๐ข Great-in-Tokyo — Great experience you can enjoy in Tokyo.
Charcoal-seared beef offal simmered with cabbage and garlic chives in a soy-based broth—finished with rich rice porridge made from the remaining soup, Hakata-style, right in Togoshi-Ginza.
Last updated: 2025-12-07
Introduction
On a cool evening in Togoshi-Ginza, I ducked into Kyushu Umakamon Ebisu, a shotengai izakaya that specializes in Hakata-style motsunabe. A shallow pot arrives at the table, bubbling hard: domestic beef offal that has been briefly charcoal-seared to remove any gamey smell, piled with cabbage, garlic chives, and a soy-forward broth laced with garlic.
Motsunabe is a Fukuoka-born hot pot where beef or pork offal is simmered together with cabbage and garlic chives in a soy- or miso-based soup. Shared from a single pot with friends, it’s classic Kyushu comfort food. Here in Togoshi-Ginza, you can experience that warming, after-work style of eating without having to fly all the way to Hakata.
My Memory
The "Motsunabe Boom" hit Tokyo in the early 1990s, right after Japan's economic bubble burst.
Until then, gourmet magazines had been obsessed with high-end French cuisine and luxury kaiseki. But suddenly, the headlines changed to: "From now on, it's Motsunabe." Naturally, my friends and I jumped on the bandwagon. I remember us going out to eat it, half-joking, "Apparently, eating offal is the stylish thing to do now."
Up until then, "hot pot" meant standard dishes like chicken mizutaki or salmon ishikari-nabe. The "puru-puru" (jiggly) texture of the fresh beef fat was a complete shock to my palate.
Decades later, it hasn't disappeared. Praised for being rich in collagen, it has evolved from a crazy trend into a beloved staple found in izakayas all over Japan.
๐ก Did You Know?
Motsunabe started as a stamina meal for coal miners!
After World War II, food was scarce. In Fukuoka, coal miners began cooking nutrient-rich offal (which was often discarded at the time) with chives in simple aluminum pots to gain energy for their hard labor.
What began as a humble "working-class survival meal" cooked in lightweight metal pans has since evolved into one of Japan's most beloved regional soul foods.
What to Try
Hakata Motsunabe (soy broth, for two or more)
This is the star of the table. The kitchen uses domestic beef offal, charcoal-seared before simmering so that what you taste is sweetness and richness rather than strong smell. As the pot boils, fat slowly melts into the broth, seasoning the cabbage and garlic chives with a deep, meaty flavor.
Zosui (rice and egg in the remaining broth)
After most of the offal and vegetables are gone, don’t let the broth go to waste. Ask for rice and egg and turn the pot into zosui—Japanese-style rice porridge. The rendered fat coats each grain of rice, making the last few spoonfuls the richest part of the meal. It’s the kind of finish that convinces you why this dish became Hakata’s soul food.
Aburi Mentaiko & Shochu Soda
While waiting for your hotpot, I highly recommend starting with this "Golden Pairing" of Hakata culture.
Aburi Mentaiko is spicy cured cod roe. Here, it is grilled thoroughly until fragrant. Cooking it through concentrates the savory, spicy flavor, giving it a firm texture that is different from the raw version.
Its intense taste demands a crisp drink, which is where the Shochu Soda comes in. The dry, bubbly kick of the shochu (distilled spirit) cuts through the richness of the roe perfectly.
Tokyo or Trip?
๐ข Great-in-Tokyo — Great experience you can enjoy in Tokyo.
Hakata’s motsunabe is a classic reason to visit Fukuoka, but this Togoshi-Ginza shop brings the experience surprisingly close. If your itinerary doesn’t include Kyushu, sharing a bubbling pot here is an excellent way to understand why locals love this dish—complete with that essential rice-and-egg finish. And if you later travel to Fukuoka, you’ll be ready to compare Tokyo’s version with the hometown original.
Explore Nearby
- Hakata-Style Tempura (Wakataka) — One-by-One Style ๐ค
- Chicken Nanban in Tokyo — Kyushu Flavor Meets Tartar Elegance ๐
- Oden in Togoshi-Ginza, Tokyo — A Warm Taste of Everyday Japan ๐ข
- Menchi-Katsu in Togoshi-Ginza — Butcher Shop Fried Snack ๐
- Onigiri in Tokyo — Japan’s Rice Ball Culture ๐
Similar Dishes
- Jibu-ni in Kanazawa — Kaga-Style Duck Stew ๐ฒ
- Doteyaki at Shimasho, Nagoya — Hatcho-Miso Oden ๐ฒ
- Oden at Kuroyuri, Kanazawa Station — The Heart of Winter Flavor ๐ฒ
External Links
About "Taste of Japan"
Hello, I'm Yuta.
Born in landlocked Yamanashi and having lived in the gourmet city of Sendai for 10 years, I now call Togoshi-Ginza home. My frequent business trips across Japan allow me to constantly explore the diversity of regional flavors.
Why Togoshi-Ginza?
This street is Tokyo’s longest shopping arcade (about 1.3 km), but it holds a special history. It was the very first street in Japan to adopt the "Ginza" name—a tradition that later spread across the country—after receiving bricks from the famous Ginza district following the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake.
My Wish as a Local
I am not a culinary expert. However, as a Japanese local who knows both the convenience of Tokyo and the origins of regional food, I want to share the "atmosphere" and "personal feelings" that you won't find in standard guidebooks.
The Concept: "Tokyo or Trip?"
Visiting every region of Japan in a single trip is nearly impossible. Some food experiences are worth the travel to the source, while others offer a fully satisfying experience right here in Tokyo.
This blog is a guide to help you make that choice. Based in Togoshi-Ginza, I share my honest experiences and "my personal answer" to help you maximize your culinary journey in Japan.
- ๐ Local-First: Best experienced in its home region. Worth a trip.
- ๐ข Great-in-Tokyo: A nationwide favorite or regional specialty that offers a fully satisfying, authentic experience right here in Tokyo.
- ๐ฃ Tokyo-Do-Must: A unique food culture born in or exclusive to Tokyo.