Encountering a food culture rooted in metropolitan life

Tokyo is a city where diverse cuisines from all over the world gather and evolve.
It is also the birthplace of various ingredients, including traditional Edo vegetables.

The seasonal blessings born from Tokyo’s unique natural environment,
the passion, stories, and smiles of the producers,
and the chefs who weave Tokyo’s food culture with traditional techniques and innovative ideas.

A one-of-a-kind Gastronomic experience in Tokyo
will surely give you new insights into your daily life.

Tokyo Gastronomy Tourism
Enjoy the food nurtured by the climate, environment, customs, traditions, and history of the land, and experience the local culinary culture at the essence of this trip.
The time spent learning, understanding, and savoring will color your experience.

Encountering a food culture rooted in metropolitan life

When most people hear the word "Tokyo," they probably think of areas filled with high-rise buildings, like Shinjuku, Shibuya, or Ginza.
It may be hard to imagine starting from such an image, but in fact, various types of local production for local consumption take place even in Tokyo’s 23 Cities.
Two experts in food and agriculture took a tour of the city’s neighborhoods for this article, and discovered Tokyo's food culture, history, and traditions, as well as the producers who are exerting themselves there.

Participant （Left photo）

Ayumi Kotani
A broadcaster who grows vegetables, and is nicknamed “Veggie Ana”
As a gourmet reporter for news programs and a reporter for livestock programs, she has covered food producers nationwide. She also blogs about the richness of farming life as a "Veggie Ana" who grows vegetables. She covers agriculture and farming villages nationwide, writing about them for the media. Her "Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems Calendar" is now on sale from the Japan Agricultural News.
https://www.ameba.jp/profile/ameba/ayumimaru1155/
https://www.instagram.com/vegeanaayu/

Facilitator （Right photo）

Ryuta Kijima
Culinary researcher
A culinary researcher born in Tokyo. He is popular not only for his home cooking recipes, which are full of ideas and written from the user’s viewpoint, but also for his lighthearted chat. He is also very interested in urban agriculture, and is in charge of a segment of an NHK program called "Ryuta Kijima’s Urban Agriculture and Tokyo" that takes a close look at urban agriculture in Tokyo.
https://www.youtube.com/@kijimagohan
https://www.instagram.com/ryutakijima/

Experiencing digging up sweet potatoes at Veggie Farm Kanon, a farm in a residential area

The first stop was Veggie Farm Kanon in Kamishakujii, Nerima City. Nerima City boasts the largest area of farmland among the 23 cities. The western part of Nerima City is dotted with thickets called yashiki-rin (forests surrounding residences), which were once used by farmers to collect bamboo and firewood, as well as to protect against the wind. Houses, vegetable fields, and thickets stretch out in a patchwork.
They were welcomed by Noriyuki Takahashi, whose family has been farming this land for generations.

He holds sweet potato digging events for groups every fall, and our pair, too, experienced harvesting the popular Beniharuka variety.
"It’s amazing! The soil is light and airy, isn’t it? There are a lot of insects, too, and you can see at a glance that the soil is healthy,” said Kotani, showing surprise.

“To make the soil (for sweet potatoes), I add rice straw, learning from my grandfather's method. When children from the city center come to dig for sweet potatoes, they are very happy to see a single insect or to unearth a potato because they don’t usually touch the soil. I think this is a good place for teaching about food,” said Takahashi with a smile.

When harvesting sweet potatoes, the trick is to break up the ridges of soil so that you can see the tubers before pulling them out. It was fine until the bright reddish purple fruit could be seen, but pulling it out seemed to take more strength than expected.
“Huh? I can’t seem to pull it out ... Wow! I think I’ve got about 1 kg!”
“Heave ho... Got it!”
Both of them were delighted, becoming like children again. They succeeded in harvesting enormous Beniharuka potatoes.

There are many farms in Nerima City that offer farming experiences. Sale of vegetables right beside the fields using coin-operated lockers are so well-established in the area that they are known as “Nerima style,” and you can find information about these vegetable sales and farming experiences on the official Toritate Nerima (Freshly-picked Nerima) app. Of course, Veggie Farm Kanon also has an unmanned stand, and on this day they were selling sweet potatoes, taro, chestnuts, shiitake mushrooms, Japanese radish leaves, and more.

