This is the cafeteria inside JICA, but the general public can also enter. You can choose from three different weekly set meals at unbelievably cheap prices that you wouldn't expect in Tokyo. I had curry udon on this day, and it was delicious. It was crowded with many staff, including foreigners, as it was lunchtime. It was delicious! Thank you for the meal!

I read an article in the March special issue of Big Comic Original (2020/3/12) titled "Tokyo Local Guide" and decided to visit JICA Tokyo (Japan International Cooperation Agency) cafeteria and Tokyo Mosque on a sunny Wednesday. I arrived after a long walk from Yoyogi-Uehara Station with the help of my smartphone map. As an outsider, I had to write my name at the reception and receive a badge. I ordered the weekly World Menu at 11:52 (tax included 710 yen), which included Thai-style grilled chicken called Gai Yang, cucumber and tomato salad, rice, and mushroom cup soup. It was quite delicious. Water was self-service, and there were handwashing facilities but no wet towels. The cafeteria was decorated with hina dolls. The number of customers increased suddenly after 12 PM, with many foreigners among them. My wife and I had our meal at a small table, so we did not sit with them or engage in conversation. Overall, I was satisfied with the price compared to the quality. Although it's far from my usual area, I would like to visit occasionally. (Note 1) There was a lobby right outside the cafeteria with foreign clothes and books. There was also a prayer room further inside. (Note 2) I bought a chocolate called "Strawberry Cheesecake" as a souvenir (tax included 250 yen). It contains rice cereal and has a moderate taste. The sweetness is mild, perhaps for health reasons. It is originally from Malaysia and labeled as Halal chocolate on the receipt. (2020/2/21) It's chocolate, but as I ate it over three days, it started to taste better.

JICA in Hatagaya/Sasazuka zone is involved in international cooperation with developing countries. I visited the JICA cafe in Ichigaya, which is open to the public. They offer two daily lunch sets and a weekly special menu. The menu includes a variety of options such as dan dan noodles, Thai-style fried chicken called Gai Tod, pork fried rice, miso-grilled salmon, and chicken masala curry. I tried the Jerk Chicken & Beans Rice from the ethnic menu and the Havana-style Picadillo from the world menu. The Picadillo was mild and had a plain flavor, while the Jerk Chicken was delicious and satisfying. The dishes were authentic and different from typical family restaurants, making it a place I would like to visit regularly.

After the typhoon passed, it was a refreshing and warm Sunday afternoon at 1 pm. I took a walk along the Tamagawa Josui Promenade to JICA. JICA, which is also located in Ichigaya and other places, is open on Sundays and seems to be used by local residents as well. Upon entering, I signed the visitor log at the reception on the right side of the entrance, received a visitor badge, and went downstairs to the first floor. This facility is built on a sloping hill, so the entrance on the ground floor leads to the second floor. The lobby, with dim lighting, has a cafeteria where even the general public can dine. There is a TV, billiards table, and various vending machines in the lobby, making it feel like a hotel. The spacious and calm environment of the facility is quite relaxing. At the entrance to the cafeteria on the right, there are food samples and number plates for ordering (old-fashioned oval plastic tags). You combine the plates, pay at the register, and place your order with the kitchen. I chose the weekly World Menu, which featured American cuisine this week. I had the Cajun chicken and Jambalaya-style pilaf set for 700 yen. It is a self-service cafeteria, so the food was served within 2-3 minutes and brought to the table on a large tray. It was around 1:30 pm on a Sunday, and there were about 10 groups of people dining, with a steady stream of visitors arriving even after that. There seemed to be more foreign visitors than Japanese, and the international atmosphere was noticeable. I offered condiments to the person at the next table, and they thanked me with a bow. Communication with the diverse clientele is essential. There are greeting cards in various languages placed on the tables. The self-service cafeteria offers two types of tea, water, etc., in both hot and cold options, like a drink bar. While the facility is Halal-friendly, they also serve pork ginger stir-fry. The variety of meat and menu items is quite impressive, making it an enjoyable dining experience. You can also purchase desserts and snacks, and there are plenty of tables to relax throughout the day. (They also sell canned beer.) The Cajun chicken and pilaf from the World Menu were good value for money and just the right amount. Adding a single item from the a la carte menu and having a beer would make it a satisfying meal. The seasoning was not too strong, catering to a wide range of tastes. The salad and soup accompaniments were also well-prepared, leaving nothing to be desired. When leaving, you clean up your own dishes. Utensils, forks, cups, etc., are placed in separate containers, and only plates and bowls go on the tray to be cleared away. As I was leaving, I noticed that Thai-style fried mackerel had been added to the menu corner, which I had actually been looking forward to. It was an unexpected addition at the end of lunch service. With just beer and a meal, it's a great place to visit, and I plan to come back again.

