Food Tours In Japan

Tailoring each experience to your wishes by locals who love their city

Tourists enjoying a meal with a local guide at a busy restaurant in Japan

Top 10 food tours & experiences in Japan

From exploring cool neighborhoods to eating with the locals to seeing iconic sites, these are some of our favorite experiences

Eat Like a Tokyoite: Your 3-Hour Izakaya Crawl in Nakano

City Unscripted Original

Tokyo Eat Like a Tokyoite: Your 3-Hour Izakaya Crawl in Nakano

Explore Nakano's lively backstreets and hidden izakayas on a tailored food adventure that reveals Tokyo's authentic culinary soul.

$173.5 per person

3 hours

(227)

Eat Your Way Through Osaka’s Kitchen: A Street Food Lover’s Dream

City Unscripted Original

Osaka Eat Your Way Through Osaka’s Kitchen: A Street Food Lover’s Dream

Eat like a local in Japan’s street food capital, from Dotonbori’s neon stalls to Namba’s hidden gems—sizzling takoyaki, crispy kushikatsu & more.

$160.5 per person

3 hours

(159)

Kyoto, Your Story: A Full-Day of Icons, Culture & Hidden Gems

City Unscripted Original

Kyoto Kyoto, Your Story: A Full-Day of Icons, Culture & Hidden Gems

Your perfect Kyoto day, tailored to you. Explore icons, hidden gems & culture with a local host shaping a flexible experience around your interests.

$265.5 per person

8 hours

(507)

Mystical Gion: explore the iconic geisha district

City Unscripted Original

Kyoto Mystical Gion: explore the iconic geisha district

Explore Kyoto's most mesmerizing district, see stunning temples, traditional shops, and maybe even the odd geisha hurrying to her next appointment

$120.5 per person

3 hours

(219)

City Unscripted Original

Osaka Top 10 must-see sights of Osaka

Visit some of Osaka's top sites in a day, from neon-lit and buzzy Dotonbori to the historical Osaka Castle, and a sprinkle of hidden gems

$262 per person

8 hours

(31)

City Unscripted Original

Sapporo Kickstart your trip to Sapporo

Practical know-how, chopstick etiquette and a few ramen recommendations. Yum!

$107 per person

3 hours

(72)

City Unscripted Original

Fukuoka The ultimate Tonkotsu ramen experience

Savor Fukuoka's culinary essence, indulging in Tonkotsu ramen and endless noodles, while discovering the heartwarming flavors of the city.

$128 per person

3 hours

(39)

City Unscripted Original

Nagoya Top 10 Nagoya in a day

From a 1900 year old shrine to futuristic architecture, tick the must-sees in this delightful city

$216 per person

8 hours

(77)

City Unscripted Original

Kobe Eat like a local in Kobe

$175.5 per person

4 hours

(41)

City Unscripted Original

Hiroshima Discover Hiroshima in a day

Dive into Hiroshima's culture head-on! From must-see landmarks to secret spots, savor a full day of unforgettable exploration and adventures.

$232 per person

8 hours

(32)

City Unscripted Original

Nagasaki Eat like a local in Nagasaki

Nagasaki’s strong Chinese influence makes for a fascinating (and super-delicious) food culture.

$140 per person

3 hours

(61)

City Unscripted Original

Kanazawa Secret gems of Kanazawa

Journey through Kanazawa's hidden gems with a local, gaining insider insights on an unforgettable tour.

$94.5 per person

3 hours

(145)

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The best private food tours in Japan

Japan has quickly risen up the ranks as one of the most popular food destinations in the world – and for very good reason. With an emphasis on fresh, healthy ingredients and flavors that range from light and subtle to super-bold, Japanese cuisine can be tremendously varied, with something to suit every palate. Perfectly prepared traditional Japanese food – found at restaurants, markets, cash-only counters, izakaya, cafés, and even convenience stores – is overflowing across the country and you can discover it all on one of our Japan food tours. From familiar favorites like sushi and soba to the unfamiliar, unexpected specialties unique to each individual city, Japanese cuisine is utterly, mind-blowingly delicious.

Meet some of our food-loving local hosts in Japan

Nikki

London

Passionate London guide and City insider with a love for uncovering hidden corners and crafting unforgettable experiences in the heart of the capital.

Sandro

London

The warm-hearted Italian who loves meeting new people as much as he loves London

Yunna

London

Richard

Edinburgh

Quirky Edinburgh host and festival fanatic with a knack for uncovering the city's best bars, coffee spots, and hidden gems.

Claudio

Bologna

Music lover and local foodie with insider knowledge of Bologna’s hidden corners.

`S.T.

London

An eccentric New Yorker with big hair, a big personality and tons of energy

Loli

Paris

Art-loving explorer and language enthusiast who knows Paris’s most inspiring corners and hidden gems.

Roy

Manchester

Alessandro

Rome

Passionate photographer with a natural eye for beauty and appetite for good Italian food

Jonathan

Barcelona

Gaudí lover and local host with insider tips on Barcelona’s must-see neighborhoods.

Tourists experiencing a local chef preparing okonomiyaki in Osaka

A countrywide culinary adventure

From traditional Kaiseki in magical Kyoto and Okonomiyaki in Osaka to Fukuoka’s tonkotsu ramen and perfectly marbled Kobe beef (not to mention the lesser-known Sapporo “soup curry”), each of Japan’s cities has its own regional Japanese cuisine. Whether you snack on Omicho croquettes at a market dubbed the “Kitchen of Kanazawa”, sample Momiji Manjū – a creative take on the traditional rice cake – in Hiroshima or sit down for a typical Japanese breakfast of Nagoya-style miso soup and rice, Japanese cuisine consistently delivers on out-of-this-world flavor no matter where your Japan food tour takes you.

