Who has not ever been interested in Japanese culture? The incredible cities, the neon lights, the karaoke, the gastronomy, the most curious life-hacks and even the toilets! Japan is a country with hundreds of things to see, unusual activities to do, and places to go. In this post we will lean towards the combination between the culinary that characterizes the country and the creative genius that stands out in the thematic restaurants of Tokyo, the capital of the island. Do not miss this post, where we will tell you which are the 15 best themed restaurants in Tokyo and why, at least one of them, should be an unmissable visit within the city tour.
The best themed restaurants in Tokyo
Cosplay, costumes, extravagant decorations, “themed” food, Tokyo surprises travelers (and locals) through its themed restaurants that can be visited at any time of the day, depending on the type of menu that is proposed in each of the places.
It is worth clarifying that Tokyo is an incredible city, with thousands of things to do and in this post we have made a small selection of themed restaurants that can be enjoyed in the city, looking for the most visited ones. < / p>
1. Robot Restaurant, one of the best restaurants in Tokyo chosen for its theme
A place where there are people who handle robots several meters high, psychedelic music, neon lights reflecting off giant mirrors, robot rides with electronic music in the background and hundreds of televisions showing videos with many colors. Is it a dream It could be, but it’s the Robot Restaurant from the Japanese capital. In this Tokyo themed restaurant, food takes a back seat and the most important thing is to enjoy a completely unusual show surrounded by, as we told you before, lots of music and colors.
Robot Restaurant tickets can be purchased in advance on the web since there is a price for entry and another for food. Entry to Robot Restaurant costs approximately $ 77 per person.
2. Ninja Akasasa, one of the most visited themed restaurants in Tokyo
If anyone has ever heard of Japan, surely the image of a ninja must have crossed his mind and visiting Ninja Akasasa is one of the best options to do in the Japanese capital.
This restaurant invites travelers to move to a completely mysterious place: labyrinths, secret passages and even a village made of wood and stone, with cabins distributed by zones. In addition, magic tricks, escapism and ninja shows are played at all times. Unlike other restaurants, the reviews regarding the quality of the food at Ninja Akasasa are very good, although it can be a bit expensive compared to other places. But … he doesn’t dine like a ninja every day.
- Address: 1F Akasaka Tokyu Plaza 2-14-3 Nagata-cho Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Traveler fact: the menu consists of different varieties of dishes that include the cost of entertainment, an approximate of $70 per person.
3. The Vampire Café, a themed restaurant not for the impressionable
Without speaking English (or Japanese) the name of the Tokyo theme restaurant already says too much and, for those who still have their doubts, The Vampire Café in Tokyo is a restaurant themed as a vampire cave, makes travelers, instead of being the “victims”, feel like a real vampire.
Within the strangest restaurants in Japan, in addition to the red and white decoration itself, the coffins and the darkness that characterizes the place, in Vampire Café food is served with different terrifying shapes and what worst (or best characterized) is that the drinks served mimic blood.
How much is the entrance to The Vampire Café, Tokyo? There is an entry price and a price for each item on the menu, so being able to enjoy a dinner at the Japanese themed restaurant can cost between $30 and $45.
4. The Lock-Up, the themed restaurant in Tokyo to eat “with attention”
Following the line of chilling Tokyo themed restaurants, The Lock-Up is a great place to feel adrenaline while tasting the most unusual dishes.
Entering the Japanese themed restaurant is already terrifying: you have to walk through dark corridors hearing “screams of torture”, go down a staircase of dubious origin and, upon entering, a policeman handcuffs the diners and takes them to the “cell” , where they will be able to taste a meal with “eyes”, organs and blood, when, all the time, monsters and zombies will approach to scare those who dared to go there until. A true Japanese madness.
The plates in The Lock-Up vary between 27 and 45 dollars, the most expensive.
5. Maid Café, the theme restaurant in Japan to feel like a child
The reality is that there is so much fanaticism for Maid Cafes that in Tokyo, there is not just one , but there are different ones (following the same theme) throughout the city. What is a Maid Café? Unlike what you think when you see the photos, the Maid Café, as its name says in English, is a cafe where it is served by maids / maids.
Far from having a sexual or erotic connotation, the Maid Café are created so that one returns to childhood and feels that he is being cared for by his nanny in a completely innocent and childish world where In the care of the maids, one will sing songs, play “rock-paper or scissors” and can even draw animal shapes.
Of course, to enter there is a regulation to avoid any confusion by diners.
- How much does Maid Café cost? Generally the entrance costs between 3 and 6 dollars, to which the consumption of drink or plate must be included Or even order a multi-step menu for almost $ 20 (which includes a photo with the waitress).
6. Pokémon Café, one of the themed restaurants in Tokyo, most recommended
No matter what year you read this, Japanese technology is always advanced to the rest of the world and the importance of video games is no exception. anime and Japanese cartoons have crossed screens and borders and have reached, not only to video games, but also to almost every country in the world.
One of the best themed restaurants in Tokyo is Pokémon Café, a restaurant where it is possible to eat surrounded by the favorite characters from the video game and, in addition, enjoy also themed dishes with, for example, the image of Pikachu (if you like the merchandising, watch out for this place, they are amazing).
Unlike the thematic restaurants in Tokyo that we have been naming, this restaurant does not have a show, so it is only necessary to pay what appears on the menu, which varies between 10 and $27.
