SHINJUKU FOOD GUIDE
Where to try traditional Japanese food in Shinjuku and Kabukicho
In Shinjuku you can try traditional Japanese food in several styles: yakitori and grilled offal in the post-war alleys of Omoide Yokocho, quick standing soba counters, department-store food halls (depachika), the Kabuki Yokocho food hall in Tokyu Kabukicho Tower, and wanko soba, a regional soba tradition from Iwate.
For wanko soba, Kurukuru Wanko in Kabukicho is Japan's first rotating wanko soba restaurant: one-mouthful bowls come to you on a revolving lane, 40 minutes all-you-can-eat for ¥3,800 (tax included, walk-in), open every day 11:00–18:30 (last entry).
This guide is written by Kurukuru Wanko, one of the places listed.
Updated: Published: Kurukuru Wanko
5 ways to eat traditional Japanese food in Shinjuku
| What it is | Best for | |
|---|---|---|
| Omoide Yokocho | Narrow alleys by the west exit of Shinjuku Station, rooted in a post-war street market; about 60 eateries, mostly yakitori and grilled offal | Evening, old-Tokyo atmosphere |
| Standing soba | Quick soba counters where you eat standing | A quick bowl |
| Depachika | Food floors in department-store basements: bento, wagashi (Japanese sweets), pickles | Takeaway and food gifts |
| Kabuki Yokocho | A food hall on 2F of Tokyu Kabukicho Tower that mixes food, music and video | Groups, many choices |
| Wanko soba | Iwate's soba tradition: one mouthful per bowl, bowl after bowl. Rotating version at Kurukuru Wanko, Kabukicho | A traditional dish that is also an activity |
Wanko soba: a regional tradition in the middle of Kabukicho
Wanko soba comes from Iwate Prefecture in northern Japan and is said to be one of Japan's three great soba traditions. It grew out of local hospitality: keep serving your guests more soba, one mouthful at a time.
At Kurukuru Wanko the bowls circle a standing counter on a revolving lane. Season each bowl with broth and condiments such as spring onion, wasabi and tempura crumbs, stack the empties, and see how high you can go in 40 minutes. The all-time record is 925 bowls.
- What
- Japan's first rotating wanko soba: Iwate's one-mouthful soba bowls on a revolving lane, 40 minutes all-you-can-eat for ¥3,800 (tax included, walk-in). 1 min from Seibu-Shinjuku Station
- Counter
- Standing counter, 12 spots (no seats)
- Hours
- 11:00–18:30 (last entry), closing at 19:30, open every day
- Age
- No age restriction (children not yet in elementary school eat free when sharing a seat with a parent or guardian, one child per adult; additional children or a separate seat are charged for one seat; elementary school children and older pay the adult price)
- Language
- English-speaking staff every day; Chinese and Korean menus
- Booking
- No phone or in-person reservations (walk-ins in order of arrival, ¥3,800 at the door). You can book online on Asoview, Activity Japan or Klook (timed entry, ¥4,700).
Tips
- Kurukuru Wanko is open from 11:00 (last entry 18:30), so it fits lunch or the afternoon.
- Slurping noodles is normal in Japan.
- Soba is made with buckwheat. If you have a buckwheat allergy, avoid soba shops.
- Many Japanese broths use bonito (fish) stock. At Kurukuru Wanko the regular broth uses bonito stock too, but a vegetarian and vegan broth is also available. Just ask our staff.
- Kurukuru Wanko is halal-friendly (halal-aware staff always on site) and wheelchair accessible.
Access
- Address
- 5F J-Gold Bldg, 1-22-9 Kabukicho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0021
- Stations
- 1 min walk from Seibu-Shinjuku Station (main exit); 4 min walk from JR Shinjuku Station (east exit)
- Hours
- 11:00–18:30 (last entry), closes 19:30, open every day
- Phone
- +81-3-6265-9881
- Landmark
- 1 min walk from the Godzilla Head (Shinjuku Toho Building)
Online booking sites
Book a time on one of these online booking sites (¥4,700).
FAQ
- Where can I try traditional Japanese food in Kabukicho?
