Simmering Mist

10 Best Stew Set Meals from Around Japan: The cool weather has arrived, and stews are delicious. So, if you're looking for a satisfying lunch or dinner, we've rounded up 10 restaurants from around Japan that serve stews. Tamaya Shokudo in Fuchu City...

Akebono Store, Himeji's famous bar. Located on the opposite side of Himeji Castle. A 10-minute walk southeast from the station, you'll find Akebono Store, a quintessential Showa-era supermarket celebrating its 68th anniversary this year. Wow, I'm thrilled! From supermarket to bar...

A restaurant specializing in set menus with stewed meat under the direct management of a meat wholesaler and processor. Located in a residential area under the Chuo Freeway, familiar from the lyrics of Yumi's song, is Tamaya Shokudo, a restaurant specializing in stewed meat dishes directly operated by a meat wholesaler and processor. It used to be easy to get in, but now...

Established in 1897, Yamashiroya Sakaba is located in Minami-Suna, Koto Ward, and has been in business for over 120 years. Not only is the exterior impressive, but the tanzaku (strips of paper) plastered all over the place make it a truly pub-like establishment. Even if it's far from home, it's a place you'll want to visit regularly. The beloved "Haru-chan"...

Motsuno, a rising star in stew set meal restaurants, has suddenly become a hot topic of conversation recently. Located in an industrial park in Aikawa Town, Kanagawa Prefecture, with no train station nearby, this rising star stew set meal restaurant suddenly opened last April. Run by a young female owner, it's a place where there's always a line of customers...

A yakitori restaurant beloved by locals, located between Keikyu Kamata Station and Zoshigaya Station. Despite being a residential area, it's also home to many shops. This area was formerly home to the famous bar "Sanpei," which closed in 2015. "Jumbo Otsuka," which opens at 1 p.m., is a huge hit during the day. It's a common question: "What do you usually do?"...

Tateishi, the sacred land of sake bars, has many bars such as Oyokozuna Uchida, Sakae Sushi, Ebisuya Shokudo, Torihobo, Edokko, Ranshu, and Shu, all of which closed this summer. Tateishi is a bar area with a lot of bars such as Edokko, Ranju, and Shu, which closed this summer due to redevelopment. Machinuka at the south exit Along the railway line at the south exit...

When you go to a trade show for business or pleasure, you often have trouble finding a pub on your way home. Big Sight, Makuhari Messe, and Pacifico Yokohama are all by the sea, and there are no public bars to be found in the area. When you take a train on the way home from such a big exhibition...

Fukuroi, the melon town. Fukuroi City in Shizuoka Prefecture is a producer of high-quality melons, and even the famous "Sembikiya" restaurant uses melons from Fukuroi. Fukuroi is a world-famous producer of high-quality melons, so much so that former British Prime Minister Thatcher praised it highly. What's more, Fukuroi residents often season their melons with Hennessy...

It's still hot in the evening, and there's a line at Uozo in Monzen-Nakacho, even at dusk. That said, the turnover is fast, so even if you're just 7 or 8 people in, it won't take long for your turn to come around. Just admire the impressive noren curtain and sliding door, and your turn will come around quickly. Now, let's go behind the noren curtain and find out where the shop is...

The pennant race is in its final stages. The Chiba Lotte Marine Stadium, home of the Chiba Lotte Marines, is famous for its gourmet "motsu-nikomi" (stewed beef and vegetable stew). In my column, I recommend the "motsu-nikomi" of Marine Stadium, which I have eaten at 2,000 restaurants across the country.

Space World in Kitakyushu, the third restaurant after "Uozumi Sake Shop" and "Akakabe Sake Shop". As you are driving from Kokura to Hakata, you will suddenly see a station called "Space World," which looks very strange with its katakana characters. If you are a resident of Fukuoka Prefecture, you have been to Space World before on excursions or outings...

Downtown Kokura in Kitakyushu About 10 minutes by train from Mojiko Station, the first "Uozumi Brewery", we arrive at Kokura Station, home to the busiest shopping district in Kitakyushu. Once you get off the station, you will find a strip theater and several bars that are open from noon, and take a walk around such a deep area. ...

Kitakyushu, the birthplace of kaku-uchi (corner bar). Workers at the Yawata Steel Works worked until morning and wanted to have a drink after work! So they started drinking at liquor stores that were open in the morning, which is the origin of Kaku-uchi. 5 years ago, there were nearly 100 Kaku-uchi in Kitakyushu City alone. It's exciting...

High-quality stew made with only offal. Summer is in full swing! We're introducing a stew that's sure to please your body as the hot weather continues and you start to feel a bit fatigued! There are many different types of offal stews, and depending on the restaurant, they may contain other ingredients besides offal, such as tofu, konjac, or root vegetables (daikon radish, carrot, burdock), and the seasonings vary.

Due to work, I ended up staying in Hitachi-Omiya, an unfamiliar town in the inland region of Ibaraki. Naturally, I was excited about this unfamiliar town, so I researched plenty of places to drink beforehand. However, nothing really caught my eye, so I decided to rely on my instincts and find a place to drink there. I visited a bar that has been in business for 55 years...

Musako in Kawasaki City Musashi Kosugi, commonly known as Musako, is where the Tokyu Toyoko Line and JR Musashino Line intersect. Here it is, Musako. The problem that both "Musashi Koganei" and "Musashi Koyama" are called "Musako" by the locals has been a topic of conversation for a long time. So, I am curious about "Musashi Kosugi" and "Musashi Koyama...

In Iida and Ina cities in southern Nagano Prefecture, there is a local dish called "Otaguri," which is stewed horse innards. It is a clean stew containing absolutely no impurities other than horse intestines. As a horse racing fan, I was reluctant to eat horse innards, but...

Iida City, the city of yakiniku in southern Nagano Prefecture, boasts the highest number of yakiniku restaurants per capita in Japan, and is touted as the number one yakiniku city in Japan, to the point where it's said that "it's easier to find a yakiniku restaurant than a convenience store." Iida Yakiniku Legend: Dam construction and forest road...