Japanese regional cuisines
Ondori (Shinjuku Gyoen-mae - Kyushu). 3356-0687 A Kyushu-style chicken specialty restaurant. Reservations required; full-course dinners from Y7,000.  Shinjuku 1-23-11. Open 6-9pm. Closed Saturdays, Sundays. Japanese regional dishes from various parts of the country. Lunch from Y700, full-course dinners for Y5,000-Y10,000. There's also an a la carte menu, and many regional sake brands.  Shinjuku 3-36-6. Open 11:30am-2, 5-10:30pm (LO) daily. Tengumai (Nishi-Shinjuku - Japanese regional). 3342-4560 This brewery-managed izakaya serves excellent seasonal kaga-ryori specialties from the Kanazawa region on the north coast of Japan, plus thirteen different types of sake from the Tengumai brewery, ranging from Y400 to Y1800 per glass. (Y600 per person table charge.) Nishi-Shinjuku 1-11-11, B1F. (on the side street directly behind Yodobashi Camera honten) Open 5-10pm (LO). Closed Sundays. | |
Yukku (Nishi-Shinjuku - Japanese regional). 3344-6586 Very traditional Hokkaido cuisine, including lots of salmon and crab dishes, in a no-frills atmosphere. The menu is complicated, but the multi-course set meals, starting from around Y3200, are a good deal. Nishi-Shinjuku 2-6-1, Shinjuku Sumitomo Bldg. 50F. Open 11:30am-2:30, 5-10pm daily. | |
Kyushu (Nishi-Shinjuku - Kyushu). 3342-0204 This long-established izakaya mini-chain serves excellent Kyushu cuisine and a good assortment of sake and shochu from the southern island. Budget around Y4000-5000 for dinner with drinks. [Go to branch review] Nishi-Shinjuku 3-2-9, Shinjuku Washington Hotel B1F. Open 11:30am-2, 5-10:30pm (LO) daily. | |
Kansuitei (Nishi-Shinjuku - Japanese regional). 5333-7538 A small, lunchroom-type restaurant area -- in the daytime there's a choice of Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki or the daily lunch (usually featuring grilled fish and sashimi), each priced at Y800, while in the evenings you can enjoy a selection of seven different brands of Hiroshima sake along with various snacks. Yoyogi 2-2-1, Southern Terrace. Open 11am-2, 5-9:30pm (LO) daily. | |
Oshima (Nishi-Shinjuku - Japanese regional). 3348-8080 A great place to explore Kaga-ryori, the regional cuisine of Kanazawa, on the Sea of Japan coast. Lunch from Y1,800, dinner from Y2,800, and special Kaga kaiseki from Y6,500. They also have branches in Ginza, Shinagawa and Yokohama. Nishi-Shinjuku 1-5-1, Odakyu Halc 8F. Open 11am-9pm (LO) daily. | |
Gomangoku (Sendagaya - Japanese regional). 5775-7139 Toyama and other Tohoku specialties, including wappa dishes, Himi udon and regional sakes. Lunch from Y750, dinner from Y2800. Kaiseki dinner from Y5000. Sendagaya 1-31-11, Eclair Sendagaya 2F. Open 11:30am-2, 4:30-11pm. Closed Sundays. | |
 Kyushu (Shibuya - Kyushu). 3463-0442 This long-established izakaya mini-chain serves excellent Kyushu cuisine and a good assortment of sake and shochu from the southern island. Especially recommended are the Kagoshima-style tonkotsu (pork and daikon stewed in shochu) and a well-balanced Nagasaki-style sara-udon with vegetables and meat served over crisp fried noodles. [See FULL REVIEW.] | |
Gyossantei is a great place to sample the regional cooking of Miyazaki Prefecture, along with good sake from around the country. The dining space is comfortable and informal, and large windows on one side give it a spacious, open feel. [See FULL REVIEW.] Dogenzaka 2-23-12, Shibuya Fhontis Bldg 2F-A. Open 11:30am-1:30, 5:50-11pm (LO). Closed Sundays. | |
Hakata-style yakiton - grilled pork on skewers served with salt and vinegar-based dipping sauce - is the specialty here, but they also serve other dishes from the region - horsemeat and wagyu beef, chicken-wing gyoza and ramen noodles. Budget around Y3500 for dinner. Maruyamacho 22-14. Open 6pm-12:30am (LO) daily. | |
