | 2 h | No, buy at the stalls as you go | No | Not stated | You choose what you buy | ★ 4.8 (1,958) | $13per person | Book on GetYourGuide |
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Tsukiji Food Walking Tour with 5 Tastings Japan Wonder Travel | Tsukiji | 3 h | 5 tastings | Not stated in detail | Under 20 get a non-alcoholic drink | No vegetarian, halal or gluten-free; you must eat fish | ★ 4.7 (817) | $95per person | Book on GetYourGuide |
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Bar Hopping in Shinjuku with Dinner and Golden Gai | Shinjuku and Golden Gai | 3.5 h | Dinner with 4 or more dishes | All-you-can-drink | 20 and over only | No allergy guarantee, limited vegetarian choice | ★ 4.9 (595) | $101per person | Book on GetYourGuide |
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Ramen Tasting Tour with 6 Mini Bowls Tokyo Ramen Tours | Shibuya to Ebisu or Shinjuku | 3 h, about 3 km on foot | 6 mini bowls in 3 shops | 1 drink | Not stated | Every broth uses chicken, pork and fish | ★ 4.8 (469) | $120per person | Book on GetYourGuide |
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Toyosu Tuna Auction & Tsukiji Gourmet Tour JRT Group | Toyosu and Tsukiji | 3.5 h, meets at 5:00 | Tastings in Tsukiji; Toyosu breakfast costs extra | Not stated | Not stated | No vegetarian, halal or gluten-free | ★ 4.9 (461) | $115per person | Book on GetYourGuide |
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Shinjuku Food Tour, 15 Dishes at 4 Eateries Japan Guide Star | Shinjuku east side | 3 h | 15 dishes | 2 drinks | Under 20 welcome, without alcohol | Strict diets hard to accommodate | ★ 4.8 (457) | $77per person | Book on GetYourGuide |
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Omakase Sushi & A5 Wagyu Foodie Tour | Shinjuku, Kabukicho | 3 h | Omakase sushi, A5 wagyu, dessert | 2 drinks | All ages, alcohol from 20 | No allergy guarantee; vegetarian menu | ★ 4.7 (325) | $130per person | Book on GetYourGuide |
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Shibuya Food Tour (13 Dishes and 3 Eateries) Traveling Tokyo | Shibuya, Center Gai and Dogenzaka | 3 h | Izakaya, street stall, traditional eatery, dessert | 2 drinks | Alcohol only from 20 | Tell the operator in advance | ★ 4.8 (301) | $51per person | Book on GetYourGuide |
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Shinjuku Izakaya and Golden Gai Bar Hopping Japan Wonder Travel | Omoide Yokocho and Golden Gai | 2 or 3 h | Regional dishes at 3 stops | 2 drinks, or all-you-can-drink on the 3-hour option | Under 20 get non-alcoholic drinks | No vegetarian, vegan, halal, gluten-free or allergy requests | ★ 4.8 (74) | $95per person | Book on GetYourGuide |
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Asakusa Food Tour with 12 Dishes Japan Guide Star | Asakusa, from Kaminarimon | 2.5 h | 12 dishes | 2 drinks | Under 20 welcome, without alcohol | Not stated | ★ 4.9 (69) | $75per person | Book on GetYourGuide |
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Vegan and Vegetarian Ramen Walking Tour Tokyo Ramen Tours | Shibuya to Shinjuku | 2 h | 4 mini bowls of vegan ramen | 1 drink | Infants free, sharing food | Vegan bowls; gluten-free noodles on request | ★ 4.9 (45) | $95per person | Book on GetYourGuide |
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Tokyo Vegan Food Tour Tokyo Ramen Tours | Shimokitazawa | 3 h | 5 kinds of vegan food, savoury and sweet | 1 drink | Infants free, sharing food | All vegan; non-vegan at the first 3 stops on request | ★ 4.8 (19) | $104per person | Book on GetYourGuide |
Cooking classes
Sushi, ramen and home cooking in short hands-on classes. Check the group size: some sushi classes fill a large room, others stay under ten.
