Restaurant Review
Kijisoba Kijiya, Kyoto, Japan: Pheasant meat ramen near Kinkaku-ji
0.1 mile (200 meters) away from Kyoto’s top tourist spot Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion) is Kijisoba Kijiya (きじそば 雉弥) […]
Japanese
Restaurant Review
Kyoto’s 3 best izakayas of all time
As a local/native in Kyoto, I’ve been in search of the best izakaya (居酒屋: Japanese tavern) for as […]
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10 strange food eaten so casually in Japan
As a born and raised Japanese, I encounter these 10 food items such as natto, tarako, and TKG […]
Restaurant Review
Ura Stand, Kyoto: Chicken sashimi and kushiage at hip retro izakaya
Chicken sashimi (raw chicken) sounds impossible to eat. So does it in Japan in general. But some know […]
Restaurant Review
Jiyuken Namba Honten: Osaka’s most famous curry shop
Founded in 1910 as Osaka’s first yoshoku (西洋料理 / Western food) restaurant, Jiyuken Namba Honten (自由軒・難波本店) is now […]
Restaurant Review
Rakuan: Best soba noodle in Tokyo’s gay district Shinjuku Nichome
Tokyo’s Shinjuku Nichome (新宿二丁目) is considered one of the biggest gay districts in the world. It’s definitely Japan’s […]
Restaurant Review
Musashi Sushi Honten: Kyoto’s best revolving sushi chain downtown
Founded in 1977 in Kyoto, Musashi Sushi Honten (寿しのむさし 三条本店) is probably the most famous sushi chain in […]
Restaurant Review
Kyoto’s 6 best izakaya houses (kaikans)
Izakaya house (kaikan / 会館) is a machiya townhouse (machiya / 町屋) or a retro building that is […]
Restaurant Review
Kushihachi Honten: Unrivaled, Kyoto-based kushikatsu izakaya chain
Background music at Kushihachi Honten. Kushihachi (串八) is a Kyoto-based, kushikatsu (串かつ: deep-fried skewers)-focused Japanese izakaya chain. Its […]
Restaurant Review
Tenzankaku Hihi-yokocho: Japan’s longest countertop izakaya in Osaka
At retro Uehommachi Hi Hi Town (うえほんまちハイハイタウン), a Japanese underground food hall (地下飲食店街) connected to Osaka-Uehommachi Station (大阪上本町駅), […]
Restaurant Review
Shintamon Sakakura, Osaka: Malaysian Japanese tachinomi izakaya
Tachinomi izakaya(立ち飲み居酒屋) means “Japanese standing food bar” (more details). Amid a tachinomi izakaya neighborhood surrounding busy Temma Station […]
Restaurant Review
Ganso Mawaru Genrokuzushi Honten, Osaka: birthplace of revolving sushi
Ganso Mawaru Genrokuzushi / Ganso Mawaru Genroku Sushi (元祖廻る元禄寿司) is a Japanese sushi chain known as the birthplace […]
Restaurant Review
Hokkyokusei Shinsaibashi Honten, Osaka: birthplace of omurice
In a Studio Ghibli’s famous Spirited Away bathhouse-ish retro Japanese teahouse (茶屋) is Hokkyokusei Shinsaibashi Honten (Hokkyokusei Shinsaibashi […]
Restaurant Review
Rokuzaemon, Kyoto: Speakeasy John Wick izakaya downtown
So John Wick izakaya means a Japanese izakaya (居酒屋: tavern) that looks like it could appear in the […]
Restaurant Review
Kushitatsu: Kyoto’s only whale meat restaurant in Arashiyama
As the controversy of Japan’s whale-eating culture catches international attention, there are certainly some Japanese restaurants that serve […]
Restaurant Review
Saiko People OSAKA, Japan: Contemporary pan-Asian izakaya
