The Ultimate Japan Food Itinerary — 7 Days of the Best Meals | Meiten Gourmet
Japan is the greatest food destination on earth — and planning what to eat is the most important part of planning your trip.
No country takes food more seriously. Japan has more Michelin-starred restaurants than any other country in the world. Its regional food culture is extraordinarily diverse — every city, every prefecture, every season offers something completely different and deeply worth experiencing. A week in Japan eating badly is a tragedy. A week eating well is a life-changing experience.
This itinerary is built around two travel scenarios — a 7-day highlights route covering Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka, and an extended 14-day route that adds Hiroshima, Fukuoka, Kanazawa, and Nara. Both are designed around real data from Meiten Gourmet's database of 5,699 top-rated Japanese restaurants — giving you the best possible meals at every stop.
Before You Go — Essential Japan Food Planning Tips
Book restaurants before you leave home. Japan's finest restaurants — particularly the Michelin-starred omakase counters — are booked weeks or months in advance. The earlier you book, the better your options.
Use these reservation platforms:
TableCheck — Japan's most widely used fine dining reservation platform
Pocket Concierge — specializes in hard-to-book restaurants, English-friendly
Tableall — focuses on the most exclusive restaurants in Japan
Ikyu — Japan's most comprehensive restaurant reservation platform
Tabelog — Japan's #1 review site; some restaurants accept direct bookings
Get a Suica or IC card. Japan's train system is the world's finest — and an IC card makes navigating between restaurants effortless. Load it at any major station.
Carry cash. Many of Japan's finest restaurants — particularly smaller ramen shops, soba counters, and neighbourhood izakayas — are cash-only. Always have yen on hand.
Learn a few words. Omakase (chef's choice), itadakimasu (said before eating), gochisosama deshita (said after eating — "thank you for the meal") — these three phrases will serve you well in every restaurant in Japan.
THE 7-DAY JAPAN FOOD ITINERARY
Tokyo → Kyoto → Osaka
DAY 1 — Tokyo: Arrival & First Impressions
Morning — Tsukiji Outer Market Start your Japan food journey where Tokyo's culinary heart has beaten for centuries. The Tsukiji Outer Market (the retail section, open to visitors) offers an extraordinary introduction to Japanese food culture — fresh seafood, tamagoyaki (rolled omelette), pickles, dried fish, and street food. Arrive early — the market is at its best before 9am.
Lunch — Ramen Your first ramen in Japan should be in Tokyo — and it should be exceptional. Head to Ginza and visit Ginza Hachigo — a Michelin-starred ramen restaurant in Tokyo's most prestigious neighbourhood. A bowl of extraordinary ramen to start your trip in the right spirit. 👉 Explore Ginza restaurants
Afternoon — Explore Shibuya or Shinjuku Walk off lunch exploring Tokyo's most famous neighbourhoods. Both Shibuya and Shinjuku have extraordinary food cultures — browse the basement food halls (depachika) of Shibuya Hikarie or Isetan Shinjuku for an overwhelming introduction to Japanese food retail.
Dinner — Izakaya Experience Your first dinner in Tokyo should be at an izakaya — Japan's beloved gastropub. Order slowly, drink sake or beer, share multiple small dishes, and soak in the convivial atmosphere that defines Japanese social dining. Shinjuku's Arakicho neighbourhood is one of the finest areas for izakaya dining in the city. 👉 Explore Shinjuku restaurants
DAY 2 — Tokyo: Sushi Day
Breakfast — Depachika Visit the basement food hall of a major Tokyo department store. Isetan in Shinjuku, Mitsukoshi in Ginza, and Matsuya in Ginza all have extraordinary food halls where you can assemble a breakfast of exceptional Japanese pastries, onigiri, and prepared foods.
Lunch — Neighbourhood Sushi Tokyo's finest sushi experiences are at dinner — but lunch omakase offers exceptional value and slightly easier reservations. Consider booking a lunch omakase at one of Ginza or Shibuya's celebrated sushi counters. Sushi Kazuyuki, Sushi Arai, and Sawada in Ginza are among the finest in the world. 👉 Explore Ginza sushi 👉 Explore Shibuya sushi
Afternoon — Asakusa Spend the afternoon in Tokyo's most historic neighbourhood — Asakusa. Visit Senso-ji temple, explore Nakamise shopping street, and browse the traditional food shops selling ningyo-yaki (doll-shaped cakes), senbei (rice crackers), and local sweets.
Dinner — Yakitori Tokyo's yakitori scene is extraordinary — and dinner is the perfect time to experience it. Head to Shibuya for Tori Chataro or to Shinjuku for Kasahara — two of the highest-rated yakitori restaurants in the city. Order a full omakase of skewers with cold beer or sake. 👉 Explore Tokyo yakitori
DAY 3 — Tokyo: Neighbourhoods & Noodles
Morning — Yanaka Explore Yanaka — one of Tokyo's most charming and best-preserved old-town neighbourhoods. The Yanaka Ginza shopping street has exceptional traditional food shops — perfect for browsing local pickles, sweets, and snacks.
Lunch — Soba Experience one of Tokyo's great culinary traditions — handmade soba. Head to Teuchi Soba Jiyusan in Nakano or Asakusa Juuroku (Michelin 1 Star) in Asakusa for an exceptional soba lunch. Order zaru soba (cold soba with dipping sauce) to appreciate the noodles at their purest. 👉 Explore Asakusa restaurants
Afternoon — Nishiazabu or Roppongi Explore Tokyo's most internationally minded dining neighbourhoods — perfect for gallery-hopping (Mori Art Museum in Roppongi Hills) combined with browsing the exceptional restaurant options for later.