7. Alice in Wonderland, one of the themed restaurants in Japan, for fans (and not so much)
Continuing with the fantastic places to visit in Tokyo, with “crazy” restaurants and movie-themed, the Alice in Wonderland Café, cannot be unlisted. This restaurant represents each of the aspects of the Disney novel and film, both in its ambient decoration and in the shape of its dishes, even drawing the characters from the film.
Travel information: Alice in Wonderland, like Maids Café there are several, so you can choose the most convenient to visit, they are distributed in the neighborhood of Ginza, Shinjuku and Ikebukuro.
8. Christon Café, to dine inside a Gothic cathedral
How? Did you ever imagine eating inside a gothic-style cathedral in Japan? In Tokyo thousands of things that seem unusual, are very possible and this themed restaurant in Japan is a clear example of this.
Chandeliers, antique furniture, marble tables literally brought from France and Spain and a decoration that, despite being on the top floor of a building, gives the feeling of having lunch inside of a church.
Despite their setting, different from any regular restaurant, they do not stand out for being the best, partly because many say that the decoration is not the most similar to a French or Spanish church and many believe that, If the service of Italian gastronomy is provided, it is not the best option. However, it is one of the most visited themed restaurants in Tokyo, for some reason it will be, right?
- Multi-step menus cost around $ 30 per person.
9. Rokunen Yonkumi Izakaya, a themed restaurant in Tokyo to travel back in time
Who has never dreamed of going back to the days when we used to go to school? Well in Tokyo everything can be done and having lunch in a school-themed restaurant is also possible. Tables, small chairs, chalkboards, flags and a very colorful lunch to make you feel like a 6th grader in primary school again, literally, in an authentic Japanese school setting.
When one enters Rokunen Yonkumi Izakaya, a “teacher” welcomes the “students” with a white coat and accompanies them to their classrooms, where “books” will be handed out to choose the food that you want and the drink you prefer (which can even arrive in test tubes).
- The best: There are free sweets for anyone who wants and even crayons to draw while waiting for the food, which generally starts at a value of $ 3 per plate.
10. King of the Pirates, rum, pirates and sailors in the themed restaurant in Tokyo
Among the mega creative follies that one can come across in Japan, in Tokyo, a few meters from Odaiba Beach, and right in front of one of the entrances to Tokyo Bay (one of the best places where also do things for free in Tokyo ), there is a pirate-themed restaurant that, unlike the last ones we have been mentioning, in addition to the varied menu, there are also pirate and sailor shows.
- The best? The restaurant has views of the sea but above all, of the Tokyo Tower, one of the most important attractions to visit in Tokyo.
11. Hana no Mai, the Tokyo-themed restaurant in the sumo district
Sumo is one of the most important sports in Japan and, so much so, that the & nbsp; Ryogoku neighborhood is known as “the sumo neighborhood” of Tokyo. In addition to the sumo stadium, throughout the entire neighborhood you can see heyas or sectors where the wrestlers live and even the places where they train.
In Ryogoku you will find the Hana no Mai restaurant, a thematic restaurant specialized in all the characteristics that represent sport : from the dohyo (where you fight) to clothing and representative tables.
- Travel advice: in Hana no Mai it is almost essential to taste the chanko nabe stew, the typical food of sumo wrestlers.
12. Moomin Bakery & Café, a cute themed restaurant in Tokyo that will make you go back to childhood
If we have come this far, we know that in Japan everything can work for a theme restaurant, even what happens with Moomin, a European cartoon that the last generations probably do not know, but that in Tokyo are part of one of the thematic restaurants most visited by the travelers.
In the restaurant, not only the decoration sets the place to a tender world of hippos, but the stuffed animals also accompany you at the table.
- By not having a show, it is not necessary to pay a ticket, but only what is going to be consumed.
13. Kyoumachi Koi Shigure, a little piece of Kyoto in the middle of Tokyo
Visiting Japan and not visiting Kyoto is probable, but not at all recommended. However, as in Japan everything is possible, there is a themed restaurant in the middle of Tokyo that represents all the culture of Kyoto in one place, as if it were a perfect summary for timeless travelers who they cannot go to visit the wonderful Japanese city.
In the restaurant, travelers can find the typical red bridges, lots of vegetation, small lanterns and even geisha clothes.
- The best? Culture is also represented on the menu, offering typical Kyoto food.
14. Yūrei, where ghost stories are on the menu
We have already talked about somewhat spooky or at least terrifying Tokyo themed restaurants. In this case, Yūrei is a restaurant that specializes in ghosts : the waitresses are dressed as such, the setting is terrifying and from time to time someone is going to tell a Japanese horror myth to entertain to diners.
- According to some travelers, the best option to taste in Yūrei are skewers.
15. Mominoyu, the Tokyo-themed restaurant where you can rest your feet after walking hundreds of kilometers
During a trip, when you walk through the streets it seems that your feet do not exist and you, as a traveler, can travel hundreds of kilometers and not feel anything until … it is time to sit down. Yes, there you feel your feet and fatigue but, as Japan and Tokyo can do everything, they have created a themed restaurant where you can sit down, take off your shoes and place them in a “foot spa” with warm water while having some drink or eating something to continue the tour. Great, right?
- In order to enjoy it, there are generally promotions that include different options, such as a foot spa, body massage and an herbal tea for almost $ 10.
Tokyo themed restaurants are one of the best things to do in the city, at least visiting one of them takes us to know another side of Japanese culture, in a fun, delicious way and above all … unusual!
