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"I advise you not to go [to Tokyo] without Food Sake Tokyo tucked into your tote. Digest [Sakamoto's] preamble on the mysteries of Japanese dining rules and rituals and then follow her footsteps to the best places to eat and drink and shop, to snack and splurge." Gael Greene, Forkplay

Trained as a chef and baker at the French Culinary Institute and as a sommelier at the American Sommelier Association, Yukari Sakamoto has worked as a sommelier at the prestigious New York Bar and Grill in the Park Hyatt Tokyo and the Takashimaya department store. She has taught classes on food, wine, and shochu, the popular Japanese distilled spirit, and she was the first non-Japanese to pass the rigorous exam to become a “shochu advisor,” essentially a sommelier for shochu. She has conducted culinary tours of Tokyo’s shops and markets, as well as hands-on cooking classes.  

Her writing has been featured in such publications as Food & Wine, Travel & Leisure, Time, The Washington Post, The Japan Times, and Time Out Tokyo, among others, and she writes a column in Metropolis magazine to help foreigners in Tokyo access the food culture in Japan.

Tokyo native Takuya Suzuki specializes in food, travel, and culture photography. His work can be seen in many Japanese magazines.

"Chef, educator and food journalist Yukari Sakamoto has just published a new book: Food Sake Tokyo, a fabulous guide to the city's eats. Go Yukari! I first met Yukari a few years ago; I've always learned a ton when she lectures on Japanese food. Her book reflects her deep, deep knowledge -- what I love about it is the incredible, broad and extensive details she shares, from the phrase for "juicy meat" to a detailed rundown of the stores in Kappabashi, the city's restaurant supply district, to a listing of "antenna shops" (read the book to find out what that means!) to wonderful culinary itineraries. I am so impressed by how much work Yukari has put into this book. If you're into food and heading to Tokyo, this is your guide."
— Harris Salat, The Japanese Food Report

"Japanese-American chef and sommelier Yukari Sakamoto unveils the diversity and subtlety of Japanese food...She explains Japanese food philosophy, offers advice on basic etiquette and proper attire, introduces the basic ingredients of the Japanese pantry, and describes the astonishing number and types of restaurants." —The Chicago Tribune

"For those new to Japanese cuisine, the first half of the book provides an overview of the basic dining styles, dishes and ingredients. There is even a section on dining etiquette that reminds us to avoid common mistakes like pouring soy sauce over a bowl of rice....Dotted with photographs and maps, the second half of the book explores individual neighborhoods of Tokyo....Food Sake Tokyo will appeal to anyone who is curious about food, travel or Japanese culture." —Chopsticks NY

"...I advise you not to go [to Tokyo] without Food Sake Tokyo tucked into your tote. Next best to actually having author Yukari Sakamoto, a Japanese-American chef and sommelier, at your side. Digest her preamble on the mysteries of Japanese dining rules and rituals and then following her footsteps to the best places to eat and drink and shop, to snack and splurge. Which stand in which market. Which pub. Which knife shop. Which cracker. Which chocolate. Dipping into her guide has made me want to try Tokyo again." —Gael Greene, Forkplay

"Where to eat sushi in Tsukiji if you don't want to wait in line? How to find the finest wagashi confections, sake or shochu, handmade rice crackers or croissants to rival the best in Paris? These conundrums and plenty more are answered in Yukari Sakamoto's "Food Sake Tokyo," the first proper English-language guide devoted specifically to eating and drinking in the megalopolis. Sakamoto has filled her little volume with all the intelligence she has gleaned over many years living and working in the city." —Japan Times

Tokyu Toyoko-ten Food Show • 東急東横店 Shibuya-ku, Shibuya 2-24-1 • 渋谷区渋谷2-24-1
Tel. 03-3477-3111 • Daily 10:00–21:00 www.tokyu-dept.co.jp (Japanese) • Map page 156, #24
Shibuya is a hot, trendy area that provides a snapshot of the youth of Japan. Here you’ll see young kids—many of them wearing more makeup than a Broadway showgirl—coming to shop at one of the many stores in the area, such as Marui and 109. Located in the Shibuya JR Station building, the food shops here are divided into two sections, Tokyu Food Show and Norengai. Tokyu Food Show is located in the basement of the station building. The sake department usually does weekly promotions of locally-produced sake (jizake), so be sure to try whatever they are pouring—it’s a nice way to learn about sake, and to support the small producers by picking up a bottle if you like what you try. For a quick bite, the eat-in en Dashi Chazuke has a selection of hot bowls of rice in a savory broth served with a variety of toppings (ochazuke). Uoriki, one of the fishmongers in the depachika, has an eat-in counter with nine seats and serves good sushi at a reasonable price. There are photos of the popular menu items—so you can simply point at what you want. There is often a line, but it moves quickly, so put your name on the waiting list posted in front of the shop. The rest of the food shops are located in Norengai, which is on the first floor by the entrance to the Toyoko train line. Some popular shops include Kibun for fish cakes, and a branch of the revered Kyōto kaiseki restaurant, Kikunoi, for its gorgeous offering of seasonal side dishes and bento boxes to go. It is always hard to resist Kamonka’s dumplings and pot stickers (gyōza), decoratively displayed in the large steamers.

