5 budget eating worth the trip across Japan, editor-ranked by TableJourney. All Japan guides.
Japanese Soba Noodles Tsuta ★ 4.7 · Tokyo
3-2-4 Nishihara, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 151-0066
Tsuta in Tokyo's Yoyogi-Uehara was the first ramen shop with a Michelin star (2016 guide), still under 1,800 yen for the truffle-oil shoyu soba.
Tip: Closed Tuesdays. Lunch only 11:00 to 15:00; no ticket system, queue in person.
Afuri Ebisu ★ 4.5 · Tokyo
1-1-7 Ebisu, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0013
Afuri in Tokyo's Ebisu serves yuzu-shio ramen for around 1,200 yen, open 11:00 to 05:00 daily. The lightest clean late-night bowl in the city.
Tip: Vending-machine ordering, cashless only. Lunch sets cheaper than dinner; tsukemen costs 100 to 200 yen extra.
Tsukiji Outer Market breakfast stalls ★ 4.5 · Tokyo
Tsukiji, Chuo Ward, Tokyo 104-0045
Tsukiji Outer Market in Tokyo serves the city's best-value sushi breakfast: standing-counter nigiri at 1,500 yen, tamagoyaki sticks at 200, fish skewers at 400.
Tip: Closed Wednesdays and Sundays. Start at the Namiyoke shrine corner; the standing-sushi counters thin out after 10:00.
Ichiran Shibuya ★ 4.0 · Tokyo
1-22-7 Jinnan, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0041
Ichiran in Tokyo's Shibuya runs 24-hour tonkotsu ramen for under 1,500 yen including a kaedama refill. Vending machine ticketing, solo-booth seating.
Tip: Late-night cheaper than peak hours. Pay at the machine; the slip lets you set spice, broth richness, noodle firmness.
CoCo Ichibanya Shibuya Namikibashi ★ 3.7 · Tokyo
3-15-5 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0002
CoCo Ichibanya in Tokyo's Shibuya is the Japanese curry-house chain where you build your bowl: rice quantity, spice level 1 to 10, toppings, all under 1,300 yen.
Tip: Pork katsu plus spinach is the canonical add-on. Spice level 5 is mid; vegetarian curry available.