Japanese ramen¥
Afuri in Tokyo's Ebisu serves yuzu-shio ramen for around 1,200 yen, open 11:00-05:00 daily. The lightest clean late-night bowl near Ebisu Station.
Try: Yuzu shio ramen
Tip: Vending-machine ordering, cashless only. Lunch sets cheaper than dinner; tsukemen costs 100 to 200 yen extra.
Vegetarian¥
CoCo Ichibanya in Tokyo's Shibuya is the Japanese curry-house chain where you build your bowl: rice size, spice level 1 to 10, toppings, all under 1,300 yen.
Try: Japanese curry rice, choose-your-spice
Tip: Pork katsu plus spinach is the canonical add-on. Spice level 5 is mid; vegetarian curry available.
Japanese¥
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.
Try: Shoyu soba with truffle oil
Tip: Closed Tuesdays. Lunch only 11:00-15:00; no ticket system, queue in person.
Brunch¥
Tsukiji Outer Market in Tokyo serves the city's best-value sushi breakfast: standing-counter nigiri at 1,500 yen, tamagoyaki at 200, fish skewers at 400.
Try: Standing sushi, tamagoyaki sticks, uni don
Tip: Closed Wednesdays and Sundays. Start at the Namiyoke shrine corner; the standing-sushi counters thin out after 10:00.
Japanese¥
Yoshinoya Branch No. 1 followed the fish merchants from Tsukiji to Toyosu Market: 5am beef bowls under 500 yen, the canonical sub-500-yen Tokyo lunch.
Try: Gyudon beef bowl
Tip: Open 5am-1pm to catch the auction-day market crowd. Cash and IC card accepted.
Japanese sushi¥
Uobei Shibuya in Tokyo runs express-belt sushi at 100 yen per two-piece plate, the cheapest sit-down sushi in Shibuya. Touchscreen ordering, English menu.
Try: Conveyor sushi at 100 yen
Tip: Touchscreen ordering in English. Pay at the table by IC card; weekend evenings queue 20 minutes.