I visited "Tonkatsu Maisen Ecute Ueno Store" in Ecute Ueno, located inside JR Ueno Station, on a certain weekday in August 2023, around 1:00 pm. I carefully looked at the products displayed at the storefront and decided to purchase the "Hire Katsu and Seasonal Croquette Bento" for ¥885. I paid with my Suica card and quickly brought the bento back to my office to eat. The bento included pork hire katsu, edamame croquette, and corn cream croquette as the main dishes, along with side dishes such as kinpira gobou, simmered sweet potato, simmered hijiki seaweed, and pickles. It came with sauce, spice salt, and mustard, which I enjoyed combining with the katsu and croquettes. The pork hire katsu was made with firm pork meat, providing a high-quality taste. The coating was just right, making it a delicious katsu for a bento. I enjoyed it with rice and a combination of sauce and mustard. Both the edamame and corn cream croquettes had a mild flavor. The addition of edamame gave a nice touch to the croquette. The corn cream croquette tasted even better when combined with the demi-glace sauce. Using the spice salt with the katsu and croquettes provided a different saltiness and flavor experience than the sauce. I could feel the originality of "Maisen" in their unique seasonings. The kinpira gobou, simmered hijiki seaweed, and pickles added a nice texture contrast when eaten with rice. The well-balanced combination of main dishes and rice in the bento provided a satisfying meal experience. The high quality of the fried foods showcased the skill of Maisen.

In January 2020, we returned from a 1-night, 2-day Tokyo Ueno Shan Shan tour. We had a great time enjoying the panda family for two days. Here is the souvenir we bought in Ueno! It's a mini burger from Tonkatsu "Maisen" located inside JR Ueno Station. There are several types of mini burgers, but I couldn't resist buying this Panda Hire Katsu Burger, which is exclusive to the Ueno store! The price is 247 yen each. Despite its mini size, it contains delicious tonkatsu. The hire katsu is really tasty. Chibitsunu: "Let's buy it again when we go back to Ueno." Also, when we went to Okachimachi, we bought this at the "Sake" store.

Mai Izumi's colorful bento box. It includes a variety of dishes such as pork cutlet, cream croquette, and simmered vegetables. The rice is topped with minced meat, scrambled eggs, and salmon flakes, creating a colorful presentation. The portion size is generous, making it perfect for sharing.

I often miss buying bento boxes, but finally managed to purchase one. The shrimp and pork cutlet sandwich was delicious, with plump shrimp and tender pork cutlet. Each pack had 3 slices, which was a convenient portion size. The sauce was rich, perfect for enjoying with a beer on the train. In the past, I was intimidated by the small size and high price of the sandwich, but now it's a great option for a quick meal or takeout. I plan to buy it again next time.

I bought it because it was cute. If it wasn't cute, I wouldn't buy it at that price. The cute katsu sandwich I bought can be eaten in about two bites. It's not particularly cute, but it's not bad either... I think it's a taste that everyone would like. If the box is cute, I will buy it again. The "tamatoro" menchi katsu has a runny egg and a sweet sauce that fills you up. Some may have weak branding, so if you buy it for cuteness, it's better to look closely.

Now, let's decide on the bento for the return trip on the Shinkansen! This time, departing from Ueno! Let's choose the bento for the return trip!!! However, most of the shops at Ecute Ueno have already been used, so I couldn't find any new bento options. Just when I thought that, guess what I found? The famous Tonkatsu sandwich from "Maisen"! When it comes to Tonkatsu sandwiches, Maisen is really popular. You can find them at almost any station. This time, I bought the "Hire Katsu Sandwich" (3 pieces) for 390 yen and made it my Shinkansen companion. ^^ It turned out that I ended up eating it on the Shinkansen, but let me tell you, the thick pork cutlet sandwich from Maisen was really delicious. Not only the taste, but also the easy-to-eat shape, even in the narrow train car... I was satisfied. ^^ I have never been to the Maisen shop, but if the cutlet in the sandwich was this delicious, I wonder how the cutlet at the main shop must be... I might visit the main shop next time. ^^

On December 2018, I went to Ueno. I decided to stop by "Tonkatsu Maisen" inside JR Ueno Station to buy some food to eat at home the next day. I had used a similar restaurant before, but this was my first time at this particular branch. I bought a Mixed Sandwich (pork and shrimp) for 874 yen including tax. The next day at home, I tried the sandwiches and found that there were 3 pieces of pork cutlet sandwich and 3 pieces of shrimp cutlet sandwich. The shrimp cutlet was plump and juicy, while the pork cutlet had a rich flavor that had soaked in. It was consistently delicious.

