Asakusa - Izumiya for sembei

The historic temple area, Asakusa, has many sembei (rice cracker) shops. One of my favorite is Izumiya. This quaint sembei shop presents the rice crackers in glass jars with tin lids. A wide variety of flavors include both sweet and savory like shiso, zarame (rock sugar), and a very spicy dried red pepper covered ookara. The very delicate and thin usuyaki, nori wrapped, and an unusual type, an extra hard genkotsu. There is also a shop in the Nakamise Dori, but this selection is much bigger.

Izumiya 和泉屋
Taito-ku, Asakusa 1-1-4
Tel. 03-3841-5501
10:30 – 19:30 (closed Thursdays)
www.asakusa.gr.jp/nakama/izumiya/ (Japanese)

Ningyoyaki at Asakusa's Nakamise Dori

These cakes are filled with azuki paste and grilled in front of your eyes. Not sure, but I believe this is Kimuraya. It is about half-way up on the Nakamise Dori on your way up to the temple.

Takoyaki in Tokyo

Shinji is addicted to these takoyaki. The shop is called Tsukiji Gindaco and they are scattered throughout the city. We asked what the relationship was to Tsukiji and the shop master said that Tsukiji was a recognizable brand for good quality and freshness so the company uses it, but that in fact their main shop (honten) is in Ginza.

Takoyaki are often translated as tako balls, or octopus balls. Small bite size bits of octopus are cooked inside a savory batter. Gindaco manages to make it crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. These balls, hot out of the griddle, are covered with a savory sauce, katsuobushi flakes and nori.

Yamamotoyama in Nihonbashi 日本橋の山本山

While working at Takashimaya in the historical Nihonbashi district of Tokyo I passed Yamamotoyama everyday on my way to work. The tea shop has a rich history dating back 310 years to 1690. That is older than the United States of America. I am always amazed when I see shops that have been operating for that long in Japan.

My favorite item at Yamamotoyama is their kukicha. It is tea that is made from the stems and twigs of the tea bush. We drink it hot in the winter, and in the heat of the summer, right now, we steep it in cold water and then strain it and put it in the fridge. It is a refreshing drink.

Yamamotoyama is not only a shop that sells tea and nori, but there are two cafes in the shops as well. In the front of the shop you can have some simple sweets and tea under red paper umbrellas. In the back of the shop are tables and chairs for tea and wagashi or sembei. The photo here is an order of both the wagashi and the sembei.

Yamamotoyama 山本山
Chuo-ku, Nihonbashi 2-5-2
03-3281-0010
10:00 – 18:00, no holidays
www.yamamotoyama.co.jp/main.html (Japanese)
www.yamamotoyama-usa.com/ (English for USA site)

Tsukiji's Shouro Tamagoyaki 築地の松露玉子焼

Shouro Tamagoyaki
Chuo-ku, Tsukiji 4-13-13
03-3543-0582
www.shouro.co.jp

Our favorite tamagoyaki shop in the market, Shouro has a variety of savory egg omelettes including:

tobitama - with green flecks of aonori
karatou - sprinkled with ichimi (dried red chili pepper) so it has a bit of a kick to it
Kishu - with tart Kishu umeboshi
Kame age - with sakura ebi (dried shirmp), negi, and mitsuba
oyakoyaki - with ground chicken and mitsuba
umaki - with unagi
komaki - small round egg omelette
Shouro - their basic tamagoyaki
aigamo - with duck meat
matsutake - with matsutake mushrooms
Tanba - with chestnuts

Shouro also has branches in depachika like Mitsukoshi in Ginza.

Kuya Monaka in Ginza 銀座の空也

Kuuya 空也
Chuo-ku, Ginza 6-7-19
03-3571-3304
10:00 – 17:00, Saturdays 10:00 – 16:00, closed Sundays and holidays
www.wagashi.or.jp/tokyo/shop/0337.htm (Japanese)

Started in Meiji 17 (1884), Kuya is a 4th generation shop selling only one item, monaka. The outer shell is a crispy, delicate, toasty wafer surrounding slightly sweet, crushed azuki beans (tsubuan).

