Tokyo Shinjuku Food & Backstreet Culture Tour: 15 Dishes+3 Drinks
Recommended by 99% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Tokyo, Japan
- 3 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Shinjuku is known for its amazing nightlife, and this tour is the perfect way to discover it. Swap language barriers for a hassle-free tour with a guide to take you to local izakayas that you’d likely miss otherwise. Along the way, taste authentic street food and drinks—which are all included in the price to save you the hassle of stopping to pay.
- Perfect for food lovers who want an insider's experience
- Try delicious local dishes and drinks—including alcohol
- No language barriers: Enjoy commentary from your English-speaking guide
- Learn about Japanese dining and drinking etiquette from your guide
What's Included
- 15 Carefully Selected Japanese Dishes (Varies depending on season)
- 2 Drinks (Alcohol or Non-Alcohol)
- Unique and Local guide in English
- Photos taken during the tour
- Explanation (Japanese style eating and drinking, Etiquette, Interesting culture, History, etc.)
- Personal Purchases(optional)
- Gratuity (optional)
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- GUCCI Shinjuku M Square StoreJapan, 160-0022 Tokyo, Shinjuku City, Shinjuku, 3-chōme24１ Newno・GS新宿 1階 1F
The guide will be waiting near the crosswalk in front of GUCCI and Mizuho Bank. They’ll be holding a tour sign. Please check your WhatsApp messages in advance, as we’ll send you a message before the tour.
End point
- Shinjuku Station3-chōme-38-1 Shinjuku, Shinjuku City, Tokyo 160-0022, Japan
We will explain which stations you need to go to depending on your destination. If you wish to remain at the last bar, you will be dispersed at the bar.
Itinerary
1
Giant 3d Cat Display Billboard
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
Omoide Yokocho
50 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
3
Godzilla Road & Head
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
4
Kabukicho
1 hour 40 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Shinjuku Golden Gai (Pass By)
Shinjuku Station (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- In Japan, drinking alcohol is prohibited under the age of 20, so we will provide soft drinks to those under the age of 20.
- This tour itinerary includes some locations that are not accessible to wheelchairs or strollers.
- Please note that as meals are prepared outside of FujiTour's kitchen, we cannot guarantee allergy-free meals or accommodate dietary restrictions. We may also not be able to provide substitutions at certain stops, but we will do our best to compensate you at various stops along the tour.
- Additional food and drink orders are available. (Please pay on the spot)
- For communications on the day, please download WhatsApp as we will use it for contact.
- Kindly be aware that for single travelers, the number of dishes offered may differ
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
5.0
based on 283 reviews
Anne_B, Apr 2026
I’ve done several food tours in the past where we walked around, explored the cities, and sample dishes from multiple spots, so I was really looking forward to this experience.
The tour started about 20–25 minutes late because we were waiting for a couple who got lost. While I understand that can happen in a new city, I think it would have been better for the guide to ask them meet up with us rather than delay the entire group.
Sakura was very kind and pleasant, but the overall experience was disappointing. We walked through alleys lined with food stands that looked amazing, yet we didn’t stop or even slow down to try anything. Instead, we went straight from one restaurant to the next, visiting only two in total—one for hot pot and another for tabletop grilled fish.
Neither place stood out. I left feeling underwhelmed and wishing the tour had offered more variety, flavor, and opportunity to actually explore the local food scene.
Susan_G, Apr 2026
I thought we would go to several places to sample food, it was only 2. I also thought we would.hear more history of food.
Annie_M, Apr 2026
I had a lovely time on my walking street tour with Ran. She took us down small streets I never would have found on my own and shared interesting insights into the history and culture along the way. The food was delicious and thoughtfully chosen. All in all, it was a delightful evening that gave me a window into a side of Tokyo I would not have discovered on my own.
Jill_Z, Apr 2026
We had a great night with KARI. We covered all of Shinjuku back alleys main streets. We got to see so much. The food we ate was delicious and we had a lot of fun the whole night.
