The phrase “Japanese noodles” brings to mind so many things: soba, udon, ramen, shirataki, somen – all with their variety of width, length and material. Some are eaten dipped in various sauces, while others are served swimming in broth. Japanese noodles are included in stews and with combinations of ingredients as well. They are eaten hot or cold, at any time of day, usually slurped out of the bowl with chopsticks. They are sometimes a meal, other times a snack. What rarely comes to mind when Japanese noodles are mentioned is Japanese spaghetti.

The warren of streets surrounding Tsukiji – Tokyo’s main wholesale market – are filled with sushi joints, ramen stands, coffee shops and assorted other restaurants tucked between the stalls and knife makers. Walking around during morning hours, one might often wonder where the people who work inside the market have their meals. The gentrification of Tsukiji has brought such an influx of tourists that the early market is now closed to outsiders. Visitors are limited to the outer parts of the market and the food stands. Restaurants are jammed.

The thought of eating eel can be off-putting, yet the super-fragrant, umami-tasting, velvety-textured delicacy is one of Japan’s prized foods. A best bet for dining like a true Tokyoite is to include an unagi (freshwater eel) meal at one of Tokyo’s top unagi restaurants serving only the one delicacy. The first Japanese character in the Japanese word for unagi (う) resembles the meter-long fish, and most unagi places enthusiastically employ imaginative ways to display their specialty on signs outside the restaurant. The fish can be expensive, depending on quality, and is highly prized for its preparation, taste and nutrition, being high in Vitamin A, B-complex, protein and calcium.