I visited around 11:30 on a regular day. There were about 5 groups waiting due to light rain. I was seated in about 10 minutes. I ordered the tempura rice for 980 yen including tax. You can help yourself to burdock root dish, squid vinegar dish, and pickles. The rice was firm and well-cooked. The tempura included shrimp, squid (delicious), quail, shiitake mushrooms, egg (eaten on top of rice), green pepper, and white fish (today it was red snapper). They fry the tempura in front of you and serve it fresh. I always think the cost performance of this meal for 980 yen is good. It's definitely delicious because it's freshly fried. The second floor tempura section doesn't usually have a line, but the first floor is always crowded. I was very satisfied! Thank you for the meal!

I had lunch at "Kanekoya," located about a 5-minute walk from Kichijoji Station (just past Tokyu Department Store), a popular local restaurant that always has a line before opening. This time (Friday lunchtime), I was actually heading to another restaurant, but since there were only 3 people lined up at Kanekoya just before opening, I decided to change plans and try it for the first time. I ordered the "Tendon (pine) Anago". As you can see in the photo, the large anago (conger eel) is very impressive! The tempura, including the other ingredients, was very crispy, and it went well with the original sauce. The quality of this tendon at this price point made it clear why there is always a line.

This was my second visit, and I planned to come during lunchtime when it's crowded to try the limited 20 servings of the large shrimp tempura bowl. However, I got caught up watching the local portable shrine festival and ended up at the end of a long line, waiting for 40 minutes. By the time I reached the front, the large shrimp tempura bowl was sold out, so I settled for the conger eel tempura bowl. It was delicious and satisfying, just like last time. However, there were many couples on weekends, and as someone who dines alone, it was a bit disappointing not to have someone to share a smile with over the food. Hopefully, next time I can try the large shrimp tempura bowl.

Ordered the Matsutake with Anago Tempura! The tempura was fluffy yet crispy, and the large pieces of anago were delicious. The variety of toppings like egg, seaweed, shrimp tempura, shishito pepper, and squid tempura made the dish very enjoyable. Despite the abundance of fried foods, the oil was light and well-drained, so it didn't feel too greasy. The side pickles included pickled Japanese mustard spinach and pickled ginger, which helped cleanse the palate. The sauce was dark in color but had a savory flavor similar to soy sauce or dashi, and it was delicious. The restaurant wasn't overly crowded, but the aisles were narrow.

At noon, there may be a line, but the turnover is fast, cheap, and delicious! I arrived at the restaurant around 12:30 on Thursday and there were about 5 or 6 people lined up on the stairs to the second floor. I was able to enter the restaurant in about 10 minutes. I ordered a tempura bowl with mushrooms (880 yen). Thanks to the sauce, the tempura bowl had a nice moist texture.

I arrived at around 1 pm on a regular afternoon and just made it in time to enter. Currently, the first-floor tempura rice is not available, so only the second-floor tempura restaurant with 16 seats is open. I ordered the large tempura donburi with eel. It arrived in about 10 minutes. The tempura ingredients included 2 shrimp, egg, squid tempura, shishito pepper, and eel. The eel was a whole piece, crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. The egg was quite runny, similar to a soft-boiled egg. The highlight was the squid tempura, with a soft texture and a sweet taste. The only downside was the small and thin shrimp, where it felt like I was mostly eating the batter. Overall, it was a high-quality and delicious tempura donburi. Thank you for the meal.

Arrived around 11 am on a regular day. There was no line yet, just a few customers ahead of me. I ordered the "Tendon (bamboo) with white fish" for ¥980 and the "Tempura bits" for takeout for ¥120. While waiting for my meal, I helped myself to some pickled ginger and cucumber pickles on the table, along with a hot tea. The tempura arrived shortly after, with a crispy texture and a deliciously soft egg tempura. I quickly devoured it all, it was so tasty. After finishing my meal, I had some more pickled ginger to cleanse my palate with hot tea. I spent about 30 minutes in the restaurant before heading to the register. They only accepted cash for payment. I received my takeout tempura bits at the register (they put it in a small bag) and left the restaurant to find a long line forming on the stairs. Carefully making my way down the crowded stairs, I stepped outside into the still hot summer air. When I got home, I enjoyed the tempura bits sprinkled generously over some simmered eggplant for dinner. The rich and crispy tempura bits paired perfectly with the light and refreshing eggplant, making it a great end to a wonderful day. The tempura bits had a generous portion, but they can be frozen for later use, making them a great option to have on hand.

