Japan for Foodies: Markets, Sake & Tasting Events

Start at the market

For a foodie, the day starts where the chefs shop. Tokyo's Tsukiji Outer Market is a graze-and-go paradise of fresh sushi, grilled seafood and tamagoyaki — arrive early, as the best sells out by midday. In Yokohama, Chinatown offers endless nikuman, dim sum and bubble tea among ornate gates.

Drink at the source

Japan takes its drinks seriously. Walk Kyoto's historic Fushimi sake district, where soft spring water has fueled brewing for over 400 years and you can tour and taste at the Gekkeikan museum. For the ultimate sake event, the Saijo Sake Festival near Hiroshima — Japan's biggest — lets you sample brews from across the country in a town built on brewing.

Regional specialties

Don't miss the bold flavors of Nagoya meshi — miso katsu, hitsumabushi eel and peppery chicken wings — or a quiet evening of award-winning Japanese whisky in an Osaka bar.

Understand what you're tasting

A little context turns a meal into a memory. Sake ranges from crisp and dry to rich and fruity; ask for junmai if you want pure rice sake, or daiginjo for the most refined. With whisky, Japanese distilleries built their craft on Scottish methods but lean toward delicate, balanced profiles. And at markets, the chef's tip is to eat seasonally — shun, the peak moment of an ingredient, is a guiding idea in Japanese cooking, so whatever's being pushed hardest that day is usually what's best.

Tips

• Markets and stalls are often cash-only, so come prepared.
• Pace yourself at tastings and drink water between pours; sake and whisky add up fast.
• For the famous tuna auction, go to Toyosu, not Tsukiji — the outer market remains at Tsukiji for eating.
• Tell a bartender or vendor your tastes and they'll happily steer you; enthusiasm is welcomed.

Bring an appetite — in Japan, eating is the main event.