Tokyo Station and surrounding facilities are currently holding the “Tokyo Station Rice Bowl vs. Noodles Grand Prix 2019” tournament from October 7 to November 24 to find out people’s favourite rice bowl and noodle dishes at the station.
The past three tournaments have focused only on rice bowls, but this year sees the introduction of noodles too, with past restaurants in Kitchen Street and GRANSTA competing once again as well as new ones in ecute Tokyo and KITTE for a total of 13 participating station areas. 92 dishes are in the line-up, the biggest list to date.
The current rankings for the rice bowl and noodle categories have finally been unveiled, so let’s take a look at the Top 3 of each to see which is leading the race.
Category Is: Rice Bowl
1st Place
Ultimate Japanese Spiny Lobster Bowl – ¥2,200 (Tax Included) @ Tsukiji Sushiko (GRANSTA Marunouchi)
Tsukiji Sushiko was the victory of last year’s grand prix. This year, they’ve whipped up a hearty seafood bowl made with a whole Japanese spiny lobster and 11 other delicious critters from the ocean.
2nd Place
Premium Wagyu & Uni Otsukimi Date – ¥2,530 (Tax Included) @ Uniya no Amagokoro (Kitchen Street)
Served with sliced premium brand wagyu, this bowl is topped with uni sea urchin eggs and ikura salted salmon roeーa luxurious combination you won’t find anywhere else.
3rd Place
Ura Ooedo Tempura Bowl – ¥1,800 (Tax Included) @ Tenkiyo (Grand Roof)
This is an alternate version of the restaurant’s famous Ooedo Tempura Bowl, served with delicious tempura.
Category Is: Noodles
1st Place
MISO JIRO – ¥1,000 (Tax Included) @ Tokyo Style Miso Ramen Do Miso (KITTE GRANCHE)
A super-filling bowl piled with pork char siu and a mountain of vegetables.
2nd Place
Lanzhou Wagyu Noodles – ¥950 (Tax Included) @ Mazilu Lanzhou Beef Noodles
Authentic Lanzhou ramen served by the Halal-certified Mazilu Lanzhou Beef Noodles, customers can choose between nine different thicknesses for their noodles to satisfy their palate.
3rd Place
Dehydrated Hamburger Bolognese – ¥1,190 (Tax Included) @ HAMBURG WORKS
Enjoy the full flavour of the hamburger meat made from Japanese black wagyu beef and served with pasta.
Be sure to use this list as reference if you’re looking to eat while travelling through Tokyo Station!
Information
Tokyo Station Rice Bowl vs. Noodles Grand Prix 2019
Running: October 7, 2019 – November 24, 2019
Locations: Kitchen Street, Kurobei Yokocho, Kitamachi Dining, Grand Roof, Grand Roof Front, GranAge, GRANSTA, GRANSTA Marunouchi, KITTE, ecute Tokyo, ecute Keiyo Street
Participating Restaurants: 91
Menu Items: 92 (79 of which are exclusive to Tokyo Station)
RELATED ENTRIES
-
The official Chiikawa store, Chiikawa Land Tokyo Station, will open on September 16, 2022 on Tokyo Character Street beneath Tokyo Station! Chiikawa is a popular character created by Japanese illustrator Nagano on Twitter. In December 2020, the character’s official online store, Chiikawa Market, was opened, and the many comics featuring the character posted on Twitter were compiled into a book. Now with a massive fanbase, Nagano’s follower count on social media has reached 1.3 million, and a number of collaboration cafes and exhibitions featuring his characters have popped up around Japan. Chiikawa even has his own anime series broadcast on Mezamashi TV!
Purchase Bonus
One Hologram Sticker included with each purchase.
Manmaru Bottled Water with each purchase of ¥3,300 (Tax Included) or more
Small Plushie Friends (6 varieties) with each purchase of ¥8,800 (Tax Included) or more
Not for Sale / Limited Quantities Available
Chiikawa Land Shopping Bag (4 varieties)
Chiikawa Land Tokyo Station Exclusive Items
Layered Acrylic Stand / Smartphone Ring Square Magnet
Clear Folder
Washi Paper Sticker in Smartphone Size
Printed Card
Large Face Towel / Bath Towel
Towel (Set of 3)
Large Tote Bag
Cookie Set in Cube Box
Salt (Set of 5)
Japanese Paper-style Pin in Capsule (12 varieties)
Commemorative Opening Stamp
The Harajuku and Umeda, Osaka Chiikawa Land stores, which opened last August, have seen massive success. In June 2022, the Fukuoka PARCO store opened, followed by the Kyoto Shijo Kawaramachi store in July. In August, the limited-time Magical Chiikawa store opened on Tokyo Character Street, and due to its massive popularity, it will now be permanent. The Chiikawa Land Tokyo Station store features special commemorative products using newly-drawn illustrations, including exclusive purchase bonuses and exclusive shopping bags. ©nagano / chiikawa committeeInformation
Chiikawa Land Tokyo Station
Opening Day: September 16, 2022
-
The Yo-Kai Express ramen vending machine at Haneda Airport has introduced two new menu items in collaboration with the popular ramen chain Ippudo! Guests can now enjoy Ippudo’s Hakata Tonkotsu Ramen and Ippudo’s Plant-based Tonkotsu-style Ramen.
