If you're sightseeing in Tokyo, there's a high chance Shinjuku is somewhere on your itinerary, since it has a great number of tourist hotspots and hotels. But be sure to add depachika to your bucket list as well. A portmanteau for the Japanese words of “department store” and “underground,” depachika offer an incredible variety of tasty takeout options at bargain prices.
Takeout isn't just about convenience store food, either. We're going to introduce you to a few depachika deli dishes that can be bought from department stores directly connected to Shinjuku Station, each with a budget of about 1,000 yen or less. Our list includes a wide variety of dishes for all occasions, such as food that will go well with alcoholic beverages or rice bowls that are perfect for when you're feeling peckish. Let’s take a look!
1. Keio Department Store Shinjuku Depachika: Azabu Asahi's Yakitori (Chicken Skewers)
We'll start with the underground section of Keio Department Store, which stands tall at the Shinjuku Station's West Exit. This is where you'll find a takeout specialty store by the name of Azabu Asahi – our first recommendation for this article. There are 42 stores all over Japan bearing this same name, which people have come to associate with high-quality chicken delicatessen.
The freshly prepared chicken skewers are ready to go at the storefront, and their aroma mixes with the sweet smell of the sauce they're usually eaten with to form a mouth-watering fragrance that you can't help but be drawn to. The lineup here is an impressive array of cooked and fried chicken of all sorts.
Our top recommendations are the "Chicken Liver Skewer (160 yen, tax excluded)", "Momonegi Skewer (170 yen, tax excluded)", and "Tsukune Skewer (150 yen, tax excluded)” – signature skewers that are the most popular items of the store. Tsukune is a type of minced chicken ball, and it’s a definite go-to!
The irresistible teriyaki sauce is an absolute favorite among foreign visitors as well. Sprinkle some shichimi (seven spices) flakes for additional seasoning if you prefer something zestier! Each meat piece can be removed from the skewer for sharing among friends as well, making them very suitable as a moderate late-night snack.
Another companion item to consider is the "Takumi Soy Sauce Fried Chicken", which is available for 300 yen per 100 grams (tax excluded). The soy sauce used for the seasoning has been processed in a traditional wooden pail (kioke) to draw out that exquisite umami flavor,…
