Tokyo After 5 Food Tour: Small Group Ginza & Yakitori

Taste yakitori and monja-yaki while exploring Tokyo’s lively local pubs after dark

A small-group food tour in Tokyo that starts at Ginza after 5pm and moves through three neighborhood food stops: wagashi sweets, monja-yaki cooked at your table in Tsukishima, and yakitori with sake or beer in Yurakucho's Yakitori Alley. All tastings, two subway rides and an English-speaking guide are included. The group stays under 8 people.

Step-by-step itinerary

Evening food and culture tour in Tokyo

• Meet at Mitsukoshi Ginza Lion statue
• Enjoy Wagashi sweets
• Stroll through vibrant Ginza
• Visit Itoya stationery store
• Take subway to Monja dining area
• Cook and eat Monja on grill
• Finish at Yakitori Alley in Yurakucho
• Enjoy yakitori with sake or beer

The Experience

The tour meets at Mitsukoshi Ginza in front of the Lion statue at 5pm sharp, right when the city's nightlife starts to shift. You'll begin with wagashi, traditional Japanese sweets, then walk through Ginza's lit-up streets, possibly stopping at the famous Itoya stationery store. The first neighborhood is already a step away from the tourist center: you're moving into places locals actually go after work.

A subway ride takes you to Tsukishima, where monja-yaki (a Tokyo original that sits somewhere between okonomiyaki and fondue) gets cooked on a grill built into your table. You handle the spatula, scraping and flipping the batter as it browns, which is the whole point: it's not a dish you watch, it's one you make. The guide explains how to eat it, what the technique does, why this neighborhood owns the dish. Then another subway ride lands you in Yurakucho's Yakitori Alley, a tight row of standing bars and small spots, each with their own tare sauce recipe. You'll order yakitori, grilled meat skewers, and a drink: sake, beer, or a soft drink if you prefer. This is where the evening settles into the rhythm locals know: standing elbow-to-elbow, eating off sticks, talking to whoever's next to you.

The group maxes out at 8 people, which changes the dynamic. You're not moving as a visible tour bloc. You fit into the bars and restaurants without overwhelming them. The guide is a local who speaks English and knows the owners, not just the menus but the people running the spots. Two subway tickets are included, so you're not fumbling with a card or asking directions between stops. The whole thing runs 3.5 hours, which is long enough to move through three distinct food moments without the night getting away from you.

What’s included

• Small-group tour limited to 8 people.
• three tastings: wagashi sweets, monja-yaki cooked at your table, and yakitori skewers.
• two drinks of your choice (sake, beer, or soft drink).
• two subway tickets.
• English-speaking local guide.
• access to neighborhood spots owned and run by locals, off the main tourist trail.

Days and timesDaily · 16:30

AgesAges 12+ · Under 12 — No ticket type: can't be added to a booking

Meeting point and pickupNo pickup · ends elsewhereMeeting point, per the operator: “Mitsukoshi Ginza department store, in front of the life-scale sitting Lion statue outside. When you go up to the A7 exit of Ginza Station to the ground, you wil…”

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearby

Operated by Intrepid Urban Adventures - Japan

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to eat the way Tokyo residents do after work (standing in tight bars, cooking at the table, moving between neighborhoods on the subway) rather than sitting in a restaurant built for tourists. The small group and local guide mean you're not herded through. You're absorbed into the spots as they actually operate.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Japanese.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24h before the start.

What exactly is monja-yaki and why is Tsukishima famous for it?

Monja-yaki is a Tokyo original: a savory batter cooked on a table grill that you scrape and flip as it browns, then eat with a small metal pick. Tsukishima's "Monja Street" has dozens of specialist restaurants because the neighborhood invented the dish in the 1950s, and it's still where locals go to eat it the way it's meant to be made.

What if I don't drink alcohol?

You can order a soft drink instead of sake or beer at Yakitori Alley, and the guide will make sure that's available. The other two food stops (wagashi and monja-yaki) don't involve alcohol.

How much walking is involved?

A moderate amount. You'll walk through Ginza's streets between the first stop and the subway, and through Yurakucho to find your spot in Yakitori Alley. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended, and the tour is suitable for all fitness levels.

Can the tour accommodate vegetarian or gluten-free diets?

Unfortunately, the restaurants on this tour cannot reliably cater vegetarian, vegan, or gluten-free requirements. The dishes (yakitori, monja-yaki, and wagashi) are built around meat, wheat and traditional ingredients, and the local spots don't have substitutes available.

Is there a minimum age for this tour?

The minimum age is 12. Guests under 20 will be served non-alcoholic drinks only, since that's the legal drinking age in Tokyo.