"Who do you respect?" This is a question that was often asked during past job interviews. Currently, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare states that "matters related to ideology or beliefs are not relevant to suitability or ability." In the past, typical answers included "my parents," "school teachers," or "accomplished athletes." Some even mentioned figures like "Prince Shotoku" or "Yukichi Fukuzawa." It can be a bit awkward when the reason is simply "because they are featured on banknotes." Speaking of which, the now rarely seen 2000 yen note used to feature the Shureimon gate in Okinawa. The 5000 yen note has featured "Koizumi Yakumo" since 2004, and the person before that was "Nitobe Inazo," known for his famous work. For breakfast today, I had a "Katsuobushi bowl" at #Sekidou, a new place in Awajicho. The morning-only Katsuobushi bowl set costs 800 yen. It arrived in less than 5 minutes, with a generous pile of Katsuobushi. To prevent spillage, I transferred some to a small plate and topped it with an egg yolk. I poured dashi soy sauce over it and enjoyed the fluffy texture, distinct aroma, and rich umami. The combination with the rich egg flavor was also excellent. The Katsuobushi itself had a flavorful taste. After eating about half, I added pickles, poured dashi over them, and savored the comforting taste. The variety of pickles was enjoyable. It made me feel happy from the morning. I'm curious about the side dishes, so I'd like to visit again."

I found a breakfast place in Ochanomizu. The interior is bright and clean, and the staff's explanations are polite. I ordered the Katsuobushi donburi breakfast set (980 yen) and added extra rice (150 yen). When I placed my order, I could hear the sound of shaving the bonito flakes. I carefully read the instructions on how to eat it while waiting. Not only the quality of the bonito flakes but also the way they were shaved was impressive. My expectations were high. When the tray arrived, it had a bowl, miso soup, pickles, and a raw egg. The bonito flakes were dancing on top of the bowl. I was mesmerized. I took a bite. The bonito flakes had a unique texture that melted in my mouth, leaving behind a soft aroma. I scooped half of the mountain of bonito flakes into an empty bowl and followed the instructions on how to eat them. Even though I wasn't very hungry, I asked for an extra serving of rice. It was so delicious! I enjoyed the egg with dashi soy sauce and even made a soup with the remaining broth. I felt satisfied. As a note for myself, next time I will pour the egg and dashi soy sauce over the rice first and then top it with the bonito flakes to preserve their fluffy texture. It was a delightful meal. Thank you!

Visited around 9:00 on a holiday. There was only one customer. I ordered a morning limited set meal for about 980 yen. It had a lot of bonito flakes. It tasted okay, but it was difficult to eat with so many bonito flakes. It tasted good when I made it into a tamago kake gohan with the delicious egg. The rice was also tasty. However, be careful as it doesn't taste good if you turn it into ochazuke with the same feeling as tamago kake gohan. The large umeboshi was delicious, but considering the price and overall taste, it was just okay. I would be happy if they had fried bonito belly or something like that...

This is the Tokyo branch of a shop with its main store in Kyoto. I visited in the morning for their breakfast menu which starts at 7:30 am. Since it's a shop specializing in katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) bowls, I decided to go for a set meal with two side dishes and no egg. The side dishes for that day were tofu sashimi and dried daikon radish. The katsuobushi was shaved thinly and had a unique texture that melted in the mouth. It was delicious, although I didn't find it particularly impressive in terms of flavor. The miso soup, made with katsuobushi broth, was flavorful. Overall, it was a pleasant experience to enjoy a tasty katsuobushi rice bowl in the morning.

