While we tend to associate Tokyo with urban landscapes and modernity, it’s actually a city with a deep history and culture, and its culinary scene is very much a part of this. There’s so much you can learn about Tokyo’s past from local food alone, so here are a few historic dishes that carry a slice of the city’s history and culture.

Monjayaki

Having gained popularity in the 1950s, this dish is essentially a pancake made from a batter of wheat flour and chopped veggies, which is cooked on a hot iron plate. Its name is derived from the term ‘Moji-yaki’, which means ‘grilled letters’, as children would use the cooking batter to practice writing the alphabet. Today, it remains an affordable snack and a rather nostalgic one for older Tokyoites.

Tempura

Many of us know the satisfaction of biting into a perfectly fried tempura, but there was a time when it was reserved only for the rich and elite diners. Inspired by 16th-century Portuguese fritters, this dish became a hit in the Edo Period. So the next time you enjoy tempura at a street stall or one of the restaurants in Shibuya at hotels like Cerulean Tower Tokyu Hotel, remember that you’re treating yourself to an elite classic from the past.

Image via pickpik

Oyako-don

This is a rice bowl served with egg and donburi chicken, which are both simmered in a delicious sauce made with sake, soy dashi and mirin. Dating back to the end of the 1800s, the dish is believed to have been invented by the wife of a restaurant owner after she was inspired by a customer who often poured his remaining meat and broth over his rice and eggs.

Chanko Nabe

This high-protein broth has long been the fuel for athletes of Japan’s national sport – Sumo Wrestling. The dish changes with the seasons and can include ingredients such as shitake mushrooms, bok choi, tofu and even winter cabbage. It’s a quick and easy meal that’s rich in energy – perfect for hungry sumo wrestlers, and also diners today, who need a welcome boost.