The traditional food market mecca

A food tour in Japan would be incomplete without jostling through the narrow, maze-like alleys of a local market – and there are a lot to choose from. The range of food markets in Japan is as diverse as Japanese cuisine itself and can be found hidden away underground in shopping centers, popping up in parks, or attracting locals year-round. At these markets throughout the country, you’ll find all sorts of incredible Japanese cuisine, from fresh seafood to sit-down meals to popular street food (and plenty of sweets!) – but more than that, you’ll get a true snapshot of local life.

Tourists enjoying a meal at a yatai with a local on a food tour of Fukuoka

Modest, modern and Michelin-starred

Perhaps you’ll tuck into Yakitori skewers at a night market in Fukuoka, or grab a bowl of ramen at a tiny 10-seater restaurant in Yokohama. Or maybe you’ll indulge in a 5-star-rated meal in Tokyo – the city with more Michelin stars than any other in the world. Japanese cuisine can be found in every type of environment. The best places to eat range from ramshackle restaurants that specialize in one thing and one thing only to sleek, sophisticated eateries serving trendy fusion fare. Whatever – and wherever – you eat, one rule of Japanese cuisine applies: it’s bound to taste sublime.

Japan travel tips and inspiration from our Travel Magazine

Find the best things to do, places to eat, must eat foods and lots of travel tips in Japan and around the world recommended by our local hosts

Latest reviews from our guests

Very knowledgeable and easy going

3 January 2026

John B
All.perfect

3 November 2025

Luis Gerardo D
Ai had really thought about what would suit our group, starting with a trip to Don Quixote and catering for our pescatarian daughter. The food places were both delicious - and both novel in ways we probably wouldn’t have found ourselves (a seafood grill at table and a market style restaurant).

30 October 2025

Raj C
We made a last-minute request for a food tour in Fukuoka in the evening and it was our good fortune that Bruce was available to take us for a tour the next afternoon. The tour was a great introduction to the food culture of the city. While the yatai tour is an evening experience, he was able to send us to one of his favourite yatai stalls where Mariko-san took care of us, introducing us to local seafood tempura.

10 April 2025

Pam B

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Experiences for all types of travelers

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Tourists enjoying a busy local restaurant in Tokyo with a local

Food Tours In Tokyo

Group of tourists posing with their local guide at a popular temple in Japan

Top Things To Do In Japan

Group of tourists posing with their local guide at a popular temple in Kyoto

Top Things To Do In Kyoto

Group of tourists standing in front of the Godzilla statue in Osaka with a local guide

Top Things To Do In Osaka

Tourists exploring the best things to do in Tokyo with a local guide

Top Things To Do In Tokyo

Tourist posing with a local while on a night tour of Tokyo

Best Tokyo Night Tours

Local guide showing tourists around the city on a night tour of Kyoto

Best Kyoto Night Tours

Tourists posing in front of a torii gate at Meiji Jingu Shrine in Shibuya Tokyo

Best Private Tours In Tokyo

Tourist posing in front of luminous signs at night on a busy street in Osaka

Best Osaka Night Tours

Tourists exploring the alleyways of Japan with a local guide

Best Private Tours In Japan

Tourists crouching down next to the fox statues in Ohori park Fukuoka

Private Tour Guides In Fukuoka

Tourist standing in front of Itsukushima Floating Torii Gate while on a tour of with a private guide in Hiroshima

Private Tour Guides In Hiroshima

Private Tour Guides In Kanazawa

Private Tour Guides In Kobe

Private Tour Guides In Kyoto

Private Tour Guides In Nagasaki

Private Tour Guides In Nagoya

Private Tour Guides In Osaka

Private Tour Guides In Tokyo

Private Tour Guides In Sapporo

Private Tour Guides In Yokoham

Private tour guides Japan

Walking Tours In Japan

Walking Tours In Hiroshima

Walking Tours In Kanazawa

Walking Tours In Kyoto

Walking Tours In Fukuoka

Walking Tours In Kobe

Walking Tours In Osaka

Walking Tours In Nagasaki

Walking Tours In Nagoya

Walking Tours In Tokyo

Walking Tours In Yokohama

Walking Tours In Sapporo

Fukuoka private tours

Hiroshima private tours

Kobe private tours

Kanazawa private tours

Kyoto private tours

Nagasaki Private Tours

Nagoya Private Tours

Osaka Private Tours

Sapporo Private Tours

Yokohama Private Tours

Fukuoka Food Tours

Hiroshima Food Tour

Yokohama Food Tours

Nagasaki Food Tours

Nagoya Food Tours

Sapporo Food Tours

Kanazawa Food Tours

Kobe Food Tours

Osaka Food Tours

Kyoto Food Tours

Japan Layover Tours

Tokyo Layover Tours

Tours With Locals In Fukuoka

Personalized Cherry Blossom Experiences in Japan

★★★★★

Brandon

1 April 2026

The communication prior to the trip was key. We were dropped off in a spot where we could continue our exploration on our own.

Jamie

Michael was a great guide! It was so nice having a private guide instead of being in a large group. He showed us so many great places, many of which didn’t have the heavy crowds that some of the other classic tourist places have. The highlight was going to the Jodo temple and seeing a ceremony in progress. Oh, we loved the sushi restaurant also!!

Mark Alan

31 March 2026

Kyoko was an excellent guide. She is very knowledgeable and helpful regarding Tokyo culture, especially fashion and pop culture.