Almost every time I go out to eat somewhere in Japan, it turns into an entire experience in itself. You could have fun here simply visiting restaurants and trying all the food that you could not get back home. That being said, if you are a picky eater, then I think you are truly missing out on some priceless experiences here in Japan. Here, I added pictures of my most memorable experiences:
1. Japanese Hotcakes
The first picture is of the famous Japanese hotcakes. You might have seen videos of these on Facebook or some travel channel show. It was probably the best pancake I had ever eaten. The restaurant where you can find these unique pancakes is called West Aoyama Garden, a short walk from Nogizaka station after riding the Chiyoda line. The restaurant is based off of a high-end French cafe, so there is also bakery located in the front. Keeping with the theme, there are no chopsticks to be found either, and all the menu items are European to some degree. The servers even dress the part and give you a hot towel, known as oshibori, to wipe your hands with before the meal.
2. Maid and Butler Cafes
Now, if you like cafes but want a more kawaii experience, then I would recommend any of the maid cafes in Akihabara or mascot cafes like Cinnamoroll Cafe in Shinjuku. There are also animal-themed cafes, like cat or dog or even owl cafes, where one is entertained by the animals while waiting for the food. I would recommend going to a maid cafe at least once because there is really nothing like it. As you probably have seen across websites or social media, all the servers are women dressed in maid outfits. At the maid cafe there is a bell you ring to get the servers’ attention, and if you grow fond of one of the servers, you can pay extra to get a picture of them. The concept overall seems to be geared towards single men, as those appeared to be the only other kind of customers other than tourists that were there when I went with a group of friends. The interactions with the server were always entertaining and funny, so they made for a good time.
However, if women in maid outfits don’t particularly appeal to you, then Japan also has a butler cafe, The Swallowtail, in Shibuya. This cafe delivers a much different experience. Here, the women are treated more like royalty, as the “master” title given to male customers in maid cafes has been substituted for the title “princess.” It is much more expensive, and there is a list of rules one has to follow when dining there. I haven’t yet visited, but it might be a place to check out.
3. Mascot Cafes
A much more relaxing and cozy experience can be found at Cinnamoroll Cafe. It doesn’t have the “maid experience” but, instead, has booths with plushies of the mascot that you can play with while waiting for your food. All the food items are designed to look like the mascot, too. This cafe seems like a much more popular date destination; half of the customers when I went seemed to be couples. I ordered a strawberry sponge cake when I visited, and it is still the best dessert I have had since I arrived.
4. Conveyor Belt Sushi
The last kind of restaurant is the conveyor belt sushi. This experience was the most fun I had at a restaurant. With a device like an iPad, you can order a wide variety of sushi, and within minutes, the plate with your food comes traveling down the belt. It is not that expensive either, considering it charges per plate and the amount of food you can get for around $10 is substantial.