Who decided on Tokyo's three great nikomi?
No official body certified it, no association voted. It began with one book, published in 1990.
Look into Tokyo's drinking houses and you meet the phrase 'the three great nikomi of Tokyo'. It sounds official. It is not.
It begins with Ota Kazuhiko's book of 1990, which named three: Ohashi in Kita-senju, Yamariki in Morishita, Kishidaya in Tsukishima. Uchida in Tateishi and Osakaya in Monzen-nakacho were added later to make five. One writer's list, in other words, that hardened into a category.
The five
| Shop | District | Ward |
|---|---|---|
| Ohashi | Kita-senju | Adachi |
| Yamariki | Morishita | Koto |
| Kishidaya | Tsukishima | Chuo |
| Uchida | Tateishi | Katsushika |
| Osakaya | Monzen-nakacho | Koto |
One of the five does it differently
Began as a stall in 1924, reopened here in 1947. The only skewered stew of the five.
Four serve the stew in a bowl. Osakaya puts it on sticks. Three cuts — gristle, intestine, lung — come mixed, by the portion. This is not a place where you order cut by cut.
What applies at Osakaya alone
- Sit down and they ask whether one portion is right. Yes is the answer
- No photography inside — not the crescent counter, not the pot
- Finish with the egg soup: the stewing liquor with an egg dropped in
- Drink umewari. You may ask for ice and a chaser
The listings disagree
Everyone agrees Osakaya opens at four. Closing is given as seven, eight or nine, and the rest days as either Sunday-Monday-holidays or Monday-Thursday-Sunday-holidays. Old information keeps circulating. Since they shut when the pot runs dry, arriving early is the only reliable approach.
The other four
Founded 1877. Two bowls of nikomi per person, no more.
The menu says four characters. You build the order from cut and method.
What the five share
- All are working-men's taverns. Not places to dress up for
- Mostly cash. Cards often not accepted
- Tables turn fast. Two or three drinks and out is the rhythm
- Kishidaya is not yet on this site — verification is not complete
'Three great' and 'five great' amount to one man's list of shops he liked. Knowing that, you are not disappointed by the good place that never made the list.
Hours and rest days change. Please confirm before travelling.