As one of Japan’s largest train stations, Tokyo Station is the central hub for many of the JR lines as well as the Shinkansen (bullet train). You can expect some standard grub in most stations, but Tokyo Station has plenty of food places that go beyond the basics. Before setting out on a trip, why not arrive a bit early and enjoy a delicious breakfast before boarding your train? It’s the perfect start to your adventure. Here we introduce five of the best breakfast spots within the station itself.
- Juicy fruit at Senbikiya
For anyone who loves fruit for breakfast, you can’t go wrong with Senbikiya’s breakfast waffle set (600 yen/US$6).
Senbikiya is a specialist luxury fruit store, and it can get pretty pricey with one parfait setting you back over 2,000 yen ($20). But with the breakfast set you can experience the store’s sense of luxury without breaking the bank.
The waffle set includes fruit, yogurt, waffles, salad, and a drink. All this for only 600 yen! Unbelievable!
If you ask a Senbikiya fan what their favourite fruit is, a lot of people will probably reply with the cantaloupe (musk melon), and the waffle set comes with beautifully prepared slices of this delicious fruit. It’s sweet and juicy, and perfectly complemented by the rest of the light foods – recommended for anyone with a sweet tooth in the mornings!
＜Kyobashi Senbikiya Tokyo Station First Avenue Store＞
■Breakfast time 8:30～11:00（Open until 20:30）
■Address Tokyo Station First Avenue B1F North Street
■TEL 03-3212-2517
■Holidays None
■Breakfast also available on weekends
- Hearty noodles at Japan’s leading tsukemen restaurant
Rokurinsha is one of Japan’s most famous tsukemen (noodles with separate dipping sauce) restaurants. Since opening on Tokyo Station’s Ramen Street in 2009, it has become one of the most popular stores and is always overflowing with people.
The best time to get into Rokurinsha is during the breakfast period between 7:30 and 10:00 a.m. (last orders at 9:45). You usually need to be prepared to wait for around an hour before getting a seat, but in the mornings you can enter in less than 30 minutes, or straight away if you’re really lucky.
There are two choices of ramen for breakfast: Morning Tsukemen (630 yen) and Deluxe Morning Tsukemen. The shop’s speciality is its noodle soup, a rich, thick concoction made from boiling tonkatsu (pork cutlet), katsuobushi (dried tuna flakes), and other ingredients together for 13 hours. The Morning Tsukemen soup is lighter and easy on the stomach, while still retaining its rich flavor, making it perfect for breakfast. Recommended for those needing a stamina boost before setting out on a grand adventure.
＜Rokurinsha TOKYO＞
■Breakfast time 7:30～10:00 (Last orders 9:45) ※Opening hours 11:00～22:30(Last orders 22:00)
■Address Tokyo Station First Avenue B1 Tokyo Ramen Street 1-9-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
■TEL 03-3286-0166
■Holidays None
■Breakfast also available on weekends
- Traditional Japanese breakfast at Yaesu Hatsufuji
Opening at 7am, Yaesu Hatsufuji is an izakaya (Japanese pub) that serves traditional Japanese breakfast sets.
They offer seven different kinds including fried salmon (550 yen), pork miso soup (500 yen), omelette (500 yen), and meat & tofu (530 yen). With so much choice it can be difficult to make up your mind, but the meat & tofu and fried ginger sets are popular with particularly hungry folks, while the fried salmon and omelette options are more popular with girls with smaller appetites.
Yaesu Hatsufuji uses the best ingredients, and uses them in abundance. Of course it’s also delicious, and the chef who skillfully prepares it will bring it to you himself, so you can enjoy it freshly made and piping hot.
It may be an izakaya, but the interior is bright and clean rather than dark and smoky, and girls don’t need to worry about going there on their own. Recommended for anyone wanting a traditional Japanese-style breakfast.
＜Yaesu Hatsufuji Yaesu chikagai Store＞
■Breakfast time 7:00～10:00 ※Opening hours 7:00～22:00（Last orders 21:30）
■Address Yaesu chikagai, 1-9-1 Yaesu, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
■TEL 03-3275-1676
■Holidays None
■Breakfast is also available on weekends
- Hotdogs for breakfast?!
Right next to the ticket gates for the Tohoku Joetsu Shinkansen, you’ll find a bunch of restaurants and bars. The Gransta North Court zone hosts 16 stores mostly selling obento (Japanese lunch boxes) and sweets to take with you on the train. Standing out in the midst of them is Tokyo DOG, proudly displaying its range of hotdogs.
The hotdog you see in the photo above is the “Iwate Prefecture fried chicken cross hotdog”, released in commemoration of the renovation of Tokyo Station’s red brick station building in October 2012. Stamped into the bun are the Japanese characters for “Tokyo Station”. The meaty filling is drizzled with ponzu sauce (citrus-based soy sauce) and topped with grated daikon radish – sounds like an incredibly delicious creation! A hotdog may not sound like much, but they don’t skimp on the fillings here!
After purchase you can enjoy your hotdog in the communal North Court eat-in space.
Products except for the hotdogs are served cold for take-out, so for those who want something warm for breakfast we recommend the “Tokyo Grill Hotdog” with a hot grilled wiener sandwiched between the bread (420 yen).
＜Tokyo DOG＞
■Opening hours 6:30～22:30
■Address North Court, Tokyo Station Gransta Dining, 1-9-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
■TEL 03-3217-4144
■Holidays None
■Breakfast also available on weekends
- Specialist soups at Misogen
The above photo might look like cloudy coffee, but it’s actually shijimi clam soup!
This is the shijimi espresso (250 yen), served at Misogen, a specialist miso soup store found in KITTE which opened in Tokyo Station in March 2013.
If you want the clam espresso then you’d better get their early, because this delicacy is limited to only 30 cups per day. It’s very popular and sells out early, so arriving at opening time (10 am) is probably your best bet. According to the store, it’s the dark-brown miso paste that really draws out the flavour of the shijimi clams which come from Lake Shinji in Shimane Prefecture. The deliciousness of the shijimi is concentrated into a 70ml espresso cup, so take your time savouring it.
Anyone who loves miso soup has to visit Misogen, and try and get their hands on the shijimi espresso!
＜Misogen KITTE GRANCHE Store＞
■Opening times (eat-in) 10：00～20：30（Monday – Saturday）、10：00～19：30（Sundays & holidays）
■Address KITTE B1F, 2-7-2 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
■TEL 03-6256-0831
■Holidays January 1st only
■Breakfast also available on weekends
All the above shops are open on weekends as well as weekdays, so whatever day you’re travelling you can be sure of somewhere to full up in the morning. No need to wander aimlessly around the station in search of something more palatable than cold combini food – any of these five restaurants will set you up with a delicious start to your trip. Let us know if you try any of them!
Source: Travel.jp