Thanks for bringing up the issue of people obsessing over Michelin starred restaurants, especially sushi shops. There are plenty of great sushi places in Tokyo, the vast majority without any Michelin recommendations. And in case anyone was wondering about how objective the Michelin reviews are, the editor of the first Tokyo edition appears (uncredited) in the Jiro movie. This is not to say that Jiro is not a bad place, but just that people should keep an open mind and not be too obsessed with guide books.

I had a great tenpura dinner this past Sunday at Yamanoue Hotel's Midtown restaurant (http://www.tempura-yamanoue.jp/englis...).

So, how was your dining experience, assuming you are by now finished and have left Nihonbashi?

I noticed that you posted your original message on April 21, meaning you will be in Tokyo the week of April 28 to May 5 or 6. Are you aware that that will be Golden Week, with national holidays on April 29 and May 3, 4, 5 and 6? You may find a lot of the places you want to go closed.

In reference to Ninisix' post, no, the place I was referring to, Miyako Sushi, did not open last year; I am quite sure as I have been going there for a lot more than just two years. I am not aware of a new shop called "Miayko Sushi," no matter its kanji. I believe the oldest Miyako Sushi in Tokyo are in Asakusa and Nihonbashi, each with different kanji for the name, and each with several norenwake (descendent) shops, the Asakusa shop being the oldest (from 1866), the other from Meiji, the now a days famous and highly rated shop a descendent of this one.

Yes, a couple of years ago the basic price was something like 11,000 yen, but they upped it this year, I think to 13,000 per person per person so. And they were very apologetic about having to do so.
As for books being published about this shop, I am not aware of any and I kind of doubt that there have been as many as two published in the relatively short time the current master has had the place. I believe Miyako Sushi in Asakusa, with a three kanji character for the same name and a history going back some 170 years, is more likely the place you are thinking of.

Miyako Sushi (都寿司)　in Nihonbashi Odenmacho is indeed very, very good. And it keeps getting better. However, they are no longer accepting reservations from first timers, only repeat customers.

Tamahide is where oyakudon was first made. I like Toritsune, but I think Tamahide is better. They have a choice of three types of oyakudon for lunch ranging from about \1,400 to \1,800 or so, the liver being the most expensive. But you need to arrive early and usually wait in a line that can take an hour or more. When I have been for dinner I order the shamo nabe set which comes with a small oyakudon.

Almost all Japanese kitchen knives are made in Sakai. I don't know about retail in Sakai, but I would imagine you could find the same knives in Tokyo, Osaka or Kyoto.

If you cannot find anything about a dress code there probably is not one. Sushi and tempura have traditionally been "fast foods," food as likely eaten during the Edo era at street stalls as in restaurants. Jeans are fine, as is a suit and tie. Customers are probably dining after work, so their attire is more likely to reflect their work clothes than what the restaurant expects. Remember, most For Italian food you may ant to dress up a bit more, if you feel more comfortable. Come to think of it, I cannot recall ever going to a place with a dress code in Japan. Have others?

I would ay the best things to take back for your friend would be either some sort of sweets (okashi) or maybe some sort of local sake, either nihonshu or umeshu, or, if your friend is from kyushu, some shochu. The best would be something from her home region that she cannot get in the US.
US customs is, in my opinion, one of the worst in the world for food item. However, if you are carrying something like crackers or cookies, there is usually no problem. Just refer to it as cookies or crackers. And as long as you are not carrying too much alcohol, as in more than three bottles or so of nihonshu or an equivalent of shochu, you should be OK. But with the US, you never can tell.

Here is a place that seems to fit your needs: Aki, in Ningyoucho (http://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1302/A13020...), They have quite good sushi and tempura, although I have only been for lunch. Also, I think one of the guys speaks at least some English.

Kurogi can be very good. I have been going there for several years,with the best meals in autumn, especially October when matsutake are in season. That has also been the most expensive time to go, assuming you sit at the counter.

From my impression it seems that if you are a first time visitor you will be seated upstairs in a private room. I think one of the staff speaks some English. If you are a repeater, sitting at the counter is fun. And yes, they do have a nice collection of knives. But I am not sure if Kurogi san or any of the other counter people speak much English.

All in all, the food is always very good, sometimes excellent, especially when it is very much in season. Ingredients seem to be carefully selected, going so far as to know the place, date and water temperature of fish from Kyushu that were served as sashimi. And the sake selection goes well with the menu. The only drawback is that it keeps taking longer and longer to get a reservation, at least towards the end of the year.