Just one station away from garish, John Wick 4-featured Namba (なんば) is quiet Sakuragawa (桜川) where posh Saiko […]
Restaurant Review
Kafu, Kyoto: Retro hip Okinawan tavern
On a historical street market/commercial district ‘Sanjo-kai Shotengai (三条会商店街)’ is a retro hip Okinawan tavern ‘Kafu (かふー)’. It’s […]
Restaurant Review
Konparu Osu Honten: Nagoya’s legendary kissaten-cafe chain
Konparu is one of Nagoya’s most famous kissaten (喫茶店) cafe chains known for its authentic retro vibe. Here’s […]
Restaurant Review
Sekai No Yamachan Honten: Nagoya’s legendary izakaya chain
Sekai No Yamachan (世界の山ちゃん) is a Nagoya-based izakaya chain specializing in Nagoya comfort food. Here’s what Sekai No […]
Restaurant Review
Yabaton Yaba-cho Honten: King of misokatsu chains in Nagoya
Yabaton is a misokatsu (deep-fried pork tonkatsu with miso sauce) specialty chain based in Nagoya, Aichi prefecture. Here’s […]
Restaurant Review
Ebisugawa Gyoza Nakajima: Kyoto’s only gyoza specialty sauna
Here’s what Ebisugawa Gyoza Nakajima Donguri-ten / Gyoza-yu(京都 夷川餃子 なかじま 団栗店 / ぎょうざ湯) looks like. Ebisugawa Gyoza Nakajima […]
Restaurant Review
Matsukawa Liquor Store: Kyoto’s most famous kaku-uchi izakaya
Izakaya is a Japanese tavern. Among the three kinds of izakaya, kaku-uchi (角打ち) izakaya is considered the dopest. […]
Restaurant Review
Burisho, Kyoto: THE yellowtail specialty restaurant
Opened in 2022, Burisho (魚師匠) has been gaining attention as Kyoto’s only yellowtail specialty restaurant / the master […]
Restaurant Review
Suba, Kyoto: THE contemporary soba shop
Soba shops (or buckwheat noodle bars) are as popular as ramen shops in Japan. One of a few […]
Restaurant Review
Daidokoro Tenya, Kyoto, Japan: Downright cozy izakaya
A discreet alley behind Kyoto’s poshest shopping mall ‘BAL’ is where a cozy izakaya ‘Daidokoro Tenya (台所 てんや […]
Restaurant Review
Imai Shokudo, Kyoto: Legendary simmered fish shop
Simmered fish (煮魚/nizakana or 魚の煮付け/sakana no nitsuke) is a quintessential seafood dish in Japan. Especially with mackerel (鯖の煮付け/saba […]
Restaurant Review
Vegan Ramen UZU Kyoto: THAT teamLab ramen shop
Vegan Ramen UZU Kyoto is sort of understood as a teamLab ramen shop. teamLab is a Japanese company […]
Restaurant Review
Komakata Dojo, Tokyo: THE loach specialty restaurant
Komakata Dojo’s founder Sukeshichi Echigoya (越後屋助七) is said to have invented dojo nabe (dozeu nabe / どぜう鍋 / […]
Restaurant Review
Tsurutontan Soemoncho: Osaka’s most luxurious udon chain
Tsurutontan is an Osaka-based Japanese udon chain. Here’s what the original location of the chain “Tsurutontan Soemoncho (つるとんたん […]
Restaurant Review
Men Tenten: Tel Aviv’s best ramen bar
In Tel Aviv, Israel’s Tokyo (but not the capital city), sushi is as popular as sandwiches in Tokyo. […]
Restaurant Review
Mr. Gyoza, Kyoto, Japan: Realest chuka joint
Chuka joint (中華食堂 / chuka shokudo) means Japanese-Chinese restaurant. It’s got a vibe. Like people don’t call diners […]
Restaurant Review
Totto Ramen, Boston: Japanese chicken paitan ramen chain
Here’s what I ate at Totto Ramen at South Bay, Boston. Totto Ramen T-shirt at the entrance of […]
Restaurant Review
Tsurutontan, Boston: Japan’s udon chain from Osaka