Excellent southern Kyushu specialties made from freshly flown-in ingredients. The tonkotsu-ni, chunks of pork stewed in shochu overnight, was especially outstanding, as was the chawan-mushi. The bar stocks more than 50 different kinds of shochu, and several of the walls are covered with shochu labels and descriptions. The decor is modern and stylish; the crowd is diverse. Budget around Y5000. (No lunch on weekends.) [See FULL REVIEW.] | |
Nana (Shibuya - Japanese regional). 5468-9696 Obanzai-ryori (Kyoto-style home cooking) is the main draw here; budget around Y4000 for dinner. Shibuya 1-14-16, B1F. Open 5-11pm (LO) daily. | |
Hokkaido-inspired izakaya fare and drinks, with a very stylishly lit, modern Japanese interior. The dishes are simple but inspired; the smoked salmon has a crisp, almost crunchy skin, and the bamboo shoots are lightly grilled and served with fresh katsuo-bushi. Dinner is around Y3000-Y5000 with drinks. Bakuro (Ebisu - Kyushu). 5459-8348 If you're not well acquainted with the subtleties of horsemeat cuisine, Bakuro can be a revelation. The food here is fantastic, showcasing a surprisingly wide range of flavors and styles. The atmosphere is lively and fun, the drinks list is well put together, and prices are very reasonable for this level of quality. If you're not well acquainted with the subtleties of horsemeat cuisine, Bakuro can be a revelation. The food here is fantastic, showcasing a surprisingly wide range of flavors and styles. The atmosphere is lively and fun, the drinks list is well put together, and prices are very reasonable for this level of quality.
Bakuro occupies a narrow two-story residential building filled with antique furnishings and horse-themed bric-a-brac, which contribute to the charming retro-chic ambience. The upstairs dining area, reached via a steep staircase, is especially cozy, with little nooks, bottle-lined bookshelves and an artfully hidden toilet. Sitting on a quiet side street surrounded by other tiny drinking spots, it attracts a mostly young and well-dressed crowd - even by Ebisu standards.
The horsemeat here comes raw, charcoal-grilled, and served sukiyaki-style. All are worth trying, but the grilled section of the menu really highlights the diverse flavors of the meat. Horse belly is deliciously fatty and reminds us of prime beef, while the richly flavored sausage and bacon seem closer to pork, but with an extra oomph. The tsukune (meatballs) on the other hand are quite heavy and gamey, but definitely worth experiencing. Our grilled platter arrived with a big pile of rocket greens, a much nicer match than the usual cabbage or lettuce that one might expect in a typical izakaya.
The basashi (raw horse) platter makes a good starter, letting you compare several different cuts of meat. Everything we tried was tender and flavorful - in fact Bakuro serves some of the tenderest raw horse we've found in town. We finished off the meal with a filling, and quite economical, nabe pot. The thinly sliced meat is quick-cooked in a light broth, making it closer to sukiyaki than a heavy winter stew. It comes complete with stacks of vegetables, something we had missed in the earlier part of the meal (although we did enjoy an excellent Caesar salad with horse bacon). As with any good nabe dish, you can opt for an order of a filling starch - in this case udon noodles - to soak up the broth at the end.
If we had one complaint it would be that the menu is perhaps a bit too tightly focused - we would have loved some grilled seasonal vegetables to go with our grilled meats. Satsuma-age (Kyushu-style deep-fried fishcake) was one of the few non-equine items on the menu, and it was outstanding - fluffier, moister and less greasy than is typical for this dish. (We noticed that the other branch of this restaurant, in Kanda, seems to have a slightly wider menu which includes fish sashimi.)
