SHIMONYA

Try Something Different on the Cheap

Have you ever tried “horumon”, intestine? First time trying? Shimonya is a cheap Japanese Izakaya, and a good place to be bold and give it a try!

Located under the Chuo Line train tracks in Koenji in the Koenji Street nightlife area, this small izakaya is popular and thus always crowded, especially at night. Families, “salarymen”, and students gather here to talk over beer and enjoy the delicacies that many foreigners might be scared to try. There are many branches of Shimonya in Koenji, and each has their very own specialty. Here, they specialize in Teppanyaki (grilled cuisine) of mostly intestine, what the Japanese call “horumon”. You can find liver, chicken leg, pig’s ear, and many other “weird” items on the menu. Having said that, once you try them, you might be up for seconds! If you are not a fan, don’t worry, there is also pork and beef. Better yet, if you come during the winter, you can also try their Oden (Japanese winter stew with fish cake, eggs, and more simmered in clear seaweed broth) which is essentially THE Japanese food to eat in winter. There is a 100 yen seat charge, but the whole menu ranges from about 100 yen to 300 yen per plate!

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[updated November 2018]