1.
eating while walking; eating on the go
The act of eating food while walking around, especially street food at festivals or tourist areas.
商店街で食べ歩きした。
I ate while walking through the shopping street.
お祭りの食べ歩きが楽しい。
Eating while walking around at the festival is fun.
京都で食べ歩きが問題になっている。
Eating while walking has become a problem in Kyoto.
2.
food tour; restaurant hopping
Visiting multiple restaurants, food stalls, or shops in an area to sample different dishes. A popular leisure activity in Japan.
築地で食べ歩きをした。
I went on a food tour in Tsukiji.
友達と食べ歩きの計画を立てた。
I made a food tour plan with my friends.
ラーメンの食べ歩きブログを書いている人が多い。
There are many people who write ramen restaurant-hopping blogs.
USAGE:
Sense 1 (eating while walking) can be considered rude in some contexts in Japan, especially in residential areas or near temples. Sense 2 (food touring) is a popular leisure activity, often featured in travel guides and TV shows.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 食べ歩きグルメ (street food, walking-around food)
- 食べ歩きマップ (food tour map)
- 食べ歩き禁止 (no eating while walking)
CULTURAL NOTE:
Some tourist areas in Japan have posted 食べ歩き禁止 signs to address litter and congestion. Despite this, 食べ歩き remains a key part of visiting famous food streets like 築地 and 錦市場.