Guests can also enjoy Chicken Yuzu Shio Ramen, Tokyo Shoyu Ramen, Kyushu Tonkotsu Ramen, and Sapporo Spicy Miso Ramen. Each order only takes 90 seconds to prepare, so if you’re rushing to chow down before your flight, this is the way to go! *Yo-Kai Express is a start-up company headquartered in Silicon Valley developing ramen vending machines. The company’s name comes from the word yokai (monsters) and reflects the brand’s desire to entertain people whenever and wherever they are. Information
Yo-Kai Express x Ippudo Collaboration Menu
Location: Haneda Airport Terminal 2, 1F – Gourmet 24 Vending Machine Restaurant
Menu:
Ippudo Hakata Tonkotsu Ramen: ¥980 (Tax Included)
Ippudo Plant-Based Tonkotsu-style Ramen: ¥980 (Tax Included)
Chicken Yuzu Shio / Tokyo Shoyu / Kyushu Tonkotsu /
Sapporo Spicy Miso: ¥790 each (Tax Included) -
Tokyo Station Hotel to Offer Accommodation Plan in Conjunction with the 150th Anniversary of Railway in Japan Exhibition
Starting on October 8, Tokyo Station Gallery will begin the 150th Anniversary of Railway in Japan Exhibition. To celebrate the opening of the event, Tokyo Station Hotel will begin offering a special lodging plan which includes a special ticket for entry starting September 15. 2022 marks the 15th anniversary of Japan’s first railroad. The exhibition will look back at the history of railroads from their inception in 1872 to the present day, and will also feature modern and contemporary Japanese art. Over 150 works will be on display, from oil paintings to photographs. The exhibition will also include Kawanabe Kyosai’s Jigoku Gokuraku Meguri-zu and Utagawa Hiroshige’s masterwork Steam Train Running Along the Shore at Yokohama. The train headmark was designed by Katsuhiko Hibino in 2021. The accommodation plan will include a special tour held on the morning of check-out day before the gallery opens to the public. Visitors can enjoy the exhibition in depth while listening to explanations by the curators who planned the exhibition. After the tour, visitors can enjoy the exhibition again. The special ticket features Utagawa Hiroshige’s painting Steam Train Running Along the Shore at Yokohama and is perfect as a souvenir.Enjoy a rare moment surrounded by the historic architecture of Tokyo Station's Marunouchi Station Building and immerse yourself in the history of the railroad. Information
150th Anniversary of Railway in Japan Exhibition Room Plan
Available: October 14 – December 23, 2022
Reservation Period: September 15, 12:00 – December 23
Details: https://www.tokyostationhotel.jp/stay/plans/details/tsg_train150th
Official Site: https://www.tokyostationhotel.jp/
150th Anniversary of Railway in Japan Exhibition
Running: October 8, 2022 – January 9, 2023
*Please check the official website for closure dates.
Venue: Tokyo Station Gallery
Official Site: https://www.ejrcf.or.jp/gallery/
-
From August 19 until September 1, a special Chiikawa shop will open on Tokyo Character Street, located inside Tokyo Station! Chiikawa is a popular character first revealed by Japanese illustrator Nagano on Twitter. The artist’s creations have become massively popular, with Nagano’s follower count on social media reaching over 1.2 million fans. From collaboration cafes and exhibitions to a recent anime series, the sky’s the limit for these adorable characters! Commemorative Stamp
Purchase Bonus: Holographic Card (6 varieties, random) *Not for Sale Bonus for Guests Spending ¥3,300 (Including Tax): Heart Fan *Not for Sale Bonus for Guests Spending ¥8,800 (Including Tax): Bath Towel (2 varieties) *Not for Sale *Available while supplies last. Exclusive Merchandise At this limited-time Magical Chikawa shop, fans can find exclusive products featuring new illustrations, as well as special purchase bonuses and commemorative stamps for guests! ©nagano / chiikawa committee Information
Magical Chiikawa
Open: August 19 – September 1, 2022
Venue: Tokyo Character Street, Ichiban Plaza
Details: https://chiikawa-info.jp/p22/magical/
Official Site: https://www.tokyoeki-1bangai.co.jp
-
Tokyo Character Street, located within First Avenue Tokyo Station, has opened a special pop-up shop dedicated to the popular character Shirotan! The store will be open until May 26, 2022.
Shirotan, an adorable harp seal, represents “comfort, healing, encouragement, and connectedness.” Aiming to cover Tokyo Station in this cute and inspiring character, the pop-up shop isn’t the only Shirotan appearance going on. Those strolling from the Nozomi Plaza in front of the Yaesu Underground Central Exit ticket gate towards Character Street will see Shirotan covering the walls, welcoming guests. In addition to standard Shirotan products, fans can also grab 17 brand-new items being sold exclusively at the pop-up shop. The book Welcome to Shirotan’s World will be available on July 7, so be sure to preorder! Information
Shirotan’s Fluffy Store
Address: First Avenue Tokyo Station (1-9-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo)
Open: May 13 – May 26, 2022
Hours: 10:00AM – 8:30PM (Closing at 6:00PM on May 26, 2022) -
To commemorate the 35th anniversary of Chibi Maruko-chan, the Momoko Sakura Pop-up Shop will open from March 18 to March 31, 2022, at Ichiban Plaza on Tokyo Character Street in the First Avenue Tokyo Station mall.
The Chibi Maruko-chan manga series began in 1986, and was serialized in the popular shojo manga magazine Ribon until 2018. Written by Momoko Sakura, it tells the everyday life of the third-grade troublemaker Maruko and her family. The series is set in the Irie district in Shimizu, now a part of Shizuoka City, where Momoko Sakura was born. About 40 never-before-seen items will be available at the shop with new illustrations by Momoko Sakura. From stationary to accessories, fans of the series shouldn’t miss it! Information
Momoko Sakura Pop-up Shop
Running: March 18 – March 31, 2022
Address: First Avenue Tokyo Station, Tokyo Character Street B1, Ichiban Plaza (1-9-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo)
Official Site: https://www.tokyoeki-1bangai.co.jp