Dinner — French in Tokyo Experience Tokyo's extraordinary French dining scene — a revelation for most visitors. Referuvesonsu or Kantesansu in Nishiazabu are two of the highest-rated French restaurants in the city. Book well in advance — these are exceptional dining experiences. 👉 Explore Nishiazabu restaurants
DAY 4 — Tokyo to Kyoto: The Shinkansen Bento Experience
Morning — Tokyo Station Buy a ekiben (station bento) at Tokyo Station before boarding the Shinkansen. Tokyo Station's bento selection is one of the finest in Japan — dozens of regional bento boxes, seasonal specials, and local specialities. Choose one that appeals and eat it on the train.
Pro tip: Buy your bento from the Gransta food hall inside Tokyo Station — the selection is extraordinary and changes with the seasons.
Afternoon — Arrive in Kyoto The Shinkansen from Tokyo to Kyoto takes approximately 2 hours 15 minutes. Arrive in Kyoto and check in — then head to Nishiki Market (Kyoto's Kitchen) for your afternoon exploration.
Nishiki Market Kyoto's most famous food market — a narrow, covered arcade packed with over 100 vendors selling Kyoto specialities: yudofu (hot tofu), Kyoto pickles (tsukemono), fresh tofu, grilled skewers, and seasonal Kyoto vegetables. Essential for food lovers. 👉 Explore Nishiki restaurants
Dinner — Kyoto Kaiseki Your first Kyoto dinner should be kaiseki — the multi-course Japanese cuisine that Kyoto invented and perfected. Book a kaiseki dinner at one of Kyoto's celebrated restaurants. Gion Sasaki in Higashiyama is one of the most beloved and personality-driven kaiseki experiences in the city — bold, creative, and deeply memorable. 👉 Explore Higashiyama restaurants
DAY 5 — Kyoto: Deep Dive
Morning — Temple District Breakfast Start early in Kyoto's temple districts — Fushimi Inari or Arashiyama — before the crowds arrive. Stop at a small neighbourhood coffee shop (kissaten) for a traditional Kyoto morning set: coffee, toast, and a small dish.
Lunch — Kyoto Ramen Kyoto has its own distinct ramen style — typically a clear chicken or pork broth with thin noodles and simple toppings. Very different from Tokyo or Sapporo styles and worth experiencing as part of Kyoto's broader food culture.
Afternoon — Pontocho Explore Pontocho — Kyoto's most atmospheric dining alley, running parallel to the Kamo River. In summer, restaurants along the river open kawadoko (riverside terraces) — one of the most magical dining experiences in Japan. 👉 Explore Pontocho restaurants
Dinner — Gion Dine in Gion — Kyoto's legendary geisha district. The cobblestone streets of Gionmachi Minamigawa are lined with some of the finest restaurants in Japan. Book ahead — Iida, Sottaku Tsuka Hon, and Tominokoji Yamagishi are among the most acclaimed. 👉 Explore Gion restaurants
DAY 6 — Nara Day Trip & Return to Kyoto
Morning — Nara Take the 45-minute train from Kyoto to Nara — Japan's ancient first capital. Famous for its freely roaming deer and extraordinary temples, Nara also has excellent food.
Lunch — Nara Local Cuisine Try Nara's local specialities — kakinoha-zushi (sushi wrapped in persimmon leaves) and miwa somen (thin white noodles). Nara Shikin — the highest-rated restaurant in Nara — serves exceptional seasonal Japanese cuisine. 👉 Explore Nara restaurants
Dinner — Back in Kyoto Return to Kyoto for dinner. Consider a more casual izakaya experience in Kawaramachi — Kyoto's most vibrant dining and entertainment district — for a relaxed evening after a day of temple-visiting. 👉 Explore Kawaramachi restaurants
DAY 7 — Kyoto to Osaka: Food Capital
Morning — Kyoto Breakfast Have a final Kyoto breakfast before heading to Osaka. Kyoto's traditional breakfast culture — tofu, miso soup, pickles, and rice — is a beautiful way to say goodbye to the ancient capital.
Midday — Arrive in Osaka (25 minutes by Shinkansen) Osaka is just 25 minutes from Kyoto by Shinkansen — or 15 minutes by the Haruka express. Arrive in Osaka and head straight to Dotonbori — the city's most famous food and entertainment street.
Dotonbori Afternoon Osaka's most famous street is overwhelming in the best possible way — takoyaki (octopus balls), okonomiyaki, kushikatsu, ramen, and street food stalls compete for your attention. Try everything.
Dinner — Osaka Sushi Osaka has an extraordinary sushi scene. Sushi Sanshin — Osaka's highest-rated sushi restaurant with a Michelin Star — serves an exceptional omakase that showcases the finest Osaka and Kansai ingredients. 👉 Explore Osaka sushi
Plan Your Japan Food Trip with Meiten Gourmet
Explore all 5,699 top-rated restaurants across Japan — from the highest-rated sushi in Tokyo to hidden kaiseki gems in Kyoto and extraordinary ramen in Fukuoka:
All restaurant data sourced from Tabelog's 百名店 (Hyakumeiten) awards and Michelin Guide Japan — Japan's most trusted restaurant recognitions.