Since horse cuisine is a Kyushu specialty, the drinks menu naturally leans towards shochu, however we also found several excellent, unusual sake labels. If you like, you can treat Bakuro as a drinking spot - just order some grilled meat and basashi to accompany your sake or shochu - or add on a pot of nabe at the end to turn it into a full meal. Budget around Y3000-4000 for a substantial dinner with drinks. [Show more] [Show less] Ebisu-Nishi 1-7-12. Open 5-11:30pm. Closed Sundays. | |
En-ichi (Nishi-Azabu - Izakaya). 3499-0233 Over 700 kinds of shochu (where do they fit them all?) and Kyushu snacks to go with them.  Nishi-Azabu 4-10-3. Open 6pm-5:30am (LO). Closed Sundays. The Kyoto-born chef prepares traditional but somewhat casual Kyoto cuisine, with special attention paid to tofu and yuba dishes (including yuba-based udon noodles) and beautiful Kyoto vegetables. The decor is traditional and very soothing. Prix-fixe menus start at Y5000; pork shabu-shabu is Y5200, and there's a big a la carte menu as well. The lunchtime menu is all udon noodles, priced Y840-1575. Shiroganedai 5-15-10. Open 11:30am-2:30, 5:30-10pm (LO). Closed Mondays. This long-established izakaya mini-chain serves excellent Kyushu cuisine and a good assortment of sake and shochu from the southern island. Budget around Y4000-5000 for dinner with drinks. Earlier hours on weekends. [Go to branch review] Kanou-ya (Shinagawa - Japanese regional). 6718-2835 Country-style fare - soba, natto, and tofu dishes, and an intriguing sansai (mountain vegetable) full-course dinner at Y3500, along with sake from Niigata (six different kinds of Kubota!). | |
This long-established izakaya mini-chain serves excellent Kyushu cuisine and a good assortment of sake and shochu from the southern island. Budget around Y4000-5000 for dinner with drinks. No lunch on weekends. [Go to branch review] Konan 2-16-3, Grand Passage B1F. Open 11:30am-2, 5-11pm daily. | |
This long-established izakaya mini-chain serves excellent Kyushu cuisine and a good assortment of sake and shochu from the southern island. Budget around Y4000-5000 for dinner with drinks. [Go to branch review] Akasaka 3-13-2, MJ Bldg 3F. Open 5pm-2:30am (LO). Closed weekends. Free-range chicken dishes and other specialties from Miyazaki Prefecture in southern Kyushu, plus shochu and microbrew beers from down there. The atmosphere is funky-casual izakaya-style. Akasaka 3-14-7, Tani Bldg. 2F. Open 11:30am-1:30, 5:30-11pm. Closed Sundays. | |
Hakobune (Shimbashi - Japanese regional). 3574-7890 Charcoal-grilled fish and seafood from the Hokuriku region of northern Honshu are the specialty at this robata-style izakaya. They also stock more than 100 kinds of sake. The food is good, but the atmosphere can get hot, noisy and smoky depending on the size of the crowd. English-speaking staff and English menus are available. Easy-to-order prix-fixe menus start at Y4000, or budget around Y6000 for a la carte. Higashi-Shimbashi 1-1-2, Asoruti Higashi Shinbashi 2F. Open 5-11pm (LO). Closed Sundays. | |
Mimiu (Shimbashi - Japanese regional). 3503-3350 Udon-suki from Osaka is the specialty of the house (Y3,500 per person); they also have seasonal dinners priced at Y5,800-7,800, and their own house brand of sake. Shimbashi 2-5-6. Open 11:30am-8:30pm (LO). Closed Sundays. | |
This long-established izakaya mini-chain serves excellent Kyushu cuisine and a good assortment of sake and shochu from the southern island. Budget around Y4000-5000 for dinner with drinks. [Go to branch review] Kago (Shimbashi - Kyushu). 3432-2486 The regional specialties of Kagoshima (southern Kyushu) are served, including tonkotsu (pork stewed in shochu) and chicken sashimi. They also have a selection of southern Kyushu shochu (distilled liquor), including the distinctive imo-jochu (made from sweet potatoes). Shimbashi 3-17-5, Hama Bldg. 2F. Open 5-10pm (LO). Closed weekends. Ayumasa (Shimbashi - Japanese regional). 3431-7448 This Tokyo branch of a Shimane-based kappo restaurant serves exquisite seasonal seafood - including fugu - from that region. Full-course dinners range from Y7,000-17,000. Shimbashi 4-17-5. Open 5-10pm (9pm Sat). Closed Sun; 2nd, 4th Sat. Simple, country-style food from Kyushu - dishes like lotus root stuffed with mustard, fish balls, oden and raw horsemeat. Lunch from Y800. Ginza 2-2-18. Open 11:30am-1:30pm, 5-10pm. Closed Sun., 1st & 3rd Sat. Hakobune (Ginza - Japanese regional). 3563-8333 You'll find fresh hearth-grilled seafood and more than 100 kinds of sake from Japan's Hokuriku region at this country-style izakaya. English-speaking staff and English menus are available. Budget around Y5000 at dinnertime. Ginza-Nishi 2-2, Inz #2, 2F. Open 11:30am-1, 5-10:20pm (LO). Closed Sundays. | |
