Best Tempura in Tokyo: Counters, Tendon and Old Shops
Where to eat tempura in Tokyo: Kondo in Ginza for vegetables, Mikawa Zezankyo for Edo-style seafood, Hachimaki in Jimbocho for tendon since 1931, Tsunahachi in Shinjuku without a booking.
Good tempura in Tokyo comes in two forms. At a counter, the cook fries one piece at a time and puts it in front of you while it's still crackling. In a tendon (天丼), the tempura sits on rice under a sweet soy sauce. Counters cost from about ¥10,000 at lunch; a good tendon costs a tenth of that.
Counters
Tempura Kondo (Ginza). Fumio Kondo made his name by giving vegetables as much attention as fish; the sweet potato, fried slowly until it's soft through, is the dish people talk about. 9th floor of the Sakaguchi Building, Ginza 5-chome. Lunch courses are ¥9,900 and ¥13,200, dinner around ¥25,000. Closed Sundays. Book ahead.
Mikawa Zezankyo (Monzen-Nakacho). Tetsuya Saotome's Edo-style counter, built around seafood from Tokyo Bay. The Kayabacho branch that many guides still list has closed. It's about eight minutes on foot from Monzen-Nakacho Station, and reservations are hard to get.
Tentempura Uchitsu (Hiroo). A small counter five minutes from Hiroo Station, in the Michelin Guide since 2009, with one star in 2025. The course is around ¥36,000.
Ginza Ten-ichi (Ginza). Open since 1930 and long the place politicians and visiting heads of state were taken for tempura. The main shop has a chair counter and a tatami counter.
Tendon and set meals
Kanda Tempura Hachimaki (Jimbocho). On Suzuran-dori since 1931; Edogawa Ranpo ate here. The tendon is ¥1,300, the anago-and-shrimp bowl ¥1,800, and weekday lunch sets run until 4pm. You can watch the frying from the counter.
Tsunahachi Sohonten (Shinjuku 3-chome). Founded in the 1920s and open every day from 11am to 10pm, so it's the easy option without a booking. The weekday-lunch tendon is ¥2,970; full courses run from ¥5,500.
Tenya. The nationwide tendon chain, at many stations. Fast and cheap, and fine when you're hungry between sights.
Ordering
- At a counter, order the course and eat each piece as it arrives. The cook will tell you whether to use salt or the dipping sauce (tentsuyu, with grated daikon).
- Tendon is tempura on rice with sauce poured over. Tempura teishoku is a plate of tempura with rice, miso soup and pickles, for dipping yourself.
- Tentsuyu is made with dashi, which contains fish. Vegetarians should ask for salt.
For other Tokyo food, see best sushi in Tokyo and best ramen in Tokyo.
FAQ
Where should I go for my first tempura? Hachimaki in Jimbocho for tendon, or Tsunahachi in Shinjuku if you'd rather not book.
Is Mikawa in Kayabacho still open? No. The chef now cooks at Mikawa Zezankyo in Monzen-Nakacho.
How much does a tempura counter cost? At Kondo, lunch from ¥9,900 and dinner around ¥25,000; Uchitsu's course is about ¥36,000.
Food Desk
The Standard Japan
Where and how to eat in Japan, from konbini and kissaten to izakaya, ramen and department-store food halls.
Facts are taken from primary sources (operators, venues, official tourism and government pages) and dates and prices are checked on the day of writing. Pages are revised when those sources change.
Expertise
Restaurants, izakaya, ramen, food halls, ordering and etiquette
Have a question or a correction?
Ask us anything about Best Tempura in Tokyo: Counters, Tendon and Old Shops, or tell us what we got wrong. We reply within 24 to 48 hours.
The Standard Newsletter
Tokyo in your inbox. Weekly.
No algorithms curating your culture. No sponsored content disguised as journalism. Just the real Tokyo — the izakayas at 2am, the Harajuku kids who never made it to the algorithm, the ramen shop with no sign.
280+
Guides
Weekly
Editions
Free
Always
Join the underground.
One email a week. Unsubscribe anytime.
No spam. No sharing your data. Tokyo only.
Related Stories
Best Food in Kyoto: Where to Eat Beyond the Temple Circuit
Best food in Kyoto for tourists — Nishiki Market strategy, kaiseki vs casual, tofu and matcha, where to book, and how to eat well without wasting temple mornings.
Fushimi Sake District Guide: Kyoto's Sake Brewery Neighborhood
Fushimi is Kyoto's sake brewery district — white-walled breweries, a canal boat ride, and tastings a short train ride from Fushimi Inari. Here's how to spend an afternoon there.
Sake Tasting in Tokyo: Best Experiences for First-Timers
Sake tasting in Tokyo for tourists — what junmai and ginjo mean, where to book a class, how much to spend, and how to order afterward without guessing.