--- title: "Flavours of Tokyo: A Journey Through Time - Small Group Food Tour" lang: en type: tour city: Tokyo country: Japan price: 160 currency: EUR price_unit: per_person availability: bookable rating: 4.95 reviews: 168 duration_minutes: 330 languages: [en] rank_in_category: 11 of 45 (Food & Drink Tours) schedule_checked: 2026-11-07 data_updated: 2026-11-08 canonical: https://guidekin.com/japan/tokyo/tours/flavours-of-tokyo-a-journey-through-time-small-group-food-tour/ --- # Flavours of Tokyo: A Journey Through Time - Small Group Food Tour **Guidekin's take:** Trace Japanese food from Edo cooking to fusion flavours across Nihonbashi, Ginza / Tokyo Station and Akihabara. Food tastings and a lemon sour are included; subway fares are extra and the route requires moderate fitness for walking and stairs. 4.95 from 168 reviews at €160 per person for 5h 30m. In our comparison: #11 of 45 in Food & Drink Tours, by rating weighted by review volume (table below). ## Overview This 5.5 hours tour takes you on a journey through time, through food! Spanning three geographical districts of Tokyo and three periods of time this food tour covers the foundation of Japanese food and cooking (the Edo period), the most popular present-day foods in Japan and finishes in the future with some fusion twists on traditional flavours. Visit Nihonbashi, Ginza / Tokyo Station and Akihabara. Enjoy 14 Japanese food tastings. Come hungry! You will need to be able to walk at a reasonable pace in a group environment and should expect to walk about 6.5 km or 4 miles in total over the 5.5 hours. You will also need to be able to walk up and down a large of number of stairs at subway stations. If you are not able to meet the walking requirement, the small group tour is not suitable for you, please contact us to change to a private tour. ## Before you book - Meeting point: Nihombasi Mitsukoshi Department Store… - Starts 11:30: one departure a day - Food included: Lemon Sour (Japanese alcoholic drink) - Non-refundable: no free cancellation **Pickup:** No hotel pickup: everyone meets at the start point ## Key facts - Price: from €160 per person - Duration: 5h 30m - Rating: 4.95/5 from 168 reviews (collected from Guidekin & Viator & Tripadvisor) - Operator: Hello! Tokyo Tours - Group: Shared tour - Guide languages: English - Start times: 11:30 - Booking: Instant confirmation, mobile ticket - Price checked on Viator: 2026-11-07 ## Reviews 4.95 from 168 ratings on Guidekin, Viator & Tripadvisor. 98% of ratings with a star breakdown are 4 or 5 stars: 165 of 168. - 5 stars: 164 (98%) - 4 stars: 1 (1%) - 3 stars: 2 (1%) - 2 stars: 1 (1%) - 1 star: 0 (0%) ### What reviewers say Reviewers praise the food and historical storytelling; walking between stops can feel demanding in hot weather. **Praised:** - Guides connect Japanese food with the city's history and culture - Varied tastings spanning traditional dishes and newer food trends - Food stops and neighbourhoods travellers would not find alone - Friendly, knowledgeable guides who welcome questions - Well paced stops with time for explanations and conversation **Complaints:** - Some found the walking substantial, while others found it manageable - Hot weather made the outdoor parts of the tour uncomfortable Written by Guidekin from the 50 most recent English reviews on Tripadvisor & Viator (2025-04-04 to 2026-11-01); last checked 2026-11-08. ## What's included - Yakitori. Tempura Soba. Tamagoyaki. Fruits Sando - Dashi. Katsuobushi. Kombu. Satsuma-age. Amazake. Imo Kenpi. Daifuku or Dorayaki. Pokemon Taiyaki. Matcha (green tea) bubble tea or ice-cream - Lemon Sour (Japanese alcoholic drink) ## Not included - The costs of transport used during the tour are payable by yourself. We take two short subway rides. ## Itinerary 1. **Nihonbashi** (1h 30m) - Starting in Nihonbashi, in the past, we will look at key ingredients and flavours that underpin Japanese food. We will learn about Dashi, the stock that forms the base of many Japanese dishes. We will focus in on two key ingredients; Katsuobushi and Kelp. From there we will... 2. **Nihonbashi Bridge** (pass by, no stop) 3. **Fukutoku Shrine** (10m) - : Discover the differences between Shrines and Temples. Learn how to cleanse your spirit and pray at a shrine. 4. **Ginza** (1h 10m) - Arriving into Ginza / Yurakucho we learn about how Japan industrialised after the war. With industrialisation came Salarymen and with Salarymen came Gado Shita’s (small bars and restaurants built under the railway tracks) to serve the working men before their commute home. We... 5. **Arriving into Ginza / Yurakucho we learn about how Japan industrialised after...** (1h 10m) - Arriving into Ginza / Yurakucho we learn about how Japan industrialised after the war. With industrialisation came Salarymen and with Salarymen came Gado Shita’s (small bars and restaurants built under the railway tracks) to serve the working men before their commute home. We... 6. **Tokyo International Forum** (15m) - From the railway tracks of Ginza and Yurakcho, we stroll to Tokyo Station calling in at the impressive International Forum Building on the route. 7. **Kitte Marunouchi** (10m) - Kitte Building 8. **Tokyo Station Marunouchi Ekimae Hiroba** (20m) - At Tokyo Station we will try some foods popularly eaten on a commute home; Tamagoyaki (Japanese omelette) and a Fruits Sando (Japanese milk bread sandwich filled with fresh fruits and whipped cream). 9. **Daimaru Tokyo** (20m) - At Tokyo Station we will try some foods popularly eaten on a commute home; Tamagoyaki (Japanese omelette) and a Fruits Sando (Japanese milk bread sandwich filled with fresh fruits and whipped cream). 10. **Akihabara** (45m) - Arriving in Akihabara, an area famous for its many electronics shops, Maid Cafes and Anime culture, we consider the future of food in Japan. We will be trying a selection of desserts which combine traditional foods or flavours with a modern fusion twist. In addition to our... ## Schedule - Runs: Tue, Thu, Sat - Departures: 11:30 - Schedule last checked: 2026-11-07 - These are published departures, not a live seat count; availability is confirmed at checkout. ## Cancellation All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations. ## Meeting point Nihombasi Mitsukoshi Department Store New Building. Basement Level (B1). ## Good to know - Public transportation options are available nearby - Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness - You will be granted a full refund (excluding booking and administration charges) if you cancel more than 24 hours in advance of your tour. There are no refunds if you do not turn up for the tour or if you are late for the tour. - You will need to be able to walk at a reasonable pace in a group environment and should expect to walk about 6.5 km or 4 miles in total over the 5.5 hours. You will also need to be able to walk up and down a large of number of stairs at subway stations. If you are not able to meet the walking requirement, the small group tour is not suitable for you, please contact us to change to a private tour. ## Compared with other Food & Drink Tours | Tour | Price | Duration | Rating | Group | |---|---|---|---|---| | **This tour · #11 of 45** | €160 | 5h 30m | 4.95 (168) | 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 #11 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/flavours-of-tokyo-a-journey-through-time-small-group-food-tour/ Filters, the full catalogue and the URL contract for this city: https://guidekin.com/japan/tokyo/?format=md