According to Takahashi, there are many people who come from outside the city to buy vegetables, driving home the reality that Nerima is the closest vegetable production area for people living in the center of the city. In addition, there are many consumers close by, so Takahashi says that he sells vegetables directly to the owners of restaurants, ramen and pizza joints, bakeries, and confectionery shops that he met at business networking events. He apparently sometimes works to grow new varieties after receiving requests from stores.

"Urban farming may have constraints, such as limited production volume due to small fields, but on the other hand, there are huge consumption areas nearby, so there are many opportunities for people to learn about your vegetables and farm. That’s perhaps a strength for farmers in the 23 cities,” said Kijima with admiration.
Urban agriculture faces challenges, such as the aging of farmers, labor shortages, and difficulty in stabilizing profits. Given this background, "Did you have any doubts about taking over the farm in this day and age?" asked Kotani.

Takahashi replied, “I thought that preserving this traditional farming area was an important thing to do, so I didn’t have any doubts. However, in the eight years since I started farming, I have come to realize that I can't do the work without manpower, so recently I have been searching for ways to make urban agriculture sustainable, such as by working on the Agri-Welfare Alliance, in which people with disabilities are asked to help with farm work via their welfare facilities, and by introducing methods for making processed products or preserving foods for long periods of time.”
The participants learned that a new history of urban agriculture is being carved out in Tokyo thanks to the enthusiasm and ingenuity of the producers.

Tasting Japanese farm-to-table cuisine at Koryori Ishii

The pair decided to have lunch at "Koryori Ishii," a restaurant where you can enjoy dishes that reflect the wishes of these producers. The owner, Kohei Ishii, worked at a restaurant in central Tokyo before opening his own restaurant close to home in Oizumi, Nerima City. The beautiful Japanese cuisine, which uses plenty of vegetables grown in Nerima City and “Edo Tokyo Veggies,” the traditional vegetables of Tokyo, is popular.

“I started using local vegetables when I took part in a ‘greenery and farming experience class’ near my family home and started farming at the weekend. I was introduced to a lot of farmers through the class, and now nearly 20 farmers work with me,” said Ishii.
In response to Kijima's question, "What’s good about using local vegetables?" Ishii immediately answered "Definitely freshness,” and continued,

“It takes two days for produce which reaches the market to get from the field to my shop, but if it’s local, you can use vegetables picked right there that day. Freshness comes through in the taste, so the difference is huge.”
However, there are also difficulties: harvests can be bad depending on the weather, and farmers are reluctant to grow vegetables that require a lot of time and effort. According to Ishii, it is necessary to take care that the transactions do not become a burden on farmers.
“I feel that it's important to build relationships with the farmers. For example, Naito Kabocha (pumpkin), an Edo Tokyo Veggie, is not in general circulation because the pumpkin seeds need to be returned to the farmers after cooking in order to conserve the species. By gaining the trust of farmers and doing business with them, my customers can also enjoy this traditional vegetable,” Ishii explained.

Ishii goes directly to the farmers to pick up the vegetables, so he goes back and forth between his house, restaurant, farms, and Tsukiji Market every day. The reason he goes to the fields even if he is busy is because there is so much to be gained in the fields.
"It’s quite a difficult task to come up with a new dish, and my mentor as a chef looked at cookbooks when he was stuck. But as for me, if I go to the field, the vegetables will tell me. Farmers tell me that they have turnips today and satsumas will be ready soon, and I often think up dishes starting from there. I think that one of my strengths is being able to see the fields and change the menu however I like.”

He also says that farmers often teach him unique ways of eating things. This summer, his "Korean-style seasoned bitter gourd," which was based on the way farmers eat it, became a hit.

The grilled fish set meal for today’s lunch was served with colorful vegetables, and these were as gorgeous as the fish which was the main ingredient.