| Photo | Tour | What you make | Area | Duration | Group | Diets | Good to know | Reviews ↕ | Price ↕ | Book |
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Roll and Authentic Sushi Making Class Sushi Making Japan | Sushi rolls and nigiri | Asakusa, 3 min from the station | 100 min | Large classes | Vegetarian, vegan, halal and gluten-free menus on advance request | Reviewers mention a rushed pace | ★ 4.9 (2,296) | $57per person | Book on GetYourGuide |
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Sushi Making Class in a Happi Coat SUSHI GARYU | Tuna and salmon nigiri, in a happi coat | Near Tokyo Tower, or Asakusa | 1.5 h | Shared tables possible | Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free if registered 1 day ahead | Drinks cost extra; children pay from age 4 | ★ 4.9 (1,599) | $50per person | Book on GetYourGuide |
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Tsukiji Sushi Making Class with Pro Chef Japan Wonder Travel | Sushi with a professional chef | Tsukiji | 75 min, up to 4 h with market tour | Not stated | Vegetarian and gluten-free yes; no vegan, halal or kosher | Third floor, stairs only; 15 min late is a no-show | ★ 4.9 (833) | $52per person | Book on GetYourGuide |
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Shibuya Ramen Class: Tonkotsu, Shoyu & Miso Viyago Japan | Fresh noodles, three ramen styles | Meguro, near Shibuya | 1.5 h | Up to 20 | Not for gluten, egg or soy allergies or strict vegans | Broth is prepared before you arrive | ★ 4.9 (533) | $111per person | Book on GetYourGuide |
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Sushi Making Class Cooking Sun | Nigiri, inari, maki, California roll, tamagoyaki | Shinanomachi, Shinjuku | 3 h | Up to 9 | Substitutes for vegetarian, gluten-free and religious diets | Fish arrives pre-sliced | ★ 4.9 (435) | $69per person | Book on GetYourGuide |
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Wagyu and 7 Japanese Dishes Cooking Class Cooking Sun | Wagyu and home-style dishes | Shinanomachi, Shinjuku | 3 h | Up to 8 | Substitutes for vegetarian, gluten-free and religious diets | Some reviewers unsure how much they cooked themselves | ★ 4.9 (333) | $69per person | Book on GetYourGuide |
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Sushi Class with Matcha and Unlimited Sake Sushi Matcha | Nigiri and rolls, matcha, sake cask opening | Asakusa, 1 min from the station | 1.5 h | Not stated | By e-mail before the class | Age rule for the sake not stated | ★ 4.9 (181) | $45per person | Book on GetYourGuide |
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Japanese Home-Style Cooking Class Wa No Kokoro | One of four home-style menus | Shinjuku area | 2.5 h | Small group | Vegetarian and vegan versions offered | Menu choice can be limited if another group joins; address after booking | ★ 5.0 (179) | $88per person | Book on GetYourGuide |
Prices are fetched from GetYourGuide and Viator when the page loads and include taxes and booking fees. Anything listed as paid on the spot, such as drinks on a bar crawl, comes on top.
Most of the evening tours start in Shinjuku. Meeting points, dish counts and age rules of the Shinjuku tours are lined up on our Shinjuku food tour comparison.
Other areas have their own pages: the Shibuya evening walk and ramen tours, the Asakusa street food walk and sushi classes and the Tsukiji and Toyosu tours with the market calendar. Two operators are covered separately, Traveling Tokyo and Ninja Food Tours, and the classes are split into sushi, ramen and home cooking. Tastings where sake is the main subject, in Shibuya, Kanda, Tsukiji and Asakusa, sit on our sake tasting page.
- The Shinjuku izakaya crawl by Travel Japan Together pays for the guide only. Food and drinks are ordered and paid at each bar, so bring cash.
- The short Tsukiji walking tour by Traveling Tokyo has no tastings in the ticket. You buy what you want at the stalls; the Japan Wonder Travel tour includes five tastings.