Ginza Natsuno Chopsticks Shop 銀座の夏野

Ginza Natsuno 銀座夏野
Chuo-ku, Ginza 6-7-4
10:00 – 20:00, Monday – Saturday
10:00 – 19:00, Sunday and holidays
www.e-ohashi.com/natsuno/ (Japanese)

This small shop is packed with a dizzying array of chopsticks some handcrafted by artisans. There is a collection of seasonal hashioki (chopstick rests), bowls, and many things for the table. The chopsticks are made from a variety of materials including lacquer, bamboo, or gold and silver-tipped.

Fukumitsuya in Ginza 銀座の福光屋

Fukumitsuya 福光屋
Chuo-ku, Ginza 5-5-8
03-3569-2291
11:00 – 21:00, Monday – Saturday
11:00 – 20:00, Sunday and holidays
www.fukumitsuya.co.jp/english/index.html (English)

Fukumitsuya is a sake shop representing a brewery from Kanazawa that opened in 1625. Rest your feet at the small tasting bar and try a few before purchasing. The bottles are stored in small box refrigerators in the back of the shop, as all good quality sake should be. There is a nice selection of cups and bottles, both traditional and modern, for serving sake at home.

Pierre Marcolini in Ginza

Belgian Pierre Marcolini has two shops next to each other, one for chocolates and the other for ice cream. On some days there is a long line out the front doors.

Pierre Marcolini ピエール マルコリーニ
Chuo-ku, Ginza 5-5-8
03-5537-0015 (chocolate shop)
03-5537-2047 (ice cream shop)
11:00 – 20:00 (Monday – Saturday)
11:00 – 19:00 (Sunday and holidays)
www.marcolini.be/EN/accueil.html (English)

Uogashi Meicha Tea Shop in Ginza 銀座のうおがし銘茶

Cha Ginza 茶銀座
Chuo-ku, Ginza 5-5-6
03-3571-1211
11:00 – 19:00 (closed most Mondays, check website)
www.uogashi-meicha.co.jp/shop_01.html (Japanese)

This cool, sleek modern building dedicated to tea in the heart of Ginza, this shop definitely draws the attention of passersby with its glass façade and long, narrow counter on the first floor. Uogashi Meicha has a shop in Tsukiji Market and this Ginza outpost is a great place to take a break from the shopping and to recharge with a healthy cup of green tea. The first floor is a minimalist retail shop with a long wooden counter where you can sample some tea. The 2nd floor is a café ideal for chatting with friends while the 3rd floor is a zen space better suited for introspection and meditation.

Akebono Sembei in Ginza 銀座のあけぼの

Ginza Akebono 銀座あけぼの
Chuo-ku, Ginza 5-7-19
03-3571-3640
9:00 – 21:00, until 20:00 on Sunday
www.ginza-akebono.co.jp/ (Japanese)

Akebono, the very small store, has an interesting assortment of modern sembei that include cheese, almonds, and pine nuts. There is also temaki natto (dried natto wrapped in nori), and an uni sen (uni flavored sembei). And some unusual styles like genkotsu sembei that are very tough and hard to chew. Akebono also has a wide assortment of wagashi including a kuri monaka (monaka with a chestnut inside), dorayaki, and manju. Akebono has shops in most depachika. The shop in Ginza is located just behind the corner police box (koban). If you are lucky and come in the spring you can try the ichigo daifuku, a whole strawberry surrounded by azuki and wrapped in delicate mochi (sticky rice).

These photos taken in the spring show green apricots and one of my favorites, mame daifuku, azuki paste surrounded with mochi that is studded with black beans.

Okowa Yonehachi おこわ米八

Depachika are filled with many bento boxes. Deciding on which one to have for lunch is always a tough decision. One of my favorites, that I go back to time and time again is Okowa Yonehachi. The shop is in most depachika. The front of the shop has several steaming baskets of sticky rice cooked with different ingredients. This bento box is from Okowa Yonehachi in Tokyo Station's basement area, GranSta.

The three sticky rice are different flavors and the colorful side dishes are all well-seasoned. The rice is put in steaming hot and warms the soul.

Click on the link below to see some of their colorful bentos:

http://yonehachi.co.jp/obento/index.html

Tsukudani Tenyasu and Tanakaya 佃煮 天安 田中屋

(The top two photos are of Tanakaya and the bottom three are of Tenyasu. Yuki Sensei and Yoko Sensei are in the bottom photo.)