Great value for money tempura rice bowl restaurant. Arrived around 11:30 on a Sunday and waited for about 30 minutes. Ordered the tempura rice bowl (bamboo). The tempura was crispy and delicious. It included white fish, 2 shrimp, green pepper, mixed vegetable tempura (squid?), seaweed, egg, all of which were tasty. If I had to nitpick, I would prefer the shrimp to be a bit more firm. They also have a limited edition large shrimp bowl, which I imagine would have even more luxurious shrimp. The portion size was quite generous, so I left feeling satisfied. I would like to try the pine needle eel bowl, but I would need to be very hungry to manage it. The egg was fried, but the yolk was runny to half-cooked and creamy. It paired really well with the rice drizzled with sauce, making it delicious once again.

On the same day, I visited Midori Ran in Kichijoji but was told that only course reservations were allowed, so I had to give up. It would have been better to make a course reservation as the restaurant was about to close. I also visited Kaneko-ya for the first time in Japan. I arrived around 1 pm and found out that the tempura on the first floor was closed, and only the tempura bowl on the second floor was available. I climbed a very narrow staircase that I had never seen before to the second floor. There were only two separated tables, and although I was able to sit down, the place was quite cramped and not very relaxing. Despite the delicious tempura bowl, it felt like a waste. Of course, the must-order here is the conger eel tempura! I added miso soup and pickles as usual and ate while waiting. The tempura bowl arrived in 7-8 minutes, with conger eel, shrimp, seaweed, squid tempura, egg, shishito pepper, all for around 1300 yen. The Kaneko Han'nosuke style is affordable and the frying method and soup in the bowl are delicious. The additional miso soup for 120 yen felt a bit lonely with just a little bit of seaweed floating on top. I enjoyed the tempura bowl very much. When I finished eating, the narrow staircase was crowded with people and it was so crowded that I couldn't go down.

Tendon (pine) with eel for 1,380 yen. Miso soup for 120 yen. The tendon dish included eel, 2 prawns, tempura with squid and scallop, shishito pepper, seaweed (as far as I remember), and was very generous. If you choose shiitake mushrooms instead of eel, it's 880 yen, making it a great value meal starting from under 1,000 yen. I also want to try the bamboo shoots with white fish next time! Thank you for the delicious meal!

Since moving nearby, I have always been curious about the long lines forming at lunchtime. This time, I arrived a bit early before dinner and finally got to try the conger eel tempura bowl I had been wanting. The tempura was excellent, and the pickled kombu and ginger were also delicious. This place is definitely a repeat contender.

Tempura Bowl (Matsutake Mushroom) - Anago (Conger Eel) 1380 yen, Large size +100 yen, Miso soup 120 yen. I have been wanting to visit this tempura and tempura bowl specialty shop for a while. Currently, the first-floor tempura shop is closed, but there is always a long line during lunchtime, so I entered around 2:30 pm. There were 8 customers already inside. Since I particularly like anago, I chose the Matsutake Mushroom Tempura Bowl. It didn't take long for the food to arrive, about 10 minutes. The bowl had 2 prawns, 1 conger eel, squid tempura, green peppers, and seaweed. Despite the generous amount of tempura sauce on the bowl, the tempura batter was still crispy. The fluffy texture of the conger eel was excellent, and the two prawns were much appreciated. The other tempura items were also very good. I think the cost performance is great, and I would like to visit again. I finished everything on my plate. Thank you for the meal.

Around 1 pm on a regular day, I entered a second-floor restaurant and found a few empty seats where I could sit. I ordered the limited edition Tempura Bowl with two large prawns, as stated on the menu. The prawns were indeed towering and impressive. As I started eating, I found it difficult to manage, so I transferred them to a separate plate. The prawns were firm and had a satisfying texture. The batter was slightly thick, and the dish also included shiitake mushrooms, squid, seaweed, and egg. The tempura had a crispy yet slightly soft texture, which paired well with the rice. Despite the restaurant's atmosphere, the bowl turned out to be surprisingly filling.

"After posting a review saying 'Even if you have to wait in line, you should try the tempura bowl,' two and a half years passed before two incidents caused a decrease in the number of stars and deterred me from returning. There was also a 'calamity,' but three years and five months later, I decided to revisit. A few minutes past opening time, there was no line outside the restaurant. Could it be that they are still only selling bento boxes? As I climbed the stairs without waiting outside, I was greeted with a 'Sorry, we're full!' So, I decided to wait at the front of the staircase. Finally, I was seated, and to my surprise, the restaurant was lively with only three male customers, including myself. I ordered the 'matsutake and miso soup.' While sipping on tea without black beans, I nibbled on pickled ginger and radish. When the miso soup arrived, shortly followed by the main dish, the eel tempura bowl, I noticed that the batter was peeling off. Tempura is a 'steamed dish wrapped in batter,' so when the batter peels off, it affects the overall impression negatively. However, my concerns were mostly unfounded, and I could still feel the essence of the dish. Despite a slight decrease in quality, the price remained the same, and I chose to appreciate the flavors of the 'Kaneko-ya' tempura bowl. It was delicious. After the meal, I navigated the narrow staircase, which was still crowded as before, and descended at an angle. Thank you for the meal!"

