Tokyo offers a dizzying array of places to eat, with categories of restaurant that include everything from izakayas to yakitori spots to hushed, hidden sushi bars. One of the most intriguing of them all, though, is the tempura house, which doesn't really exist in the States; it is wonderful and exciting to know that you can enjoy a degustation menu made up solely of tempura.

Many chefs have dedicated their entire lives to studying traditions that date back centuries, doing all sorts of wonderful things with hot sesame oil. Some, if not most, of the stellar ones are expensive (Mikawa Zezankyo, Kondo, Rakutei), but there are values to be found throughout the metropolis at places like Tsunahachi and the original location of Mikawa. Here's a selection of seven that will deliver:

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