I visited a restaurant in Kyoto four years ago, and the experience was similar to Kyoto. The menu and serving style were the same. Even the instruction card on how to eat was the same. The small dish still consisted of yuba and wakame seaweed. However, the price had increased by 1.5 times. The flavor of the dried bonito flakes was rich and had a cotton candy-like sensation as it disappeared. The savory aroma of the bonito flakes combined with the soy sauce created a deep and flavorful taste. It was a moment where I felt Japan in Japan. Previously, I used the whole egg for a rice bowl with bonito flakes, but this morning I only used the egg yolk. The egg white was added to miso soup. Even though it didn't solidify due to the lower temperature, I quite like miso soup with egg white. The egg yolk was quite firm, and even when I broke it with chopsticks, it didn't spread easily due to its viscosity. It was convenient for later use with the broth. The sweetness of the egg yolk was also strong and delicious. After finishing the part with the mixed egg yolk, I poured bonito broth over it for ochazuke. It's nice to finish with ochazuke like this. I enjoyed it with Kyoto pickles. Thank you for the meal.

When you enter the shop, there is a nice aroma of bonito flakes in the air. The bonito flakes are fluffy and have a strong flavor that spreads throughout your mouth. The egg was also excellent, and when it was put on top of rice, it made it even more delicious. The dashi for ochazuke (tea poured over rice) was also gently delicious.

On this day, I had a day off from work and was heading to my senior colleague's company for a scheduled appointment. While on the train, I received an email requesting to reschedule the appointment from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. due to a sudden visitor. With an hour to spare before the new appointment time, I remembered a restaurant I visited last December. I got off at Akihabara station, crossed Manseibashi and passed the intersection in Awajicho to quickly arrive at the restaurant. It specialized in bonito rice bowl. As I entered, there were two groups of four customers already seated. The atmosphere of the restaurant seemed to have changed since my last visit. The addition of a noren curtain at the back of the kitchen and wine glass hangers gave it a stylish touch. I ordered the morning set meal (with egg and pickled plum) as it was just before breakfast time. Surprisingly, they also served beer and wine now. The visually stunning bonito flakes disappeared in an instant when I took a bite. That's what makes this place stand out! I heard that it tastes great when you pour the dashi soy sauce and add wasabi, so I tried it immediately. Indeed, it was delicious! I was told that eating only the egg yolk in tamago kake gohan (raw egg over rice) is tastier, so I tried it with wasabi added, and I was amazed. It completely changed the concept of tamago kake gohan. The rice was almost gone due to its deliciousness, so I quickly added pickles, ginger, and the remaining bonito flakes to make ochazuke (rice in tea). The addition of suzuki (Japanese pepper), burdock, and pickled daikon enhanced the flavor even more. I must remember to ask for a refill of rice next time! The guidance from the staff further enhanced the dining experience. I might bring my daughter and grandchildren next time. Thank you for the wonderful meal!

Visited during the day on a regular day. Got a little lost in the back alleys for a while (laughs). Saw it on TV and felt like checking it out. I remember eating shaved bonito over rice a long time ago when there was nothing at home. It was delicious, but it felt kind of poor, you know? But that perception was completely changed here. The cafe-like atmosphere was small and clean. Ordered one side dish with an egg on top. They even provided a small plate to temporarily set aside the piled up food on top of the rice. It felt like I could fly with excitement, so I started by munching on the shaved bonito. Oh, it's definitely delicious. I also ordered yuba sashimi as a side dish. It was also delicious. The pickled burdock root was tasty as well. Then I cracked the egg, added just the yolk on top, drizzled soy sauce, and ate it. The shaved bonito kept flying around. I poured some dashi broth to make it like a rice porridge. I didn't want to waste the leftover egg white, so I beat it well and added it in. It was completely different from what I ate when I was little and there was nothing at home. I think it became a very elegant dish when paired with the side dish. But I feel like it would be even more delicious if I made it into a rice ball with bonito flakes. It's easier to eat (laughs).

Located just a 1-minute walk from Shin-Ochanomizu Station on the Chiyoda Line. The restaurant's page on Tabelog provides clear directions. Visited around 9 AM on a weekday with no wait. Ordered the Katsuo-bushi bowl and one side dish (with egg) for 1100 yen. The dish was packed with plenty of bonito flakes, giving me energy for the day. The gentle flavor was easy on my stomach, making it a great choice for breakfast. There were so many bonito flakes on the bowl that I transferred some to a separate plate before eating. Thank you for the meal!

