A perfect day exploring Korea through a culinary lens. - Spending the day with Dennis while learning more about Korea through their food and customs, was the highlight of my trip. Dennis was thoughtful, friendly, extremely interesting, and super fun. Traveling solo, there is no way I could have tasted the abundance of food that we enjoyed, starting with the freshest sushi, fried,meatball, and take-your- life -in -your -hands and try the famous puffer fish which was exquisitely prepared. He also introduced us to a myriad of fascinating people, including a master meso chef, a generations old family, who made, artisanal, crackers, and a guided sake tasting. It was an incredible day, not to be missed.

Magnificent deep dive into food, culture and people - Truly a fantastic experience with our guide Elly, superbly taking my wife and I, along with another party of three, through the old and new of Kichijoji. It was casual, unhurried, informative and immersive. Each of the stops we made were carefully curated to showcase different elements of Japanese cuisine and at each one, we discussed the food —- preparation, history, varieties, etc. — to give fulfillment to our minds as well as our taste buds and stomachs. Meeting a 4th generation miso master and a 93 year old rice cake baker were special parts of the tour that connected us with the people, not just the food.

Great neighborhood, great food - This was an awesome food tour with every stop offering both excellent food and good stories. The tour also gave a great sense of what appears to be an incredible neighborhood within Tokyo. As I mentioned the food was excellent, there was not a bad stop. One of the highlights was visiting the shop of a man who has been producing miso for decades. We sampled a palette of different misos and then a selection of foods prepared with miso as an ingredient.

Wonderful experience, great food, amazing culture - My best friend and I participated in this tour 7/29/2025. It was an amazing experience and our guide Elly was simply fantastic. It ended up just being the two of us for the tour, which ultimately was perfect as we were able to really chat with our tour guide and the locals that she introduced us to throughout the day. As someone who found the Tokyo food scene a little bit overwhelming as a non-Japanese speaker, this tour was a fantastic overview of many of the interesting and delicious foods that this city has to offer. It was reassuring to be able to trust the places that we were going both to have safe and delicious foods. My favorite parts included being taken to small, family owned businesses that have been around for generations and learning about how they create their products. 10/10 would recommend., And will likely be taking a tour in another Japanese town while we are on our travels.

One of the highlights of our time in Japan! - This tour was recommended to me and I recommend it to you! What an incredible way to explore one of Tokyo's most charming neighborhoods through its incredible food scene. The "Small Town in the Big City" tour of Kichijoji delivered on every front. The sheer variety and quantity of food was impressive - there's absolutely no way you'll go hungry on this adventure. From traditional Japanese comfort foods to modern fusion creations, each stop offered something unique and delicious that perfectly captured the spirit of this bohemian district. What made the experience truly special were the interesting people we met along the way. The tour takes you to fascinating places you'd never discover on your own, tucked away in narrow alleys and hidden on upper floors of nondescript buildings. Initially, six hours seems like a lot of time to commit, but honestly, the time flew by! The pacing was perfect, allowing us to savor each location without feeling rushed while still covering substantial ground through Kichijoji's diverse food landscape. Our guide Mairi was absolutely exceptional. She expertly balanced and looked after the interests of everyone in our group to ensure each person felt included. Her knowledge of the neighborhood's history, culture, and culinary traditions added depth to every bite. We cannot say enough good things about her expertise and warmth. This tour is well worth the investment in time and money. It's not just a food tour, it's a cultural immersion that gives you genuine insight into Tokyo's neighborhood life. If you're looking for an authentic taste of local Tokyo beyond the typical tourist spots, this Kichijoji experience is absolutely essential. Highly recommended for food lovers, culture enthusiasts, and anyone wanting to see a different side of Tokyo!

Fantastic day, fantastic guide, fantastic food - A fantastic day with a great, friendly, engaging guide and a lot of delicious foods. A part of Tokyo we’d never otherwise have visited and a really highlight of our trip. Done three trips with this company now in different continents and all exceptional. Highly recommended, thank you.

Amazing stroll, thoughtfully planned. - Our trip with Michelle through Kichojoji was a delight. The route was thoughtfully planned out to keep us out of the sun and balance out the eight or nine stops on our adventure. Michelle shared fun insights from the area's history and Japanes culture in general. The size of the tour group (small) made a huge difference: it felt like we were sharing a proper meal at each place we visited. Our children enjoyed all of the food we tried. The tour was absolutely one of the top experiences in our 2-week sojourn in Japan.

Fantastic tour - The people , places and food we had was amazing and a really good insight into the very unique culture and practices in Tokyo and also the neighbourhood. Great if it’s your first time in Tokyo as well as for repeat visitors

Excellent tour! - Michelle was absolutely fabulous! She was warm and personable and so knowledgeable. And she constantly made us feel welcome to ask any questions. I also loved that I came to the tour for the food experience (which was excellent) but the tour also gave us insight into other areas including a walk around a park and other local spot.

As always, Culinary Backstreets hit the mark - Seeing a new area we would not have gone to was great, the guide was enthusiastic and lovely and the food appropriate and delicious. We learned a lot and had fun