- The title of Traveling Tokyo’s Shinjuku tour says 15 dishes, the description lists 13. The Shibuya tour of the same operator names three eateries in the title and four in its web address.
- Several operators treat late arrival as a no-show, with no refund. The Shinjuku bar-hopping tour does not wait, and the Tsukiji sushi class counts 15 minutes late as missed.
- Traveling Tokyo and Travel Japan Together contact guests through WhatsApp, so have it installed before the day of the tour.
What guests wrote after their tour or class
A few voices from the most-reviewed tours and classes, including two critical ones. The izakaya crawl was a letdown for a guest who expected bars run by locals, and a Spanish guest timed the hands-on part of a sushi class at 20 to 25 minutes. Both say more about the format than about the guides.
“Elena was excellent, shared so much information with a great sense of humor. Food was good and plentiful.”
“We met so many great people and Erika was super nice and knowledgeable. Trying all the different sake was a first for us and we really enjoyed it.”
“I would 100% recommend taking this tour over going to the market on your own. Isabelle … guided us to different types of stalls, provided ordering suggestions, helped throw away trash, and handled the transactions for us.”
“I felt this tour was a bit misleading. The title says Izakaya bar crawl but the only bars you go in are basically touristy bars not run by Japanese people. … just a tourist group that walks through lanes that are so busy you can't even stop to look …”
“This was a realky fun afternoon, where we learned about sushi making and the history of sushi and then got to make it and then eat it. The 3 hosts were good fun and helpful and gave clear instructions that we all could follow.”
“The total duration is 1 hour, though it depends on how long you take to eat. The class itself is about 20/25 minutes.”
Reviews written by guests after the tour or class, from GetYourGuide.
Vegetarian, halal or gluten-free in Tokyo
Japanese food looks easy for vegetarians until you ask about the stock. Dashi, the base of miso soup, noodle broths and many sauces, is usually made with katsuobushi, dried bonito flakes. Soy sauce usually contains wheat, which matters if you avoid gluten. On a food tour you eat what the eateries serve that evening, so a fish allergy or a strict diet can rule out a whole tour.
Cooking classes are often more flexible, because the menu is fixed in advance. The larger sushi schools offer vegetarian, vegan, halal or gluten-free menus if you ask in advance. Here is what each listing says about diets:
| Tour or class | What the listing says about diets |
|---|---|
| Tsukiji Food Walking Tour with 5 TastingsJapan Wonder Travel | No vegetarian, halal or gluten-free version. If you cannot eat fish, you cannot join. |
| Toyosu Tuna Auction & Tsukiji Gourmet TourJRT Group | No vegetarian, halal or gluten-free version. |
| Ramen Tasting Tour with 6 Mini BowlsTokyo Ramen Tours | Every broth on the route is made with chicken, pork and fish. |
| Bar Hopping in Shinjuku with Dinner | No allergy guarantee; the vegetarian choice is limited. |
| Shinjuku Food Tour, 15 Dishes at 4 EateriesJapan Guide Star | Strict diets are hard to accommodate. |
| Best of Shinjuku Izakaya Food TourNinja Food Tours | Dietary requests at least one week before the tour; vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options are limited. |
| Shinjuku Izakaya and Golden Gai Bar HoppingJapan Wonder Travel | No vegetarian, vegan, halal, gluten-free or allergy requests. |
| Tokyo Vegan Food TourTokyo Ramen Tours | Everything is vegan; the first three stops can serve a non-vegan version. Gluten-free and allergies are not mentioned. |
| Vegan and Vegetarian Ramen Walking TourTokyo Ramen Tours | Vegan bowls. Gluten-free noodles on request, but one broth contains soy sauce with gluten. |
| Roll and Authentic Sushi Making ClassSushi Making Japan | Vegetarian, vegan, halal and gluten-free menus if requested in advance. |
| Sushi Making Class in a Happi CoatSUSHI GARYU | Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free if registered one day ahead. |
| Sushi Making Class (Cooking Sun)Cooking Sun | Ingredients swapped for vegetarian, gluten-free and religious diets. |
| Shibuya Ramen ClassViyago Japan | Not suitable with a gluten, egg or soy allergy or a strict vegan diet. |
| Tsukiji Sushi Making ClassJapan Wonder Travel | Vegetarian and gluten-free guests welcome; no vegan, halal or kosher meals. |
| Japanese Home-Style Cooking ClassWa No Kokoro | Vegetarian and vegan versions offered; discuss allergies in advance. |
| Wagyu and 7 Japanese Dishes Cooking ClassCooking Sun | Ingredients swapped for vegetarian, gluten-free and religious diets and allergies, if you say so when booking. |
If a diet matters, write to the operator before you book and keep the answer. A listing that says nothing about diets is not a promise that the kitchen can adapt. Our vegetarian and vegan page breaks the same listings down by diet, from vegan to halal.
