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.

Unusual takes on ramen abound in Tokyo, from carefully balanced chocolate and lamb creations for Valentine’s Day to algae-tinted blue broth, but few leave you with cravings and daydreams lasting for weeks. Adding a quality twist on ramen is a challenge – simplicity is one of the dish’s most vital elements, as with most Japanese cuisine. Yet friends Yamada and Sumida struck gold with one perfectly measured twist: smoke. Tucked away near Rikkyo University in a quiet area filled with student-friendly restaurants and cafés, their modest ramen joint Kemuri (which means “smoke” in Japanese) serves their latest experimental dishes without straying from the joy of good ramen at its best – quality ingredients cooked to perfection.