Recommended Street Foods in Yanaka Ginza

If you want to experience the local side of Japan in Tokyo, Yanaka is highly recommended. While many areas of Tokyo are densely populated with modern buildings like Shibuya due to redevelopment, the old town atmosphere remains in Yanaka even today. 

Particularly in Yanaka Ginza, there are many traditional Japanese wooden houses remaining, with around 60 individual shops still in business. Known for its many shrines and temples, it's an area loved as a "cat town" with many cats roaming around. Tranquil spots like the historic Yanaka Cemetery are also great for strolling.

Yanaka Ginza has plenty of street foods perfect for snacking during your walk. In this article, I'll introduce some recommended street foods in Yanaka Ginza as someone who used to live nearby. Use this as a reference when you get hungry exploring and cat-spotting!

Savory Street Foods

Niku no Suzuki

Source: Yanaka Ginza official site

When it comes to famous Yanaka Ginza street foods, the menchi katsu (minced meat cutlet) tops the list.  

Niku no Suzuki started out as a butcher shop 90 years ago, but the current 3rd generation owner turned it into a prepared food store focused on meat dishes. 

Their most popular item is the Genki Menchi Katsu made from 100% beef. I also recommend the Nasu Menchi, eggplant stuffed with minced meat.

<Store Information>
・Address: 3-9-15 Yanaka, Taito-ku, Tokyo
・Closed: Mondays & Tuesdays  
・Phone: 03-3821-4526
・Hours: 10:30am - 6:00pm
・Official Site: https://x.gd/XJSN7

Niku no Sato

Source: Tabelog

Niku no Sato is another popular menchi katsu (minced meat cutlet) shop. In addition to homemade prepared foods, they also sell domestically-sourced meat products. It's so popular you often have to line up to buy.

Their best-sellers are the "Yanaka Menchi" and "Yanaka Korokke" (a potato and minced meat croquette). I personally recommend their limited cheese korokke.  

Note that fried items are only available from 12pm onwards.

<Store Information>
・Address: 3-13-2 Yanaka, Taito-ku, Tokyo  
・Closed: Mondays
・Phone: 03-3821-1764
・Hours: 10:30am - 7:30pm (Fried items from 12pm)
・Site:https://x.gd/o2okc

Maruhatsu Fukushima Shoten

Source: Official Blog

Maruhatsu Fukushima Shoten is a seafood store selling fresh ingredients and prepared foods. For street food, they sell various grilled seafood skewers.

I recommend the grilled shrimp and scallop skewers. The grilled scallops (yaki hotate) are coated in a sweet and savory soy-based sauce. The grilled ayu sweetfish, which only live in clean rivers and are beloved by Japanese, have a refreshingly light taste that I also enjoy.

<Store Information>  
・Address: 3-13-4 Yanaka, Taito-ku, Tokyo
・Closed: Sundays & Holidays
・Phone: 03-3822-2315  
・Hours: 11:00am - 7:00pm
・Official Blog:https://ameblo.jp/maruhatsu55/

Yakiya

Source: Tabelog

Near the entrance of Yanaka Ginza Shopping Street is Yakiya, a shop specializing in ikayaki (Osaka-style grilled squid pancake). 

Their recommended street food is the "Ikasen" which sandwiches the ikayaki between savory crackers for a unique texture. I personally like the Cheese Ikasen with cheese added on top.

<Store Information>
・Address: 3-11-15 Yanaka, Taito-ku, Tokyo
・Closed: Monday - Friday (Open Sat, Sun & Holidays only)
・Phone: 090-1313-9999
・Hours: 11:00am - 7:00pm
・Site: https://x.gd/8njf2

Sweet Street Foods

Yanaka Senbei

Source: Official Facebook

For a taste of old-fashioned Japanese sweets in Yanaka, try the Yanaka Senbei rice crackers which are sold individually in old-fashioned packaging. The handmade senbei are fragrant with a good crunch. My favorites are the savory sesame and nori varieties, or the sweet matcha flavor.

<Store Information>
・Address: 7-18-18 Yanaka, Taito-ku, Tokyo
・Closed: Tuesdays  
・Phone: 03-3821-6421
・Hours: 10:00am - 5:30pm
・Facebook:https://x.gd/F0xiu

Yanaka Manten Donuts

Source: Official Site

Yanaka Manten Donuts offers baked, oil-free donuts with a light, healthy flavor. 

The recommended donuts are the cinnamon and pumpkin flavors which go well with coffee thanks to their sweetness. They also offer a unique "drinkable karinto" (fried dough cookie) smoothie made with matcha - stir it well to bring out the rich flavor.

<Store Information>
・Address: 3-8-12 Yanaka, Taito-ku, Tokyo
・Closed: Tuesdays
・Phone: 03-3824-7624  
・Hours: 11:00am - 7:00pm
・Site: https://yanakamanten-donuts.com/english

Tamaru Chonmage Imo

Source: Tabelog

Tamaru is a cafe featuring Japanese-style sweets that's popular with locals. Their recommended street food is the "Chonmage Imo" - chonmage referring to the traditional Japanese topknot hairstyle. It's an additive-free sweet potato treat coated in black sesame seeds.

<Store Information>
・Address: 3-11-15 Yanaka, Taito-ku, Tokyo
・Closed: Mondays (Tuesdays if Monday is a holiday)
・Phone: 03-5814-3460
・Hours: 11:00am - 7:00pm  
・Site: https://x.gd/qac1q

Dessert Street Foods

Waguriya

Source: Tabelog

Waguriya is a shop specializing in chestnut sweets made from carefully sourced ingredients. The owner has their own chestnut farm in Ibaraki, Japan's top chestnut production area. 