Drinking age 20 and what it means for families
In Japan you may drink alcohol from 20, not 18. Two bar tours enforce this strictly: the izakaya crawl in Omoide Yokocho and the bar-hopping tour with free-flow drinks and Golden Gai accept guests aged 20 and over only, whether or not a parent comes along. Teenagers travelling with you can still join some of the food walks. The Shinjuku tour of Japan Guide Star takes under-20s and serves them soft drinks, and the Tsukiji tasting tour of Japan Wonder Travel swaps the alcohol for a non-alcoholic drink. The same applies on the Asakusa walk of Japan Guide Star and on the Golden Gai tour of Japan Wonder Travel.
For younger children, a cooking class is usually the simpler evening. SUSHI GARYU sells child tickets from age 4. Classes that pour sake, such as the Asakusa class with unlimited sake, do not state their age rule on the listing; ask before you book with anyone under 20. Every age rule is collected on our page for families, the adults-only evenings on the bar hopping page, and the tours and classes that pour sake on our sake page.
A cooking class is a workshop, not a culinary school
Reviewers of the shorter sushi classes note that the rice and fish are prepared before you arrive and you shape and roll. At the Shibuya ramen class you make fresh noodles, while the tonkotsu, shoyu and miso broths are ready in advance. The three-hour classes of Cooking Sun, with up to 8 or 9 people, cover more: nigiri, inari, maki and a California roll in the sushi class, wagyu and seven home-style dishes in the other. In the Wa No Kokoro home-cooking class near Shinjuku, you choose the menu when booking. The sushi class comparison and the ramen page go through what you make in each.
Tsukiji works best on market days
Many shops in Tsukiji Outer Market close on Wednesdays, Sundays and public holidays. On those days the five-tasting tour loses some bites, among them tamagoyaki and fish cake. Eating while walking is not allowed in the market, so tastings happen standing at the stall. The Toyosu tuna auction tour meets at 5:00 and is not refunded if you miss the start. The Tsukiji page has a calendar of both markets.
Food tours through the year
Most food tours run in the evening and partly indoors, so they work in every season. Light rain does not stop them. In the rainy season from June to mid-July and in the July and August heat, a cooking class or an evening tour is more comfortable than a morning market walk.
Cherry blossom season is the busy exception. By the long-term average of the Japan Meteorological Agency, Tokyo’s trees start to bloom around 24 March and reach full bloom around 1 April, and evening tours in Shinjuku sell out in those weeks. Shinjuku Gyoen, Ueno Park and the Sumida riverside in Asakusa are within reach of the tour areas if you want to see the blossoms before dinner. Golden Week, from 29 April to 5 May 2027, brings domestic crowds, and many Tsukiji shops close on the public holidays.
Eating your way beyond Tokyo
Takoyaki and okonomiyaki belong to Osaka, and if your route continues there, the food tours and cooking classes in that city are compared on osakastreetfoodtours.com.
Chanko nabe, the hotpot sumo wrestlers live on, is served at several sumo shows in Tokyo, which are compared on tokyosumotickets.com.