Rocky Aoki was from Ninhonbashi. There is still a Benihana restaurant where I believe his family's shop was before and after the war. During the early post-war era, when he was still a teenager, Aoki was popular with the local kids because he could get meat (beef) from his father's shop.

As for the food, I don't l know: I do not eat beef.

Regarding Miyakozushi (of which there are, I believe, four in the Nihonbashi area), the table is only for people to sit while waiting. I have never seen anyone served at the table. As for making reservations, the soonest you can now make would be for late February or maybe March. Also, they do not speak any English there, only Japanese.

From what I have experienced, almost everyone, or every family, makes their own osechi dishes. When people buy prepared osechi from a department store it is usually for a party for non-family members. It should be remembered that all the items in a ryoutei osechi box have special significance, especially for good luck. When a host offers party guests such elaborate new years' dishes it is not just a gesture of hospitality but also an opportunity to demonstrate his or her knowledge of Japanese culture. And with there often being more than 100 different items in a box, you really need to know your stuff.

When I have been to Yamashita, if it is indeed the same one you are thinking of, there is nothing in the way of a course menu: everything is as you order. And from what I could determine, there was not much, if any, English spoken or understood.
Yamashita offers mostly seafood, cooked an not, in a kappo style setting; ie, you sit at the counter and order and eat. I think the banter between the diners and the staff behind the counter really add a lot to the meal, and to the restaurant's rating.

Yamashita is great. And not too expensive. You may need to wait a while for a reservation, and they are closed Mondays.

"No good food to be found in Asakusa at any time of year?" Hey, Robb S, have you ever been to Asakusa? There is great, and affordable, fugu in Asakusa, as well as a couple of my favorite places for unagi. One of the top two or three edomae style sushi restaurants is in Asakusa, as are some very good tempura and soba shops. True, if all you are looking for is ramen, Asakusa may not be the best place to go.

If you want information on good Ethiopian restaurants in Tokyo try contacting the Embassy of Ethiopia. Part of their purpose is to promote their country, so I am pretty sure they would know their country's local food scene.

Regarding frozen maguro, yes, most of it has been frozen. All the farmed maguro is delivered frozen, and that is perhaps half of what is sold at Tsukiji every day (it comes mostly from Australia or Viet Nam). Most of the caught Indo maguro (from the Indian Ocean) as well has been frozen. A friend of mine's shop has a sign posted saying none of the fish served has been frozen with the exception of maguro. If you want maguro that has not been frozen I suggest finding some from Oma, in Aomori Prefecture. If you visit Tsukiji jonai, the wholesale market, you will see a lot of shops cutting tuna with bandsaws.

Regarding Asomaniac's comments regarding aging maguro, that is true. Maguro is the only warm blooded fish and so like beef, is best when aged for a week or so; the fish needs time for certain amino acids to develop as muscle fiber proteins breakdown. Otherwise it would be very tough and lacking in fully developed flavors.

As for the comment regarding finding gutted and headless tuna at Tsukiji, no way. All maguro are auctioned whole, the exception being that the tail has been cut off. Perhaps he was thinking of the Honolulu wholesale fish market where fish are displayed for auction opened up, but not Tsukiji. That is why there is the "Tuna Court," a place where disputes regarding large fish (maguro and kajiki) with serious defects can be resolved.

Something that is always available in Japan is tōbanjan (豆板醤) a Taiwanese style hot sauce made in Okinawa, especially in the western islands. I am sure the Okinawa store close to Tokyo station has it.

I think you may be a bit mistaken in that what you think is "American Village" will turn out to be an American military base. And that means lots of loud jets and/or helicopters flying overhead, as well as a local scene that caters to young American military personnel. If you have a full week in Okinawa you should really try to go to another island. But while on the main island the Churaumi aquarium is well worth a visit. Be prepared to rent a car. And when you do that, take some time to explore the main island. But also be sure to check the latest weather report to see if there are any big storms heading towards Oknawa.

As for "traditional " Okinawa food,.... Okinawa Prefecture, previously known as the Kingdom of the Ryukyu Islands, is known for a few vegetables, the most famous of which is goya, as well as some local fish. It is common to eat the local fish as sashimi, but rarely as sushi (on rice). Goya will not really be in season until perhaps June, although other things are and will be seasonally fresh.