Their additive-free chestnut soft serve highlights the delicate flavor of fresh milk and chestnuts. If you have time, I also recommend trying their popular mont blanc dessert only available in-store.

<Store Information>  
・Address: 3-9-14 Yanaka, Taito-ku, Tokyo
・Closed: Irregular holidays 
・Phone: 03-5834-2243
・Hours: 11:00am - 5:30pm (Last order 4:30pm)
・Site:https://x.gd/rhWOb

Guruguru Gelato

Source: Official Site

Guruguru Gelato is a relatively new gelato shop in Yanaka Ginza that uses ingredients from the dairy-famous region of Hokkaido. Their gelato has a mild sweetness to highlight the natural flavors with minimal additives.

Around 6 flavors are available at the storefront, with strawberry being popular. I personally recommend the chocolate chip.

<Store Information>
・Address: 3-13-3 Yanaka, Taito-ku, Tokyo
・Closed: None listed
・Phone: Not listed  
・Hours: 11:00am - 6:00pm
・Site: https://guruguru-gelato.com/#stores

Cat Lover's Street Food Pick

Yanaka Shippoya

Source: Tabelog

Yanaka Shippoya sells baked cat tail-shaped donuts as a nostalgic hometown snack for all ages. 

Their most popular is the "Tora" made with a cocoa dough and white chocolate chips, modeled after a tabby cat's tail. The "Kyameru" filled with caramel cream is also recommended.

<Store Information>
・Address: 3-11-12 Yanaka, Taito-ku, Tokyo
・Closed: Irregular  
・Phone: 03-3822-9517
・Hours: 10:00am - 6:00pm (Weekdays), 10:00am - 7:00pm (Weekends & Holidays)  
・Site: https://x.gd/LFUGa

Drink Shops with Tachinomi (Stand & Drink)

Echigoya Saketen

Source: Official Site

Yanaka Ginza has shops where you can enjoy drinks in the tachinomi (stand and drink) style. Echigoya Saketen is a long-standing liquor store established in 1904 that remains a beloved neighborhood shop.

As a tachinomi shop, you can order Japanese sake, beer, and bring in snacks purchased from other Yanaka Ginza shops like menchi katsu or ikayaki. Sitting on their red beer crates while drinking is recommended.

<Store Information>
・Address: 3-13-2 Yanaka, Taito-ku, Tokyo 
・Closed: None listed
・Phone: 03-3821-0983
・Hours: Not listed
・Site: https://www.sake-echigoya.com/

Tachinomi Sharaku

Source: Tabelog

Tachinomi Sharaku has both standing and seated areas for enjoying drinks, with an English menu available.

Their recommended drinks are the 10 varieties of lemon sours made with pesticide-free, edible-skin lemons. The standard is the homemade lemon sour, but I also like the lemon sour with mint. For a snack, the potato fries with 5 sauces is tasty.

<Store Information>  
・Address: 1F, 3-9-15 Yanaka, Taito-ku, Tokyo
・Closed: Irregular 
・Phone: 050-5494-1971
・Hours: 12:00pm - 10:00pm (Last food order 9:00pm, last drink order 9:30pm)
・Site: https://ge9p706.gorp.jp/

CRAFT SAKE STAND Yanaka Junmaiya

Source: Tabelog

CRAFT SAKE STAND Yanaka Junmaiya is a tachinomi-style shop offering Japanese sake, craft beers and snacks from across Japan for a set price via ticket purchase.

Over 10 recommended sake and drink options change daily to highlight seasonal flavors, so ask staff for their picks if you're unsure what to order. For a snack, the smoked bacon potato salad is tasty.

<Store Information>
・Address: 2F Magazan Yanaka, 3-11-11 Yanaka, Taito-ku, Tokyo
・Closed: Open year-round (Except New Year's and temporary closures)  
・Phone: Not listed
・Hours: Weekdays 5:00pm - 9:00pm, Weekends/Holidays 10:30am - 9:00pm
・Site:https://x.gd/9hUTl

Recommended Yanaka Ginza Area Sights

Nezu Shrine

Source: Official Site

The historic Nezu Shrine is an important cultural property famous in Japan. It has long been an essential shrine for residents of Tokyo's old town area. Many locals visit to pray, especially around New Year's and for child blessings.

The azalea flowers blooming in April are a major draw, with many visiting to see them. The rows of smaller red torii gates next to the azalea garden are also striking, giving a miniature impression reminiscent of Kyoto's famous Fushimi Inari Shrine.

Yanaka Cemetery

Yanaka Cemetery is a solemn spot worth visiting respectfully during your Yanaka stroll. As a graveyard, it's not a place to be loud like a park, but walking the quiet grounds lets you appreciate the historic stone monuments.  

The cemetery contains graves of politicians and cultural figures from Japanese history. With its many trees including cherry blossoms, it provides a tranquil escape from the bustling streets - I especially recommend visiting in late March for the beautiful sakura-lined paths.

The Yanaka Ginza area has many small shops giving it an old town vibe where you can experience the local atmosphere. The narrow side streets have little car traffic, making them perfect for a relaxing stroll and potentially spotting a catnapping feline resident.

When you work up an appetite exploring, you'll find street foods galore in the area, from savory snacks to sweets. Be sure to try a variety, and grab a drink at one of the tachinomi spots if you're thirsty.

To deepen your experience, I recommend joining a guided Yanaka Historical Walking Tour in Tokyo's Old Town that covers all the highlights. It's a great way to fully immerse yourself in the retro charms of Yanaka.

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