After a long day out to Mt Fuji, a food tour spares you the search for a restaurant in the evening, and the day trips themselves are compared on mtfujidaytrips.com.
Fifteen dishes in the title, thirteen in the description
Tokyo food tours often share near-identical titles, while the tickets behind them differ in food, drinks, age rules and diets. We read the listings and put those details in columns, including where a listing contradicts itself. If you book through a link on this page, the booking platform pays us a commission; your price stays the same.
FAQ about food tours and cooking classes in Tokyo
What is usually included in a Tokyo food tour?
It depends on the ticket more than on the title. The classic Shinjuku walks include a set number of dishes at several small eateries plus two drinks. The bar-hopping tour with Golden Gai includes dinner and unlimited drinks. Two of the cheapest tickets here include only the guide: on the izakaya crawl you order and pay at each bar, and on the Tsukiji walking tour you buy your own bites at the stalls. The tables on this page show food and drinks for each tour separately.
Can I join a food tour in Tokyo if I am under 20?
Japan’s legal drinking age is 20, and the tours apply it. The izakaya crawl and the bar-hopping tour with free-flow drinks only take guests aged 20 and over, even with a parent. The Japan Guide Star tour in Shinjuku welcomes under-20s and serves them soft drinks instead of alcohol, and the Tsukiji tasting tour gives them a non-alcoholic drink. Cooking classes are the easier choice for families; SUSHI GARYU charges children from age 4.
Are there vegetarian or vegan food tours in Tokyo?
A few, but most food tours are hard going for vegetarians. Dashi, the stock behind much of Japanese cooking, is usually made with dried bonito, a fish, and soy sauce usually contains wheat. Several tours rule out vegetarian, halal and gluten-free diets altogether, and the ramen tasting tour uses chicken, pork and fish in every broth. There is a vegan food walk in Shimokitazawa and a ramen walk built for vegans and vegetarians, and the larger sushi classes offer vegetarian, vegan, halal or gluten-free menus if you ask in advance.
Do I need cash on a food tour?
On tours where food and drinks are not in the ticket, yes. The Shinjuku izakaya crawl asks you to bring cash, because you pay at every bar, and on the Tsukiji walking tour you buy your own food at the stalls.
What happens if I am late?
On several tours, lateness costs you the booking. The bar-hopping tour with free-flow drinks treats late arrival as a no-show without a refund, the Tsukiji sushi class of Japan Wonder Travel counts 15 minutes late as a no-show, and the Toyosu tuna auction tour does not refund a no-show. Plan the trip to the meeting point with time to spare, especially in Shinjuku Station.
When is a Tsukiji market tour a bad idea?
On Wednesdays, Sundays and public holidays, when many shops in Tsukiji Outer Market close. On those days the Japan Wonder Travel tasting tour drops some of its bites, such as tamagoyaki, fish cake and fruit. Eating while walking is not allowed in Tsukiji, so tastings happen at the stalls.
Is a cooking class the same as cooking school?
No. Most classes here are short hands-on workshops. In some sushi classes the rice and fish are prepared for you, and in the Shibuya ramen class the broth is ready before you arrive; you make the noodles and assemble three bowls. The three-hour classes of Cooking Sun cover more ground: nigiri, inari, maki and a California roll in one, wagyu and seven home-style dishes in the other.
Do food tours run during the cherry blossom season?
Yes, and that is when they fill up. Tokyo’s cherry trees usually start to bloom around 24 March, with full bloom around 1 April (long-term average of the Japan Meteorological Agency). Evening tours in Shinjuku and the popular classes sell out quickly in those weeks, so book as soon as your dates are fixed. Golden Week, from 29 April to 5 May 2027, is busy with domestic travellers as well.
How much does a food tour in Tokyo cost?
The current price of every tour and class is in the tables on this page. Compare the price with what is included: the cheapest tickets are often the ones where you still pay for food and drinks on the night.
Food, drinks and age rules in one view
Both tables, with the inclusions read for you.
Back to the tables