Small Town in the Big City: Tasting Tokyo’s Kichijoji
Overview
Available languages
6 hours
Mobile ticket
Our food tour of Tokyo — the world’s biggest city, and perhaps its most delicious — explores the exquisite culinary heritage of a single neighborhood, Kichijoji, sampling our way through old school yakitori joints, gleaming department stores, avant grade taverns, hopping street food stands and much more.
Additional Info
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Public transportation options are available nearby
Specialized infant seats are available
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Kichijoji
Our food tour of Tokyo — the world’s biggest city, and perhaps its most delicious — explores the exquisite culinary heritage of a single neighborhood, Kichijoji, sampling our way through old school yakitori joints, gleaming department stores, avant grade taverns, hopping street food stands and much more.
Inokashira Onshi Park
Our food tour in Tokyo neighborhood begins at a depachika to experience one of Tokyo’s incredible department store food halls, where food pays tribute to both tradition and the newest trends. Making our way past highly prized pickles, fruit fit for a king and the aisle of Japanese junk food, we arrive at the sushi bar of choice among locals. Along Kichijoji’s bustling shotengai shopping street, we’ll rub elbows with locals as they shop for daily needs, learning about the basics of Japanese cuisine and tasting some of them, such as skewers of yakitori and octopus balls prepared and served street-side. We’ll meet three generations of a family of artisanal senbei makers working side by side in their tiny shop and atelier and, further down the road, we’ll visit a restaurant dedicated entirely to miso. We’ll sample unusual food rarely served outside Japan, such as sake infused with the fin of fugu, the famous puffer fish, plus expertly-crafted old standbys like tea and sweets.
What‘s Included
Bottled water
Lunch
Snacks
Coffee and/or Tea
Private transportation
Options
Small Town in the Big City: Tasting Tokyo’s Kichijoji
Reviews
195 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Amazing tour, well worth it!
mollybE2702QS,,Jan 25, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00As always, Culinary Backstreets knocked it out of the park! The guides were wonderful, the food was delicious and we learned/saw a lot. Wonderful way to pass a day in Tokyo.
Outstanding Kichijoji Food Tour with Michelle! Fun, Insightful, and Delicious!!!!
Abe H,,Jan 6, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had an outstanding experience on our Kichijoji food tour, and a huge part of that was Michelle. She struck the perfect balance of being personable, fun, and incredibly knowledgeable, exactly what you want in a guide. From the start, she made everyone feel comfortable and engaged, and her love for the area really came through. The food stops were excellent, thoughtfully chosen, varied, and absolutely delicious. Each stop felt intentional, not touristy, and Michelle did a great job explaining what we were eating and why it mattered locally. We got real insight into the neighborhood, the culture, and the food scene, not just a checklist of bites. Overall, this was a truly memorable experience and one of the highlights of our trip. If you’re considering a Culinary Backstreets tour, do it—and if you get Michelle as your guide, you’re in great hands. Highly recommend.
Kichijoji has much to offer
Trip25124641914,,Jan 2, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Very well done. The food, history, company, were all amazing. Our guide was fantastic and despite having traveled quite a bit in Japan, we always learn something new and taste something amazing.
Unforgettable Experience in Kichijoji
D1940LKleslier,,Dec 13, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00My husband and I got a private tour in Kichijoji, which is such a charming neighborhood and a nice break from some of the more hectic parts of Tokyo. Ken was an utter delight as our guide. He was so knowledgeable, personable, and fun to spend time with for our 6-hour tour. He brought us to so many delicious places, where I had some of my favorite bites of our trip. Ken also provided some awesome recommendations for this neighborhood and others for us to explore on our own. What made this tour especially wonderful was that we got to meet some artisan food makers in the area, who were incredibly warm and kind. It was touching to see the care and precision that they put into the food they made, and how important these shops were to their communities. This made for a highly memorable experience. I really loved this food tour and would highly recommend it to anyone! It was one of the best parts of our trip to Japan.
Fun and authentic Tokyo
MrMLondon2014,,Dec 5, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00A fantastic day! Michelle was a fun, interesting and knowledgeable guide. We ate many wonderful foods, saw many interesting places and experienced an authentic and slightly less frenetic side of Tokyo. Highly recommended and well worth the short trip away from the main tourist areas.
Michelle was — in a word — perfect.
Jet06702205512,,Dec 4, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Michelle was — in a word — perfect. She was knowledgeable of the cuisine, area, history, and customs and was enormously instructive, all the while with good humor and her infectious laugh. It was so fun hearing her musical Japanese in her interactions, on our behalf, with store owners, sales clerks, and — well, just everybody!
Kichijoji Hidden Gem
Q9564EErociom,,Dec 2, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00CB never disappoints! Ken was our tour guide to what quickly became our favorite area in Tokyo. The food, service, history, experience were unparalleled. From a small family owned senbei shop to cocktails in harmonica alley. This was by far our favorite experience in Tokyo. Thank you, Ken!
The culinary delights of Kichijoji
kmaru2019,,Nov 21, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We really enjoyed our food tour with Culinary Backstreets! Our host, Ken, was great and he was very knowledgeable about the food and culture of Japan. He showed us a side of Kichijoji that we would never have discovered on our own!
FOOD TOUT TOKYO
CapeTownOle,,Nov 9, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Had an absolutely fabulous and fun time with Michelle. She took us to the most special tiny hidden away places. We visited a sprightly 90 year old lady who still makes rice crackers in the traditional way. We tasted and learned about all the different types of Miso. And man oh man did we eat a lot of fantastic local food. Loved Michelle’s energy and spent the day laughing and learning so much. Thanks for a great tour!
Tokyo Highlight
NinaBoydell,,Nov 7, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Just fantastic. Ken was a great guide. A perfect way to spend a day in Tokyo. Food was sensational! I would highly recommend this tour.
From US$195.00
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