| Tokyo is a major metropolis and the capital city of | | | | Fish dishes |
| Japan. Although not known to be a cheap place to | | | | Popular sushi dishes include nigiri-zushi, which consists |
| visit, backpackers on a budget can take advantage of | | | | of molded rice adorned with wasabi and fish placed on |
| the many Tokyo hostels to help keep costs down. | | | | top. |
| Eating out in Tokyo is a unique experience. With | | | | Maki-zushi is likely to be instantly recognizable to |
| around 180,000 eateries in the city travelers have a | | | | travelers, as the rice wrapped in seaweed is widely |
| wealth of choice that caters for almost any budget. | | | | available around the world. |
| After a day of sightseeing and experiencing historical | | | | Fish market |
| attractions such as the Imperial Palace and Tokyo | | | | Travelers looking for fresh fish should head to Tsukiji |
| Tower, travelers may wish to re-charge their batteries | | | | fish market. |
| with an evening of great food before returning to their | | | | Frenetic and hectic, a visit to the market requires |
| Tokyo hostel. | | | | travelers to leave their Tokyo hostels early in the |
| Restaurants | | | | morning. The best time to arrive is 05:00 (local time) |
| Most restaurants serve a specific type of food and | | | | when the catch comes in and raucous restaurateurs |
| uniformly use fresh ingredients in their dishes. With | | | | jostle to secure the best offerings. |
| sushi, noodle, tempura or yakitori (grilled chicken or | | | | Vegetarians |
| vegetable skewers) restaurants on offer, travelers | | | | Vegetarian travelers may find that meat and fish-free |
| need not worry about a limited menu. | | | | dishes are not always instantly available. One sushi |
| Before setting out from their Tokyo hostels, travelers | | | | option is inari-zushi, which consists of fried tofu stuffed |
| may find it useful to know that some of the best | | | | with rice. |
| Tokyo restaurants are often obscurely located in | | | | Travelers can also look out for eateries serving |
| anonymous office blocks and vaguely signposted. | | | | traditional Zen Buddhist cuisine called shojin-ryori, which |
| Sushi | | | | is completely vegetarian. |
| No visit to Tokyo is complete without sampling | | | | Izakaya |
| traditional Japanese sushi. Ginza, Tokyo's entertainment | | | | Travelers on a budget who are seeking an authentic |
| district, houses some of the best sushi restaurants | | | | eating experience may wish to visit one of Tokyo's |
| presenting unique Tokyo-style versions of the dish. | | | | izakaya establishments. These bars serve food such |
| Many sushi bars have a conveyor-belt from which | | | | as noodles and sashimi at reasonable prices at an |
| travelers can choose an item that tickles their taste | | | | open counter. |
| buds. | | | | Often the meals are accompanied with sake and beer. |