Discover Yanaka Ginza: Best cafes and restaurants for lunch
Major redevelopment projects, said to happen only once in a century, have been underway in Tokyo, leaving fewer areas where you can enjoy the old townscape. However, the Yanaka Ginza district still retains its old-fashioned streets, allowing you to experience the "old Tokyo" as if time has stood still.
Surrounded by abundant nature such as the Yanaka Cemetery and the Nezu Shrine with its many torii gates and azalea bushes, the area is perfect for strolling. It's a popular district even among Japanese people, and I visit there from time to time.
Being only about 30 minutes by train from popular tourist areas like Shinjuku and Shibuya, it's an ideal place to get away from the hustle and bustle and have a relaxing lunch at Yanaka Ginza. Here, I'll introduce some recommended cafes and restaurants!
What is Yanaka Ginza?
In Japan, there are places called "(Location name) + Ginza," where "Ginza" refers to a shopping street. So Yanaka Ginza means "the shopping street in Yanaka."
This Yanaka Ginza is a shopping street located about a 5-minute walk from JR Nippori Station on the Yamanote Line. Consisting mainly of old privately-owned shops, about 60 stores line the 170m street. I've been there several times, and it has a nostalgic feel.
Furthermore, with its many shrines, temples, and vast cemeteries providing a cat-friendly environment, it's also famous as a "cat town," and almost every shop sells cat-related goods or food.
Popular Restaurants and Cafes around Yanaka Ginza
On Yanaka Ginza Shopping Street
・Japanese Set Meal Restaurant "TAYORI"
Source: TAYORI official website
This hidden gem is located down a small alley off the main Yanaka Ginza street. They serve Japanese cuisine, with teishoku (set meals) at the reasonable price of 1,500 yen. While the healthy, well-balanced meals are filling even for men due to the extensive side dishes, the restaurant can get quite crowded during lunchtime, sometimes with over an hour wait. Reservations are recommended.
If you make a reservation in advance (up to 2 days prior), you can also order course meals with various prepared dishes. They also sell bento boxes, which are great for enjoying in the park!
Source: TAYORI official website
Themed as a "food post office," the restaurant even has an actual mailbox inside, adding to its unique charm.
<Store Information>
Address: 3-12-4 Yanaka, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Closed: Mondays and Tuesdays
Phone: 03-5834-7026
Hours: Wed-Sat 12:00-20:00 (Sun/Holidays until 18:00)
Website: https://hagiso.com/tayori/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tayori_yanaka/
・Soba Restaurant "Azegami"
Sorce：食べログ
Located right on the Yanaka Ginza shopping street, this soba (buckwheat noodle) restaurant is popular not just for its soba but also for its tempura and rice bowls among locals.
I highly recommend their limited-quantity lunch set, which includes soba and a rice bowl. With over 10 different rotating rice bowl options available daily, you can enjoy the seasonal flavors. They also have seasonal specialty soba dishes.
The restaurant isn't very large, so it can get crowded. If you arrive around their 11:00 AM opening time, you'll have a better chance of being seated right away!
<Store Information>
Address: 3-11-11 Yanaka, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Closed: Mondays (closed every other Tuesday)
Phone: 03-5815-8710
Hours: 11:00-21:00 (Last order 20:30)
Details: https://www.yanakaginza.com/
Around Yanaka Ginza Shopping Street
・Onigiri Cafe "Risaku"
Source: Risaku official website
While readily available at convenience stores, the onigiri (rice balls) at "Risaku" are meticulously made with carefully cooked rice and ingredient combinations that highlight the flavor of the rice itself. Fluffy and delicious, their extensive range of fillings is sure to have something for everyone. My personal recommendations are the salmon and the cheese with dried fish shavings!
In addition to the onigiri, they also serve accompaniments like miso soup and egg rolls, so you're sure to leave feeling satisfied.
