Yokohamaya

I previously wrote about senmonten - places that do one thing and one thing only, and do it damn well. That’s what Yokohamaya is. 

This cozy cafe has served Hayashi rice and only Hayashi rice for over 40 years. 

Hayashi rice is not fancy by any means; it’s commonly eaten at home. With beef, onions, and mushrooms in a thick demi-glace sauce, Hayashi rice is savory and comforting. It’s a dish that doesn’t exist in Western countries but is a Japanese idea of what a Western dish might taste like. Straddling the line between Japanese and Western flavors, the unique taste of this Japanese soul food may have you experiencing feelings of nostalgia even if it’s your first time eating Hayashi rice.

Ordering is easy as the Hayashi rice comes in two sizes, regular and large. 

Yokohamaya also has outstanding coffee (hot or cold—both are delicious). Don’t skip the coffee.

As with many cafes in Japan, the beautiful china for the coffee has been impeccably curated and Yokohamaya has a calm, elegant vibe. You’ll feel like you’ve stepped into a timeless cafe away from all the skyscrapers and modernity of Tokyo.

A great place to have a delicious meal, a world-class coffee, and recharge before your next Tokyo adventure.

As you can see from the photo, this gem sits practically in the shadow of Tokyo Tower, making it a convenient place to visit before or after visiting the tower. Maybe even instead of. What can I say? I like to eat, and I’ve seen the tower before.

A Website for Yokohamaya

(Thanks to Mark D. for introducing me to this place)

Numbers in Kanji

We all have translation apps on our phones these days, but there are occasions when they don’t work properly, you don’t have WIFI, or you forgot to download the Japanese dictionary so you could look offline.

Learning to read how numbers are written in Japanese Kanji is very useful. I found this out one day when I popped into a nice-looking yakitori shop in Kyoto. They didn’t have an English menu, and the prices of the yakitori were written in Kanji, which I did not read at all back then. I’d eaten at dozens of yakitori places and had a good idea of how much skewers cost, so all was good. 

The yakitori was spectacular, some of the best I’ve had. Having a healthy appetite, and since the food was incredible, I ordered whatever I wanted and then some. I received a bit of a surprise when the bill arrived. I don’t want you to have the same experience.

Some restaurants prefer to list prices in Kanji instead of Roman numerals. You don’t need to learn Japanese to have an amazing vacation in Japan (although any amount is useful and will improve your holiday). I highly recommend getting familiar with the kanji for numbers. Several are incredibly easy, and you will learn them in seconds. The rest won’t take too long.

Here’s a link to the kanji for the numbers 1-10 and more. (You really only need to learn 1-10 and zero is written as 0 (not in its kanji form).

Gado-shita Koenji

If you’re ready for a change from Yakitori Alley, or Nonbei Yokochi in Shibuya, check out the Gado-shita in Koenji. 

Gado-shita means under the train tracks. The Chuo Line tracks are elevated right next to the station in Koenji and there’s a plethora of small restaurants and bars here. You’ll find yakitori, gyoza, yakiton (like yakitori but with pork instead of chicken), sushi, Italian food, bars, live houses, vegetarian restaurants, and more under the tracks and extending in every direction from there.

It’s recently undergone some changes with some older izakayas and shops being replaced by modern chains or relocated further from the station, but it still retains a fun, funky atmosphere.

Go here any night of the week and you’ll find people hanging out, eating, drinking, laughing, and generally having a good time.

It’s right by the station and has more small restaurants and bars than you could try in a month. The locals are generally welcoming and will be curious why you are in Koenji, as it’s still a small area without much worldwide recognition other than among vintage clothing shoppers. This area is a perfect end to a day of shopping.

Note regarding last week’s issue:

I misspelled tabelog.com in the last issue of Japan or Die and it may have sent you to the wrong website. I’ve corrected the link online on the newsletter blog but wanted to add this for people who don’t read the newsletter online or aren’t aware that there is a blog version. (Thanks to Rick M. for catching this)