Tokyo: Local Cuisine





Tokyo and other towns in the Kanto region have their own shared signature dishes. Tokyo's include edo-style sushi, tempura, ramen, and unaju (freshwater eel). Unlike Kyoto these dishes are not as healthy, but that doesn't mean that these are the only dishes eaten by people in Kanto.

Edo-style sushi is the same type of sushi served around the world. It is typically what people think of when sushi is mentioned. The Tsukiji fish market offers some of the freshest and highest quality of fish often used by more expensive restaurants or for exquisite meals. The typical foods in sushi include fish, seaweed, daikon radishes, eel, and avocado. All of these foods are considered healthy.

Tempura is a light batter used to typically fry shrimp and vegetables. This is not considered to be healthy, but in moderation, it can be a part of a healthy diet. The dish below is soba, but it comes with a side of shrimp tempura.

Ramen is a pasta in pork broth with a slice of pork, a hardboiled egg, and scallions. It does have nutritional value, but there are healthier options. I found that most Japanese people will order ramen, gyoza, and a glass of beer. This does not make for a particularly healthy meal but is probably used as  comfort food.

Unaju is a popular meal consisting of fried freshwater eel placed on top of rice. Freshwater eel is fatty, but has a decent amount of vitamins. Like the ramen, unaju is likely eaten as a comfort food.


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