[Addendum] July 20, 2023 Half a year since my last visit to Kanekoya (2F) in Kichijoji for a leisurely lunch during the summer vacation with a last name restriction. When I was thinking about where to have lunch, I thought of having tempura rice bowl. So, I decided on "Kanekoya" without any hesitation and headed to the restaurant. Since it was close to 4 pm on a weekday, there was no line on the stairs. I hurriedly climbed the narrow staircase and entered the restaurant... (continued) January 8, 2023 Kanekoya (2F) in Kichijoji for the first tempura rice bowl lunch of the year. Since the end of the year, I had been craving tempura rice bowl. Tempura rice bowl. Osechi is nice, but tempura rice bowl is also good. So, when I happened to be in Kichijoji, I peeked into Kanekoya (2F) and found an empty seat. Since I had climbed the steep stairs, I had no choice but to enter. The biggest drawback here is the small size of the table seats. So, I wanted to sit at the counter, but there were no seats available there. I squeezed myself into the narrow table seat and looked at the worn-out menu, contemplating my order. The bamboo goby has been replaced with white fish. White fish...? What should I do, I wondered, and when I asked if they still had the large shrimp tempura rice bowl, they said they did. So, I quickly placed my order and it arrived in about 10 minutes. I had the large shrimp tempura rice bowl (with less rice), and my companion had the pine needle conger eel rice bowl (with less rice). The large shrimp tempura was as impressive as ever, with the shrimp standing tall and crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside without any sauce. The sauce was also not too sweet, which was good. In addition to that, there were shiitake mushrooms, diced squid tempura, green peppers, nori seaweed, and egg. The shiitake mushrooms were a bit lacking in aroma, but the soft squid tempura was good, and the egg, when broken, could be eaten with the separately provided sauce, which was even better. By the way, my companion who was eating the pine needle conger eel successfully traded one large shrimp for half a conger eel and one large shrimp! The conger eel was fatty and delicious, and the normal shrimp, although small, was plump and tasty. I was so full and satisfied, and my craving for tempura rice bowl was completely satisfied. As I stepped outside and glanced at the menu, I noticed that...where it said white fish with bamboo goby, it was actually listed as globefish...oh no. If it had been globefish, I should have eaten the bamboo goby instead.

I visited around 17:00. The restaurant was almost empty and quiet. The food was served quickly and incredibly delicious. The aroma of sesame and rice in the oil was very pleasant. The sauce was perfect and the tempura was fluffy and tasty. The anago (conger eel) was large and delicious. Highly recommended when in Kichijoji!

[Product] → Tempura bento box. "Pine," "bamboo," "plum" [Price] → The deliciousness of this. A reasonable price that feels justified. [Atmosphere] → A magical space where tempura becomes delicious [Conclusion] → Crispy and carefully fried. Among the many restaurants, choosing this one today was really great! It was very delicious. I will definitely visit again!

I had about an hour to spare in Kichijoji due to various circumstances, so I decided to check out this place that has some connection to Mr. Kaneko in Nihonbashi. It seems like a branch establishment. The first floor's tempura set was unavailable, so I thought about eating in the park instead. But then I found out that they offer dine-in options for tempura and tempura bento. I chose the conger eel tempura bowl. It was a weekday around 3 pm, so there were empty seats available. I was torn between the limited edition jumbo shrimp tempura bowl, but I went with the conger eel in the end. The tempura was crispy and had a slightly fragrant taste. The conger eel was tender and had a satisfying elasticity. The saltiness was subtle and the rice was delicious. Mixing the tempura with rice was pure bliss. Even the pickled ginger on the table was surprisingly tasty. I especially enjoyed the egg tempura.

I had the Tempura Donburi (with white fish) for 980 yen. I was expecting just some white fish tempura with a little extra, but to my surprise, the bowl came filled with two shrimp tempura, squid tempura, and more. It was a delightful surprise. The bowl was topped with plenty of sauce and the rice was so tasty. It was a great deal. Ah, but as I'm getting older, I might not be able to eat so much tempura for much longer. Young people should definitely go and enjoy it!

When I arrived at around 1 pm on a weekday, there were about 10 people in line. However, the turnover was good and we were seated inside with freshly fried food and generous portions in about 15 minutes. Considering the price, it's definitely a candidate for repeat visits. They also offer two types of pickles, and the pickled ginger and burdock were delicious. The only downside is the narrow staircase, which can be a bit tricky when lining up or going down. Overall, it was a tasty meal.

I visited a famous tempura restaurant for lunch on a weekday. There were a few people waiting in line, but the turnover was fast and I was able to get in after a short wait! The tempura bowl (plum) was affordable at 880 yen and came with a generous portion. I love vegetable tempura, so I enjoyed it until the very end!