Toyosu-Fresh Chutoro at a Hidden Izakaya in Togoshi-Ginza — Tokyo’s Market Craft in a Neighborhood Pub
🟣 Tokyo-Do-Must — Only-in-Tokyo experience.
A quietly beloved mom-and-pop izakaya in Togoshi-Ginza, where the owner visits Toyosu Market every morning. It’s the kind of place where you might be offered something special—like this beautifully sliced chutoro sashimi—served market-fresh, carefully prepared, and with the warmth of a long-standing neighborhood pub.
Last updated: 2025-12-06
Introduction
“We received some exceptionally good tuna today—would you like to try it?” That gentle offer was the beginning of this plate of chutoro sashimi: vibrant, rich, and beautifully cut.
This small, long-established izakaya has stood in the Togoshi-Ginza shopping street for over 50 years. The owner—an energetic woman in her seventies—still visits Toyosu Market every single morning, selecting only ingredients that meet her own standards.
In this friendly neighborhood setting, you can enjoy sashimi that rivals what specialty restaurants serve—an example of how Tokyo’s humble local shops can deliver unexpectedly high quality.
My Memory
Walking through Togoshi-Ginza is part of my daily routine, and there was always one spot that caught my eye: an izakaya with red lanterns retaining the nostalgic atmosphere of the Showa era.
Through the gap in the noren curtains, I could see it was a counter-only shop, always filled with the smiles of the landlady and her customers. I assumed, "This must be a sanctuary for regulars."
One day, I decided to step inside. Contrary to my fears, the landlady chatted with me in a friendly way, and the regulars welcomed a first-timer without hesitation. That sense of relief and warmth hooked me, and now I find myself coming back again and again.
💡 Did You Know?
The Meaning of "Akachochin" (Red Lantern)
In Japan, a red lantern hanging outside a shop is a universal symbol for a "casual, affordable pub for the common people."
It signals a place where you can relax after work without worrying about etiquette or high prices. These spots often preserve the nostalgic atmosphere of the Showa Era (1926–1989), characterized by close interaction between the owner and guests, hearty home-style cooking, and a warm sense of community.
What to Try
Seasonal Small Plates
The strength of this izakaya lies in its commitment to fresh, seasonal ingredients. Vegetables, seafood, and the day’s market finds are carefully cleaned and prepared to highlight their natural flavors.
Whatever the owner recommends that day—you can trust it without hesitation.
Seki Aji Sashimi (Premium Horse Mackerel)
This photo is from a different visit, proving that the menu changes based on the market's best. The owner secured "Seki Aji"—a top-tier mackerel brand from Oita—at Toyosu the day before.
Instead of serving it immediately, she prepared and aged it overnight. The result was incredible: it retained the signature crisp bite of Seki Aji, but the aging process added a rich, creamy texture known as nettori. It’s a perfect example of how she knows exactly when a fish hits its peak.
Gindara Teriyaki (Grilled Black Cod)
While standard teriyaki is often dusted with flour and pan-fried with sauce, she calls that method "heresy."
At Otaki, she does it the hard way: marinating the fatty Black Cod in sauce for a full day, then grilling it over a net. The result is a perfect marriage of the fish's rich fat and the deeply soaked savory-sweet sauce. It is an irresistible flavor that only time and careful grilling can produce.
Motsuni (Simmered Offal Stew)
The texture is incredibly tender, served in a gentle, comforting miso broth. The crisp green onions and a dash of shichimi spice provide the perfect accent.
When I asked the owner about the secret to this balance, she told me she specifically uses the large intestine (daicho). "Too much fat is heavy, too little is dry," she explained. The large intestine offers the perfect ratio for a stew that is rich yet easy to eat.
Nameko Oroshi (Grated Daikon with Mushrooms)
This was served as the daily otoshi (appetizer). It is a simple, rustic dish of slippery nameko mushrooms mixed with refreshing grated daikon radish.
However, she topped it with fine strips of yuzu citrus. This small touch is very characteristic of "Mama's" style. The bright, elegant aroma of the yuzu instantly upgrades a standard home-style side dish into something refined.
Nukazuke Pickles
Among the many reliable dishes, the nukazuke pickles stand out. While pickles are common on izakaya menus, nukazuke is surprisingly rare because maintaining a rice-bran ferment requires daily care and attention.
Here, the owner tends the ferment every day, serving refreshing, well-balanced pickles that pair beautifully with sake or beer. It’s a small but meaningful expression of traditional flavor.
Tokyo or Trip?
🟣 Tokyo-Do-Must — Only-in-Tokyo experience.
Even in Tokyo, it is uncommon for a small, independently run izakaya to visit Toyosu Market every single day and personally select seasonal ingredients. Discovering a place that may look modest from the outside yet refuses to compromise on quality is one of the joys of exploring Tokyo’s local neighborhoods.
Craftsmanship, inherited techniques, and heartfelt cooking—these are experiences you don’t always need to travel far to find. Sometimes, they appear unexpectedly in the everyday streets of the city.
Enjoying “the best fish from all over Japan” at a humble local pub is a uniquely Tokyo experience. I hope you’ll come across places like this and savor that discovery.
Explore Nearby
- Grilled Saba Sushi from Sakai City Shop in Togoshi-Ginza — Fukui’s Classic Flavor 🍣
- Kobore Sushi in Togoshi-Ginza — Overflow Gunkan Rolls with Ikura and Sea Grapes 🍱
- Onigiri (Omusubi) in Tokyo — Japan’s Rice Balls and Nori Culture 🍙
- Taiyaki in Togoshi-Ginza — Rice-Flour Fish-Shaped Sweets 🐟
- Oden in Togoshi-Ginza, Tokyo — A Warm Taste of Everyday Japan 🍢
Similar Dishes
- Hon-Maguro Tuna Bowl in Shizuoka — Fresh Local Tuna over Rice 🍱
- Hakata Ika Sashimi — Taste Fukuoka’s Fresh Squid 🦑
- Shiroebi — Sweet White Shrimp of Toyama Bay 🦐
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.
- 🟠 Local-First: Best experienced in its home region. Worth a trip.
- 🟢 Great-in-Tokyo: A nationwide favorite or regional specialty that offers a fully satisfying, authentic experience right here in Tokyo.
- 🟣 Tokyo-Do-Must: A unique food culture born in or exclusive to Tokyo.