There is a common misconception that Tokyo is a pricey destination to visit, what with souvenir shops by the dozens, and tasty food choices no matter where you turn. But saying that Tokyo is expensive need not necessarily be true.

We believe that you can always choose whether or not your trip to the land of sushi, ramen and all things kawaii is going to be painful to the wallet or not. Tokyo has many affordable yet impressive dining options within the city.

Ganso Zushi—a Kaitenzushi chain in Tokyo—is one such place. It is not a name as frequently mentioned when people talk about dining in Tokyo, but it is definitely one which serves fresh sushi at incredibly affordable prices.

The kaitenzushi chain has outlets all over Tokyo, so you will probably stumble across one of their restaurants while you are in the more popular shopping districts around the city. They are relatively easy to locate and can be found in popular shopping districts, so you do not need to go hunting for them.

Prices for their sushi starts from ¥130 (S$1.72) for plates with the more “regular” choices such as salmon and tuna. Subsequently, other plates go at ¥210, ¥262, ¥399 and ¥525. You will find all kinds of sushi in the likes of fatty tuna, sweet prawns, swordfish, and even uni (sea urchin)!

Photo Credit: bitterbubblegums

The freshness is not compromised despite it being a chain. English menus are provided in the restaurant, so you do not need to worry much about the language barrier.

A tip from the locals for all kaitenzushi chains would be to order straight from the sushi chef. The Japanese rarely ever take plates of sushi off the conveyer belt, simply because they might have been there for a while, and freshness means everything to the locals.

Ganso Zushi Shinjuku
160-0023 Tokyo Nishi-Shinjuku
Shinjuku-ku, 1-15-5
Tel: +81 03-5321-5775
Daily: 11.30am – 11pm

Tokyo generally experiences early sunsets all year round. During the summer, daylight lasts until about 7pm in the evening. But during the colder months such as November and December, the country will already be blanketed in darkness once it hits 4pm. This definitely makes the days in Tokyo much shorter, especially when shops would close earlier too.

Step out of your hotel at 8pm, and you will probably have a hard time finding restaurants or stores that are still open. Shinjuku, however, never sleeps.

If you are one for a good late-night drink or if you just need a late night snack, here are 7 Food Places in Shinjuku (Tokyo) that open till late.

#1 ICHIRAN RAMEN

Ichiran Ramen. It is the name you have seen floating all around the internet, and for very good reasons. Their ramen always leaves customers from all over the world very satisfied—rich flavourful broth, well-cooked noodles, fragrant chilli oil… you can customise your own bowl of Ichiran Ramen!

If you ever find yourself craving for a bowl of hot ramen, head down to the outlet at Shinjuku East that is open 24 hours! Giving in to your cravings (especially during the wee hours) has never been easier.

Ichiran Ramen Shinjuku
3 Chome-34-11 Shinjuku
160-0022, Japan
Tel: +81 3-3225-5518
Daily: 24 hours
Nearest Station: Shinjuku

#2 SUSHI-ZANMAI HIGASHI

Sushi-Zanmai is a sushi chain in Tokyo that is known for their fresh sushi and reasonable price tags. We don’t know about you but sushi for supper sounds damn legit to us.The variety of sushi will keep your tummies satisfied late into the night. The restaurant could get pretty crowded, so we suggest making a reservation in advance.

The variety of sushi platters will make supper worth the while. The restaurant could get pretty crowded, so we suggest making a reservation in advance.

Sushi-Zanmai Higashi
1-1-13 Okubo, Tokyo
169-0072, Japan
Tel: +81 3-5155-6655
Daily: 24 hours
Nearest Station: Seibu Shinjuku

Photo Credit: TimeOut

#3 EDINBURGH

Pulling an all-nighter, or perhaps just more of a nocturnal person? Get your much-needed cup of joe at Edinburgh (also known as Coffee Kizoku), a quiet little coffee shop in the heart of Shinjuku.

The coffee prices might be a little bit on the high side, starting from ¥800 and going up to ¥3,000, but the free Wi-Fi and cosy seats will make up for it.

Edinburgh
2F, Shinjuku M&E Square Building
3-2-4, Shinjuku
160-0021, Japan
Tel: +81 3-5379-2822
Daily: 24 hours
Nearest Station: Shinjuku-sanchome

#4 ROKKASEN

If you have got a hankering for some yakiniku at 2am in the morning, then Rokkasen is the place you should go to. The restaurant closes in the day, and opens at night, so you can pop by once the sun has set for some good grilled meat.