“The clear soup is Goseki late-ripening Japanese mustard spinach from Mr. Yagasaki in Nishitokyo City, and I bought it myself this morning. The turnip was picked yesterday at Mr. Takahashi's place in Minami-Oizumi. The sweet potatoes are from Mr. Kato in Oizumi, and they are stewed in an earthenware pot with rice and lemon,” said Ishii, explaining the vegetables used in all the dishes together with the names of the farmers who produced them. When the lid of the earthenware pot was opened, steam billowed out, and cheers erupted once more.

"There’s no doubt that it’s freshly picked, freshly boiled, and freshly made. Everything in the dishes is delivered directly from the fields, and you can tell that Mr. Ishii has deep relationships with the farmers,” said Kotani.

Colorful and beautiful dishes that warm the heart: the pair were full of smiles as they enjoyed locally produced, locally consumed food unique to Tokyo.

Myo-hou-yu's "Kelp Bath," and Iyoshi Cola after getting out

"This neighborhood is where I come from."
Kijima guided the pair to Myo-hou-yu, a public bath in Nishi-Ikebukuro, Toshima City.

When they entered the women's bath before opening, following the third-generation owner, Yukihiko Yanagisawa, they saw a small tub filled with hot water and packed with kelp. Once a month, 10 kilograms of kelp are washed in this tub to remove debris and plankton, and then put into the bath to create the “Kelp Bath.”

"Kelp is cultivated in Tokyo Bay with the aim of protecting the environment because it not only helps to increase plankton and preserve the marine ecosystem, but also absorbs five times more CO2 than cedar trees. Of this kelp, the non-edible portion is sent to public baths in Toshima City, where they can be enjoyed by our clients as “Kelp Baths.” Kelp contains plenty of fucoidan, which is also used in cosmetics, so it really moisturizes the skin,” says Yanagisawa. Moreover, the kelp which was used in the bathhouse is then used as fertilizer by Sayama tea farmers, also playing a role in the food cycle. At public baths in Toshima City, local elementary school students experience washing kelp, and this series of activities apparently won a special award at the Ministry of the Environment's Good Life Award.
The pair also washed specially-prepared kelp, and Kijima decided to take a soak in the “Kelp Bath.”

“When I washed the kelp, it was slimy, but the hot water felt smooth and pleasant. It also smells of delicious kelp broth! It was an interesting experience,” said Kijima. Yanagisawa laughed, saying, “Customers often say, ‘I feel like I’ve become an ingredient in oden (fish cakes and vegetables stewed in broth).’”

Waiting for them in front of the counter was Cola Kobayashi, the representative of Iyoshi Cola. Iyoshi Cola is a specialist craft cola maker which was established in 2018 in Shimo-Ochiai, Shinjuku Ward. It is now sold in many shops, but it is said that public baths actually sparked its popularity. Seeing that the pair were about to drink their Iyoshi Cola right away, Kobayashi taught them how to drink it: ”Turn the can upside down for about 10 seconds before drinking it. The spices which have settled at the bottom will mix in, and when you pull the tab, the fragrance will billow out.”
"I’ve waited 10 seconds. I’m going to drink it! ... The taste is kind of nostalgic. Is it cinnamon?”
“Cloves? This is delicious! It's perfect after a bath."

"How was this Iyoshi Cola born?"
The two were intrigued to find out that Kobayashi had always been an ardent cola fanatic, making cola as a hobby while working for a company. "One day, I made cola based on the information left by my grandfather, who was a craftsman of Japanese and Chinese medicine, about the ingredients for mixing Chinese medicine, and I realized that I had come up with something amazing! I started selling it from a food truck. The name of the shop, Iyoshi Cola, is taken from Iyoshi Yakko, the workshop of Ryotaro Ito, the Japanese and Chinese medicine artisan who was the grandfather of Cola Kobayashi; and the company was founded in Shimo-Ochiai, where my grandfather's workshop was located,” said Kobayashi. Perhaps because the product has a connection to Chinese medicine, it was a good match with public baths. "Iyoshi Bath," containing bath salts made from cola residue, was held at about 450 public baths in Tokyo and was apparently very popular.