When I first started using Tabelog, there was an eccentric person who said something like "Mai Izumi is an anagram of Mansei, it's beyond evaluation." Is this true??? My partner, my 3-year-old grandson, and I all have small appetites. For our lunch under the blue sky in Ueno Park, we bought: - 2 pastries - 2 convenience store onigiri - a small katsu sandwich - 6 pieces of fried chicken - snacks - juice - tea Among all the katsu sandwiches we've tried, the one we've eaten the most is the "Hire Katsu Sandwich" from Mai Izumi. * Mansei serves a "Rosu Katsu" sandwich. We often had this before and after evening meetings. It's easy to eat with one hand and has a good texture. The portion is just right to satisfy a small hunger. I don't think there's anyone in Japan who dislikes katsu sandwiches. The creator of this katsu sandwich is said to be the first generation of "Izumi Honten 3.58". Interestingly, both "Mai Izumi Honten" and "3.58" are listed as "Top 100 Stores". The katsu sandwich on this day was a bit dry, but the easy-to-eat texture remained. The sauce soaked into the bread and the katsu were perfectly combined. Thank you for the meal.

This is Mai Izumi located inside Ecute Ueno at JR Ueno Station. Mai Izumi is a tonkatsu chain restaurant that started as a small business but has been acquired by Suntory in recent years and has been expanding using the management methods of a large corporation. They have rapidly increased the number of stores, with a focus on opening outlets in train stations. This particular store is a typical example of Mai Izumi's recent expansion strategy, being a small shop selling mainly tonkatsu sandwiches and bento boxes, with a high proportion of tonkatsu sandwiches. This is because there are many competing stores within Ecute, making it easy for customers to make impulse purchases even while shopping elsewhere. Additionally, Ueno Station is a terminal station serving as a starting point for long-distance journeys, so some customers may prefer a lighter snack option over the heavier bento boxes. The popular Hire Katsu Sandwich (410 yen for 3 slices) is convenient and if you prefer something lighter, there is also the Potato Salad Sandwich (298 yen for 3 slices). I tried the Hire Katsu Sandwich (842 yen for 6 slices) which had a limited edition autumn packaging. Inside the box, there were two packs of 3 slices each of tonkatsu sandwiches sealed in bags, along with paper napkins, making it convenient for train travel. The taste was slightly sweet with a fruity sauce, tender pork fillet, and a soft texture, making it a light and enjoyable tonkatsu sandwich. While tonkatsu is often associated with a hearty and masculine flavor, Mai Izumi offers a more delicate and feminine deliciousness. Despite being a small shop, they offer a variety of tonkatsu sandwich options. It's a good idea to buy tonkatsu sandwiches as souvenirs or light snacks for your journey when transferring trains.

I used this place about two years ago, but forgot to upload the pictures and they got buried. Now, as I was organizing my PC, the images resurfaced so I decided to upload them again. On a certain holiday, I had to go to the Ueno area for work. After finishing in the early afternoon, I stopped by a Chinese restaurant nearby for a light daytime drink, then decided to go on a "mini drinking trip" here. I bought a tonkatsu sandwich from "Mai Izumi" and had it with beer as I didn't want anything too heavy after the snacks. Then I hopped on the train and as usual, "Izakaya Roza" opened. Since I had been drinking beer, I opted for a highball. I vaguely remember buying some other light snacks, but I can't recall what they were (and can't find any images). By the time I had my second highball, I opened the package of the tonkatsu sandwich. It was a substantial sandwich, but since it was in a mini-sized package, it only contained three small sandwiches. This was perfect for snacking while drinking, filling my stomach just enough for a "drinking train" experience. It was still bright outside, so I enjoyed my "solo party" while looking out the window at the passing scenery. I started to feel drowsy from the gentle rocking of the train and ended up dozing off.

★Overview This is a shop of the famous restaurant Tonkatsu Mai-sen located in Ueno Station Nakaecute. I'm not sure if I can call this a station bento, but since it is located within Ueno Station, I decided to consider it as a station bento and purchased it. Of course, the must-have items are the Panda-stamped Tamatoro Menchi Katsu pocket sandwich, typical of Ueno, and another item I tried was the Ebi Katsu sandwich instead of the Mai-sen's famous Katsu sandwich. ★Today's Station Bento Menu - Ebi Katsu Sandwich @453 yen - Tamatoro Menchi Katsu @410 yen ★Comment I enjoyed it on the Tohoku Shinkansen. The pocket sandwich is one of my recent favorite items at Mai-sen. Each store has its own variations, but I particularly like the pocket sandwich at Ueno Station Nakaecute Mai-sen. It's cute with a panda design, and the Tamatoro Menchi Katsu sandwich with half-cooked egg yolk soaked in sauce is incredibly delicious! Although Mai-sen is known for its Hire Katsu sandwich, I deliberately chose the Ebi Katsu sandwich this time. The crunchy texture of the plump shrimp is a delight, and the slightly sweet sauce that has soaked into the shrimp and bread dough is a perfect match, creating an indescribable flavor. While Mai-sen's Katsu sandwiches, whether Hire Katsu, Menchi Katsu, or Ebi Katsu, are all delicious, I believe it's the sauce that really makes them stand out. Thank you for the meal! (＾＿＾)☆

Whenever I go to Tokyo, I always buy souvenirs. This time, I bought the Filet & Shrimp. It was elegantly delicious and the size was perfect.

We had a gathering and enjoyed the bento box meal together (^^)

I bought a hire katsu sandwich and menchi katsu sandwich as souvenirs.