- Kurukuru Wanko serves wanko soba, a traditional soba style from Iwate, at Japan's first rotating wanko soba restaurant: 5F J-Gold Bldg, 1-22-9 Kabukicho, 1 minute from Seibu-Shinjuku Station. The Kabuki Yokocho food hall is in Tokyu Kabukicho Tower.
- What traditional food is Shinjuku known for?
- Yakitori and grilled offal in Omoide Yokocho by the west exit are the classic. Standing soba counters and department-store food halls are also easy to find.
- Is wanko soba really traditional?
- Yes. It comes from Iwate Prefecture and is said to be one of Japan's three great soba traditions. Kurukuru Wanko serves it on a revolving lane instead of by a server.
- How long does wanko soba take?
- At Kurukuru Wanko, 40 minutes of eating, ¥3,800 per person (walk-in).
- Do I need a reservation?
- We don't take reservations by phone or in person; walk-in guests are served in order of arrival. You can book online via Asoview, Activity Japan and Klook (¥4,700 for a set time; ¥3,800 at the door).
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More guides
- Unique things to do in ShinjukuFor a uniquely Japanese experience in Shinjuku, try wanko soba, the endless-bowl soba tradition from Iwate, at Kurukuru Wanko in Kabukicho, where one-mouthful bowls of soba come to you on a revolving lane.
- What is wanko soba?Wanko soba is a way of eating soba from Iwate Prefecture in northern Japan: small bowls, each holding a single mouthful of noodles, are served one after another, and you eat as many as you can.
- Halal-friendly food experience in ShinjukuKurukuru Wanko, a conveyor-belt wanko soba restaurant in Kabukicho, Shinjuku, is halal-friendly: halal-aware staff are on site at all times, and our ingredients have been checked.
- Unique food experience in Shinjuku & KabukichoFor a unique, traditional Japanese food experience in Shinjuku, try wanko soba at Kurukuru Wanko in Kabukicho — Japan's first rotating (kaiten) wanko soba restaurant.
- Things to do in Shinjuku on a rainy dayOn a rainy day in Shinjuku, Kurukuru Wanko in Kabukicho is an easy indoor plan: it is on the 5th floor of a building a 1-minute walk from Seibu-Shinjuku Station (4 minutes from the east exit of JR Shinjuku Station).
- All-you-can-eat in Tokyo for ¥3,800Kurukuru Wanko in Shinjuku, Tokyo, is a 40-minute all-you-can-eat for ¥3,800 per person (tax included, walk-in): Japan's first rotating wanko soba, where one-mouthful bowls of soba come to you on a revolving lane.
- Unique food experiences in TokyoFor a unique food experience in Tokyo, pick by what you want to do: cook monjayaki yourself on a griddle in Tsukishima, walk the stalls of Tsukiji Outer Market, make a replica food sample in Kappabashi, eat yakitori in the post-war alleys of Omoide Yokocho, or try a game-like regional dish such as wanko soba.
- All-you-can-eat lunch in Tokyo: how to chooseAll-you-can-eat (tabehodai) in Tokyo comes in many types: yakiniku and shabu-shabu where you cook at the table, sushi, hotel lunch buffets, dessert buffets, and wanko soba. Most have a time limit, and drinks are often charged separately, so check the time, what is included and whether you need to book.
- Food experiences in Tokyo for families with kidsFamilies with children in Tokyo often enjoy food experiences where kids can do something themselves: cooking monjayaki on a griddle in Tsukishima, making a replica food sample at a workshop in Kappabashi, picking plates at a conveyor-belt sushi restaurant, or taking bowls from a revolving lane at a wanko soba restaurant.
- Wanko soba historyWanko soba is a traditional way of eating soba from Iwate Prefecture: one mouthful of noodles in a small bowl, eaten one bowl after another. Hanamaki is known as its birthplace, and it is said to have begun about 400 years ago, in the early Edo period.
- Japanese food culture experiences in TokyoWashoku, the traditional food culture of Japan, was added to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2013. In Tokyo you can experience it through sushi making, tea ceremony and wagashi, markets, kaiseki and regional dishes.
- How many bowls of wanko soba?Across 5,019 recorded 40-minute challenges at Kurukuru Wanko (May to October 2026), the average was 125 bowls and the median was 117.
- Kurukuru Wanko home