Must know Info:
Asakusa Tsurujiroh HANARE – 浅草 つる次郎 HANARE *Cash or Card*
1 Chome-36-2 Asakusa, Taito City, Tokyo 111-0032, Japan
2 minute walk from Asakusa station
Hours (as of 2026/01): Monday – Friday (closed Wednesday) 11:30am-3pm – 5-10pm, Saturday 11:30-10pm, Sunday 11:30-9pm
Order System: Menu
Located right in the heart of the ever so busy Asakusa is a shop specialising in all things yaki – specifically okonomiyaki (from Osaka) and monjayaki which has its roots in Asakusa.
If you walk down the main shopping street/district, it will be down a smaller alley on either your left or right depending on what way you are walking down.
This place is popular, and hence very busy, so it is likely that you will have to line up. Do be prepared.
But, they now have a reservation system on their website for up to 4 people, so I would suggest doing this in advance to guarantee a spot.
The place consists of both a first and second floor and on the second you are asked to take off your shoes and put them in a shoe locker.
What separates them from other places serving these same types of foods is that they have quite a few renditions of non-common flavors on their menu.
Traditionally speaking, okonomiyaki is essentially a savory pancake with a few different ways of making it, but the most common consists of mixing various ingredients like cabbage and green onions in a batter, grilling it, and topping it with strips of pork and sauces.
The “okonomi” means whatever you like and “yaki” means grilled, so as long as it has the latter component to it, it doesn’t matter how you make it, and Tsurujiroh does just this.
The base of their okonomiyaki stays consistent with how it is generally made and is good just as is, but the toppings such as the one in the picture above which has grated cheese, japanese curry underneath, and a raw egg, and other like their famous mentaiko (cod roe) and cheese which is hit with a blow torch before served.
These toppings all pair excellently with the pancake base and every single one of them looked good. It was just that I was with only one other person so we didn’t want to overindulge (though it was tempting).
The second thing on their menu they are famous for is monjayaki, which consists of a similar batter to okonomiyaki, but because of a higher water content added, it ends up turning into a gooey like consistency which you generally eat right off of the stove you cook it on using little spatulas.
I am unsure of the tables on the first floor, but the ones on the second had their own grill to cook it, and the staff will assist you if you are having trouble.
To be fair, I have heard that a lot of foreigners don’t like the texture, and after looking at it at first glance I was a little put off too. But upon eating it I was pleasantly surprised and came to really like it.
The fun thing, too, is that you get to cook it yourself which makes for a fun experience often-times only found in Japan (think Yakiniku or Shabu-Shabu).
Either of these two dishes are must eat when in Japan, and being able to kill two birds with one stone at the same restaurant is not very common, especially when they are both very good quality.
Additionally, this place has really good highballs (soda water and whiskey) which they use black both black and red label johnny walker. It also says they have all you can drink too, so for those of you that want to go crazy, this is perhaps a good spot for it.
These foods are staples in Japanese cuisine, and eaten on their own. They are great, but they also pair the best with alcohol (as most Japanese food tends too).
If you are already planning on going to Asakusa (which I imagine a lot of you are), then skip the touristy spots and come to one where all the locals are.
Thanks for reading – if you’d like to support and follow along:
Different types of ordering systems in Japan explained
Purchasing an onigiri to keep me fuelled throughout my journey 🍙
Local Eats Japan 