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Tontokoton, a popular izakaya restaurant in Yakuin, Fukuoka, is run by a chef who trained at a food stall in Tenjin. It specializes in teppan and pork dishes. Open until around 2 a.m., it's a popular late-night hangout spot. With no appetizers and reasonably priced food and drinks, it's a great place to drop in...

Ogikubo's "Kagato" is a long-time favorite at the north exit of Ogikubo Station. Even now, with dining out becoming more diverse, this popular restaurant remains bustling with regulars from the opening hours on weekdays. Their specialties are grilled horumon (offal) and yakiniku (grilled meat) skewers. What kind of skewers are they? We'll introduce you to the charms of Kagato...

Narita, the gateway to Japan I haven't had a drink in Narita in about 10 years. I haven't had a drink in Narita since I went to the Tomisato Watermelon Road Race in the neighboring town. I remember that the izakaya we went to at that time was a very nice place. I think it was in this direction... ...

A-Sign First, a little bit about the "A-Sign". The "A sign" is the U.S. military's official business license for restaurants and adult entertainment establishments in Okinawa.

Narimasu "Yamadaya" A popular diner representing Narimasu. It is open from 10:30 a.m. and is a great place for a midday drink. If I leave my house now, I will get there just before noon. If I remember, I can't resist the urge to go there...

Eiraku Shokudo, a popular izakaya in Akita, is located in front of Akita Station. They have a huge selection of sake, and their "tasting set" is a great value and fun deal. Choose three varieties and have them poured into your glass for just 900 yen! Eiraku Shokudo before the relocation Eiraku Shokudo after the relocation...

Niigata "Chinese Restaurant Seiryu" is located at Higashi-Odori 1-chome, Chuo Ward, Niigata City. Located a five-minute walk from Niigata Station, this excellent Chinese restaurant is a must-try. Established in 1978, this popular restaurant has been a favorite of anyone working around Niigata Station. While their ramen is famous, their special shumai is also excellent, costing 320 yen...

Akita's Kawabata Area: Akita Prefecture's leading entertainment district, commonly known as "Kawabata," is located a 15-minute walk from Akita Station. Kawabata, once a thriving geisha town, has seen a sharp decline in the number of shops due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While the town is noticeably less lively than when I visited before the pandemic, there are still many historic shops scattered around...

Yaguchi-no-Watashi "Torisei" In the Yaguchi-no-Watashi Shopping Arcade, there's a large bar that gets so busy you need a reservation. The name of the bar is "Torisei." Established in 1980 (Showa 55) by a chef from Yamagata, the bar's signature dish is yakitori, but the sashimi made with seafood sourced from the market is also excellent! Continued...

This is the final installment of our series exploring how sake is enjoyed within the Kansai culinary culture. Bar writer Nao Suzuki explores the potential pairings of sake with Aje, a renowned Kyoto yakiniku and horumon restaurant, which she also visited for the first time.

Six famous bars along the Hokuriku Shinkansen Line On March 16, 2024, the long-awaited extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen Line to Tsuruga will begin. From Tokyo, you can now travel beyond Kanazawa to Tsuruga, near the northern end of Lake Biwa, via Fukui Station without having to change trains. This is a great opportunity to visit Hokuriku, which offers a variety of delicacies such as crabs, prawns, and nodoguro...

Chiba's local stews: doteyaki, nakamashijiru, otaguri, dengaku... There are "local stews" all over Japan, each deeply connected to the history of its region, with ingredients, seasonings, and other culinary cultures thrown into one big pot and simmered for many years.

Akabane "Gosaku" Located at the northern end of Akabane 1st Street, the popular Chinese restaurant "Gosaku" is a reliable ally for drinkers looking for a midday drink. Open from 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM, with no breaks. They offer a wide selection of beer, chuhai, Shaoxing wine, and even bottled wine. "Please come and have a drink..."

Tama-chan News This time we visited Horikiri-Shobuen, the birthplace of the shochu highball, which is considered by some bar-goers to be a "sacred place. We visited Kiyoshi because it is said to be especially inexpensive and delicious in this area.

I arrived in Matsuyama, Shikoku's largest city, at 8 p.m. Given the time, there were only two places I could go drinking in Matsuyama tonight. Of several options, I zeroed in on "Yonjuyon," which had the least information and was the most difficult to access. Yonjuyon...

Takase Kaikan, said to be Kyoto's oldest. In this installment of our popular Kaikan drinking series, we'll be introducing Takase Kaikan, located in Kiyamachi, Kyoto's number one drinking district. A "kaikan" is a drinking district where several small drinking establishments are gathered under one roof. Takase Kaikan is one of Kyoto's oldest drinking establishments...