On a sunny day off I had a few errands in Ginza, and with the time left over I came to Tsukiji. Tsukiji has so many places to eat ^_^ I’m happy every time I go.
The shrine in Tsukiji’s inner market (Suijin Shrine)
Who knew this was here.. Could be worth a look as a bit of sightseeing.
Yoshinoya, the original shop
These days Yoshinoya is famous as a huge nationwide chain (they call it “the gyudon joint in front of the station”), but this is where it all started. Yoshinoya’s No. 1 shop. It’s a bit of a surprise that Yoshinoya, which feels like a byword for cheap gyudon, was once an authentic Tsukiji eatery (?).
Gyudon, 380 yen
The price is the same as at any other branch. Not just Yoshinoya, but most gyudon chains vary a lot in taste from branch to branch, and this one served a really well-made gyudon. Tender beef soaked through with sweetness, eaten with nicely cooked rice, is top-notch. With this kind of taste at this kind of price, no wonder it’s popular. Apparently when American beef couldn’t be imported they served gyudon made with wagyu, a bit pricier, but these days they’re back to American beef.
Soft-boiled egg
You just add toppings to suit your own taste. There are so many Yoshinoya shops, and the ones in front of stations are mostly pretty shabby, but the good ones among them are amazingly tasty for the price. That’s why the chain spread all over the country. Sukiya’s meat quality seems a bit lower, and Matsuya competes on being cheap, so I’m not a big fan of either. If you want to eat well every day, it’s good to know one or two places like this, right? ^_^ That said, the original Yoshinoya isn’t worth coming all the way to Tsukiji for. This time I had it as a light snack before lunch, and it’s just right for that.