When I embarked on this trip, I was almost as excited for the food as the destinations. So come along on a digital Tokyo Food Tour! Feast your eyes on these delectables, but be warned, some of these items can only be found in Japan 😭 But, if I know of some good spots to replicate Tokyo experience in Minneapolis, I’ll talk about that too 😊
This fatty tuna nigiri had to be the best three bites of tuna of my life. The gradient was striking and standing in line for this tray was absolute torture. After we scarfed down the fatty tuna, we gathered a few more snacks. The Senbei crackers here are famous for their size and pressing an entire squid into the paper thin cracker batter.
Billy Sushi Minneapolis
Now, it gets a little complicated to replicate the freshness of tuna I had in Tokyo but, Billy Sushi flies in their fish daily from Japan (so I’ve heard). They have some of the highest quality fish in the Twin-Cities + Billy After Dark (B.A.D) a sushi speakeasy. It’s a great date night spot and maybe you can get a taste of Japan without the 13 hour flight.
Jugetsudo Tea House, Tsukiji
While we couldn’t get into an imperial tea ceremony, the Jugetsudo Tea House was right across the street from the fish market. It was nice to take a break from the busy streets and sip some traditionally made matcha. The hojicha was a first time experience for me. It is a roasted green tea so it has some additional layers of complexity to the flavor. And finally! I was able to see another emoji come to life 🍵. The matcha was whisked and served in the traditional bowl.
Northeast Tea House
Minneapolis is lucky to have the Northeast Tea House which is a Japanese style tea house just a few blocks away from me. It has quickly become one of my favorite places to visit with friends. The no screens policy means that the customers are there to drink tea and enjoy life. Northeast Tea House mills their own matcha although I didn’t see hojicha on the tea list. I’m hoping I can find some loose leaf hojicha to keep in stock in my apartment soon.
Ichiran Ramen, Shibuya
Next stop on the food tour, Ichiran Ramen! This is a popular ramen chain in Japan that offers a single person dining experience. After ordering from a vending machine style kiosk, you are ushered over to the rows of stools with private dining spaces. Mimi and I had to unfold the barrier between us so we could eat together. This individualized dining style is popular in Japan and honestly, it made me feel better about eating by myself back at home. Super rich broth, tender pork, and fresh scallions.
Luckily, eating ramen in Japan, didn’t ruin ramen back at home. I would still go to Ramen Kazama any time, any day. It’s so good, it makes it hard to even try other ramen places in the cities. Ramen Kazama has an uptown location and a place in Como. The Como location is a bit cozier and if you go, get the Karamiso ramen. It will change your life.
These Minneapolis locations are not to say you shouldn’t visit Tokyo. I’m just advising how to replicate the experience while you wait to book your flight (or return trip!) 😉
Lunch in Asakusa
Asakusa was full of delicious foods as well. We found a local diner serving rice, tonkatsu, miso soup, and salad for like $7 USD. Huge amount of food for so cheap was a common theme throughout the trip. Then we wound our way through various shops until we found the melon pan. The bread was fresh, warm, crispy, and stuffed with creamy matcha soft-serve ice cream. Thinking about it makes me sad because despite my best internet sleuthing, I cannot find anywhere near me that makes melon pan. The bread was similar to Mexican pan dulce which gives me some hope that I could recreate something like it but for now it lives just in my memories.
7/11 Hauls and Japanese McDonald’s
Why is Japanese 7/11 so good? I am so confused. Even the eggs! We got soy sauce marinated eggs for the first morning but throughout the rest of the trip we got regular jammy eggs which were perfectly pre-salted in the shell! I found a video that shows how they do it which involves marinating the eggs in a saline solution for 12+ hours. I will definitely be trying to replicate these.
As for the rest of the haul, both the whipped cream sandwich and egg sandwich were so fluffy and scrumptious. Next, I tried the tuna mayo and salted salmon onigiri flavors and they were the perfect snack. I would eat one over a gas station hotdog any day.
Lastly, McDonald’s overseas always has some fun local twist and seeing as we needed airport food, I allowed it. We got the Shaka Shaka Chicken and Sweet Potato and Caramel Pie in a cute box featuring a purple Shiba. As a last thought on the airport haul, can I say, traveling through the airport with a friend is so fun! It truly made me feel like an adult and I am already planning my next overseas adventure.
Must Try Places and Final Thoughts
After scouring Reddit (and the rest of the internet) these places may help replicate some of the things I tried over in Japan. I truly hope that is not the last time I’m in Japan (or South Korea – food tour part 2 coming soon!!) but I’m glad that Minneapolis has a great food scene too. At least have a taste of Japan while I’m stuck state side.
- Tai-Yaki via JK’s Table https://jkstable.com/ – Edina
- Milk toast via Sweet Percent https://www.sweetpercentusa.com/ – Brooklyn Park
- Diafuku + Japanese cuisine via Okome House – https://okome.house – Minneapolis
- More Japanese cuisine via Sakura https://www.sakurastpaul.com – St. Paul
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