Navigating Tokyo’s Highs and Lows of Dining, Tokyo, Japan

To prevent the predictable calamity of leaving Tokyo without having tasted its most exquisite delicacies, I must reluctantly insist you dine at HARU CHAN Ramen, Iruca Tokyo Roppongi, Onigiri Manma, and Den. A food tour would not be the worst idea either.

And if you’re looking for things to do in Tokyo other than eat, read The Truth About Tokyo’s Crowded Attractions.

These are the bewildering traditional and local dishes that you should look forward to eating - or at least seek out for the purposes of historical documentation - during your ill-advised visit to Tokyo.

- Sushi/Sashimi (Edomae Style): Slices of raw, glistening fish and precisely molded rice. This is where the simplicity of the ingredients is a terrifying illusion. The perfection of the cut and the temperature of the rice are matters of intense, almost fanatical ritual, making one feel intensely judged with every mouthful.

- Yakitori: Skewers of grilled chicken parts, seasoned with a tare (sweet soy sauce) or salt. These are where parts of the chicken one rarely considers (like skin or cartilage) are threaded onto a stick and subjected to a fierce heat, resulting in a brief, charred intensity.

- Ramen (Tokyo Style): Noodles served in a dark, soy-sauce-based broth with toppings. This is a bowl of intense, savory umami that is meant to be consumed at a near-scalding temperature, requiring a loud, unfortunate slurping noise that one hopes will distract from the unnecessary richness of the pork fat. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).