Yakitori (grilled morsels of skewered chicken seasoned with soy sauce) from outdoor food stands is a fun and delicious way to eat if you visit during warm weather (vendors are everywhere, but try the ones underneath the elevated train tracks near Yurakucho station and the Imperial Hotel). There are also many classier yakitori restaurants, serving premium breeds of chicken, as well as vegetables and occasionally beef grilled over charcoal.

No dish is more closely associated with Japan than sushi, making it a must during your visit. Japanese food presentation is one of the most visually impressive in the world, and a plate of impeccably prepared sushi is no exception. You will need to know the difference between sushi and sashimi: Sushi is prepared with cooked short-grain rice (the word sushi actually refers to the rice), and sashimi is unadorned slices of raw fish, typically served with a side of shredded daikon. Freshness is paramount for both dishes. According to locals, the quality of a sushi shop can be gauged by how crowded it is, so stay away from places that are nearly empty. You won't find fresher fish than that sold at the sushi shops around the Tsukiji fish market. They're a good value too, although few stay open after lunch, and they closed on days when the market it closed.

The formal Japanese cuisine known as kaiseki developed from the meals served with the traditional tea ceremony. There is also a vegetarian tradition, shojin ryori, which had its origins in Japan's traditional Buddhist roots. Both cuisines feature artistic arrangements of dishes made from fresh seasonal ingredients. Fugu, or blowfish, can be fatally poisonous if not prepared properly (chefs must have special licenses). Usually eaten raw or cooked in hotpots, it might be bland in taste, but many Japanese say it has a slight numbing sensation caused by residual toxins in the meat. Other traditional dishes are sukiyaki (thinly sliced beef cooked tableside in broth with vegetables), shabu-shabu (thinly sliced beef cooked tableside and dipped in assorted sauces) and tempura (deep-fried fish and vegetables in batter).

A traditional Japanese breakfast consists of white rice and miso soup, served with side dishes such as raw eggs, pickled vegetables, seaweed, fermented soybeans and often some fish. However, most Japanese salarymen are too busy for little more than a quick bowl of noodles or a roll and coffee at breakfast kiosks around train stations (and even on larger train platforms). Major hotels usually have a choice of either Japanese or Western-style breakfasts, often served as all-you-can-eat buffets.

It is not impossible to pay ¥1,000 for a cup of coffee at a ritzy Ginza coffee shop or in some of the major hotels. However, since the arrival of the international coffee chain Starbucks—along with a number of local clones, such as the reasonably priced Excelsior Caffe—there is now no need to pay more than ¥350 for a cup of coffee. Espresso at one of the growing number of European-style cafes, led by the excellent Segafredo chain, will cost even less.

Traditional coffee shops (kisaten) occupy the middle ground, offering poor, overpriced coffee but providing comfortable settings where you can linger as long as you like—and (more importantly for some) smoke. Many of these old-school coffee shops still offer the traditional breakfast, known as a Morning Set. This meal will comprise a hard-boiled egg, sometimes with some ham or bacon; a "salad" of grated cabbage with Thousand Island dressing; a thick slab of air-light white bread, lightly toasted and served with a pat of butter; and a cup of well-stewed coffee (ask for "American" if you want a cup of the same coffee diluted with hot water).

Tokyo also has its fair share of beer gardens—nighttime open-air restaurants open during the summer months (some of the department stores in Tokyo have rooftop beer gardens). Most charge a set fee for all-you-can-eat meals or buffets, though a few allow guests to order a la carte. If you're on a budget, happoshu is similar to beer but is a little less expensive because it contains less malt, so it's taxed in a slightly lower bracket.

You'll be happy to discover that the language barrier that makes Tokyo so perplexing at times is not such a big problem in restaurants—many have plastic displays of menu items for you to point at, and English-language menus are increasingly common.

Restaurants are generally open 11:30 am-2:30 pm and 5:30-10:30 pm, except on weekends, when some remain open all day. Few open early in the morning, so your best bet is to eat breakfast at your hotel—or eat sushi in the Tsukiji fish market.