Japan being a “foodie” destination, a culinary tour on day 1 was a must to get an overview of the food scene. So, we went to our “go to” tour operator which we loved in Istanbul, (took two of their tours), Culinary Backstreets, and once again, they lived up to our high expectations. The tour we took was “Small Town in the Big City: Tasting Tokyo’s Kichijoji.”  This is a largely residential area with blocks and blocks of the kind of small owner operated eating spots, cultural offerings and stylish shops from individual designers. Here’s an overview of the nine stops in our six-hour Tokyo food tour and a fascinating interview I did with our tour guide, Ken Kawabata, things about sushi that I bet you never knew. Here is part 3 of the Japan series. For Part 1, general overview, insights and travel tips click here. For Part 2 Japan beyond Tokyo click here.

Besides tastings, most of the stops on this Tokyo food tour  included an interview with the owner/operator who typically had been in the business for several decades if not generations and interesting background by the guide with insights and quirky facts.  Our stops included a traditional sushi bar;

Satou shop, for menchi-katsu, a Wagyu meatball with onions, breaded and fried;

three course sampling of the poisonous tiger pufferfish called tora fugu here (of course with the poisonous parts of the fish carefully removed) that included fried fin dipped in hot sake to give the sake a special flavor; sashimi fugu with ponzu sauce; and a piece of the breaded fugu skin;

a traditional rice cracker store;

The Soybean Farm, with a tasting of nine different misos prepared various ways and a custom made miso soup based with one’s choice of miso; stop at Seven-Eleven for a pick of the exotic liquor and or soda based with fruit canned drinks and a walk in a lovely park; coffee break;

taiyaki cakes filled with a choice of chocolate or various creams; and finally, rounding out this Tokyo food tour, a send-off cold sake or beer plus yakitori and grilled vegetables at a funky and fun bar.

So, what’s the intel I discovered from Ken of Culinary Backstreets? Here’s my Q & A:

Did sushi originate in Japan?

No, it originated in China and was brought to Japan in the 8th century.

Where is the fish typically sourced from in Japan, as at top restaurants in Miami we often hear they buy it from the Tokyo fish market?

Most restaurants buy the fish from wholesalers who source it from the Toyosu Fish Market

How do you separate top sushi from the run of the mill?

You have to look at the rice and the fish. There are several kinds of rice, the top quality being Koshi-hikari from Niigata. All fish has to be sushi grade, which means no farm raised fish. As with steak, the fattier fish is the best as in fatty tuna.

How do you eat nigiri?

It’s best to pick it up with your hands, turn it upside down and dip the fish part in the soy sauce that way the rice doesn’t fall apart and the soy sauce doesn’t overpower the nigiri.

How do the top sushi masters get their fish?

They go to the market and personally select it.

How about something quirky about a sushi bar?

In Japan at some places, if you stand up and eat your sushi you pay 65 yen less per piece.In fact, these are actually called “Standing Sushi Bars.” https://www.byfood.com/blog/standing-sushi-bars-tokyo-p-737]

Anything else we may not know?

The word “sake” means any kind of liquor, so when you go into a bar in Japan don’t say you “want a sake,” as you would request in the US. Say you want a Japanese rice wine, Nihonshu. But then you need to specify hot, cold, dry or sweet.

About Culinary Backstreets: Culinary Backstreets is a pioneering travel and publishing company that works to inspire smarter travel and exploration by connecting curious eaters with local communities and the unsung culinary heroes of the
Backstreets. Founded in 2012, the company works in more than 20 cities around the world, providing immersive food tours and multi-day trips, along with publishing online articles and printed guidebooks. Culinary Backstreets’ worldwide team is made up of passionate locals who have a deep knowledge of and connection to the communities they work in. (note from Karen, here’s a quick take on my experience with them in Istanbul during COVID).