Kagaya (Ginza - Japanese regional). 3289-6500 Interesting Kaga regional specialties from the Kanazawa area. Ginza 5-8-17, Ginza World Town Bldg. B1F. Open 11:30am-10:30pm daily. | |
Oshima (Ginza - Japanese regional). 3574-8080 Nicely prepared kaga-ryori -- the seafood-based cuisine of Kanazawa, on the Sea of Japan coast. Lunch from Y1,800, dinner from Y2,800, and special Kaga kaiseki from Y6,500. Ginza 5-8-20, Ginza Core Bldg. 9F. Open 11am-9pm (LO) daily. Swan Lake is one of Japan's best microbreweries, and their Tokyo outpost serves most of their beers (varying with the season) along with excellent regional cuisine and sakes from Niigata. Prix-fixe menus are Y6,000-12,000, plus a big a la carte menu. Ginza 7-16-21, Kumo Bldg B1F. Open 11:30am-1:30, 5-11pm (LO). Closed weekends. | |
Taruhei (Ginza - Japanese regional). 3571-4310 Regional fare from Yamagata Prefecture in this tiny hole-in-the-wall drinking spot. A full meal averages around Y4,000, not including drinks. Ginza 8-7-9. Open 5-10:30pm. Closed Sundays. Yosso (Ginza - Kyushu). 3572-7686 Kakuni stewed pork, champon fried noodles, and other Chinese-influenced Nagasaki specialties make up the menu at this friendly and popular regional izakaya. Ginza 8-9-16, Nagasaki Center Bldg. B1F. Open 11:30am-2:30, 5-9pm daily. Kaiji (Yotsuya 3-chome - Japanese regional). 3357-3789 Specialties from Yamanashi, including houtou noodles and raw horsemeat, in a tiny, mom-and-pop-run shop. No English spoken. Aizumicho 3. (on a tiny side street; turn right one block west of the fire station) Open 11:30am-2, 5-10pm (LO). Closed weekends. A branch of the popular Shirogane restaurant serving traditional Kyoto cuisine in a simple but elegant setting. Budget around Y6000 at dinnertime. Lunch prix-fixe menus are Y3800-5200, or you can have udon (from Y840). (No English.) [Go to branch review] Kagurazaka 5-30. Open 11:30am-2:30, 5:30-10pm (LO). Closed Mondays. Kyushu (Jimbocho - Kyushu). 3264-4826 This long-established izakaya mini-chain serves excellent Kyushu cuisine and a good assortment of sake and shochu from the southern island. Budget around Y4000-5000 for dinner with drinks. [Go to branch review] Hitotsubashi 2-3-1, B1F. Open 11:30am-2, 5-10:30pm (LO). Closed weekends. Bakuro (Kanda - Kyushu). 3253-8348 The food menu at this casual izakaya is built around horsemeat - you can enjoy it raw, grilled yakiniku-style, stewed, smoked or served as sausages. There's also standard Kyushu-style izakaya fare - raw and grilled seafood, satsuma-age fishcakes and so on - and a menu of sake and shochu to go with it all. Budget around Y3000 at dinnertime. [Go to branch review] Uchi-Kanda 3-4-8. Open 5-11pm. Closed Sundays. | |
Hokuhan (Ueno - Japanese regional). 3831-8759 Tohoku-style fish and other dishes. Prices tend to add up rather quickly, but the food is always top quality. Ueno 6-7-10. Open 5-10:30pm. Closed Sundays. Iwateya (Ueno - Japanese regional). 3836-9588 Reasonably priced food from Iwate Prefecture, along with local sake and shochu brands. Yushima 3-38-8. Open 4-10pm. Closed Sundays. Kagaya (Ariake - Japanese regional). 5530-5800 Kaga-style kaiseki service from Kanazawa. Kaiseki dinner from Y3,800, lunch from Y1,200. Regular set dinners from Y1500. Ariake 3-1, Wanza Ariake Bay Mall 2F. Open 11am-2:30, 5-8:30pm (LO) daily. | |
A casual, inexpensive izakaya that also serves as an informal Ainu cultural center. (The name means "Wind House" in Ainu.) Ainu food is a lot like Hokkaido cooking (lots of salmon dishes, potato dumplings, etc.) but with more garlic and ginger. The soups are definitely worth a try. Arai 1-37-12. Open 5-11pm (LO). Closed Sundays. | |
Kochi (Naka-Meguro - Kyushu). 5722-2778 This busy shochu specialist, with room for only 25 (including the outdoor seating that spills out onto the sidewalk), features over 100 varieties, along with Kagoshima style cooking. Nibble on izakaya standards like grilled chicken and buta no kakuni, or more unusual items like chicken sashimi. Budget around Y4000. | |
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: Notable decor
: Wine served in Riedel glasses