The restaurant is best known for its fatty beef, so be sure to try that!

Rokkasen
6F to 7F, Sunflower Building
1-3-1 Nishishinjuku
160-0023, Japan
Tel: +81 3-3348-8676
Daily: 11am – 5am
Nearest Station: Shinjuku

Photo Credit: A Life Worth Eating

#5 NEW YORK BAR

You will see the streets of Shinjuku come alive after dark, thanks to the pubs and clubs around the area. The New York Bar is one that is not to be missed; have your drinks complemented with an amazing view too!

The New York Bar was in a scene from the movie ‘Lost In Translation’, and sits on the 52nd floor of Park Hyatt, Tokyo. A jazz band plays every night, and you can choose from a selection of cocktails, brandies, and American wines.

New York Bar
52F, Park Hyatt Tokyo
3-7-1-2 Nishi Shinjuku, Shinjuku-Ku
163-1055, Japan
Tel: +81 3-5322-1234
Sun to Wed: 5pm – 12am
Thu to Sat: 5pm – 1am
Nearest Station: Shinsen-Shinjuku

Photo Credit: Miner8

#6 SHINJUKU GOLDEN GAI

Golden Gai is the one-stop destination for an authentic Shinjuku bar experience. The tiny street is crammed with over 200 bars, pubs and eateries.

With that said, you will be able to experience different vibes at different bars—whether you prefer classy cocktails or hard rock, there will be something for you.

Shinjuku Golden Gai
1 Chome Kabukicho
160-0021, Japan
Tel: +81 195-75-1319
Mon – Sat: 5.30pm – 5am
Sun: 8pm – 12am
Nearest Station: Seibu-Shinjuku

#7 SHINJUKU KAKEKOMI GYOZA

Up for some midnight gyozas? Kakekomi Gyoza Restaurant is one of the better names to look for when it comes to gyozas; some might even say it is the best in Tokyo.

The restaurant is known for cooking their gyozas four different ways—pan-frying, deep-frying, cooked in Chinese broth, and with seafood broth. Plus, the eatery also offers free Wi-Fi!

Shinjuku Kakekomi Gyoza
1-2F 58th Tokyo Building
1-12-2 Kabukicho
160-0021, Japan
Tel: +81 3-6233-7099
Daily: 24 hours
Nearest Station: Seibu-Shinjuku

Read: 4D3N Tokyo Itinerary – 24 tips on what to see and what to eat.

Awestruck. That was how we felt when we stepped into Aoyama Flower Market Tea House in Tokyo. It combines a florist with a tea house, and the result is the dream café for every girl.

Like an indoor greenhouse but with an impeccable sophistication, the tea house is lavishly decorated with fresh flowers of the season. Scattered, lined, tied on vines, sprouting from under… we were lost in the splendiferous floral world with all kinds of richly-coloured species blooming in their unique forms, and filling the space with a wondrous mix of scents so delicate. Decorative mini lights span across the ceiling and drape down the pillars, creating an illumination so dreamy that it enraptures your soul; soft instrumentals looping, quite like a choir of nightingale serenading every dreamer in the room. Nothing quite as beautiful, nothing quite as enchanting.

Aoyama Flower Market Tea House serves several unique blends, and our pick is the Refresh Blend (¥787), which is a blend of five different herbs – rosemary, lemongrass, lemonbalm, spearmint, and pineapplemint. There are also other options like Rose Tea (¥735), Rooibos Tea (¥735), and the popular Ispahan (¥735), which combines tea, rose, Jasmine and Violet.

The food menu is small and concise. A simple Salad (¥1050) and Sandwich (¥1050) with bacon, tomato and tartar sauce are available. For something more hearty, go for the Beef Stew (¥1575). Don’t expect much from the food, though. After all, it is a tea house where people step in to rejuvenate the mind and soul, and unwind over tea and desserts.

And we insist you order the The Rose Parfeit (¥892) – a gorgeous ensemble of rose jelly, sorbet, crumbs and foam. Else, go for the Flower French Toast (¥892) – a party of fruits, fresh cream and vanilla ice cream atop a nicely toasted brioche.

Aoyama Flower Market Tea House is just a 5-minute walk from Omotesando station. If you ever find yourself in the area, a trip to the tea house is very highly recommended. Because whatever you are feeling, the sheer beauty and tranquility will complete your day.