I visited before heading to work in the morning♪ I walked from JR Ochanomizu Station. This area is familiar to me as I often walk around for the Kanda Curry GP event, so I arrived without getting lost. When I arrived, there were two other customers, a couple who seemed to be on a trip. The Kyoto store was always crowded, so this place is a hidden gem♪ I ordered the Bonito Flakes Bowl with Raw Egg. The menu had instructions on how to eat and enjoy the dish, so I followed them. First, I enjoyed the aroma of the piled up bonito flakes in a small dish. Then, I used a special strainer to separate the egg yolk, added soy sauce, and placed it on the bowl. The yolk was sweet and moist, and it paired well with the bonito flakes! Lastly, I added the broth to make ochazuke. The eating process is similar to hitsumabushi. The miso soup and pickles were also satisfying. I look forward to trying the oden menu when they start evening service. Thank you for the delicious meal♪

- Katsuobushi bowl and two side dishes set meal for 1200 yen - There seems to be a restaurant in Awaji-cho that serves katsuobushi bowls, so I went to check it out. Oh, it's next to [Papa Cooking Jinta]! There were four customers inside, with a decent amount of people. The interior is clean and has a modern feel. There are 4 counter seats and 2 table seats. The lighting is spot-on. I'm still a bit confused about the menu. According to the eating guide, you can eat it in three ways: 1) as it is, 2) with egg and dashi soy sauce, 3) as ochazuke. - The katsuobushi is piled high, you can't even see the rice. It comes with a special dish to temporarily evacuate the katsuobushi. The katsuobushi is thinly shaved and fluffy, but when it's this thin, the flavor of the katsuobushi doesn't come through much. There are two side dishes, yuba and wood ear mushrooms, both are lightly seasoned. It seems the main branch is in Kyoto, and their style of cooking is associated with light flavors. - I couldn't make it to option 3... probably because extra servings are charged. Since I chose TKG for option 2, it's impossible to have ochazuke, right? It would turn into an egg soup! I wish they would make extra servings free. I think the katsuobushi bowl for 800 yen until 11 a.m. is the right choice. Thank you for the meal~ლ(´ڡ`ლ)

I heard that the main store in Kyoto is always crowded, but the one in Tokyo was not as busy today, as it is a weekday during Golden Week in an office district. The large serving of bonito flakes was impressive. The staff advised me to transfer about half of the bonito flakes to a small dish before eating, as they tend to fly around. I started by putting the egg yolk on top and took a few bites. The condiments provided went well with it, making me want to eat more condiments. When I was about halfway done, I sprinkled the bonito flakes from the small dish on top and poured the bonito broth to make ochazuke, and finished it all. I was full and satisfied. I would like to visit again if I have the chance. I felt that the BGM in the restaurant didn't quite match the atmosphere. I thought it would be better if it was more in line with the vibe of the restaurant.

A restaurant in Awajimachi that opens from the morning. I visited for breakfast and there were no other customers at that time. I ordered the limited morning special bonito flakes rice bowl set. After I placed my order, I could hear the sound of a machine grinding bonito flakes. The set included the bonito flakes rice bowl, soup, simmered dish, condiments, and a boiled egg. The bonito flakes were large and fluffy. I first tried them as they were, enjoying the aroma and umami flavor. Then, I tried them with the egg and soy sauce, which enhanced the texture and brought out the flavor of the bonito flakes. The miso soup also had bonito flakes in it, but the flavor was mild. Lastly, I poured the bonito flakes-infused broth over the rice, creating a tea-flavored rice dish. It had a strong aroma and was very delicious.

Ordered menu: ¥1,200 Arrived at the restaurant on a weekday at 13:30 with no waiting time. Note: Specializes in katsuobushi rice bowl. Similar to a katsuobushi eatery in Shibuya. They focus on just a few menu options but they are delicious. I want to come back again.

