Places we stopped along the way

Kaminarimon Sansada

From: An Asakusa food diary that begins at an old coffee house

Tendon topped with shrimp tempura

A tempura restaurant founded in 1837. It began as a stall that Sadakichi, who had come to Edo from Mikawa, opened in Ningyocho; the name Sansada comes from "Mikawaya Sadakichi." The tempura is Edo-style, fried generously in sesame oil, and the tendon comes in regular, upper and special grades. Keeping the rule that the owner must always stand in the kitchen, it has only this one shop beside Kaminarimon. I had tendon, an extra order of oyster tempura and a non-alcoholic beer.

1-2-2 Asakusa, Taito, Tokyo

Sources: tempura-sansada.co.jp tempura-sansada.co.jp tempura-sansada.co.jp dime.jp

This moment in the journey

Over 180 years beside Kaminarimon

Upstairs I took a seat by the window. The chopstick sleeve bore a drawing of a shrimp and the words "Founded in Tenpo 8" and "Kaminarimon Sansada." This, too, is said to be the oldest tempura restaurant still in business in Japan. In 1837, Sadakichi, who had come to Edo from Mikawa, opened a tempura stall in front of his home in Ningyocho; Mikawaya Sadakichi was shortened to Sansada. Beside Kaminarimon, it has been loved for more than 180 years.

"The owner must always stand in the kitchen." Keeping that rule, the restaurant still has only this one shop. On the table were a bottle of non-alcoholic beer and a blue-and-white earthenware teapot, and a small bowl of mozuku seaweed topped with grated ginger and cucumber.

My heart raced at meeting a flavor so carefully preserved. When I lifted the lid of the bowl, a shrimp tail peeked out.

Watch this scene on YouTube10:11

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