Words by Melody Yap, photographs by ladyironchef

Aoyama Flower Market Tea House
5-1-2, MinamiAoyama, Minato-ku
Tokyo, Japan
Tel: +81 3 3400 0887
Nearest Station: Omotesando

One of the Japanese food that you must eat in Tokyo is tempura. Once you have tried tempura in Japan, you will never see it in the same light again. The tempura is deep-fried to perfection: amazing airily light and crisp, not too oily or greasy, and very delicious.

Here are 4 affordable tempura restaurants in Tokyo.

Aoi Marushin

Aoi Marushin is a famous tempura restaurant which has been serving tempura for 60 years. If you are on a hunt to try the best tempura in Tokyo, Aoi Marushin is a must visit. They have a selection of dishes to choose from, such as the Tempura Set (¥2,310), and Tendon (¥1,700). For the full package, go for the Kaiseki Aoi (¥5,250) which features two kinds of appetisers, soup, sashimi, grilled fish, stewed dish, tempura, rice and dessert.

1-4-4 Asakusa, Taito-ku
Tel: +81 3 3841 0110
Daily: 11am – 9pm
Right of Kaminari gate at Sensoji Temple
Nearest Station: Asakusa

Daikokuya

Also in Asakusa, just a stone’s throw away from the famous Senso-ji Temple is Daikokuya, a small and cosy joint which offers excellent tempura. Daikokuya is extremely popular and commands a long queue during meal times. The basic Tendon set (¥1,500) – with one prawn, mixed tempura and kisu fish – is a good choice, while the Tempura set (¥1,650) comes with three prawns and one kisu fish.

If you are visiting Senso-ji Temple, you must stop by here for a meal.

1-38-10 Asakusa, Taiko-li
Tel: +81 3 3844 1111
Sun to Fri: 11.15am – 8.30pm
Sat: 11.15am – 9pm
Nearest Station: Asakusa

Tempura Tendon Tenya

The poster boy for cheap and good tempura, Tenya is a fastfood chain with more than 500 stores in Japan. A basic Tendon (tempura-donburi) with ebi and vegetable is only ¥500.

We were in disbelief when we had the tendon. It might not be the best tempura, but it was very decent, and surely a steal for the price. This is probably the cheapest tempura restaurant in Tokyo, a place where you can have tempura without breaking the bank.

1-25-1 Nishishinjuku
Shinjuku
Tel: +81 3 3345 1266
Nearest Station: Shinjuku

4-31 Jingumae
Shibuya-ku
Opposite F21 Building in Harajuku
Nearest Station: Meijijingumae

Tenfusu Tempura

Most people go to Tsukiji Market for sushi breakfast, but if you want to try something else, go to Tenfusu – which is located just beside Sushi Dai and Sushi Daiwa – for their tempura. The tempura is top quality. It is fried to a beautiful golden brown, and not oily at all. Go for their Tempura Platter (¥1,200), and Tempura-don (¥1,100).

5-2-1, Building 6
Chuo-ku, Tsukiji Market, Tokyo
Tel: +81 3 3547 6766
Nearest Station: Tsukiji/Tsukijishijo

For more recommendations, read our Tokyo Food & Travel Guides.

Japanese food in Tokyo is one-of-a-kind experience and is a leisure on a whole different level. Sushi and sashimi are so fresh that you will never see Japanese food in the same light ever again. And the authenticity is one that you do not get as with eating local food at any other country. For one, it is beyond atmospheric that, once again, eating Japanese food in Japan will change your life altogether – in every good way, of course.

People always speak of how expensive Japanese food is and how the price tags deter them from feasting when in Japan. It is not true. We have sussed out 4 Affordable Sushi Restaurants in Tokyo that you can try without breaking the bank.

Midori Sushi

Having heard raved reviews about Midori Sushi, I was looking forward to dine there to find out why it is so popular. One of the reason why there is a long queue at Midori Sushi every day is because of the reasonable prices. The cheapest sushi set is only ¥840. However, we were not blown away by it – the sushi was decent, but nothing special – especially since we had to queue more than half an hour for it. Nonetheless, this is a place to dine at if you are looking for an affordable sushi restaurant in Tokyo, and if you do not mind queuing.

