Japanese¥
Onigiri Bongo in Tokyo's Otsuka is the famous omusubi counter rolling onigiri to order, Tabelog Top 100 onigiri shops. 50 fillings, eat-in or take away.
Try: Onigiri rice ball selection
Tip: Closed Tuesdays. Queue from 11:00; eat-in counter seats turn fast. The salmon and umeboshi are the canonical orders.
Japanese¥
CoCo Ichibanya Shinjuku East in Tokyo is the Japanese-curry chain's central branch. Choose rice size, spice 1-10 and toppings; chicken-katsu under 1,400.
Try: Custom-spiced Japanese curry
Tip: Open 24 hours. Spice level 5 is moderate, 10 is properly hot. Add cheese or pork-katsu for the canonical combo.
Japanese ramen¥
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.
Try: Tonkotsu ramen with customisation slip
Tip: Late-night cheaper than peak hours. Pay at the machine; the slip lets you set spice, broth richness, noodle firmness.
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.