2026/02/16

Experience the Real Tokyo in Yanaka part2

Kikumi Senbei ( Rice Cracker shop) in Yanaka

This time, we’re exploring the flavors of Shitamachi — Yanaka’s nostalgic street food culture.

As you walk through Yanaka Ginza and its quiet backstreets, you’ll discover small family-run shops.
This is where you can taste the everyday life of Tokyo.

From crispy rice crackers to freshly baked taiyaki, let’s take a closer look at the flavors that make Yanaka so special.

🍘 Kikumi Senbei – The Taste of Traditional Tokyo

One of Yanaka’s most beloved local snack shops is 菊見せんべい, Kikumi-Senbei.
Senbei are traditional Japanese rice crackers, and at Kikumi Senbei, they are made the old-fashioned way.

This is the kind of everyday snack that locals grew up with — something they buy on their way home, something shared with family.

Senbei Tour with our guests

Japanese senbei can be a little hard compared to Western snacks, but that’s part of the fun.
Some were surprised by how firm they were at first — but after the first bite, smiles spread quickly.

A few guests were especially excited to find out that certain traditional varieties can only be purchased here. They ended up buying several souvenir packs to take home — authentic Japanese senbei that you simply can’t find in supermarkets abroad.

Moments like this make us realize that something as simple as a rice cracker can become a memorable cultural experience.

🐟 Nezu no Taiyaki – Fresh, Crispy, and Worth the Wait

Famous Japanese sweets Taiyaki with our guests

Taiyaki is a traditional Japanese fish-shaped cake filled with sweet red bean paste.
It is made from pancake-like batter that is poured into a fish-shaped mold and baked until the outside becomes golden and crispy.

When we brought our guests here during our walking tour, there was already a small line of locals waiting. That’s always a good sign.

The moment our guests took their first bite, there was a mix of surprise and delight.

The outside was thin and crispy.
The inside was warm, soft, and generously filled with smooth red bean paste.

Walking through Yanaka’s quiet streets with freshly baked taiyaki in hand is one of nice local experience!

☕ Sakura Café Nippori – A Global Taste in Downtown Tokyo

Warabi-Mochi - traditional sweets

After enjoying Yanaka’s traditional street snacks,
why not continue your food journey at サクラカフェ日暮里 Sakura Cafe Nippori?

one of the most popular traditional sweets is warabi mochi.
At first glance, it looks firm and beautifully shaped — clean edges, neat cubes, perfectly arranged on the plate.

But the moment you take a bite, it surprises you.

It’s incredibly soft, smooth, and pleasantly chewy — with a delicate, jelly-like texture that gently melts in your mouth.

🍵 Iced Matcha Latte – A Taste of Modern Japan

our iced matcha latte is one of the most popular drinks — especially after a walk around Yanaka.

The flavor is:

• Smooth and refreshing
• Gently earthy
• Lightly sweet, but never overpowering

Many of our international guests try matcha for the first time here — and are surprised by how balanced and elegant it tastes.

Travelers from all over the world gather at Sakura Café — a true “downtown base for explorers.”

Open 24 hours a day, the café offers vegetarian, vegan, and halal-friendly options, making it a welcoming space for guests from diverse cultures and backgrounds.

Here, it’s common for strangers from different countries to sit next to each other, start a casual conversation, and end up becoming friends. Many of our guests tell us that the time they spent here — the unexpected meetings, the shared laughter, the late-night talks — became one of the most memorable parts of their journey in Japan.

We invite you to experience both the nostalgic charm of Tokyo’s Shitamachi atmosphere and the vibrant international energy that fills the space.

Come and discover how a simple café can become the heart of your trip.

Thank you very much for reading this at the end!
We hope we could tell you about the charms of Tokyo's most local town Yanaka, near Sakura Hotel Nippori.

Many of our guests choose our hotel, because there is a direct train from Narita Airport to Nippori station. But as they stay in Yanaka area, they would find how charming and how interesting this local town to explore!

It is completely right! The more you walk backstreet, the more you understand what Yanaka is like, and the real local atmosphere of Tokyo. Please do not miss the chance to stay in this town.

See you in Yanaka soon!