Tsukishima Monja Street – Enjoy Tokyo’s Local Specialty, “Monjayaki”!

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Have you ever heard “Monjayaki”? If you visit Tokyo, Monjayaki is a food delicacy that you should definitely try! While Tokyo’s monjayaki is not as well-known abroad as Osaka’s okonomiyaki, the dish inspires heated regional rivalries in Japan. Residents of the two cities frequently fight over which is better. If you have yet to try monjayaki, Tsukishima Monja Street is worth a visit. Though the dish itself might not look particularly tasty, take a bite, and you’ll quickly realise why monjayaki is so popular in the area! The area is also known as the Mecca of Monjayaki!

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Tsukishima Monja Street is located on Tsukishima, an island constructed on reclaimed land in 1892. Consider a visit to the nearby neighbourhood of Kiyosumi Shirakawa before exploring Tsukishima Monja Street, where you’ll find modern art and chic cafes. The area is much quieter than other touristic districts in Tokyo and more like residential area with lots of local flavour. Tsukishima is best known for Monjayaki dish which is originated in this area.

What is Monjayaki?

Monjayaki is made from a flour-based batter with cabbage and ginger combined with a selection of octopus, shrimp, cheese, and other toppings. Upon ordering a dish, you’ll be presented with a bowl of batter and a separate bowl of ingredients. Oil the pan and spread out the ingredients. Once things are thoroughly sizzling, create a donut-shaped hole in the center, pour in the batter, then begin swiftly mixing the batter and ingredients towards the center of the pan, as the liquid slowly firms up. In a few minutes, you’ll have a large, flat pancake, which you can cut up and enjoy using the spatula.

Many Monjayaki restaurants can be spotted in the Tsukishima area, and there is a street called “Monja Street” which is lined with over 80 restaurants specializing in monjayaki. The street has been attracting tourists and Tokyoites in past years, and usually very crowded during lunch and dinner time. Nowadays, many restaurants on Monja Street have English menu and some has English speaking staff. The street can be accessed from Tsukishima Street Exit 7.

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It’s too many restaurants serving the same dish and you may be confused which one to visit. So, when you visit Monja Street, there are at least two restaurants that are highly recommended! Most of these restaurants also have Okonomiyaki on their menu, which is also another popular hit in Japan’s food culture.

Kura (蔵)

Kura (蔵) is one of the most popular restaurants on Monja Street and there are always people queuing outside. The Kura Special Monja, which has all ingredients (shrimp, clams, octopus, crabs, sweetcorn, mochi, etc) is one of the highest rated in the menu. There is no English menu, but the shop staff will help you with it. You can choose over 35 toppings for Monja and they also serve Okonomiyaki.

Map: http://goo.gl/gaUBL3

Iroha (いろは)

Iroha (いろは) is a long-established restaurant since 1955 and has two branches on Monja Street. It’s one of the most famous Monjayaki restaurants in Tokyo. Iroha also has lots of toppings to choose from and unique dishes on their menu like Yuzu Monja and Curry Monja.

Map: http://goo.gl/pwR7Tf

The price range for both restaurants are 800~1500 yen per dish, and it is highly dependent on the ingredients that you choose). They are extremely busy during lunch time (12:00~14:00) and dinner time (19:00~) so if you want to avoid crowds, around 15:00~17:00 is a good time to visit!