Located just a short walk from Monja Street in Tsukishima, this traditional Japanese dining spot doesn't particularly stand out in terms of its food, service, or atmosphere. It seems to cater to those looking for a second meal after enjoying monja in the area, or perhaps to solo business travelers in the neighborhood. Run by a friendly older woman, the restaurant is usually not very crowded. She will strike up a conversation with you if there are no other customers around. It's a place where you can listen to her complaints and maybe offer a sympathetic ear. While there isn't a strong reason to choose this place over the many other charming restaurants in Tsukishima, its lack of commercialism is somewhat intriguing. Another nearby eatery, Wadokan Mikkan, shares a similar lack of business-mindedness. One unique item on the menu is the "asari men" for 1000 yen. I was initially hesitant to try it, but it turned out to be quite decent. It's a good choice on a cold day due to the generous amount of broth. In the warmer months, I would recommend trying the somen noodles instead. If you're looking to immerse yourself in the rustic charm and local conversations of Tsukishima, this is the kind of place you might enjoy.

On January 23rd (Wednesday), after finishing work, the drinking enthusiasts headed to Tsukishima. Today, the drinking enthusiasts organized a gathering with friends at Hotai-san for a "Rich and Delicious Ankou (monkfish) Nabe Party". When winter comes around, there's always a craving for Hotai-san's ankou nabe, so we couldn't help but plan this event! After enjoying the rich and delicious ankou nabe at Hotai-san's second branch, we decided to continue the night with more drinks! We headed to "Okuyama" located across from Hotai-san's second branch. This place is a small counter-only bar run by a friendly mama. We started with a bottle of white wine for a toast and the mama picked out some delicious snacks for us. As we finished the first bottle, we moved on to a second bottle of red wine! The counter at this bar is shaped like a "k", allowing us to chat closely with everyone, which was really nice!

Located just around the corner from Tsukishima Monja Street, this restaurant seems to have regular local customers who are on friendly terms with the owner. The menu mainly consists of light snacks such as dried squid. The atmosphere is not bad, but I wish they would offer more delicious dishes. We ended up spending 5000 yen for just a couple of drinks and some appetizers.

This is an intimate dining bar unique to the Tsukishima and Kachidoki area. Tsukishima has quite a few excellent Japanese-style dining bars besides the touristy monjayaki places, but this one stands out with its homey atmosphere where you take off your shoes and are welcomed with a friendly "welcome, come on in." Run by a somewhat eccentric owner, the cozy vibe makes it a comfortable place to hang out. While it has a bar-like atmosphere, the focus is on enjoying shochu while snacking on small dishes. They even offer tuna belly, adding to the homey feeling as if you were visiting a relative's house and they suddenly remembered they had some tuna belly to serve you. If you're curious about the hidden side of Tsukishima, definitely check it out.