I went to the JICA cafeteria in Hatagaya. This time, they are serving Lebanese cuisine. The cafeteria is spacious, you first buy a meal ticket at the entrance, then take it to the counter and bring your food to your seat, like a school cafeteria. You can enjoy Lebanese-style open wrap rolls, Raghman-style soup, hummus, vegetables, and meat wrapped in something similar to chapati. The meat was tender, and the hummus was incredibly smooth and delicious.

JICA Tokyo cafeteria! Hamburg steak! Rice! Salad! 470 yen! 130 yen! 150 yen! Great value! Hidden gem!

Hatagaya-Yoyogi Uehara area is a place I sometimes take a walk in, and I recently discovered the existence of a cafeteria at the JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) facility. While the taste of the food is subjective, I believe it is worth mentioning the uniqueness of this place. Here is some basic information: - The cafeteria is located within the JICA facility (accommodation, etc.) and operates like a university cafeteria. - It is open to the general public, but you need to give your name at the entrance and receive a badge-like item, which can be a bit of a hassle. - The cafeteria is spacious with over 100 seats, and it is usually not crowded unless there are group reservations. Regarding the meal: - I tried the "WORLD MENU" which featured a dish called "Kyrgyz-style Pilaf." - The dish was easy to eat, but it had a slight pre-made taste probably due to the fixed menu for both lunch and dinner. - The portion size may be a bit small, especially for larger individuals. - The price is 700 yen, which is reasonable for ethnic cuisine, but a lower price would be appreciated. - Coffee and tea are free for refills, but unfortunately, they are not very good. In conclusion, the unique dishes make it interesting and I might consider revisiting if they introduce more exciting menu options.

This is the cafeteria at JICA Tokyo International Center! There are many menus for foreigners, and they are quite delicious, reasonably priced, and have a good portion size.

Ethnic noodles. Not too spicy, with a good balance of spices and shrimp broth. Delicious.

Night visit. The lunch special for this week was already sold out, so only the regular menu was available. The cost performance is not bad, but the pre-made dishes that come out are not very warm. I might consider revisiting if I feel like it.

After a long time, I decided to visit the restaurant. I called the day before and was told they open at 6:30 am due to renovation. However, when I arrived promptly at the scheduled time, they were closed. After checking with the security guard at the back, I found out they actually open at 7 am. I waited on a bench in the nearby park, reflecting on life. I couldn't think of anything else but what to eat for dinner. In the morning, I saw energetic elementary school students practicing baseball, reminding me that it's summer vacation. There was a sign warning about mosquitoes, but it was too late for me as I had already been bitten a lot. It was time to leave. It seems that the restaurant opens at 6:30 am, but the main entrance opens at 7 am, so it's best to go at 7 am to be sure. They offer two main dishes, rice, cereal, and bread for 1100 yen with a salad bar. If you want to communicate with people from different countries, this place is worth a visit. Thank you for the meal!

I visited for lunch. ★Umejako Pilaf★ Salad ・ The pilaf seemed to be microwaved. It didn't have much of a plum flavor, just a normal taste. ・ The salad was just a regular salad. You can choose your own dressing. There was also olive oil available (^ー^) ★Thai-style Mackerel Fry ・ The taste was strong, a bit too much without white rice. I'm not sure if it's really Thai-style, but it was different from the mackerel I usually eat, which was enjoyable. I exchanged half of the lamb sausage for one piece of mackerel, which was just right! ★Lamb Sausage ・ I like lamb, so I always choose it when I see it. It had a peppery taste, but the flavor disappears as you chew, so I ate it slowly with ketchup. It's the type that requires a lot of chewing. I like it♪ It takes time to eat, but it's recommended for a leisurely lunch while chatting. ・ The accompanying salad and potatoes tasted as expected. The salad had olive oil and the potatoes had ketchup. ★Tea (roasted tea, genmaicha, green tea), and water were self-service, which was nice for refills.〈Things I liked〉★The staff didn't bother me with constant attention★The tables and space were clean★They left me alone to enjoy my meal★The food was affordable, and there were interesting menu options★It was not crowded, with plenty of seating, so I could eat leisurely without worrying about others. I enjoyed the delicious food and want to try other menu items. I will visit again! Thank you for the meal (^ー^)♪

