Asakusa is a popular area for Tokyo sightseeing with many tourist spots scattered around. Sensoji Temple, the oldest temple in Tokyo, is connected to Nakamise Street, famous as Japan's oldest shopping street. Stretching about 250 meters from Kaminarimon Gate to Hozomon Gate, vermilion-painted shops line both sides of the street.
Many shops sell Japanese sweets that are easy to eat while walking, such as dango, sweet potato yokan, and dorayaki. When you see the Hanayashiki, Japan's oldest amusement park, and rickshaws (two-wheeled vehicles pulled by a person carrying passengers) that were used in the Meiji era, you'll strongly feel Japanese culture.
Asakusa is bustling with tourists not only on weekends but also on weekdays, and there are plenty of restaurants. From here, we'll introduce yakiniku restaurants that are popular among foreigners.
What is Yakiniku in Japanese Cuisine?
Yakiniku, familiar in Japan, is said to have originated from Korean residents in Japan who started grilling offal. Food stalls grilling offal emerged during the postwar food shortage. From there, the culture of "grilling meat over direct fire" was born.
As food distribution stabilized, around 1945, "Meigetsu-kan," considered the root of yakiniku restaurants, opened in Tokyo. Around the same time, "Shokudoen" opened in Osaka, and yakiniku restaurants offering menus like loin and kalbi spread nationwide.
From this background, we can say that yakiniku developed uniquely in Japan. While yakiniku has an image of being enjoyed by large groups, solo yakiniku, where you can eat leisurely alone, is also gaining attention for its convenience.
Recommended Yakiniku Restaurants in Asakusa
Yakiniku Dan Asakusa
source：Tabelog
Yakiniku Dan Asakusa is a yakiniku restaurant with the motto "Not just 'Dan' will do, but 'Dan' is good." The name "Dan" comes from the Japanese word "danran" (spending quality time with close people), with the wish that it will be like "dan"ran in the yakiniku restaurant.
Unusually for a yakiniku restaurant, they sell not only sets but also single slices or half portions of meat. You can choose your favorite meat from 4-6 carefully selected cuts daily, or enjoy various cuts in small amounts.
The recommendation is the Dan Festival Platter (3 servings of 3 types: kalbi, loin, and selected trimmings). I ordered it too, and the tender kalbi with its rich fat and the melt-in-your-mouth texture of the less fatty loin were pure bliss. I ate it with simple salt, but next time I want to try it with sauce.
For foreigners, I also recommend the wagyu nigiri sushi, which is hard to find in sushi restaurants.
<Store Information>
- Address: KIYAMA 1F, 2-13-4 Asakusa, Taito-ku
- Closed: Tuesdays
- Phone: 03-3847-5600
- Hours: Mon-Fri 16:00-23:00, Sat/Sun/Holidays 15:00-23:00
- Official website
Yakiniku Kimura
source：Hot Pepper Gourmet
Yakiniku Kimura sources female cows known for their fine marbling among "Kuroge Wagyu," a Japanese brand beef proud to the world. A popular menu item is shin-shin. It's a rare cut from the thigh, with a meaty red color but soft and beautifully marbled, offering a balanced taste.
My recommendation is the bruschetta. Especially recommended for foreigners, the bruschetta has seared yukhoe (Korean-style raw beef) on top of garlic butter toast. The tender beef with a runny egg yolk and sweet sauce is a perfect match with the crispy toast. It's easy to eat with one hand and goes well as a snack with drinks.
The stylish interior with jazz playing in the background, like a high-end Japanese restaurant, is another attractive point where you can spend a relaxing time.
<Store Information>
- Address: 1F, 2-13-13 Asakusa, Taito-ku
- Closed: Mondays
- Phone: 050-5571-9629
- Hours: 17:00-0:00
- Official site
Wagyu Yakiniku Asakusa Jiryu
source：Official website
Wagyu Yakiniku Asakusa Jiryu is a yakiniku restaurant that focuses on quality ingredients, using "famous Kuroge Wagyu," sweet "Imo pork," "Yukishio" salt that costs 100 times more than regular salt, and domestically produced first-grade rice selected by a five-star rice meister (a qualification equivalent to a doctoral degree in rice). It's a famous restaurant in Asakusa that I especially recommend to those who value quality.
What surprised me was the Yukishio, a salt brought from Hiroshima and pressed with rice flour. It gives the meat a mild taste. Its snowflake-like appearance is also attractive for photos.
There are plenty of toppings to enhance the taste of each cut, such as freeze-dried soy sauce, lemon, and Korean seaweed. If you're curious about a topping, ask the staff about which cut it pairs well with. They'll tell you the best combination.
The recommendation is the Jiryu Popular Course. With kimchi, finishing rice, 6 types of meat, and 2 hours of all-you-can-drink, you can spend an exquisite time.
<Store Information>
- Address: YBC1F, 1-16-9 Kaminarimon, Taito-ku
- Closed: Open daily
- Phone: 03-5246-4496
- Hours: 11:00-16:00, 17:00-23:00
- Official site
Yakiniku Rakuen
source：Hot Pepper Gourmet
Yakiniku Rakuen is conveniently located a 5-minute walk from Asakusa Station, with a distinctive blue noren curtain decorated with a cow design. The meat used is carefully selected domestic beef sourced by the head chef himself. Besides meat, they also offer grilled menus of offal, pork, chicken, and seafood.