<Store Information>
Address: 2-31-6 Sendagi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo
Closed: Wednesdays
Phone: 03-5834-7292
Hours: 9:00-20:00
Website: https://www.risaku-tokyo.com/
Restaurants and Cafes for Cat Lovers
Befitting its reputation as a "cat town," Yanaka Ginza has several restaurants and cafes perfect for cat lovers where you can interact with the feline residents.
・"Yadorigi Cafe & Restaurant" with Rescued Cats
Source: Yadorigi Cafe official website
This cafe and restaurant allows you to spend time with rescued cats living on the premises. Unlike many Japanese cat cafes that charge by the minute or half-hour, Yadori Cafe offers set 1-hour (1,200 yen with 1 drink included) or 2-hour (2,200 yen) packages, providing peace of mind.
Unusually for a cat cafe, they also offer meal plans, making it ideal for lunch. The cafe is run by a husband-and-wife team, with the husband being Italian, so you can enjoy authentic Italian cuisine as well!
To protect the cats' health, there are various rules, such as not being allowed entry if you've recently interacted with other animals (including strays). While walk-ins are accepted if there's availability, weekends often require reservations, so booking online in advance is recommended.
I actually stumbled upon this place while strolling around Yanaka but couldn't get in as they were fully booked!
<Store Information>
Address: 3-15-1 Yanaka, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Closed: Mondays or Tuesdays
Phone: 03-5809-0864
Hours: 10:00 - 20:00
Website: https://www.yadorigicafe.com/
・Cafe Nekoemon
Source: Cafe Nekoemon official website
Located in a 90-year-old renovated traditional Japanese house, the exterior of this cafe perfectly encapsulates the old Tokyo atmosphere! Its main draw is the ability to paint your own beckoning cat figurine. Whether you want to create a simple design or something more intricate is entirely up to you. With so many different beckoning cats on display inside, you'll have no shortage of inspiration.
My recommendation? If you have a pet cat, why not try recreating its likeness? You'll have a unique souvenir!
Source: Cafe Nekoemon official website
Being a cafe, you can not only enjoy the beckoning cat painting experience but also indulge in coffee, sweets, and meals, making it suitable for both lunch and regular cafe visits.
<Store Information>
Address: 5-4-2 Yanaka, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Closed: Mondays
Phone: 03-3821-0090
Hours: 11:00 - 19:00
Website: https://yanakado.com/c_nekoemon.html
Restaurants and Cafes with a Retro Atmosphere of Old Tokyo
・"Kayaba Coffee" Cafe in a Traditional Japanese House
Resorce:食べログ
This cafe is housed in a renovated traditional Japanese residence. While the first floor has table seating, the second floor features a tatami mat room where you can remove your shoes and relax in the atmosphere of an old-style home.
Resorce:食べログ
Their "egg sandwich" is a must-try! Made with a fluffy omelet, it's ordered by almost every customer. The toast is also popular, making it perfect for lunch. While they operate on a 90-minute seating policy to allow for an unhurried experience, this extremely popular cafe tends to get crowded, so reservations are recommended.
<Store Information>
Address: 6-1-29 Yanaka, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Closed: Mondays
Phone: 03-3823-3545
Hours: 8:00 - 18:00
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kayabacoffee/
・"HAGI CAFE" Retaining an Apartment Atmosphere
Source: HAGI CAFE official website
Located on the first floor of the "HAGISO" facility, which was converted from a 68-year-old apartment building, this cafe offers curry, hot sandwiches, sweets, and more. In addition to the cafe, the facility also houses an art gallery and shops.
True to its origins as an apartment, the cafe isn't very spacious, in keeping with the typically cramped living quarters found in Yanaka. However, it's this very compactness that allows you to experience both the nostalgic ambiance of an old Japanese apartment and an artistic space all within the same area.
While the food is undoubtedly delicious, I personally find the exterior that evokes a sense of nostalgia for Japanese people to be just as enjoyable!
