--- title: Experience the Taste of Old Tokyo in Backstreet Yanesen lang: en type: tour city: Tokyo country: Japan price: 178 currency: EUR price_unit: per_person availability: bookable rating: 4.98 reviews: 57 duration_minutes: 360 languages: [en] free_cancellation: "true" rank_in_category: 13 of 45 (Food & Drink Tours) schedule_checked: 2026-11-07 data_updated: 2026-11-08 canonical: https://guidekin.com/japan/tokyo/tours/experience-the-taste-of-old-tokyo-in-backstreet-yanesen/ --- # Experience the Taste of Old Tokyo in Backstreet Yanesen **Guidekin's take:** A food walk through Yanaka, Nezu and Sendagi links onigiri, unagi and kissaten coffee with drinks in a converted bathhouse. Breakfast, lunch, snacks and drinks are included; private transport is excluded. 4.98 from 57 reviews at €178 per person for 6h. In our comparison: #13 of 45 in Food & Drink Tours, by rating weighted by review volume (table below). ## Overview Step back into the Tokyo of another era in Yanesen, the historic trio of the Yanaka, Nezu, and Sendagi neighborhoods. Among temples, shrines, and winding backstreets, you’ll discover a neighborhood where daily life still hums to an older rhythm. This full-day walk blends history and flavor: from handmade onigiri and fresh unagi to nostalgic sweets, retro kissaten coffee, and sake. Along the way, you’ll slip into century-old shops, sip drinks in a converted bathhouse, and meet the craftspeople keeping Tokyo’s culinary traditions alive. ## Before you book - Meeting point: The meeting point for the Yanesen tour… - Starts 10:00: one departure a day - Food included: Snacks, Lunch, Breakfast - Strollers OK: infants accepted **Pickup:** No hotel pickup: everyone meets at the start point ## Key facts - Price: from €178 per person - Duration: 6h - Rating: 4.98/5 from 57 reviews (collected from Guidekin & Viator & Tripadvisor) - Free cancellation (see policy below) - Operator: Culinary Backstreets - Group: Shared tour - Guide languages: English - Start times: 10:00 - Booking: Instant confirmation, mobile ticket - Price checked on Viator: 2026-11-07 ## Reviews 4.98 from 57 ratings on Guidekin & Tripadvisor. 100% of ratings with a star breakdown are 4 or 5 stars: 57 of 57. - 5 stars: 56 (98%) - 4 stars: 1 (2%) - 3 stars: 0 (0%) - 2 stars: 0 (0%) - 1 star: 0 (0%) ### What reviewers say Reviewers praise the varied food and cultural context; the amount of walking can be tiring **Praised:** - Guides connect the food with neighbourhood history and Japanese traditions - Varied tastings and generous amounts of food - Quiet backstreets and eateries reviewers would not have found alone - Encounters with family businesses and stories about their food traditions - Small groups allow time for conversation and questions **Complaints:** - Some found the walking tiring, while others described an easy pace Written by Guidekin from the 50 most recent English reviews on Tripadvisor (2025-12-21 to 2026-11-04); last checked 2026-11-08. ## What's included - Alcoholic Beverages - Snacks - Lunch - Breakfast - Coffee and/or Tea - Meals ## Not included - Private transportation ## Itinerary 1. **Yanaka District** (3h) - Step back into the Tokyo of another era in Yanesen, the historic trio of the Yanaka, Nezu, and Sendagi neighborhoods. Among temples, shrines, and winding backstreets, we’ll discover a neighborhood where daily life still hums to an older rhythm. This full-day walk blends... 2. **Nezu Shrine** (30m) - Nezu shrine is considered one of the oldest Shinto Shrines in Japan, and while it’s current main structures were built in the early 18th century the shrines' origins are said to date back 1900 years. 3. **Yanaka was built in the Edo period as a temple town** (30m) - There are 117 temples in the Yanesen area 76 of these in Yanaka. 4. **Sendagi** (2h) - Most of Tokyo transformed after WWII, but Yanesen preserved its atmosphere — temples and cemeteries, narrow alleys, wooden townhouses, and a pace of life that feels untouched by modernization. Since the Edo period, this district has drawn visitors seeking beauty, quiet, and a... ## Schedule - Runs: Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun - Departures: 10:00 - Schedule last checked: 2026-11-07 - These are published departures, not a live seat count; availability is confirmed at checkout. ## Cancellation For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time. ## Meeting point The meeting point for the Yanesen tour is in front of St. Marc Café, located just outside Exit 1 of Sendagi Station on the Chiyoda subway line. Ends: Near the starting point & Sendagi station. ## Good to know - Public transportation options are available nearby - Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller - Suitable for all physical fitness levels ## Compared with other Food & Drink Tours | Tour | Price | Duration | Rating | Group | |---|---|---|---|---| | **This tour · #13 of 45** | €178 | 6h | 4.98 (57) | shared | | [Tokyo West-Side Cycling & Food Tour](/japan/tokyo/tours/tokyo-west-side-cycling-food-tour/?format=md) | €95 | 3h 30m | 5.0 (223) | shared | | [Unlimited Local Night《ALL-YOU-CAN-DRINK》Find SHINJUKU Hidden gem!](/japan/tokyo/tours/unlimited-local-night-all-you-can-drink-find-shinjuku-hidden-gem/?format=md) | €104 | 3h | 4.99 (173) | shared | | [Eat and Drink Like a Local-Hidden Taverns & Ramen in Ueno, Tokyo](/japan/tokyo/tours/eat-and-drink-like-a-local-hidden-taverns-ramen-in-ueno-tokyo/?format=md) | €95 | 3h | 4.95 (1244) | shared | Ranked #13 of 45 in Food & Drink Tours by Guidekin score (rating weighted by review volume). Prices here run from €90 to €299, median €145; typical length 3h. 11 of 45 are private. Figures are live from the tour cards; the rubric is our handpicked set, not the whole market. Full list: https://guidekin.com/japan/tokyo/tokyo-food-tours/?format=md ## More in Tokyo - All Tokyo tours: https://guidekin.com/japan/tokyo/?format=md - This page as HTML: https://guidekin.com/japan/tokyo/tours/experience-the-taste-of-old-tokyo-in-backstreet-yanesen/ Filters, the full catalogue and the URL contract for this city: https://guidekin.com/japan/tokyo/?format=md