Chef, sommelier, journalist, and restaurant consultant Yukari Sakamoto guides the reader through the gourmet delights of this fascinating city—from the world’s largest fish market to the Kappabashi kitchenware district.

She is a Japanese American whose insider’s view of Japanese cuisine started when she took a unique position in the depachika (epicurean food hall) at the world-renowned Takashimaya department store in Tokyo. Food Sake Tokyo demystifies the ingredients, traditional dishes, and culture surrounding all things culinary in Tokyo. Sakamoto leads the reader to the best food that Tokyo has to offer, explaining and sampling along the way.

You’ll learn which sushi fish are in season throughout the year; where to find the best knives, lacquerware, pottery, and kitchen gadgets; how to choose sake and shochu. The guide includes lively primers on sea vegetables and wagashi (Japanese confections), cheap eats, and dining customs, as well as how the specialty foods of Japan are produced and prepared and the country’s unique food traditions.

For anyone interested in Japanese food, this is a must-have lexicon of the tastes and fashions of Tokyo’s cuisine.