I tried their signature udon, perfect sushi, and New England Japanese appetizers at Tsurutontan Udon Noodle Brasserie, Boston. […]
Restaurant Review
Okonomiyaki Mizuno: Osaka’s Michelin-listed soul food eatery
Here’s Okonomiyaki Mizuno’s signature okonomiyaki. Japanese yams, pork belly, and scallops. Yum. *I last visited the restaurant in […]
Restaurant Review
Tacofini, Osaka: Mexican Japanese taco stand izakaya
Tacofini (タコフィニ / Tacos Del Infinito) offers authentic tacos and classic izakaya repertoire with a Mexican twist. It’s […]
Restaurant Review
Ohsho vs. Tenkaippin: 2 Kings of Chinese food chains in Japan
Ohsho (Gyoza no Ohsho / 餃子の王将) and Tenkaippin (天下一品) are the most famous Chinese food chains in Japan. […]
Restaurant Review
Umayarou, Kyoto, Japan: Horse meat izakaya
Horse bastard! That’s what Umayarou(馬野郎) means in Japanese. The name screams everything about what Umayarou has to neigh: […]
Restaurant Review
Natsumame, Kyoto: THE natto specialty restaurant in Japan
Kyoto’s only natto specialty restaurant, Natto Sosaku Cuisine Natsumame (納豆創作料理 夏豆) offers Japanese comfort food ingeniously concocted with […]
Restaurant Review
Furusato, Kyoto, Japan: “Welcome home” izakaya
The syncretic Japanese promised land Furusato (ふる里) offers authentic Japanese homespun meals. How about some whale bacon? “Welcome […]
Restaurant Review
Ikura Mokuzai, Kyoto, Japan: Understated, lumber supplier izakaya
Who knew a lumber supplier could supply exquisite Japanese seafood? It’s so Kyoto. In Kyoto, being understated seems […]
Restaurant Review
Aketotemoro, Kyoto, Japan: WTH izakaya
A contemporary izakaya with a red light. Japanese bar food at its best. A red light at Aketotemoro. […]
Restaurant Review
Koin Agaru, Kyoto, Japan: Exquisite pork butakushi in the ’80s dreamy vibe
Japanese pork skewer (butakushi) izakaya, Koin Agaru, offers bistro-esque Japanese contemporary dishes. It is to savor pork tongue […]
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Izakaya, explained: There are only 3 types, after all
There are just so many izakayas in Japan. The article explains 10 most common izakaya types and 3 […]
Restaurant Review
Gonpachi Nishi-Azabu, Tokyo, Japan: The Kill Bill restaurant
In the most expensive neighborhood in Tokyo, legendary Japanese izakaya Gonpachi Nishi-Azabu, also known as the Kill Bill […]
Restaurant Review
Izakaya Toyo, Osaka, Japan: The flamethrower chef from Netflix
The legendary izakaya/street food vendor in Japan’s third biggest city Osaka, Izakaya Toyo, offers drop-dead local Japanese seafood […]
Restaurant Review
Endo Shoten, Kyoto, Japan: Under-the-radar bookstore izakaya
An independent bookstore, Endo Shoten, is by far the most under-the-radar izakaya restaurant in Kyoto City. The izakaya […]
Restaurant Review
Muraya, Kyoto, Japan: Akira-esque cyberpunk izakaya “in da hood”
In an edgy neighborhood, Sakyo Ward known as a “makai” (hell or demon world in Japanese), cyberpunk izakaya […]
Restaurant Review
Umi No Scole, Shiga, Japan: Fermented foods nowadays at ultra modern-rustic shopping mall
A cafe at the ultra modern-rustic shopping mall, Umi No Scole, in Nagahama, Shiga, offers Japanese comfort food […]