I knew there was a cafeteria at JICA in the neighborhood, but I never had a chance to go in. Recently, I've been taking a Tokyu bus from my workplace at Ikejiri-Ohashi to the Hatagaya bus terminal, and it's right there as soon as you get off. One night, feeling a bit hungry, I decided to stop by. When I entered the entrance and went down a level, there was a cafeteria. As I made my way there, I noticed a lot of foreign people, especially those of African descent, socializing, giving off a vibe of "where am I?" The area around Hatagaya station also has a lot of foreigners, so maybe they were staying at JICA? I picked a menu item that caught my eye at the cafeteria and paid at the register with a round token. Once I paid, the lady at the register called out to the cafeteria, "XXXX, please!" and the food was brought out. On that day, I ordered the "Gapao Rice for 390 yen," which came with a fried egg. It's a one-plate dish but very affordable. The other dishes also had easy-to-choose international options, with only soba noodles for Japanese cuisine. It's a great place to experience an international atmosphere.

I saw on a website that you can enjoy world cuisine at the JICA cafeteria. The J's Café in Ichigaya headquarters is only open until the evening, so the JICA Tokyo International Center in Hatagaya is the largest facility among all international centers nationwide, catering to trainees from overseas. This means that you can enjoy authentic cuisine served to visitors from abroad. I checked the JICA Tokyo website in advance. According to the website, the cafeteria on the first floor of JICA Tokyo is available not only to trainees from overseas but also to the general public. They offer a "World Lunch" with a variety of dishes from different countries packed in one lunch box on a weekly basis. It's about an 8-minute walk from Hatagaya Station South Exit, located in a quiet residential area. Upon entering, you need to inform the reception, sign in, and receive an entry pass. The reception is on the 2nd floor, so you need to go down to the 1st floor. You'll see a spacious cafeteria with various food samples in the showcase. When I asked the cashier about the "World Lunch," she mentioned that it's not available in the evening. The menu includes Japanese dishes like "Umejako Pilaf" and "Kakiage Udon." They also offer Chicken Curry (Halal certified) for 390 yen and Beef Okra Tomato Stew (Halal certified) for 480 yen. The menu names also have calorie and salt content listed. After paying, the receipt shows the total calorie count of the dishes ordered. You pick up the food yourself and enjoy it at the spacious tables. People of different hair, eye, and skin colors are seen enjoying their meals freely. The Chicken Curry has chunky pieces of chicken and vegetables like onions, carrots, and beans. It has a complex flavor with a hint of Japanese dashi and richness, different from the typical curry taste. It's light with a hint of sweetness and not too spicy. The Beef Okra Tomato Stew has a tangy tomato flavor. The large beef chunks are tender with some chewy parts. The okra, a popular ingredient in foreign countries, retains its texture and is cooked just right, complementing the tomato flavor nicely. After the meal, I visited the handicrafts section on the same floor (this time featuring Central and South American crafts) before leaving. I enjoyed the foreigner-friendly flavors rather than the usual Japanese taste.