With the unlikely combination of kelp from Tokyo Bay, cola produced in Tokyo, and a public bath, the two experienced the ultimate healing experience at Myo-hou-yu. After leaving Myo-hou-yu, Kotani started to speak earnestly. "I get a sense once again of how there are many different people and varied cultures in Tokyo. Public baths and cola also add to the picture from the perspective of food, and they have an exciting entertainment aspect to them, too. This broad scope is truly astounding.”

※Public baths displaying curtains saying "WELCOME! SENTO" offer service in multiple languages and cashless payments. about WELCOME！SENTO >>

Tasting craft beer from Tokyo at CYCAD BREWING

A few minutes' walk from Myo-hou-yu is CYCAD BREWING, where Kijima and Myo-hou-yu's Yanagisawa often go for a drink. The building, on which the old logo “Nishi-Ikebukuro Mart” remains, was once a kind of market for independent stores. When you enter through the entrance where a large cycad has been placed, you find a wide space reminiscent of an American bar, and you can see the brewery beyond the counter.

This is a microbrewery started in April 2023 by three people who were in the craft beer business in Tokyo. Chief brewer Ichiri Fujiura is also the only non-American brewer to win a gold medal in an American home-brewing competition. According to brewer Tetsuya Fukuda, who gave us a tour of the brewery, beer takes about a month from preparation to completion. A total of 1,200 liters of beer can be produced in the three tanks.

The name of the store, Cycad, is the English name for a palm-like evergreen plant, and apparently combines the depth of craft beer with the diversity of cycads. “We want to value diversity, so we make four or five kinds of beer a month, or about 50 kinds a year. We update the same beer by changing the malt and hops, and sometimes new flavors are born from customer feedback,” said store manager Kosuke Uematsu.

The pair were also given a special opportunity to go behind the counter and serve beer from the keg.

There were nine kinds of beer on the menu, and Uematsu explained them in detail, which naturally raised their expectations and interest.
“Horridus 3 is our third creation and our flagship beer. It's a cloudy type of beer known as ‘Hazy,’ and it has a tropical taste without bitterness.”
"... It’s fruity and really easy to drink!"
"Sugimoto the Elder is the graduation piece of Sugimoto, one of the brewing staff. It's named after a legendary American beer called Pliny the Elder."
“... Here’s a hint of bitterness. Delicious...!"
This was truly the diversity of craft beer. In this way, their glasses emptied again and again.

Today, more and more craft beer microbreweries are popping up in Tokyo. Cycad Brewing sometimes collaborates with beer bars in the neighborhood. Another attraction of Tokyo is that people who want to try new things gather there, and they meet and create a kind of chemical reaction: it is easy for this type of movement to arise. According to Uematsu, many beer lovers come to Tokyo from other regions to enjoy craft beer hopping. Speaking of craft beer, America is its home, but Uematsu says the level of Japan’s craft beers is rising, so the difference is not as great as in the past. "When it comes to freshness, it doesn't need time for importing, so Japanese beer is very fresh and delicious."

Kijima reacted to these words: "Freshness is important for beer, too, right? This is another form of local production for local consumption, and I feel that today's tour has come together. What I felt while visiting various places today was that the proximity of production areas and consumption areas is a big plus for people who want to do something new and interesting in the heart of the city. Coming into contact with the things people make and the emotions behind them is an interesting experience in itself, so if the attractions of Tokyo’s gastronomy are communicated widely, it will become even more interesting,” he said with deep feeling.

One of the attractive points of Tokyo is that people come together naturally, generating new challenges and exchanges, and so the first shoots of new food cultures can be seen.

Vegetable fields, Japanese food, public baths, craft cola, and craft beer: the participants experienced local production for local consumption embedded in daily life and a food culture rooted in Tokyo's climate. It was a day of rediscovering the interesting aspects of Tokyo that cannot be known without actually going to see them for yourself.

（This article presents the implementation report of the project conducted by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government during the 2024 fiscal year, aimed at promoting the appeal of gastronomic tourism in Tokyo）

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