The area Tsukuda is famous for the intensely flavored sweet, soy simmered seafood or sea vegetables called Tsukudani, ni comes from niru (to simmer), so the name comes from simmered goods from Tsukuda. Popular Tsukudani types include asari (clams), shirasu (tiny anchovies), ami (tiny shrimp), kombu, and ebi (shrimp). This is best enjoyed with a hot bowl of rice.

Tenyasu Honten 天安本店
Chuo-ku, Tsukuda 1-3-14
03-3531-3457
9:00 – 18:00, no holidays
www.tenyasu.jp/ (Japanese)

Started in 1837, this 4th generation shop is on the banks of the Sumidagawa River. The old two-story building is marked with a large blue kite-like banner with white calligraphy that stands one floor tall.

Tanakaya 田中屋
Chuo-ku, Tsukuda 1-3-13
03-3531-2649
Monday – Saturday 9:30 – 17:30, Sunday and holidays 10:00 – 17:00
no website

Next door to Tenyasu is Tanakaya, also with a rich history.

There are many types of Tsukudani (佃煮), these are some of the more common ones:

Ami – tiny opossum shrimp
Anago – conger eel
Asari – littleneck clams
Ebi - shrimp
Funa – Prussian carp
Hamaguri – Orient clam
Hoshi shiitake – dried shiitake
Hotate - scallops
Ikanago – sand lance
Inago – locust
Kaki – oysters
Koayu – baby sweetfish
Koi - carp
Kombu – kombu
Konago – sand eel
Kuri konago – walnuts and sand eel
Nori – laver
Shijimi – corbicula clam
Shirauo – Japanese icefish
Unagi – freshwater eel
Wakasagi – Japanese smelt

Yagenbori Shichimi in Asakusa 浅草のやげん堀

This great article in today's The Japan Times covers the history of Yagenbori in Asakusa, a shop that has been selling shichimi tougarashi (seven spice) for over 400 years.　

search.japantimes.co.jp/mail/ek20090618wh.html

Menchikatsu Suzuki すずきのメンチカツ

The Yanase area just north of Ueno station is filled with small shops and is a great area to walk around and graze on food. Suzuki is famous for their menchikatsu, which was featured on a popular food magazine, Dancyu. Menchkatsu are ground meat, mixed with onions, eggs, and breadcrumbs, almost like meatloaf. This is then coated with panko (Japanese bread crumbs) and deep-fried. The outside is crispy and the inside is juicy. Suzuki is along a shotengai, shopping arcade, filled with small vendors making great food.

Suzuki also makes croquettes,kara-age (Japanese boneless fried chicken), and more. In front of the shop are several photos of famous t.v. stars who have come to Suzuki to cover their menchikatsu on t.v. programs.

Suzuki
Arakawa-ku, Nishi-Nippori 3-15-5
03-3821-4526

www.yanakaginza.com/koten/suzuki/index.html (in Japanese)

Imahan in Ningyocho 人形町の今半

Imahan is a restaurant and retail shop specializing in wagyu. The restaurant's signature dish is sukiyaki. At the retail shop thin slices of marbled wagyu are cut for sukiyaki, shabu shabu, and for steaks. This shop is in Ningyocho. There is also a restaurant in Asakusa as well as an eat-in counter and retail shop in Takashimaya Nihonbashi.

Imahan
Chuo-ku, Nihonbashi Ningyocho 2-9-12
03-3666-7006
www.imahan.com

Kintame Pickle Shop in Ningyocho 人形町の近為

Japanese pickles are one of the many delights of the cuisine. Kintame is a Kyoto based pickle shop with a few outlets in Tokyo. This quaint shop in Ningyocho sells pickles to go.

Chuo-ku, Nihonbashi Ningyocho 2-5-2
03-3639-9439
www.kintame.co.jp

In Monzennakacho and in Daimaru at Tokyo Station they have restaurants. Ask for the "bubu chazuke" so you can have over a dozen types of pickles that includes a grilled fish, salmon or black cod marinated in sake kasu lees. This is one of my favorite restaurants in the whole city.