One of the best parts about living in Shanghai is how easy it is to eat our way around the continent. Tokyo is one of our favorite places to be a glutton, so we stopped by for a way-too-short long weekend. Before we get to a sample of our favorite bites, we recommend utilizing the Ramen Database if you’re a fan of the best noodle dish in the world. It’s all in Japanese, but their iPhone app (ラーメンDB) has a great map function and a star rating at each ramen joint, so it’s pretty easy to find out what’s good and where it is, if you’ve got a smartphone.

Ramen Database’s iPhone app

Our first ramen stop (as suggested by Ramen Database) was Rokurinsha on Ramen Street in JR Tokyo Station.

Best. bar. snack. ever. Chicken Karaage: deep-fried chunks of chicken so juicy yet ungreasy that they could make Paula Deen’s head explode.

Rokurinsha is the gold medal winner of tsukemen style (noodles served warm on the side of the soup) with a tonkatso (pork) & mackerel broth.

These are takoyaki (fried octopus balls) that we devoured pre-dinner on a street corner in Shinjuku. Topped with aonori (green laver), green onions, bonito flakes and shichimi to-garashi (Japanese seven spice).

Have I ever told you about my unabiding love of pork? The first time I met tonkatsu, Japan’s battered, deep-fried, fatty pork cutlet, it was pretty much a scene from a Nora Ephron movie.

Tokyo’s Tsukiji Fish Market

Octopus @ Tsukiji market

More catch @ Tsukiji market

Breakfast of champions at 8am at Tsukiji Market.

Our friend Wynn apprehensively trying horse sashimi (word to the wise: it was delicious).

Yakiniku (marinated grilled beef) goes really really well with beer. Just saying.

If you’re in Shanghai and looking for a great taste of Tokyo, UnTour Shanghai highly recommends Sushi Oyama. Arigato!