Source: HAGI CAFE official website
<Store Information>
Address: 1F HAGISO, 3-10-25 Yanaka, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Closed: None
Phone: 03-5832-9808
Hours: 08:00 - 10:30 / 12:00 - 20:00
Website: https://hagiso.com/hagiso/
・"Nezu Kamachiku" for Authentic Kake-Udon Noodles
Source: Kamachiku official Facebook
This kama-age udon (noodles boiled in a pot) specialty restaurant was converted from a brick stone warehouse (kura) built in 1910. Such kura buildings have become extremely rare in modern-day Tokyo due to redevelopment and aging. First, I recommend savoring the atmosphere of this precious historic building.
There are also rooms where you can dine while overlooking a Japanese garden, allowing you to experience the changing seasons as you enjoy the udon, tempura, and other dishes. With English menus and illustrations explaining how to eat, foreign visitors can easily partake in the cuisine.
Source: Kamachiku official Facebook
<Store Information>
Address: 2-14-18 Nezu, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo
Closed: Sundays and Mondays
Phone: 03-5815-4675
Hours: 11:30-14:30 / 17:30-21:30
Website: https://kamachiku.com/
・"Hantei" for Kushi-age (Deep-Fried Skewers) in a Historic Building
Source:食べログ
The "Hantei" building itself is a precious 3-story wooden structure built during the Meiji era. Designated as culturally significant, the upper 2nd and 3rd floors offer a view of the old Tokyo townscape through the windows overlooking the tiled rooftops - an experience I highly recommend!
Their kushiage (deep-fried skewered meat and veggies) uses seasonal ingredients at their peak of freshness. Savoring this Japanese cuisine while gazing at the retro scenery makes for a truly special experience. This popular restaurant can get fully booked, so making reservations through their website is advisable.
Source:食べログ
<Store Information>
Address: 2-12-15 Nezu, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo
Closed: Mondays
Phone: 03-3828-1440
Hours: 11:30-15:00 / 17:30-22:00
Website: https://www.hantei.co.jp/nedu/nedu_kusiage.html
Perfect Street Food for Lunch
There are also many popular street food stalls ideal for eating on-the-go in the area. While "eating while walking" is generally not allowed, you can purchase the food and find a place to enjoy it.
・Niku no Sato
Source:食べログ
In Japanese shopping districts, butcher shops selling menchi (meat croquettes) and korokke (potato croquettes) are a staple that everyone has tried at least once. I'm a big menchi fan myself! In Yanaka Ginza, they're so popular that they're named "Yanaka Menchi" and "Yanaka Korokke."
At Niku no Sato, you can get freshly deep-fried menchi and korokke. As it's extremely popular, there may be lines during peak hours, but they move quickly, so have your order ready. They can also sell out for the day, so it's best to arrive early.
<Store Information>
Address: 3-13-2 Yanaka, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Closed: Mondays
Phone: 03-3821-1764
Hours: 10:30-19:30 (Fried items from 12:00)
Website: https://www.yanakaginza.com/shops/niku-no-sato/
・Maruhatsu Fukushima Shoten
While the Yanaka Menchi and Korokke are popular Yanaka Ginza street foods, grilled scallops, squid, and other seafood snacks are also favorites. As a specialist fish and shellfish store, Maruhatsu Fukushima Shoten always has fresh seafood available, including seasonal delicacies.
<Store Information>
Address: 3-13-4 Yanaka, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Closed: Sundays & Holidays
Phone: 03-3822-2315
Hours: 9:00-19:00
Website: https://ameblo.jp/maruhatsu55
As you can see, Yanaka Ginza offers a wide range of dining options to experience the old Tokyo vibe, from cafes and restaurants reminiscent of the past to street foods perfect for eating on-the-go.
Of course, in addition to the food, there are plenty of other ways to enjoy the area, such as painting beckoning cats or simply strolling through the retro streets. For those who want to truly immerse themselves in Yanaka on their first visit, I recommend joining a tour.
The Yanaka Historical Walking Tour in Tokyo's Old Town by Magical Trip covers food, cafes, beckoning cat painting experiences, and more with a knowledgeable guide. Be sure to check out the details!
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