The compact city of Inuyama in Aichi Prefecture is widely known for its castle – one of the very few original castles left in Japan, and deservedly designated a National Treasure.

The castle is a fascinating place to visit, but also not to be missed is what the Japanese call the "castle town" – the traditional district of shops and dining establishments that sprang up in the streets along the main approach to the castle to serve the fortification’s needs. Here you'll find not just the ambience of times past, but a surprising diversity of food and drink to enjoy. it's a great destination for enjoying "tabe-aruki" – eating while walking around.

The first place I hit on my visit was Sakura Chaya – a food stall that's just steps from the stone stairs leading to the castle. This place specializes in tofu dengaku – squares of soft soybean curd dipped in a sauce of the rich and pungent red miso that the region is known for, then grilled. Delicious!

Back on the main street, wandering south from the castle, I found a stall grilling whole ayu – sweetfish – a local specialty from the region's rivers that is so light and delicate that many people eat the entire fish – head, fins, tail, and all.

A bit further along was a stall selling gohei-mochi – skewered balls of sticky pounded mochi rice dipped in a soy sauce-base liquid with a hint of walnut, then charcoal-grilled. Warm and flavorful!

My appetite whetted by such light fare, I went looking for a real meal, and soon found Matsui, a restaurant whose high reputation rests on its handmade soba noodles.

I ordered a helping of zaru-soba – chilled noodles piled atop a sieve-like grate, to be dipped in a cup of salty soy-based sauce to which some chopped scallions and fresh-grated wasabi are added.

After I finished off the noodles, my server brought me a pitcher of hot soba-yu – water the noodles had been boiled in, slightly viscous and rich in nutrients. It's to be combined with some of the remaining dipping sauce and drunk down, and is quite tasty in its own right.

Back on the castle town's main street, I found a stall selling age-yomogi – globules of pounded mochi rice into which is mixed pureed Japanese mugwort, which imparts a fresh, springlike flavor. The balls are first deep-fried and then grilled to the perfect texture, and finally dabbed with a thick miso sauce when purchased and served. A sign hawking the age-yomogi claimed they were "to die for," and they were pretty doggone good!

In addition to free-standing restaurants and street-facing stalls like these, the castle town also has several areas that are like food courts, each with an entrance on the main drag. These all offer a range of dining choices, both traditional and modern – and occasionally downright unique – and they're all worth checking out.

The selections at Mori no Marche include sushi, pizza, craft beer, oysters, broiled skewers of meat and vegetables, and more.

At Inuyama Square, among other things, you'll find traditional sweets and high-quality wagyu beef. (And nearby there's the Inuyama Ninjutsu Dojo, where you can learn about ninja and their mysterious techniques, and even try your hand at throwing stars.)

Showa Yoko-cho is somewhat different from the other two food courts already mentioned – it's theme is Japan's Showa period of the mid-twentieth century, and it features an ambience that hearkens back to an era of rotary telephones and console televisions.

Here I found counter grill Goku, a place specializing in fresh oysters and local sakes.

The oysters were wonderful: tender and juicy, and very flavorful!

My final taste of Inuyama that day was something I enjoyed later, at home: a block of saba-zushi – pressed sushi of fresh mackerel that I purchased at a shop in the castle town.

It made for a delectable end to a fun day!