Tokyo without Japanese

Every place below is here for one reason: its own official page says something that helps a visitor who does not speak Japanese, such as an English menu, payment by card, ordering at a machine, or English help. We do not rate taste and we do not rank places. Each entry shows what the official page says, the link, and the date we checked it.

<p class="chk">All entries checked on October 12, 2026. Places change hours, menus and payment methods without notice: please open the official link before you go. Spotted a change? <a href="/feedback/">Tell us</a>.</p>

Eat

ICHIRAN Shibuya (ramen)

• Area: Shibuya. B1F, 1-22-7 Jinnan, Shibuya-ku
• Why it works without Japanese: the official English page shows the menu in English. You order and pay at a ticket machine that takes Visa, Mastercard, JCB, American Express, Diners Club, transit IC cards and many QR payments
• Hours: 24 hours (the page notes that hours can change suddenly and entry may close at busy times)
• Official page: en.ichiran.com/shop/tokyo/shibuya

ICHIRAN Atre Ueno Yamashita-guchi (ramen)

• Area: Ueno. 7-1-1 Ueno, Taito-ku (inside Atre Ueno)
• Why it works: English menu with prices on the official page; the ticket machine takes major cards, transit IC cards and QR payments
• Hours: 24 hours; closed on days when Atre Ueno is closed
• Official page: en.ichiran.com/shop/tokyo/ueno

AFURI Harajuku (ramen)

• Area: Harajuku. 1F Grandeforesta, 3-63-1 Sendagaya, Shibuya-ku
• Why it works: the official menu page is in English and lists a vegan ramen with a vegetable-based broth (the page names two branches that do not serve it; Harajuku is not one of them, but ask when you order). The store list says the shop is completely cashless
• Hours: 10:00 to 23:00, open every day (until the soup runs out)
• Official pages: afuri.com/menu · afuri.com/findus

Tempura Tsunahachi, Daimaru Tokyo (tempura)

• Area: Tokyo Station. Daimaru Tokyo 12F, 1-9-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku
• Why it works: official English menu with prices (the page notes that menus and prices vary by location); the English shop page lists Visa, Mastercard and JCB
• Hours: 11:00 to 22:00 (last order 21:00); closed on Daimaru Tokyo's closed days
• Official pages: shop page · English menu

Asakusa Imahan, Kokusai Street (sukiyaki)

• Area: Asakusa. 3-1-12 Nishi-Asakusa, Taito-ku
• Why it works: an English menu (PDF) is linked from the official English page; cards (Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Amex, Diners, UnionPay and others) and QR payments are accepted
• Booking: by phone only, and lunch cannot be reserved (as stated on the page)
• Hours: 11:30 to 21:30 (last order 20:30)
• Official page: asakusaimahan.co.jp/en/kokusai

Asakusa Imahan Kirakutei (sukiyaki)

• Area: Shinjuku. Isetan Shinjuku main building 7F, 3-14-1 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku
• Why it works: English menu with prices on the official page; the page says all major credit cards are accepted
• Hours: 11:00 to 22:00 (last order 20:30)
• Official page: asakusaimahan.co.jp/en/kirakutei

IPPUDO Ginza (ramen)

• Area: Ginza. Central Building 1F, 4-10-3 Ginza, Chuo-ku
• Why it works: the official store page lists a foreign-language menu and a plant-based ramen, and accepts cash, major cards, transit IC cards and QR payments
• Hours: not shown on the page we checked; open the link before you go
• Official page: stores.ippudo.com/en/1123

Matsuya (beef bowl chain, many branches)

• Where: branches across Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ueno, Asakusa and more
• Why it works: an official English menu page, and a guide that says you can choose your language at the bottom of the ticket machine screen
• Official pages: English menu · how to order (PDF)

AIN SOPH. Ginza (vegan)

• Area: Ginza. 4-12-1 Ginza, Chuo-ku
• Why it works: a fully plant-based restaurant and patisserie, with English online booking through TableCheck linked from the official page. We did not find an English menu on the page
• Note: the page lists a cancellation fee for lunch seat-only bookings (1,100 yen within 24 hours, 550 yen within 48 hours)
• Official pages: ain-soph.jp/ginza · booking (English)

See

Tokyo National Museum

• Area: Ueno. 13-9 Ueno Park, Taito-ku
• Why it works: the official FAQ says floor guides and part of the exhibition panels are in English, Chinese and Korean, and that information on the works on display is written in Japanese and English
• Tickets: adults 1,000 yen; under 18 and over 70 free with proof of age
• Hours: 9:30 to 17:00, until 20:00 on Fridays and Saturdays; closed Mondays (except holidays)
• Official page: tnm.jp FAQ (English)

Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, South Observatory (free volunteer tours)

• Area: Shinjuku
• Why it works: GO TOKYO (the city's official tourism site) says free volunteer tours of about 20 minutes run in English, Korean and Chinese, every day 10:00 to 15:00. No advance booking
• Official page: gotokyo.org

Edo-Tokyo Museum

• Area: Ryogoku. 1-4-1 Yokoami, Sumida-ku
• Why it works: an official English visitor guide; online tickets take Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Amex and PayPay, and the ticket counter takes cash, transit IC cards, cards and QR payments
• Official page: edo-tokyo-museum.or.jp/en

Senso-ji and Meiji Jingu

Both have official English websites (senso-ji.jp/english · meijijingu.or.jp/en). Meiji Jingu is free and open from sunrise to sunset. Neither English page says anything about English signs or guides, so we list them here only as a pointer.

Stay

Sakura Hostel Asakusa

• Area: Asakusa. 2-24-2 Asakusa, Taito-ku
• Why it works: the official page lists 24-hour multilingual reception, an English support phone line, free luggage storage and a 24-hour cafe
• Official page: sakura-hotel.co.jp/asakusa

We are still checking more hotels: most official hotel pages we read did not state English-speaking staff, so we left them out rather than guess.

Getting around and shopping

• Tokyo Subway Ticket: unlimited rides on all Tokyo Metro and Toei Subway lines for 24, 48 or 72 hours (adults 1,000 / 1,500 / 2,000 yen; children half). For overseas visitors and visitors from outside the listed nearby prefectures. Official page
• Tax-free shopping changes on November 1, 2026: see our short guide to the new refund method.
• Paying, cash, phone data and luggage: see Before you go. Can't say it in Japanese? Use our free point-and-show cards.

This page is information only. We are not a travel agency and we do not make bookings or personal itineraries. We have no business relationship with the places listed and there are no affiliate links on this page.