"Setsudo" in a back alley of Yasukuni Street in Ogawa-cho. A popular bonito flakes bowl specialty store from Kyoto has landed in Tokyo! The concept is to serve "shaved bonito flakes on rice" using the world's highest quality bonito flakes. The focus is on using dried bonito flakes, which provide a unique aroma and smooth texture that can only be experienced when shaved. The thickness of the flakes is an incredible 0.01 millimeters! The dashi used for ochazuke also features the same highest quality dried bonito flakes, as well as a unique blend of kombu, urume, mackerel, sardine, shiitake mushrooms, and more. The rice is made with carefully selected ingredients from Kyoto's rice shop, Yatsudai Gibe, and is processed with near-perfect low-temperature milling to bring out the full flavor of the ingredients. The location is about a 3-minute walk from Awajicho Station on the Marunouchi Line. The bonito flakes bowl sign in the quiet back alley catches your eye. Just like the Kyoto store in Karasuma Oike, the store opens early in the morning, with the Awajicho store opening at 7:30 am. It is rare in this area, but they are also open on weekends. The interior has 4 counter seats and 3 table seats for a total of 14 seats. The store is managed by a single staff member, and on this Sunday morning just before 9 am, there were no other customers, but I was told that it had been full just a little while ago, which was surprising! The menu is simple with 3 options: ・Morning limited bonito flakes bowl set 800 yen *Until 11:00 ・Bonito flakes bowl with one side dish set 1000 yen ・Bonito flakes bowl with two side dishes set 1200 yen As it was morning, I decided to go with the morning limited bonito flakes bowl set. ◎Morning limited bonito flakes bowl set 800 yen Eggs, pickles, miso soup, and rice are served in a bowl right in front of the counter. Finally, the bonito flakes are shaved by a machine, carefully placed on the bowl, and the dish is complete! The bowl was served in just over 2 minutes. This bonito flakes bowl was like nothing I had ever tasted before. Despite being thinly shaved, each slice was extremely thin, giving it an airy appearance! Above all, the aroma was fantastic, which is the unique charm of freshly shaved bonito flakes. First, I tried the bonito flakes as they were. I had never tasted bonito flakes this thin before, but they somehow melted in my mouth. The fluffy aroma of the bonito, combined with the rich umami, created a snow-like melting texture! This thinness adds a special touch that is worth experiencing. Next, I enjoyed a luxurious TKG with eggs and dashi soy sauce. The egg yolk was sweet and rich, enhancing the flavor of the bonito flakes, making it a truly luxurious TKG! The dashi soy sauce brought out the umami flavor, creating an addictive deliciousness. Finally, I poured the special dashi over the dish to make ochazuke. The dashi, a blend of animal and plant-based ingredients, had a deep umami flavor that was inviting and easy on the stomach, with a smooth and delicious taste. The bonito flakes bowl was crafted to allow you to savor the flavor of the bonito flakes until the very end. It has a warm and inviting flavor that makes you want to eat it in the morning, and it's sure to soothe a hangover. In the evening, enjoy some side dishes with sake, and the dashi ochazuke will surely be a perfect match. Try the popular bonito flakes bowl from Kyoto, enveloped in a memorable texture and aroma. □Bonito flakes bowl specialty store Setsudo Tokyo Awajicho store Address: 1-15-12 Kanda Awajicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Phone number: 03-6841-7422 Business hours: 7:30 am to 3:00 pm (L.O. 2:30 pm) 5:30 pm to 10:30 pm (L.O. 10:00 pm) *Only Tuesday to Friday Stay time: 25 minutes Bill: 800 yen including tax Entry time: Sunday just before 9 am, no previous customers

*About a 1-minute walk from the B3a exit of Shin-Ochanomizu Station* The fluffy bonito flakes bowl that can be enjoyed three times in one meal is irresistible! The extremely polite service from the staff is very pleasant. ✨ <Recommended for> Solo lunch, girls' lunch, couples, etc. <Crowdedness> Visited on a weekday around 12pm, it was relatively empty. Most customers were having solo lunches. I don't usually use bonito flakes, so personally, it was a unique lunch choice.