Susanne_G, Apr 2026
Great food to try, some known fares some unusual. Kyle was a wonderful guide with Lots of cultural knowledge. We had fun meeting new people and sharing dinner in the group. Walking through the entertainment and bar quarter provided a fascinating glimpse into Japanese culture today and in the past.
Mark_r, Mar 2026
This tour was incredibly informative and an absolute perfect way to learn about Japanese food and customs. Kyle has a wealth of knowledge and shared interesting details and showed us fascinating areas we probably otherwise would not have seen. The food was delicious and we really enjoyed the variety. This tour is definitely a must. Kyle even helped us navigate the enormous Shinjuku train station to help get us on the right track back to our hotel. Thank you sincerely Kyle for a perfect evening!
Ireland_B, Mar 2026
Kari was an amazing tour guide! We enjoyed hearing about the different areas of Shinjuku and history of each famous spot. The stops for drinks and food were incredible, especially the gyoza place! Finished the evening with Taiyaki for dessert. Highly recommend this tour to anyone, especially if it’s your first time in Japan!
Jim_R, Mar 2026
We had a fun and informative time touring under the leadership of Kyle. He was able to answer all our questions, and provided us great food along our stops.
Ben_B, Feb 2026
Ran San was a wonderful guide today for family+ friends group from Montreal (Canada). This is an authentic Japanese food tour, no tourist trap. Our guide was polite, easy going and very knowledgeable of the area.
tecarr88, Feb 2026
It was a great personalized tour with a couple great food stops and entertaining walking tour. Informative and tasty food.
Brian_S, Feb 2026
Casual, fun way to see and eat a lot in the Shinjuku area. Our guide Kari was great - like hanging with a friend that was a local. Even on a busy Saturday night we our way through the city for some great sights and good - even dessert as a nice finish.
Naveen_G, Jan 2026
Our guide was nice and fun. However, the overall experience itself was poor. Only went to 2 restaurants for food and the food was mediocre. Dessert was taiyaki.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thank you very much for joining our tour and for taking the time to share your valuable feedback.
On the day of the tour, we made every effort to accommodate your dietary restrictions within our available options. However, we sincerely regret that the overall quality of the experience did not meet your expectations, and we take your feedback very seriously. We apologize for any disappointment you may have felt regarding the meal selection.
As stated in our tour notes, while we do our best to accommodate dietary restrictions such as vegetarian preferences, there are certain limitations to the options available. That said, your feedback has prompted us to further reflect on how we can improve, and we are committed to making greater efforts to provide higher-quality dining experiences even for guests with dietary restrictions, including reviewing our restaurant selections and tour arrangements.
Once again, thank you for your honest and constructive feedback. We truly appreciate it and will continue striving to provide better experiences for all of our guests.
Chas_T, Jan 2026
Brilliant experience all round. Great host with tons of knowledge about japan. Brought the group together well. Delicious foods in places we wouldn't of tried before. Highly recommend!
sharon_h, Jan 2026
This was a lot of fun. I am a solo traveler who does speak Japanese, but I tend not to go out at night because I am tired, but this motivated me. Kyle was fun, friendly, knowledgeable, and considerate. It started sleeting/snowing and he ran out to get people umbrellas - so above and beyond. The food was fantastic! I am ethnic Japanese, but I only grew up eating what my family ate, and there were things I had not tried. This tour will definitely makes you want to try even more Japanese food.
Pamela_N, Jan 2026
Great introduction to Japanese food- everything we tried was delicious! And there were recommendations along the way of other spots to try during the rest of your trip too.
Jaelyn_t, Dec 2025
It was a great tour, we definitely learned a lot about Japanese food, etiquette and culture. Sakura was an excellent guide and she provided a wealth of information. Understand though, it is a tour with food, not a food tour. As long as you don’t expect a lot of food, it’s well worth your time and very interesting.
