Dinner from Tokyo’s Department Store Food Halls (aka Depachika).
Some nights after long days out exploring Tokyo, the best thing to do is to shower off the day and to simply relax in the quiet comfort of your hotel room. What does this mean for dinner? It means the most delicious takeout from Tokyo’s department store food halls.
Best of Tokyo’s Department Store Food Halls
Each major city in Japan and district within Tokyo has their big brand name department store. In the basement floors of these department stores, usually connected to the subway stations, there are food halls featuring drool-worthy displays of sweet and savory foods.
In Tokyo, food lovers must check out Mitsukoshi Ginza, Daimaru in Tokyo Station, and Isetan and Takashimaya in Shinjuku.
You can have an epic multi-course meal from the takeout options:
At the grocery/supermarket side of the food hall, find the sushi and sashimi section. Your eyes will certainly drool when you see the premium cuts of toro, salmon, and more. At the cashier, you will be given chopsticks as well as an ice pack to preserve your purchases for the journey home.
Then, you have your salads and hot foods in the ready-to-eat sections of the food hall. There is an overwhelming variety of choices from katsu, tempura, rice bowls, salads, pasta, bento boxes, and so on and so on.
There’s something about Japanese food that makes you crave for dessert at the end of the meal. So be sure to also check out the confectionary side of the food halls to drool over the seasonal desserts, like strawberry shortcake.
3 Insider Tips for Shopping at Department Store Food Halls
Typically, if there is a long line of customers, that means that food stall or one particular item is incredibly popular and so delicious that it is worth the time to wait in line.
Near closing time of the department store (they close around 8pm, so at around 7/7:30pm), sushi and sashimi in the grocery side and savory ready-to-eat foods in the takeout side all have major discounts in order to sell all the products before the department store closes.
For drinks, stop by your nearby convenience store. There you will find water, juices, sodas, beer, sake, wine, and more.
Department Stores, Addresses & Hours
Mitsukoshi Ginza
4-6-16 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Daily, 10:30am to 8pm
Daimaru Tokyo
1-9-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Saturday to Wednesday, 10am to 8pm
Thursday & Friday, 10am to 9pm
Isetan Shinjuku
3-14-1 Shinjuku, Tokyo
Daily, 10:30am to 8pm
Takashimaya Shinjuku
5-24-2 Sendagaya, Shinjuku, Tokyo
Sunday to Thursday, 10am to 8pm
Friday & Saturday, 10am to 8:30pm
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