Forget whatever “convenience-store food” means back home. In Japan, the konbini might have your favorite fried chicken, café latte, onigiri, or bread baked that morning, and everyone seems to have an opinion about which chain does it best.

Culinary Backstreets guide Mairi Wallace explains the differences between three Tokyo food tours: historic Yanesen, creative Kichijoji and community-minded Monzen-Nakacho, and what each neighborhood reveals about the city.

Ramen may have seen a worldwide boom in recent years, but when it comes to soba – Japanese buckwheat noodles – fans might say they’ve been unfairly neglected. “Soba have a history of at least 400 years, as long as sushi. Yet they’re almost completely unknown abroad,” chef Yoshinobu Saito says, pondering the concept behind his first ever restaurant. “I guess I don’t have a specific concept for the store. But I do want to promote soba worldwide.”