Reasonable eating places in Japan?
 

Help - My wife and I are going to Japan in September. The tour that we are taking includes some lunches but no dinners nor <BR>breakfasts. We are being told that eating <BR>in restaurants is very expensive. We have <BR>traveled to many countries in the past and<BR>we were always able to find a place or two<BR>that served a reasonably priced breakfast<BR>or dinner. Any suggestions from some of you<BR>Japan experts?<BR>LARRY

We heard the same thing, but found it not to be true. The way to eat dinner very inexpensively is to look for the many small restaurants with models of food in the window, and with prices next to the model. Go into the restaurant, say "window" or point, the waiter will come outside, point to what you want, and you have ordered. We found that we could eat very well in Tokyo, Kyoto and Kobe for under $20 for two ( 2 years ago). We only went to those with the prices in the window, because we couldn't read the menus and generally people didn't speak English. One hint - in most department stores there is a floor of small restaurants which are easy to navigate. Otherwise there are lots of these small restaurants in the cities. People were very welcoming; they just didn't speak English and didn't have English translations on the menu. Breakfasts may be a bigger problem. One idea is to bring a boiling pot and coffee/tea, and buy some rolls.

Bonjour Larry and Laura,<BR><BR>Laura is right, make full use of those convenient windows. They have been established long ago in order to ensure Japanese customers would make up their mind before entering the restaurant and would therefore save time at lunchtime.<BR><BR>Be adventurous and go at night in "izakaya", then sit at the counter and show the cook what you'd like to try (they will very often also have an outside window and sometimes an English or picture menu).<BR><BR>For breakfast, look for coffee shops (kissaten) and restaurants that offer "morning service", meaning a set-price full breakfast, usually some salad, scrambled eggs, or sandwiches, or toast, and coffee or tea, for around yen 700-900. You will also find more and more bakeries selling coffee to go ("motte-kaeru").

Larry: Both posters give good info. I've been to Tokyo several times and have always found reasonable eats. The bottom floor of large department stores are a great way to pick and choose at your leisure. you can go hog wild down there! Snack, beverages, full blown meals, desserts and omiyage (gifts). Oh, great samples, too. <BR><BR>For breakfast, we head to the subway if you're looking for decent coffee and inexpensive fare. The set menu is almost cheaper than ordering just the coffee. Once, I ended up ordering another breakfast rather than pay for a refill. Btw, Florence gives great info. This forum has several real helpful veterans answering our questions.

Are you coming from the US? The rule of thumb I used to eat cheaply was to avoid places meant for expense account customers or places offering exotic environment to impress the eaters. It appears there are unwritten major distinctions between the restaurants meant to be eaten on someone else's money vs your money.<BR><BR>Bad places - Hotel restaurants usually fails expense account test. Asking to eat Western food, except at fast food places, is also asking for trouble.<BR>If you see mostly men in suits, it is probably business meal place and should not go in until you know the price range.<BR><BR>Good places - as others indicated, eating at department stores frequented by bargain hunting housewives usually offer good value, if not eventful. At least you know what the food would look like "best case".

Those "Japan is extremely expensive" surveys are using based on such things as the price of western foods such as orange juice and steak. If you avoid most western food you'll do fine. Mcdonalds is an exception to the rule but you really don't want to eat there, do you? For breakfast, you can always hit a convenience store (you'll have no trouble finding one) to buy pastries and fruit. Just about every hotel will provide tea bags and hot water in the room, if you prefer coffee you can always bring instant or buy it at the convenience store.

The McDonlds in Japan do have great shakes! A few years ago the spent the summer promoting a new flavor every week.<BR>Try noodle shops for hot soups and convenience stores for chilled noodles. 7-11 carries great soba in the summer. Buy it and eat in a park--don't forget to drink the roast corn tea with it! Yum. (seriously)

I agree with the other posters that it is quite easy to eat on a reasonable budget in Japan. Especially if you get comfortable eating Japanese food and don't require western breakfasts - hot noodles are really good in the morning :-) There are some excellent recommendations in the Frommers Japan and Tokyo guidebooks. I especially liked the shabu shabu place they recommending in Ginza, Tokyo and a little place near the train station in Kyoto (you'd never know it was there except for the Fodor's directions - through an unmarked door right next to McDonald's and up two flights of stairs). But do splurge on some really nice places, too. Japan has some of the most refined cooking and restaurants in the world - it would be a shame to miss the experience of at least one really good Kaiseki dinner.

Thank you all for the suggestions<BR>of where to eat. I was stationed in<BR>Tokyo during the 50s and I can't begin to tell you how inexpensive everything<BR>was. So... for me, it will be a return<BR>to old neighborhoods which I will<BR>most certainly not recognize.<BR>Again, many thanks to you all. LARRY

Larry,<BR><BR>I just finished to read a book about travel inside Japan between 1858 and 1908, and some descriptions of Asakusa and other areas or Tokyo (Yanaka, Ogikubo, parts of Sumida, and Arakawa - areas you find in movies like "Otoko ga tsurai" - it's though to be a man) struck me as having not changed much from that time. My best friend's mother, who's Japanese and returned to Japan 5 years ago for the first time in more than 35 years said she was surprised at how some things had not changed. There's some chance then that you won't feel too alienated.<BR><BR>I wish you a happy return to Japan.

I, too, was frightened by the warnings of expensive food. Not true! I just got back from Kyoto, Nara, Takayama, Osaka, Okayama, Imbe, etc. Tips - Bento boxes are a bargain. Train stations have terrific inexpensive restaurants. You can eat well for $10 to $30, but you might consider the fantastic kaiseki dinners- multiple courses (Wolfgang Puck called one in Kyoto his most memorable meal). They can be had for $100 plus.

I agree with most everything that has been said, but I want to add a few points. Don't drink alcohol. Drinks are very expensive. Only take the alcohol that comes with your 'set' or fixed menu. You will save a fortune. Second, eat in the department stores. Many have different eating places, ranging from cafes to really nice restaurants. Going on, don't be afraid to ask the counter person or server to come outside and see the picture or model of the meal you want. Most are pleased to do so, tho they will giggle. Last, if you are in Kyoto, and visit the famous Zen temple complex, -- it is in all the guidebooks, and I have a terrible memory for names, -- eat at the tofu restaurant near the pond and small temple. It is great. A seven course meal, all tofu dishes, in a 16th century temple setting, for about $25 or $30. A memorable restaurant even if you don't like bean curd. <BR><BR>Once again, anytime you feel insecure about eating, retreat to a department store and either to the basement food floor or up to the restaurant floor. You will enjoy it and not spend too much.

Hi Larry,<BR> If you want to budget on eating try looking for a grocery store that has a hot deli section. You can also buy cup of noodles since the hotel provide hot water in your room. For dinner I usually look for some small noodle shop or hibachi stand that are usually locate on a small street that have seating for 6 to 10 people.