Tokyo Department store food floors

Department stores are a must visit when you are in Japan. There, you will experience one stop shopping and dining from clothes, home goods to gourmet food. Most department stores' basement floors sell a variety of food, such as fresh produce, meat, precooked food, wine, confectioneries, etc. There's even a nickname for the department store food floor called depachika, a combination of "depato", meaning department store, and "chika", meaning basement.

Depachika is a great place to experience different cuisines. French, Japanese, Chinese, Indian, Italian, you name it. The list goes on. You can sample items at pretty much every shop before you purchase. There are usually areas with benches that you can sit on and eat. Some depachika even have tables and chairs. Depachika is also a great place to pick up some treats to enjoy at your hotel later.

Most depachika directly connects to subway stations. The subway connection becomes very handy when the weather is bad. You can access food without stepping outside the subway tunnel.

Of course bigger department stores offer way more selections and varieties. Here are some major ones that you shouldn't miss.

1. Ginza Mitsukoshi
Address: 4-6-16, Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Floors: B2F & B3F
Hours:10:30am-8pm
Website

2. Ginza Matsuya
Address: 3-6-1 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-8130
Floors: B1F (subway connection) & B2F
Hours: 10am-8pm
Website

3. Shinjuku Takashimaya
Address: 5-24-2 Sendagaya,Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Floors: B1F
Hours: Mon-Thurs, Sun & holidays 10am-8pm; Fri & Sat 10am-8:30pm
Website

4. Shinjuku Isetan
Address: 3-14-1, Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
Floors: B1F
Hours: 10:30am-8pm
Website

5. Ikebukuro Tobu
Address: 1-1-25 Nishi-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo
Floors: B1F & B2F (both floors have subway connections)
Hours: 10am-9pm; Sun & holidays 10am-8pm
Website

6. Ikebukuro Seibu
Address: 1-28-1, Minamiikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo
Floors: B1F (subway connection) & B2F
Hours: 10am-9pm; Sun & holidays 10am-8pm
Website

7. Tokyu Food Show
Address: 2-24-1 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo. It is located in the Tokyu Toyoko Department Store inside the Shibuya station
Floors: B1F (subway connection)
Hours: 10am-9pm
Website

8. Shibuya Hikarie ShinQs
Address: 1-28-1, Minamiikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo
Floors: B2F & B3F (subway connection)
Hours: 10am-9pm; Sun & holidays 10am-8pm
Website

Here are some pictures to show you what you can get at a depachika.