I had arrived at Mito Station and felt like eating some local specialty. When you travel around regional Japan, the most accurate and fastest way to get information is, above all, to ask at the tourist information office (you’ll need to speak Japanese, though). Why? Because these folks have lived in the town for decades and have been to every good restaurant around. So I got a few recommendations, but the two or three that looked the best were already fully booked. Well… it was only to be expected, so I went into an izakaya that looked decent enough. Honestly, since I had no idea what time I’d be back from Oarai, booking ahead wasn’t possible, so it really was only to be expected.

The arcade in front of the station

The izakaya Uohime is inside here. On the way I spotted a bar that looked pretty cool, but it felt a bit awkward for a tourist to walk in. In moments like this, a tip from the tourist information office really is the best.

Otoshi (the starter)

I heard Mito is famous for its beans. That’s why tofu and natto are famous here, it seems… I wonder if edamame is part of the same lineage…

Tofu

I really enjoyed this. Nice and nutty. When you go to the countryside, you really have to try the local specialties.

Fried natto

It’s this place’s own signature dish, and the texture was fun. If you like natto, it might be worth a try?

The inside…

The idea of deep-frying natto is something you’d probably only find in Mito…

Asparagus tempura

This was really satisfying too.

Dashimaki (rolled omelette)

A standard menu item.

Negitoro roll

I ordered this as a snack that doubles as my rice.

Cheap prices and high satisfaction. The only thing is that the menu feels a bit skewed toward beans… Next time I visit Mito, I’ll have to book an izakaya well in advance.

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