I installed the Tabelog app and found out that Jyaka Shokudo is now open to the public. I went there immediately. The entrance had a sign saying that general customers are welcome, and the somewhat intimidating man who seemed to be a security guard would discreetly hide when we approached the entrance, creating a welcoming atmosphere for the general public. The dining hall is located on the B1 floor, a bit hard to find but you can ask the reception for directions. In front of the dining hall, there was a bar counter and a piano (although we were there for lunch and didn't use them). The dining hall had a colorful cafeteria-like vibe with menu samples displayed at the entrance. The system was self-service like a school cafeteria. The only difference was that you had to take the tag under the menu to the register for payment. It was designed to be language-friendly, so even if you don't speak the language, it's not a problem. It was spacious and bright on a Saturday, maybe that's why it was not crowded, and as soon as we entered, my two kids (1 and 5 years old) dashed in and started running around happily, which made me a bit anxious. The quietness was occasionally broken by the sound of scolding. The prices were reasonable for this area. Along with common menu items like hamburgers and udon, there were also some unique dishes like lamb and mysterious soups. For the kids, we ordered udon, hamburgers, and rice. For the adults, we tried the World Lunch which had a similar vibe to an international bento box from Matsuhana. It cost around 1800 yen. Everything was quite delicious. Let me explain the World Lunch in detail. It included the following 4 items + rice + apple and pineapple: - Indonesian-style sautéed white fish with sambal: The white fish was fried with chili sauce, a bit too salty. - Brazilian-style black bean stew: A rich black bean and beef stew over potatoes. I usually don't like beans, but this dish was flavorful and not too beany. - Indian-style green bean stew: Essentially a curry with small beans. It was a bit strong for my taste as I'm not a fan of beans, but the flavor was not bad. - Thai-style grilled chicken: Chicken coated with curry powder or garam masala and grilled. It was very delicious. Each dish was more interesting than extremely tasty. Since these are foreign dishes, it's possible that not all will suit everyone's taste, but with four options, there's bound to be something you like. The World Lunch is a bit spicy, so it might be too much for kids. For adults, it's manageable spiciness. You could see lush greenery from the windows, and occasionally a cat would pass by. It's a place where both kids and adults can enjoy. As for children being noisy, it was neither encouraged nor discouraged. There were no unfriendly faces or warnings, but it wasn't particularly friendly either. Since it's not a child-friendly dining hall, as long as you are considerate and mindful of basic manners, and choose your seating wisely, it should be fine. Just be aware that there are no child chairs available. Overall, it was fun to try out unusual dishes at an affordable price! I would love to visit Jyaka Shokudo again if I have the chance.

The headquarters of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), an independent administrative institution under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is located in Kojimachi, Tokyo. However, the JICA Tokyo office is located in Hatagaya on the Keio Line. I found out that their cafeteria is open to the public, so I decided to visit. When you exit from the south exit of Hatagaya Station, turn right at the second corner, pass by the Sakura Hotel, and then turn left into the alley where you can see Pizza-la on your right after the intersection of Hatagaya 1-chome. It is a splendid building with a training center and a 10-story accommodation building. There is a large cherry blossom tree on the left, and upon entering, you will see the reception on the right. You need to write down the purpose of your visit and get a visitor badge at the reception. Of course, the purpose of your visit is for "meal" (laughs). When you take the elevator down, you will reach the 1st floor. There is a large cafeteria on the right. As you enter, you will see many colorful chairs in front of you. The menu is displayed with food samples, each with a plastic tag with a number on it. You need to take the tag and go to the cashier, where you can see how many portions are left for each menu item. I also confirmed that they have bottled beer available. The meals feature a variety of dishes from around the world. They had a special menu called ODA 60th Anniversary World Lunch (850 yen) with dishes from 5 countries, so I took the tag for that and went to the cashier. After paying, I picked up a tray and went to the cafeteria counter, where a lady in the kitchen checked my receipt. Shortly after, she placed the lunch box on my tray. I helped myself to cutlery, condiments, and tea, and sat at a table by the window. Looking around, I saw people from various countries enjoying their meals. The lunch box contained Indonesian-style fried white fish, Cameroonian beef and okra stew, Chana Masala (Indian chickpea curry), Jerk Chicken (spicy Jamaican chicken), Yam Woon Sen (Thai glass noodle salad), and white rice. The fried white fish was a bit salty. The beef and okra stew had a nice tangy tomato flavor and was tender and delicious. The chickpea curry had a hint of sweetness at first but then the spiciness kicked in. It had a good dose of coriander. The Jerk Chicken was not as spicy as expected, more like a sweet BBQ flavor. The meat was tender. The Thai glass noodle salad had a spicy kick typical of Thai cuisine. The portion of rice was quite generous, and overall, it was quite a filling meal. The only downside was that the dishes were slightly lukewarm, which is common in cafeterias like this, but it was a bit disappointing considering the good flavors. I returned the tray to the return counter on the left side of the kitchen and said thank you for the meal. I was full. Maybe next time I'll come at 5:30 pm and order a beer for a zeroth round (laughs).

JICA Tokyo has a cafeteria where external visitors need to write their name at the entrance before entering. The cafeteria is located on the basement floor. Sometimes there can be long lines during events, but usually you can find a seat quickly. You need to buy a meal ticket first. Although there is a counter where you can line up with your tray, for some reason the food is served by the staff after you hand them your meal ticket. There are four lunch menu options displayed, but you can also order various ethnic dishes. Today I ordered the Keema Curry (600 yen). The taste was okay, not bad for a company cafeteria. Surrounded by people from various countries, the atmosphere feels like a lunch venue at an international conference.

There is always a vegetarian menu available.