Enjoy a Japanese Feast at Tokyo Dining

EPCOT’s World Showcase at the Walt Disney World Resort is beloved by Guests thanks to its wonderful pavilions that whisk them away to countries across the globe. Each pavilion fully immerses Guests in that country’s culture through architecture, attractions and experiences, shopping, and dining.

The Japan Pavilion is a very popular destination in EPCOT’s World Showcase for dining thanks to Teppan Edo, Kabuki Café, Katsura Grill, and Tokyo Dining, a table service restaurant open for lunch and dinner each day that can be found on the second floor of the Mitsukoshi Department Store.

In order to access Tokyo Dining, Guests have to climb a dramatic set of stairs that lead to an upstairs balcony over the Mitsukoshi Department Store. Before heading through the doors to the restaurant, Guests should be sure to pause and take in some of the most beautiful views of World Showcase Lagoon and Spaceship Earth from the balcony.

Tokyo Dining shares a waiting area with the adjacent Teppan Edo, and Guests immediately feel immersed in the theme, which blends modern Japan with traditional cultural elements. The interior of Tokyo Dining specifically is designed to blend modern Tokyo with traditional aspects, and Guests immediately feel welcome upon entering.

The interior of the dining area features sleek wooden tables with modern black chairs, thick wooden columns and accent beams, modern blue and cool-toned lighting, stone elements, and a curved accent wall to add some softness. Traditional Japanese elements can also be found with beautifully folded origami napkins at each place setting, hanging panels with floral prints, and other subtle artwork placed throughout the mostly modern space.

One of the highlights of Tokyo Dining is the wonderful views out of large windows that offer up panoramic vantages of World Showcase Lagoon and Spaceship Earth. Guests who time their dinners well can even enjoy a completely unique view of Harmonious as it lights up World Showcase Lagoon each evening.

The lunch and dinner menus at Tokyo Dining are identical and focus on traditional Japanese cuisine presented in modern and reinvented ways. The restaurant is also one of the most popular destinations at the Walt Disney World Resort for fresh sushi options.

Before digging into the food options at Tokyo Dining, Guests can peruse the beverage menu which features an array of non-alcoholic options in addition to imported beer, wine, sake, and whiskey selections. Guests can also enjoy several specialty cocktail options that are each unique and delicious, such as the Tokyo Sunset, Violet Silk Martini, Japanese Breeze, Momo Whiskey Sour, Shochu Squeeze, and Nigori Mimosa.

The food options at Tokyo Dining begin with Otsumami, or appetizer options, including the light and refreshing Garden Salad, garnished with edamame and ginger peach dressing as well as Edamame served with young soybean pods. Guests looking for a more comforting beginning to their meals can sip on the Miso Soup, which is packed with flavor from tofu, wakame, Asian mushrooms, green onion, and a bonito miso broth.

There are also two indulgent appetizer options to begin any meal, and Guests are sure to enjoy every bite of the Wagyu Wrap which pairs decadent Wagyu strip loin with black tobiko, rice, nori, yuzu peel, and sashimi soy sauce drizzle. Also available is the Karaage which pairs a deep-fried chicken thigh with a sweet nanban sauce.

Sushi and sashimi are obviously a huge part of Japanese cuisine, and Tokyo Dining features an extensive menu of options for Guests to enjoy. The Nigiri Sushi menu features a selection of options each served with two pieces, and Guests can choose between Yellowtail, Salmon, Tuna, Unagi, and Shrimp.

Also available for lunch and dinner are a selection of Sushi Rolls, including a mix of both traditional and unique options. Guests will love enjoying Sushi Rolls, such as the California Roll, Vegetable Roll, Shrimp Tempura Roll, and Spicy Crunchy Roll. The two most indulgent options available here are the Volcano Roll, which tops a California Roll with tuna, yellowtail, salmon, smelt roe, tempura crunch, and volcano sauce, and the Hako Rainbow, which layers tuna and salmon with smelt roe, avocado, shiso rice, soy paper, eel, and volcano sauce.

Guests can also enjoy two Sashimi selections including the Seared Salmon which is thinly sliced, flamed, and served with ponzu sauce, fried garlic chips, green onions, and seaweed salad. The Fresh Sashimi Sampler is a wonderful option for lunch or dinner with a flavorful mix of tuna, salmon, and yellowtail.

Also popular in traditional Japanese cuisine are Donburi and Noodle dishes, and Guests can enjoy the Unagi Don, which serves barbecued eel on a bed of rice, green onion, and eel sauce, or the Salmon Ikura Don with sushi-grade salmon ikura over a bed of rice.

Udon fans can order the Yaki Udon which plates Japanese stir-fry noodles with beef, vegetables, and a tangy sauce, or the Kamo Udon which features perfectly cooked duck breast accompanied by udon noodles, seasoned shiitake mushrooms, soy broth, and a hint of yuzu.

Guests who are looking for more of a traditional plated entrée for lunch or dinner can check out the Yakimono section of the menu at Tokyo Dining which features three wonderful options, beginning with the Grilled Chicken Breast served with a house-made teriyaki sauce. The Grilled Salmon is cooked to perfection and plated with a sweet yuzu sauce and the Sirloin Steak is a hearty option with grated daikon, crispy garlic chips, and a soy sauce.

The final two entrée options available at Tokyo Dining for lunch and dinner are Tempura-based, beginning with the Assorted Tempura, which features three pieces of shrimp with onion, asparagus, and red bell peppers. The second option is the Tempura/Sushi Roll Combo which combines three pieces of shrimp, vegetable tempura with onion, asparagus, and red bell peppers, and a California Roll.

With so many incredible menu options including everything from fresh sushi to indulgent tempura, it can definitely be hard to save room for dessert at Tokyo Dining, but there are several decadent options that should not be missed! The Yuzu Mousse Cake is unique with a kinako crumb, gold flakes, matcha cream, chocolate rocks, and sparkling yuzu sauce. Other options include a Chocolate Ginger Cake, Mango Mousse Cake, Matcha Tiramisu, and Soft-serve Ice Cream.

Tokyo Dining is a must-enjoy table service restaurant in the heart of the Japan Pavilion in EPCOT’s World Showcase. With the perfect combination of modern décor to represent Tokyo and traditional Japanese cuisine, Tokyo Dining is the perfect spot to enjoy lunch or dinner any day in EPCOT!