Nidal_I, Nov 2025
This is by far was the best tour I recommend it to everyone Sakura was awesome she's very knowledgeable and very friendly and the places we visited were all great I enjoyed the food and Sakura was great and explaining the culture and the history of every place I recommend this tour and I'll give it five stars all day long
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Thank you very much for your wonderful review. We are truly happy to hear that you enjoyed the tour so much. Sakura will be delighted to know that her guidance and explanations made your experience memorable. It is great to hear that you enjoyed both the places we visited and the food as well.
Thank you for your warm recommendation and your five star praise. We hope to welcome you again on your next visit to Tokyo.
Stefanie_C, Nov 2025
What a fun tour! We had a great time trying food and exploring and chatting with Kyle. Lots of laughs! He was extremely knowledgeable about the area and had a lot of interesting facts to share that we wouldn’t have learned otherwise. He also answered our questions about etiquette, history, language, and culture. All the food we ate was delicious too.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Thank you so much for your kind review.
We are very happy to hear that you enjoyed the tour with Kyle and had fun exploring, eating, and learning about the area. Kyle will be glad to know you appreciated his knowledge and stories. We are also glad you liked the food. We hope to see you again on another tour in the future.
ColleenSchleider_S, Oct 2025
Very terrific tour with super peppy and fun tour guide. We learned about the food, culture, language. The food stops were excellent! So good!
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thank you so much for joining our tour!
We’re so glad you enjoyed the food stops and had fun learning about Japanese culture and language with our guide.
Your wonderful feedback means a lot to us! Hope to see you again on another adventure in Tokyo!
Chet_U, Oct 2025
I genuinely enjoyed the experience. It felt more than a tour. It felt like an evening out with a good friend. Sakura was friendly and made sure that your appetite is satisfied with a selection of food to sample.. She is a very smart young lady and provided info of past and present. I strongly recommend this amazing experience of food tasting, culture, and fun!
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thank you for your lovely message! We’re so happy to hear you had a great evening with Sakura. She said she really enjoyed spending time with you too and was thrilled that everyone left full and smiling. Hope to see you again for another fun tour!
Erik_K, Sep 2025
More people should take this lesson and experience during their first few days in Japan.
Learning a little respect goes a long way towards making sure one know the difference between ordering great food from happy servers, and employees just merely suffering through your presence.
This tour was fantastic! I really didn't focus on the food or drinks (both were fantastic), I was more interested in the proper ordering in restaurants and the respect needed to maintain civility. After all, 'when in Rome, wear a toda'.
Sakura, the tour guide, did a fantastic job of making sure everyone was educated and enjoying themselves.
The opportunity to take a night-time stroll through Golden Gai, scratching the surface of the dark underbelly of these side alleyways, on the outside cusp of the adult-oriented sections of Shinjiku was especially wonderful, eye-opening and the best way to stay buzzed while not getting oneself into a whole mess of trouble.
If all tour guides were as good as Sakura, I would go on these experiences more often.
Would I recommend this experience to a friend?... absolutely... but I'd recommend it to anyone who wants to be a thoughtful traveler, educate themselves, and have a couple of really great drinks while dipping a toe into the crazy beauty of Japan.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you very much for your thoughtful and detailed review! We are delighted to hear that Sakura’s guidance helped you gain a deeper understanding of Japanese dining etiquette and local culture, and that you enjoyed the unique night-time stroll through Golden Gai and its fascinating surroundings. We truly appreciate your kind recommendation and are thrilled that the experience left such a memorable impression. We look forward to welcoming you again for another enriching and enjoyable tour!
Lucas_s, Sep 2025
The guide was energetic to provide me with an overview of the food of Tokyo and Japan. I was able to get to see some of the highlights of Shinjuku.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you so much for your kind review! We’re glad to hear that your guide’s energy helped you get an overview of Tokyo and Japan’s food, as well as enjoy some of Shinjuku’s highlights. We truly appreciate your feedback and hope to welcome you again for more discoveries in the future!
