Tokyo’s Depachikas

Unlike other parts of the world where fashion and food don’t often mix, in Japan the basement level of most department stores hold sprawling food halls that are part upscale grocery, part gourmet food court. Known as ‘depachikas’, these subterranean food havens boast a massive selection of prepared foods, pastries, and the best quality produce, meat and fish.

For me, a trip to Tokyo for me isn’t complete without stopping by a depachika and assembling a meal. This might include chirashi sushi, onigiri, some kurobuta gyoza, a few salads, and one of the amazing single serving cakes lined up behind the glass cases. I then stop by one of the numerous combinis, or convenience stores, on the way back to the hotel and pick up a tallboy of beer for a few hundred yen to wash it all down.

Back in the hotel room, it’s just a matter of pulling up a table by the window and having a picnic. At a place like The Cerulean Tower Tokyu Hotel, you’ll be able to enjoy your haul while overlooking all of Tokyo. Yes, all of Tokyo. It is a tower, after all (occupying 19th to 37th floors of the building), so the views are as expansive as the city itself. You’ll also be close to plenty of depachikas. The Cerulean Tower’s central location in Shibuya makes it a great base for wanderings, culinary or otherwise.

Where to shop? Ginza, one of the oldest shopping districts (and infamously expensive) has a mature feel about it, whereas Mitsukoshi’s (4-6-16 Ginza, Chuo-ku) recently renovated depachika has a clean modern vibe, so sleek in fact that it may come as a surprise that what what’s behind their gleaming glass cases is food, not jewelry. Shinjuku, on the other side of Tokyo is a bustling youthful area and Isetan (3-14-1 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku) is the place to hit up. Isetan has perhaps the most impressive selection of sweets collected from around the world, including my favorite: Ispahan macarons by Pierre Hermé. In Ikebukuro, Seibu (1-28-1 Minami-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku) has the largest depachika in the city, which encompasses several floors and is worth the trip north because of the sheer scale of the place.

Most of the food stalls offer samples, making it possible to sate mid-afternoon hunger while getting a taste of the modern Japanese table. With influences hailing from Italy, France and China, it’s not the delicate fare you’d immediately picture when thinking of Japanese food. In one section, you might find an island specializing in salads with over a dozen plates stacked high with a vibrant assortment vegetables. Further along, you might see whole legs of jamón ibérico, hanging at the ready to be carved, and next door, a stand with stacks of bamboo baskets steaming succulent shrimp dumplings.

Each stall is independently owned, often by top-flight restaurants and bakeries from around Japan. At some of the most famous places, you may find a line that wraps around the island, full of eager shoppers picking up a treat on their way home. While there are great deals to be had just before closing, it’s probably best to arrive in the morning, or after lunch to avoid the crowds.

Like this feature? Sign up for email alerts, subscribe to our RSS, or follow us on Tumblr.