Tokyo: Capital of Japan, Capital of Japanese Food

Not everyone has visited Japan, but almost everyone has tried Japanese food and now knows exactly what sushi, tempura, soba, or unagi are. Tokyo has had a big hand in that, as that’s where these “Four Food Kings of Edo” (old name for Japan’s capital) originated.

Soba buckwheat noodles first appeared in Edo around the 17th century and quickly became the country’s first fast-food. Easy to make and eat, they were the perfect meal for the city’s constantly busy inhabitants, and still remain a staple of traditional Japanese cuisine. In that regard, they’re similar to sushi, the modern version of which also originated in Edo as edomae-sushi, i.e., sushi made with unfermented fish that was meant to be eaten on the go. It’s probably the only version you’ve ever had.

The next Edo “Food King,” tempura, similarly wasn’t haute cuisine, as it was sold outside from Tokyo stalls serving golden deep-fried shrimp and vegetables. If you’ve ever enjoyed tempura on the go, you were actually paying respect to its roots. Finally, Tokyo is also the place which has perfected unagi eels, inventing the kabayaki style of grill-steam-grill-baste that’s by now become world-famous.

Tokyo also has its eyes set on the future, as its always reinventing its classic dishes. Normally, you could to go into the city and experience it yourself, but the COVID-19 pandemic has made that difficult. However, there’s another option: takeout. You can get a lot of up-to-date info about takeout options in Tokyo on sites like TakeOutTokyo (https://takeouttokyo.com/), which will tell you where to find takeout tempura, Japanese curry, and even ramen. And food items come in anything from plastic bowls to Ziploc bags that keep the ingredients separate. Stay safe and bon appétit! This is a new normal for eating in Tokyo.