Dogenzaka 1-12-3
Mark City East 4F
Open 11am-10pm daily
Tel: +81 03 5458 0002
Nearest Station: Shibuya

Nemuro Hanamaru

Don’t be deceived by the conveyer belt sushi restaurant at Kitte Shopping Mall, which is a few minutes walk from Tokyo Station. Nemuro hHnamaru serves fresh sushi at great value. Most of the sushi plates are priced between ¥136 to ¥336. One of our favourites was the Seared Salmon (¥262). From the side menu, the Crab Soup (¥336) – with huge chunks of crab meat – and the Chawanmushi (¥262) are also excellent choices.

Tokyo KITTE 5F
2-7-2 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku
Tel: +81 03 6269 9026
Mon to Sat: 11am – 11pm
Nearest Station: Tokyo

Ryu Sushi

A trip to Tokyo will not be complete without having sushi breakfast at the world famous Tsukiji Market. Sushi Dai and Sushi Daiwa are the most popular sushi restaurants at the fish market. However, people wait in line from as early as 6am, and the queue is easily three hours long. Honestly, I feel that the other sushi bars in Tsukiji Market are just as good.

One place that you can try is Ryu Sushi. It has a extremely good and fresh sashimi and sushi at very decent prices. The Kiku Sushi Set (¥2,100) comes with 7 pieces of sushi, and 6 pieces of sushi rolls, and a beautiful Chirashi (¥3,100). We were blown away by the quality and freshness of the food.

Read: Five reasons to visit Tsukiji Market

5-2-1, Building 1. Chuo-ku
Tsukiji Market, Tokyo
Tel: +81 03 3541 9517
Nearest Station: Tsukiji/Tsukijishijo

Uoriki Kaisen Sushi

Uoriki Kaisen Sushi is a place where I will return to again and again whenever I am in Tokyo. It does not have any Michelin stars, nor is it extremely popular. But it serves super good quality sushi and sashimi at ridiculously cheap prices.

The basic Sushi Set (¥990), with ten pieces of sushi, is very value-for-money. Our favourite dish is the Chirashi-don (¥1,390) which comes with huge slices of sashimi. Uoriki Kaisen Sushi is a hidden gem and one of the most affordable sushi restaurants in Tokyo. I wholeheartedly recommend this place.

B1 Tokyu Department Store
2-24-1 Shibuya
Tel: +81 03 5428 3813
Daily: 10am – 9pm
Nearest Station: Shibuya

Tokyo has one of the highest number of Michelin Starred restaurants, and while we ate at several of the well-known establishments in the city, our favourite meal was, however, at Uoriki Kaisen Sushi, a humble and small sushi bar within the supermarket at the basement of Tokyu’s department store in Shibuya.

Uoriki Kaisen Sushi does not have any Michelin stars, nor is it extremely popular. But it serves exceptionally fresh sushi and sashimi at ridiculously cheap prices. It is a hidden gem in Tokyo, and I wholeheartedly recommend this place when you are looking for a place to eat in Shibuya.

The main reason why Uoriki Kaisen Sushi is able to offer good quality sushi and sashimi at affordable prices is because its core business is seafood retailing – they supply supermarkets and department stores with fresh seafood directly from Tsukiji Fish Market.

The basic Sushi Set (¥990), with ten pieces of sushi, is very value-for-money. And if you are a fan of tuna, you should try their Tuna Sushi Set (¥1,290) which comes with maguro nigiri, maguro gunkan and otoro nigiri.

Our favourite dish – something that we will order every time when we are dining at Uoriki Kaisen Sushi – is the Chirashi-don (¥1,390). We were in disbelief when the waiter served the dish. It came with huge slices of cuttle fish, salmon, tuna, mackerel, sea bream, sweet shrimp, uni, sea urchin and salmon fish roe – for the price, it is a steal.

Uoriki Kaisen Sushi is a place where I will return to again and again whenever I am in Tokyo. The funny thing is, Uoriki is still a relatively well-kept secret. We ate there twice for dinner and it was rather quiet. I believe that they deserve more recognition – the prices are unbeatable, and the sushi extremely fresh. If you are going to Tokyo for holiday, you must dine here. Get the chirashi-don. Trust me, you will love it.

Uoriki Kaisen Sushi
B1 Tokyu Department Store
2-24-1 Shibuya
Tel: +81 03 5428 3813
Daily: 10am – 9pm
Nearest Station: Shibuya