Ameya-Yokocho in Tokyo's Ueno is the post-war black-market street under the JR tracks, 400 stalls of fish, dried goods, spices, takoyaki and cheap clothing.
Tip: Saturday afternoons are dense; weekday mornings are calmer. The dried-fish stalls and the okonomiyaki carts are the local lunch order.
Address: 4-7-8 Ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo 110-0005
Isetan Shinjuku's basement depachika in Tokyo is the world's most curated department-store food hall: 60 counters of bento, sushi, wagashi, French patisserie.
Tip: The 19:30 half-price markdown on bento and prepared food is the local move. Wagashi seasonal collections drop monthly.
Mitsukoshi Nihombashi's depachika in Tokyo holds the heritage Edo-period food shops in its basement: Tokyo's wagashi houses, century-old tea, premium sake.
Tip: The Toraya yokan counter and the Higashiya wagashi flagship are both here. Saturday morning is the calmest window.
Tsukiji Outer Market in Tokyo's Chuo ward is the surviving food-stall labyrinth after the wholesale auctions moved to Toyosu in 2018. 400 stalls, peak 07:00-11:00.
Tip: Arrive by 07:30 for stalls before the tour groups; the tamagoyaki sticks at Yamacho are the canonical first bite.
Toyosu Fish Market in Tokyo's Koto ward replaced Tsukiji's wholesale auctions in 2018. Visitor decks above the tuna trade plus sushi and seafood restaurants.
Tip: Apply via lottery for a lower-deck auction view; the upper free deck takes walk-ups. Sushi Dai and Daiwa Sushi are the breakfast queues.
