Tokyo Banana has been voted the #1 souvenir to buy these past two years. This creme filled banana cake is one of Tokyo’s specialty. They were also the first company that sold souvenir cakes to put the word Tokyo in their name which contributed to it’s widely successful fame. These are great gifts from Tokyo or just snacks to bring back home! They have shops all over Tokyo including the airport and Tokyo Station.

Photo credit: Tokyo Banana Website

If you like deep fried, crispy foods, Tonkatsu is the heavenly delicious food for you. Tonkatsu is a breaded deep fried pork cutlet. They are usually cut into 2-3 cm pieces, coated with panko (bread crumbs), deep fried, then served with Japanese worcestershire sauce, white rice, cabbage and miso soup. They are also used in sandwiches for a tonkatsu sandwich as well.Typically there are two types of tonkatsu - pork loin (rosu) or fillet (hire). You can get tokatsu at tonkatsu restaurants and some izakayas. 

Photo credit: Uncut Recipes

Udon is a thick, white and chewy wheat flour noodle. It’s thicker than soba and ramen noodles. Udon can be served either hot or cold but is often served hot in its most basic form. There are many different types of udon..literally hundreds! Typically udon is served in a mildly flavored broth called kakejiru made from dashi, soy sauce and mirin. It makes for a light flavor, bursting with umami. It can then be topped with scallions, tempura, eggs, aburaage (deep fried tofu), fishcake or whatever else you may like on it. Udon is widely available at udon and soba restaurants, causal dining restaurants, izakayas and eateries around tourist areas.

Photo credit: Tsunagu Japan

Umeshu or plum wine is a Japanese alcoholic beverage. It is made by soaking Japanese plum in shochu (a type of Japanese alcohol) and sugar. Umeshu is a sweet and sour alcoholic drink with about 10-15% alcoholic content. Try umeshu at any bars, izakayas or restaurants in Japan!

Photo credit: Favy

Yakisoba or literally fried buckwheat noodles is a Japanese stir fried noodle dish. Soba means buckwheat noodles, but the noodles used in yakisoba are wheat flour noodles. The wheat flour noodles are typically stir fried with bits of pork, cabbage, bean sprouts, onions and carrots. Yakisoba sauce, salt and pepper is also drizzled over it for flavoring (Yakisoba sauce tastes similar to Worcestershire sauce). Yakisoba can also typically be served with mayonnaise, aonori (seaweed powder) and bonito flakes. You can eat yakisoba at teppanyaki restaurants, okonomiyaki restaurants, or at festivals.

Photo credit: Japan Centre

Yakitori or grilled chicken skewers is a common food item that is eaten with alcohol. Yakitori is usually bite sized chicken that can consist of breast, thigh, skin, liver or other innards. Yakitori is often served at izakayas - or drinking establishments in Japan, but some of the best one’s can be found in yakitori-ya or establishments that specialize in yakitori. This tasty, juicy meal is a staple food for salary-men across Japan. After a hard days work, salary-men in Japan might go to an izakaya to loosen up and socialize with their co-workers which is most definitely accompanied with some beer and yakitori.

For any vegetarians, you can still enjoy yakitori by ordering things such as skewered shishito peppers, enoki mushrooms, mozzarella cheese and cherry tomatoes.

Photo credit: Favy Japan

Dating back to 1968, the Fukuro Festival started in order to promote 4 local stores on the west side of Ikebukuro Station. Today, it has grown to be a large, two-part festival through late September to early October involving the whole neighborhood.

The first part is the Owl Festival (Fukuro means owl in Japanese) and the second part is known as the Tokyo Yosakoi Festival which features a Yosakoi dance battle. The festival features a mikoshi parade(portable shrine), taiko drum shows, hayashi festival music, yosokai dancing, food stalls and a lively atmosphere. Your Tokyo guide will give you some of the best festivals in Tokyo. Keep reading more!

Entrance fee: Free

Photo credit: Tokyo Weekender

Location: 1 Chome Minamiikebukuro, Toshima City, Tokyo 171-0022, Ikebukuro Station

Dates: Late September to early October

Website: N/A

How to get there: Ikebukuro Station is on the JR Yamanote, Saikyo, Shonan-Shinjuku Lines. It is also on the Tokyo Metro Marunouchi, Yurakucho and Fukutoshin Lines. A 20 minute train ride from Tokyo Station on either the Yamanote or Marunouchi Lines.

 

If you’re in Japan during the spring time, you might be lucky enough to catch Japan’s renowned cherry blossom season. The arrival of the cherry blossoms signifies the start of spring in Japan. It’s so significant that there are cherry blossom forecasts and festivals to prepare for this event. The cherry blossoms only last for about a week so the timing is key on when you are able to see them.

Some of the best spots to see cherry blossoms are at the Ueno Sakura Festival at Ueno Park, Chiyoda no Sakura Festival at Yasukuni Shrine and at the Meguro River. Other spots include parks and gardens which are listed in our Destination Guide for great cherry blossom spots. For more information on Ueno Park and Yasukuni Shrine, click to find out more.

Photo credit: Nippon

Locations: Ueno Park, Chiyoda no Sakura Festival at Yasukuni Shrine, Meguro River

Dates: Late March to early April

Website: N/A

Below are the map locations for Ueno Park, Yasukuni Shrine and Meguro River in relative order.

 

 

 

Attracting over 300,000 people every year, the Ikegami Honmonji Temple holds its annual Oeshiki festival - a festival dedicated to the death of Nichiren. Nichiren is one of Japans most iconic Buddhist figures. This event is held throughout Japan, but the Honmonji event is considered to be the main event for Nichiren’s death because Nichiren passed away on Honmonji grounds. Aside from the traditional food stalls and carnival games, one of the main attractions is the lantern parade where over 3000 lanterns are carried from Ikegami Station to the temple. It makes for a beautiful, photogenic parade.

Entrance Fee: Free

Photo credit: Tokyo Cheapo

Location: 1-1 Ikegami, Ota City, Tokyo 146-0082, Honmonji Temple

Dates: Oct 10-13ish.

Website: http://honmonji.jp/foreign/en.html

How to get there: A 15 minute walk from Ikegami Station on the Ikegami Line.

 

Yabusame is the traditional martial art of archery from horseback. It’s an impressive and difficult task where horsemen try to hit a target while riding a horse. On the second Monday of October on National Sports and Health Day, there is a yabusame event at Toyama Park. This annual event has been around since 1728 and is dedicated to the nearby Ana Hachimangu Shrine.

*If there is rain, it will be cancelled.

Entrance Fee: Free

Photo credit: Tokyo Cheapo

Location: 3 Chome-5 Okubo, Shinjuku City, Tokyo 169-0072, Toyama Park

Dates: Second Monday in October

Website: N/A

How to get there: A 9 minute walk from Takadanobaba Station on the JR Line.