Tokyo Zebra

View Original

Tokyo Street Food - TOP 10 at Yakitori Paradise, Sunamachi Ginza

I have been to most of street food spots in Tokyo and Sunamachi Ginza Shotengai is definitely in my top 5.  

Why? Because it still hasn't lost the local feel and more than anything, it's CHEAP!  Also, Sunamachi Ginza has more Yakitoris shops than any other shopping street so if you like yakitori, you'll love this place.

Access

After getting to Kinshicho St. (Hanzomon line/JR), Toyocho St. (Tozai line), Nishi-Oshima St. (Toei Shinjuku line) or Kameido St. (JR), you need to take a bus and get off at Kitasuna 2-chome. 

I can't deny that it's a bit far out in Tokyo and bad access but it is worth the travel! 


TOP 10 Street Food in Sunamachi Ginza

#1 Shapin from Eishoen
#2 Mochi on stick from Iseya
#3 Unakuri from Unakuri 5
#4 Yakitori from Takezawa Shoten
#5 Maguro Katsu from Sakai
#6 Oden from Masuei Kamaboko
#7 Shaved Ice from Gofuku
#8 Chicken Katsu from Midori no Okazu
#9 Yakitori from Niku-no-Nakajima
#10 Shrimp Chili Bun from Shanghai Nikuman


#1 Shapin from Eishoen

This Chinese Restaurant makes Shapin right at the store front.  From Shandong China, Shapin is like Chinese version of the Taco Bell Gordita - fast food with a soft/crunchy outer shell.  

Shpain - ¥230

When they were cooking,  I saw the chef adding oil again and again to make it crispy.   Inside stuffing is almost same as what you use for gyoza (dumplings) - ground pork, green onions, leek and cabbage. 

It's perfectly seasoned so you don't need any additional sauce.  

#2 Mochi on stick from Iseya

Goma (sesami) dango - ¥90

Iseya sells THE BEST MOCHI I have ever had in my life, THE BEST!!!

They sells onigiri (rice balls) as well, but their most popular item is dango sticks. 

#3 Unakuri from Unakuri 5

Kurikara - ¥350

It's hard to find good eel at street food stands to be honest, but Unakuri 5 offers GOOD QUALITY eel stick

Eel in Japan usually comes at a premium price but at this spot, you can throw down on Kurikara which are bite-size cuts of eel.  Kurikara used to be a stick using Kabayaki scraps but now they make it with proper eel meat. 

Unakuri cooks the eel Kansai style, BBQ the eel without steaming it to intensify the flavor. Yum!

#4 Yakitori from Takezawa Shoten

Right next to Unakuri 5, you will find this amazing Yakitori shop with a long ass line.  Sunagin has many good yakitori shops but this is definitely one of the best.  They re-grill it for you so you can taste hot and fresh yakitori! 

Their Motsu is popular to but it’s only available for take out in a plastic baggy, so I would say yakitori is suitable for walk-and-eat.

#5 Maguro Katsu from Sakai

Sakai sells hand made dinner dishes like gyoza, shumai, motsu, tonkatsu and lots of others! Everything is better than great but my recommendation is Maguro (Tuna) Katsu.  

It's so juicy and soft.  I have had so many over cooked, dried maguro (tuna) katsu, but this was't one of them.

#6 Oden from Masuei Kamaboko

They are coming strong with 40 kinds of oden for your tasting pleasure and all of its handmade OG...original goodness.  They also sell fried fish cake next to oden.  

 

#7 Shaved Ice from Gofuku

Sneak peak at this shaved ice shop as it just opened last year.  With summer just around the corner, I have a feeling that this place is going to be Taylor Swift popular.

Their extra fluffy shaved ice is so light that you can easily finish the giant bawl by yourself.

#8 Chicken Katsu from Midori no Okazu

This shop is known as the cheapest Sozai shop on this street.  It looks like baseball glove!  They also sell bento boxes for 280 yen! Save much?

#9 Yakitori from Niku-no-Nakajima

It looks like your ordinary next door yakitori shop but you’ll be surprised that it offers an almost endless array of menu items  reminds of the movies from the Marvel Universe.

Good thing is, You can  ask them to put it in a to-go go box to take home.  If you want to eat right on on the spot, you can ask them to re-heat it.  Unfortunately, they microwave instead using a bbq.  

#10 Shrimp Chili Bun from Shanghai Nikuman

This Chinese food stand sells various kinds of nikuman.  

Shrimp Chili was something you don't find everywhere so it may be cool to try out!


See this gallery in the original post