Hide

Before it morphed into its present-day incarnation as an area of nightclubs and love hotels, Shibuya's Maruyamacho quarter was a straightforward red-light district – though in Tokyo, that term implies something classier than you might think. Hide, an upscale oden restaurant housed in a traditional two-storey house, harks back to the days when geisha used to entertain in local drinking establishments every night. Indeed, you can still enjoy geisha performances in the back room here, though you'll need to book in advance. If you're just there to eat, you can take your pick from around 50 oden items, all of them well stewed in a kombu and bonito dashi that's simple but surprisingly potent. The kitchen also serves sashimi and a range of small dishes; expect to pay upwards of ¥6,000 per person.