My advice for someone going to Okinawa for a full week would be to rent a car for a day and drive around the main island, making sure to visit Churamai Aquarium in the north as well as the remnants of Shuri castle. Then head off to another island. Other islands will offer more places serving "Okinawa" food, although that usually means more Chinese influence. One of the most well known dishes is Okinawa soba (also known as yaeyama soba or yaesei soba), a dish made with wheat noodles rather than soba (buckwheat) as in the rest of Japan.

Don't forget Popeye in Ryogoku.

Although I have never been, some of my very Edokko friends recommend Isegen
(http://www.isegen.com/) in Kanda (very close to Kanda Yabu Soba) for Anko (monkfish). It is a very traditional shop, in a pre-war building, and perhaps the most famous for anko in Tokyo. Look for the whole fish displayed in front of the restaurant.

If you want to see what is available to order check out the home pages of Takashimaya (http://www.takashimaya.co.jp/shopping/special/osechi/) or Mitsukoshi (http://www.mitsukoshi.co.jp/osechi/). Both have a lot of options priced around ￥10,000. Also, osechi generally does not need to be refrigerated; it should have any "uncooked" ingredients, and it is meant to last for the first three days of the new year.

The first "bakery" to make western style bread products in Tokyo is Kimuraya, located at Ginza 4-5-7, very close to Wako and across the street from Mitsukoshi. When they started making bread they did not have access to western yeasts. So they used sake yeast, and continue to do so today.

If you want to see a lot of Japanese sweets and confections in a hurry I suggest you visit the basement food area of any major department store. If you are in Ginza head to Mitsukoshi and Matsuya. Not too far away in Ninhonbashi, check out Madame Setsuko Chocolates in Mitsukoshi for one of the better selections of Japanese chocolates, including macha and konyaku. Or head to Takashimaya just across the bridge.

If you want traditional Japanese "sweets," check out Toraya's main shop in Akasuka (Akasuka 4-9-22). They have been making sweets for the Emperor for close to 600 years and have a great selection in the shop as well as an interesting display of techniques and historical items in their gallery next door (you need to ask). Otherwise, if you want to see some traditional sweets, especially wagashi tea sweets, look around areas such as Nihonbashi, Ningyocho, or Mukajima. If you want an easy place to look at and buy more pedestrian "okashi" (sweets and crackers) head to Asakusa and walk up the Nakamisedori towards Sensoji. There are a lot of shops making and selling things such as senbei, dango, taiyaki and ningyoyaki.

If you want convenient access to both Tsukiji (fish market) and Narita, you may want to check out the Royal Park Hotel, next to TCAT (Tokyo City Air Terminal). It is perhaps a seven minute （1000￥）　taxi ride from the hotel to Tsukiji 230￥ by Hibiya line), and one hour to Narita. The area also has a lot of exceptional restaurants.

To add to Silverjay's post, you can take either the Hibiya line subway to Tsukiji station or the Oedo line to Tsukijishijo. If you want to get there early to see the auction you will probably need to take a cab, unless you have access to bicycles. But in my opinion seeing the auction is not worth the trouble. You need to arrive well before 5:00, wait in line, and then, when you finally get to enter the auction area, you are restricted to a narrow aisle where, unless you are tall, you can't really see a whole lot. My advice would be to arrive at the market around 7:30 and take a look. If you want to get more out of it I recommend reading Ted Bestor's book on Tsukji. As for sushi shops, there are several in the outer (jogai) market area that are at least as good as the more famous shops closer to the main market area. And there won't be any long lines.

I have a feeling Silverjay does not live in Tokyo. If he/she did I am sure they would know what it is like to walk multiple kms in the heat and humidity. It really doesn't matter how many vending machines and or mini-marts are along the way; if you go for a long walk you are going to be drenched from sweat. The rain is an entirely other matter. And as Ninisix pointed out, at least until her/his posts were taken down for ???, vending machines do use a lot of electricity. And although I do not want to come across as a big supporter of Tokyo governor Ishihara's campaign against vending machines (and pachinko), I do agree that in this summer of conserving electricity (setsuden), it may be worthwhile to reevaluate why there are so many of these electricity guzzlers. And as a note to Silverjay, today, in between rain showers, I rode my bike along much of the route that you suggested to walk. And I do not believe I saw any machines vending cold drinks. And definitely none supplying cold towels or clean, dry shirts.