The main store in Kyoto has long queues. This branch, the first of its kind, will open in December 2022. It is a specialty store for bonito flakes rice bowls, where you can choose one or two side dishes to add to your meal, increasing the price. I ordered a bonito flakes rice bowl with two side dishes (Koyadofu and lotus root kinpira) and some Japanese sake. I had the urge to blow on my food before eating it (laughs) and then enjoyed the bonito flakes rice bowl. It was a bit difficult to eat (laughs). Next, I cracked a whole egg over the rice, added some dashi soy sauce, mixed it all together, and it was surprisingly delicious! Before visiting, I thought it might be a plain and simple meal, but as Kawahara Izumi says, Japanese people love their "rice, miso, and soy sauce." The umami of the broth and the addition of Japanese sake made it even better. Despite feeling a bit corporate, I was quite satisfied with my breakfast. They will eventually start serving dinner as well, with "oden" as a snack option. Will we see lots of old men drinking sake and saying "ahh" while enjoying their food?

I visited the restaurant on Sunday around 8:30 am. There were 2 customers before me and no one after me. There were 2 energetic staff members, a young man and a young woman. I ordered the Katsuobushi rice bowl and one side dish set meal for 1,000 yen. I chose the pickled daikon radish as my side dish. They offered to make it into a rice bowl with raw egg and then turn it into ochazuke, which was a bit challenging.

It's been a while since I had a weekday off. I was thinking about what to get as a thank-you gift for my retirement, so I took a walk from Yotsuya to Kanda. I decided to buy all the return gifts at Ishii Sports Mountaineering Main Store, have them delivered to my home, and then realized I was hungry. I headed to the famous udon restaurant in Tokyo, but there was already a long line 10 minutes before opening. Feeling hungry, I decided to go to Nihonbashi or Otemachi while walking again. After a while, I found the entrance to Shin-Ochanomizu Station. I thought about taking the subway to Otemachi, but then I remembered that a Kyoto restaurant called "Setsudo" had opened nearby. I quickly searched and found out it was only a 2-3 minute walk from my current location. I changed my destination and arrived at the restaurant a little after 11 am. There were 2 groups of customers ahead of me and 2 groups behind me. I smoothly entered the restaurant and ordered a bonito flake bowl and a set meal with two side dishes. The bowl arrived in about 10 minutes. I first tried the shaved bonito flakes, which melted softly in my mouth, followed by the rich aroma of bonito flakes escaping through my nose. It was definitely high-quality dried bonito flakes. I poured soy sauce over the shaved bonito flakes, mixed them with hot rice, and took a bite. The rice, bonito flakes, and dashi soy sauce blended perfectly, creating an exquisite deliciousness. I then added a raw egg and mixed it before taking another bite. I resisted the urge to shovel it all in and savored the flavors. After eating more than half, I added pickles and wasabi, poured in the dashi, and regretted not getting a large portion of rice. Despite that, it was an early but very satisfying lunch. Thank you for the meal.

I saw this restaurant on Tabelog and wanted to try it out. It's located in a hard-to-find alley. I went there around 9:30 am on a Sunday and it was almost full. I ordered a morning limited bowl. The freshly shaved bonito flakes were delicious. I ate it with the egg and pickles, and finished by pouring the broth over it to make ochazuke. I definitely want to go back to this place.

- There are table seats and high chairs at the counter. - It seems to be understaffed when I visited. - They shave the bonito flakes every time you order. - They claim to have the world's highest quality bonito flakes, but it is unclear what makes them the best in the world. - There are quite a few bonito flakes on the floor. - It was discovered that the bonito flakes tend to float in the air when served. - The style is to enjoy a story of bonito flakes and rice only, mixing original soy sauce with raw egg, or having ochazuke. The shaved bonito flakes are delicious, but since everything is about bonito flakes, there are no new discoveries about them. The miso soup is light, but the broth is strong. They seem to have a special focus on the eggs, but there is no mention of this focus. Bonito flakes and side dishes set meal: 1000 yen