From high-end sushi to quick-slurped noodles, Tokyo lives up to its rep as a culinary powerhouse. In areas like Shibuya and Shinjuku, the city delivers the crowds and neon travelers envision.

Most trips to the country start there, in a jetlag-infused waking dream of blurred neon, packed pavements and mega-city main-character energy. But Tokyo is a lot. Just when you think you’ve ...