Tokyo is famous for its incredible “Shotengai (商店街, local shopping arcade)” collection, where you can enjoy many delicious local snacks. Some of the most popular shotengai in Tokyo are Nakamise in Asakusa, Ameyoko in Ueno, Nakano Broadway in Nakano, and Kichijoji Sunroad in Kichijoji, which are famous for their mouth-watering local treats.
Today we introduce our experience exploring Togoshi Ginza, a highly recommended spot for yummy local treats in south Tokyo near Gotanda!
About Togoshi Ginza
Togoshi Ginza is a bustling local shopping arcade in south Tokyo. Packed with more than 400 shops, Togoshi Ginza is famously the longest shotengai in Tokyo, stretching for about 1.3 kilometers.
Access
- Togoshi Station on the Toei Asakusa Line.
- Togoshi-Ginza Station on the Tokyu Ikegami Line.
- The arcade is also accessible from Osaki Station on the JR Yamanote Line (just a 15-minute walk).
Togoshi Ginza is a popular place for daily shopping, and here you can find various types of shops, ranging from food stores to variety stores. Let’s see what kind of snacks to try when visiting Togoshi Ginza!
Adorable Organic Donuts at floresta nature doughnuts
The first place we recommend is floresta nature doughnuts, a shop in Togoshi Ginza that sells lovely donuts made with natural and organic ingredients. There are a lot of various types of donuts, and this shop is known for its cute animal-themed designs.
● Mom & kid animal donuts (おやこどうぶつどーなつ, Oyako Doubutsu Donuts)
● Mini animal donuts in a cup（ころころカップドーナツ, Korokoro Cup Donuts)
floresta nature doughnuts use natural sweeteners and organic ingredients to maintain the quality of their donuts. That’s why their donuts are not overly sweet, and much healthier than the donuts sold at other shops.
Details
Address: 2-18-8 Hiratsuka, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo
Business hours: 10:00 – 20:00 (Closed on third Tuesday of the month)
COMPASS COFFEE
Our next destination is COMPASS COFFEE, a coffee shop that sells freshly roasted beans and freshly brewed coffee. At COMPASS COFFEE, you can pick your favorite coffee beans and ask the clerk to roast them for you.
The coffee is available in two different sizes: regular and double. This is the perfect spot for a quick caffeine stop while strolling the street.
Details
Address: 2-18-1 Hiratsuka, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo
Business hours: Saturday – Thursday 10:30 – 19:30, Friday 8:00 – 19:30
Open throughout the year
Tontan
We had our lunch at Tontan, a small restaurant known for its juicy Buta-don (pork rice bowl).
We ordered the Ume half & half pork rice bowl (small-sized pork belly and pork butt rice bowl). The pork meat used for this rice bowl is soft and juicy, and this is the reason why Tontan is very popular here.
After enjoying our pork rice bowl, we recommend trying Tontan’s most popular to-go menu: The Pork Onigiri Stick.
Tontan’s pork onigiri stick is a grilled rice satay wrapped with thin pork meat. Let’s see how it tastes!
Even though it looks crispy, Tontan’s pork onigiri stick is actually extremely soft and juicy. Easy to carry around, Tontan’s pork onigiri stick is one of the best snacks to munch on while exploring Togoshi Ginza!
Details
Address: 2-5-1 Togoshi, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo
Business hours: 11:00-23:00 (last order 22:00)
Omedetaiyaki Hompo
Our last stop was Omedetaiyaki Hompo, and we tried its mouth-watering signature menu: okonomitaiyaki (お好み鯛焼き).
Taiyaki is a Japanese fish-shaped cake that imitates the shape of the tai (鯛, red snapper), which it’s named after. One of the most common fillings is red bean paste, which is made from sweeted azuki beans. But unlike other taiyaki shops, Omedetaiyaki Hompo sells okomitaiyaki; a taiyaki cake with okonomiyaki fillings! Let’s see how it looks and tastes like!
Just like okonomiyaki, the okonomitaiyaki is filled with sliced cabbage, meat, okonomiyaki sauce, and mayonnaise. You can get this okonomitaiyaki for about ¥220, and it’s quite filling!
Details
Address: 2-13-8 Hiratsuka, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo
Business hours: 11:00-19:00
Is Togoshi Ginza Worth the Visit?
Our answer is: YAY. Togoshi Ginza is definitely worth visiting as it’s not as crowded as other popular shotengai areas in Tokyo. Not only is it less crowded, but Togoshi Ginza offers many affordable local snacks to try; you’d likely spend less than ¥3,000 when exploring the food stalls here.
In addition to its great local treats, there are also many unique and adorable variety stores in Togoshi Ginza, so we strongly recommend spending at least half of your day to enjoy this area to the fullest! Of course, don’t forget to say hi to the cute cat Gin-chan, the mascot of Togoshi Ginza!