Kushiage Dokoro Hantei • 串揚げどころ はん亭根津 Bunkyo-ku, Nezu 2-12-15 • 文京区根津2-12-15
Tel. 03-3828-1440 11:30–14:00, 17:00–21:30 Tuesday to Sunday; if Monday is a holiday, the restaurant will be open, and closed on Tuesday www.hantei.co.jp/nedu.html (Japanese) restaurant • Moderate • Map page 157, #3
Nezu is an old downtown neighborhood; a walk through the area offers a glimpse of life in old Tokyo. This handsome, historic three-story building is home to one of the most popular kushiage restaurants in the city. While not strictly vegetarian (side dishes may include fish-based dashi, and meat is readily available to those who want it), kushiage is a unique way to try vegetables: bite-size meats, seafood, and vegetables are threaded on to bamboo skewers, and then breaded and deep-fried. Each day at Kushiage Dokoro Hantei, there are thirty-six options to choose among; these change throughout the year. The easiest way to enjoy a meal here is to order a basic course of skewers accompanied by several side dishes. The meal ends with rice or ochazuke (rice with hot tea.poured over it), miso soup, and pickles, followed by ice cream.

Kintame • 近為 Kōto-ku, Tomioka 1-14-3 • 江東区富岡1-14-3
Tel. 03-3641-4561 • 11:00–17:00 Tuesday to Sunday www.kintame.co.jp/ (Japanese)
shop/restaurant • Inexpensive • Map page 157, #18
If you are really passionate about pickles, a meal at Kintame is not to be missed. Ask for the bubuchazuke, an array of pickles served with a grilled fish that has been marinated in miso or sake kasu. (This is the suggested set menu that includes about a dozen types of pickles.) The restaurant is on a small side street that leads up to the Fukagawa Fudoson temple; the neighborhood is off the beaten path and has a nostalgic feel to it. The Monzennakacho location is extremely popular on weekends, so be prepared for a long line. There is also a retail shop a few doors down if you want to purchase any pickles. Although the main restaurant is listed above, the most convenient location is the branch at Daimaru’s Restaurant Floor at Tokyo station.

Tofuya Ukai • とうふ屋うかい Minato-ku, Shiba Koen 4-4-13 • 港区芝公園4-4-13
Tel. 03-3436-1028 • Daily 11:00–20:00 www.ukai.co.jp/shiba/tofu/index.html#english (english)
restaurant • lunch Moderate, dinner Moderate to Expensive • Map page 157, #26
In the shadow of the city’s landmark Tokyo Tower, Tofuya Ukai offers one of the most charming dining experiences in the city. The restaurant specializes in tofu and soy products, but also serves seafood and meat. The menu is kaiseki-style, with successive courses of exquisitely presented seasonal food, which may include deep-fried tofu in a sweet miso dengaku sauce, seasonal sashimi, grilled seafood, and hot tofu served in soy milk. Each party occupies its own private room overlooking a Japanese garden and although there are more than fifty-five private rooms and more than five hundred seats in total, you’ll feel as if you are the only
diners there.

Kanda Yabu Soba • かんだやぶそば Chiyoda-ku, Awajicho 2-10 • 千代田区淡路町2-10
Tel. 03-3251-0287 • Daily 11:30–19:30; closed some holidays in January and August www.yabusoba.net (Japanese) www.norenkai.net/english/shop/yabusoba/index.html (english)
restaurant • Inexpensive to Moderate • Map page 157, #6
If you are to visit only one soba restaurant in Tokyo, it should be Yabu Soba. Soba aficionados from around the country trek to this fifth-generation establishment that opened in 1880. Enter the old building through a small garden and step back in time. The room is traditionally Japanese, with dark-colored wood and paper-covered lights. Listen carefully and you can hear the girl behind the cash register sing out each order to the kitchen. This is the only place in Japan that I have seen this done. The elderly, kimono-clad waitresses efficiently manage the busy dining room. If you are hungry the diverse menu allows you to order a few dishes (such as sashimi yuba, tempura, and grilled nori) prior to closing the meal with noodles. There is also a full menu of soba, both hot and cold.