Yota Tsunoda | "Tokyo Romantic Izakaya" | Part 4: Nakameguro's "Tohachi"
A 37-year-old izakaya with exceptional stability. For the final course, mentaiko udon and nori udon.
Volume 4: Nakameguro "Tohachi"
Tohachi is a two-minute walk from Nakameguro Station, just across the Meguro River. Perhaps due to the area, the clientele at this unpretentious, popular izakaya is a mix of ages and genders, including many foreigners.
Text by KAKUDA YotaPhotographs by NAKAMICHI Atsushi
What regulars look forward to...
Upon entering, you'll find a space with table and counter seating for about 35 people, and two tatami rooms further in. The charismatic proprietress greets customers with polite conversation every day at 7 PM as they arrive. It's common for patrons to settle in and chat, a ritual that regulars eagerly anticipate. We encourage you to strike up a conversation with the "Mama."
We start with a bottled "Akaboshi" beer and enjoy the fried fish cake and croquettes. The fish cake, with its fluffy texture from the egg white, is particularly intriguing. Next, we try Tohachi's special sausage, a fragrant dish seasoned with miso that pairs wonderfully with beer, sake, or wine. It's so good, you might order it twice in one night.
While the sashimi and dried fish are delicious, we highly recommend the grilled sea bream head, tuna jaw, and collar.
These grilled dishes, meant to be savored, are very reasonably priced and pair exceptionally well with sake. The winter melon with minced shrimp is a perfect palate cleanser.
We also indulge in the classic macaroni salad and a refreshing 'nebaneba yose' – a mix of okra, yam, seaweed, and natto.
The numerous signs plastered on the walls define the restaurant's atmosphere. The menus, with their black text on red borders and repeated red prices, transform the typical faux-interior walls of the era into a vibrant, atmospheric izakaya.
The tokkuri (sake flasks) used here have the classic shape everyone imagines, offering a sense of familiarity and comfort.
We shared the mentaiko udon and nori udon for our final course, reaching the peak of satisfaction before departing.
In an area filled with stylish new establishments, this 37-year-old izakaya offers a welcome sense of stability. If you find yourself wondering where to go near Yari-mizu or Nakameguro, we urge you to step into Tohachi.
Tohachi
1-3-16 Kamimeguro, Meguro-ku, Tokyo
Tel. 03-3710-8729
Hours: 5:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Closed: Sundays & Public Holidays
KAKUDA Yota
Designer. Born in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, in 1979. Moved to the UK in 2003, gaining experience at various firms. Completed studies at the Royal College of Art (RCA) in 2007. After returning to Japan in 2008, he worked as a product designer for MUJI before establishing YOTA KAKUDA DESIGN in 2011.
http://www.yotakakuda.com/
NAKAMICHI Atsushi
Born in Hyogo Prefecture in 1957. Graduated from Tokyo Polytechnic University Junior College in 1979. Studied under Takeshi Nakasa from the same year and has been with Nacasa & Partners since. Active primarily in architecture and interior design. Shoots over 400 projects annually.
http://www.nacasa.co.jp/