The recommended menu is yukhoe (raw beef finely chopped and seasoned with sweet and spicy sauce). The juicy meat condensed with rich umami pairs perfectly with the mild egg yolk. It's a dish that can only be offered because the meat is so fresh.
Another attraction is that it's open until late at night, from 17:00 to 0:00. How about using it not only for a leisurely first stop but also as a second stop when you're not done drinking?
<Store Information>
- Address: 2-14-7 Asakusa, Taito-ku
- Closed: Thursdays
- Phone: Unknown
- Hours: 17:00-0:00
- Official site
Asakusa Yakiniku Kojuen
source：Tabelog
Asakusa Yakiniku Kojuen is a yakiniku restaurant directly managed by a butcher shop, proud of its fresh pork offal as well as beef. The beef lineup includes A5 rank brand beef such as Yamagata beef and Miyazaki beef. It's reputed to be more reasonably priced than typical yakiniku restaurants.
Recommendations include pork offal such as tontoro (pork cheek to neck) with sweet fat, hatsu (heart) that goes well with alcohol, and liver with a deep flavor. I tried the hatsu, and I got carried away eating it because of its crunchy texture that releases more flavor the more you chew. It was easy to eat because it has little fat.
All seats are equipped with smokeless roasters, so you can enjoy your meal without worrying about the smell often associated with yakiniku. The interior with dimmed lighting that gives a Japanese modern feel is perfect not only for family use but also for dates.
<Store Information>
- Address: THE CITY Asakusa Kaminarimon 3F, 2-18-16 Kaminarimon, Taito-ku
- Closed: Mondays
- Phone: 03-6231-7240
- Hours: 11:30-15:00, 17:00-22:00
- Official site
Yakiniku Wakaba
source：Tabelog
Yakiniku Wakaba is a yakiniku restaurant located on "Asakusa Hisago Street," a shopping street lined with restaurants and Japanese accessory shops. It features mainly carefully selected domestic beef and a wide variety of appetizers and side dishes. It's recommended to top the original sauce with condiments (garlic, green chili, green onion) to enhance the flavor of the meat.
Specialties are steamed pork and Kosari soup (a Korean soup made with crushed Zenmai, a type of offal). Being told it's a specialty, I tried the Kosari soup in winter, and its thick texture blew away the cold, warming me up from the core.
Seating options include table seats and raised tatami areas. The Japanese-style raised tatami seats, where you take off your shoes to sit, are popular for use with children as they allow for a relaxed time.
<Store Information>
- Address: 2-14-12 Asakusa, Taito-ku
- Closed: Wednesdays
- Phone: 03-6314-9602
- Hours: 17:30-22:00
- Official site
Asakusa Yakiniku Horumon Kirakuen
source：Tabelog
Asakusa Yakiniku Horumon Kirakuen buys whole A5 rank wagyu cattle, allowing you to eat rare cuts that are usually hard to find. They stick to pure domestic special black brand beef and achieve reasonable prices by buying whole cattle with cash.
The recommendation is the 5,500 yen course where you can enjoy 5 types of special and high-grade meat. In addition to their proud meat, it includes 10 items such as kimchi, namul, bibimbap, and spicy yukgaejang soup, offering great value for money. I ordered it too, and the sirloin and subton had fine marbling, allowing me to enjoy a higher level of taste with fat that wasn't too heavy.
You can also add all-you-can-drink, so how about enjoying yakiniku in a slightly tipsy mood? The interior includes table seats, private rooms, and Japanese-style sunken kotatsu (seats where you can put your feet under the table), which is attractive as you can use them according to the occasion.
<Store Information>
- Address: 3-1-9 Nishi-Asakusa, Taito-ku
- Closed: None
- Phone: 03-3844-7729
- Hours: Weekdays 16:30-3:00 next morning, Sat/Sun/Holidays 11:30-3:00 next morning
- Official site
Points about Yakiniku
Did you know there's a delicious way to eat yakiniku? Here's the order of eating meat recommended by yakiniku connoisseurs:
1. Side dishes: Kimchi has an appetite-enhancing effect, while soup and salad prevent blood sugar spikes.
2. Tongue: It's easy to eat with its lean and mild taste, and it's less likely to burn on the grill.
3. Loin and kalbi: These are the main meats when your stomach has become active. For sauces, it's best to go from light to strong flavors: salt → soy sauce → miso flavor, to avoid losing the meat's flavor.
4. Offal: As it's fatty and takes time to grill, it's good to eat when you're somewhat full.
5. Finish: If you have room, rice, noodles, or a refreshing dessert is perfect for cleansing your palate.
Because yakiniku has many different cuts, being conscious of the eating order allows you to enjoy it even more deliciously. Please give it a try.
Summary
Yakiniku is popular not only among Japanese but also among foreigners. This time, we introduced famous restaurants in Asakusa where you can easily eat carefully prepared wagyu beef.
There are so many yakiniku restaurants that have developed uniquely in Japan, even just in the Asakusa area, that it's hard to choose. Each restaurant has its own characteristics, such as focusing not only on meat but also on offal, having a variety of seating options, or offering all-you-can-drink plans. Try to find the perfect one that matches your group and purpose.
The high-quality meat you eat when you're hungry after exploring Asakusa's tourist spots is exquisite.