Corinne_O, Jul 2025
Great experience getting to know Tokyo! Very friendly fun hosts. Ate lots of interesting dishes and saw lots of variety
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Thank you so much for joining our tour and for your kind words! We're happy to hear that you enjoyed the variety of dishes and had fun with our team. We hope your time in Tokyo continues to be full of delicious discoveries and great memories. Safe travels!
Amee_F, Jun 2025
An interesting twist on a food tour. We try to do them every time we travel and this was one of our faves. Sakura was wonderful and the food was great. The dumplings were the best we’ve ever eaten. But the highlight was definitely the focus on culture and tradition and the perspective about changing norms. Definitely recommend.
Response from Host, Jun 2025
Thank you so much for this thoughtful and generous review!
We’re honored to hear that, as frequent food tour travelers, this one stood out as one of your favorites. Sakura will be so happy to know that her focus on culture, tradition, and evolving social norms made an impact—and we agree, those dumplings are pretty unforgettable!
Thank you for the high recommendation. We’d love to welcome you back anytime for more great food and meaningful conversation!
Max_C, Jun 2025
It's a really interesting and fun look through Shinjuku and Seiya was a wonderful, open guide with excellent English. My girlfriend and I had a great night, we'd definitely recommend this to other visitors.
Response from Host, Jun 2025
Thank you so much for your kind review!
We’re so happy to hear that you and your girlfriend had a great time exploring Shinjuku with Seiya. He really enjoys connecting with guests and sharing the local side of Tokyo, so your words will mean a lot to him.
Thanks again for recommending the tour—we hope to welcome you both back on another fun night out in the future!
Shubarna_B, May 2025
A beautiful experience showcasing the nightlife of Tokyo, both the bright neon light side and the darker side. An amazing experience hopping through the izakiyas tasting so many different types of drinks and food to accompany that. Our guide Seiya was fluent in English and was very warm and friendly. It was a pleasure doing this tour with him.
Response from Host, May 2025
Thank you so much for your thoughtful and detailed review!
We're thrilled to hear that you enjoyed experiencing both sides of Tokyo's nightlife—the vibrant and the more hidden gems—while exploring different izakayas. Seiya will be so happy to hear your kind words; he truly enjoys connecting with guests and sharing the unique flavors and stories of Tokyo.
It was a pleasure having you on the tour, and we hope to welcome you back again someday!
Billy_C, Apr 2025
I had a great night out with Sakura exploring Shinjuku! She spoke great English and you could tell she gave it lots of effort and energy! I got to try some things I'd never have found or had the courage to order and they turned out delicious! I'm sorry to expose her but since we are both Otakus we got along very well 😅 Please ask her about Ruby-chan
Response from Host, May 2025
Thank you so much for your fun and thoughtful review!
We’re so happy to hear that you had a great night out in Shinjuku with Sakura. She always puts her heart into making sure guests feel comfortable and excited to try new things—so it’s wonderful to know that you stepped out of your comfort zone and enjoyed it!
And yes… she definitely remembers Ruby-chan 😅 We're glad the two of you connected over your shared otaku spirit. Hope to see you again for more unforgettable (and geeky!) adventures in Tokyo!
danielmdavidson, Jan 2025
Our evening with Sakura was excellent! Warm and welcoming, Sakura is a delightful tour guide. As a self-proclaimed foodie, she's pieced together this tour to give an extremely well-rounded Japanese food and drink experience. Sakura also provided insights into Japanese culture, including many tidbits that you wouldn't get on your average tour or from a guide book. This was one of the highlights of our trip and would highly recommend booking this tour with Sakura!
Mvazquez, Nov 2024
It was very fun, we diverted to stop by a local festival and try festival foods. We enjoyed it a lot.
Mohamed_J, Nov 2024
Me and my wife had an incredible time exploring night life in shinjuku with Sakura. She was knowledgeable, fun, and really did an excellent job introducing us to and explaining the culture of the area. More importantly we really did have a wonderfully fun night out. Would definitely recommend for a unique experience that we might not have been exposed to if not for the this.
From $100.00
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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