Local Guide
6 recommended izakayas in Tsuchiura city

There are many izakayas and small restaurants around Tsuchiura Station. We have picked out six izakayas that are popular with locals but also friendly to travelers. The best part of an izakaya is being able to try a variety of dishes, including a small portion of each dish made with local ingredients. You can have a drink by yourself at the counter, or share a drink with friends. Enjoy a special time in a cozy space.

Enjoy the hearty Kamameshi and seasonal fish dishes

Seasonal grilled dishes such as "Salted grilled saury" from 660 yen (front), "Gomoku Kamameshi" 1,100 yen (back), etc.
Seasonal grilled dishes such as "Salted grilled saury" from 660 yen (front), "Gomoku Kamameshi" 1,100 yen (back), etc.

Founded in 1946 (Showa 21), this small restaurant is one of the oldest in Tsuchiura City, which is home to many traditional restaurants. The head and young female proprietresses run the restaurant, and their third-generation sons show off their skills in the kitchen. The wide variety of Kamameshi (takeout available) has been a staple menu item since the restaurant first opened. The broth changes depending on the ingredients, and the Gomoku Kamameshi is made with chicken broth. It is full of ingredients and is colorful. Other popular dishes include lotus root hasamiage, which is made by sandwiching shrimp paste between lotus root from Tsuchiura, known as the number one lotus-producing area in Japan, and fresh fish sashimi, grilled dishes, and simmered dishes.

A place with a historic feel and a quaint atmosphere

A sunken kotatsu style seating area. A warm and cozy space reminiscent of an old-fashioned Japanese house.
A sunken kotatsu style seating area. A warm and cozy space reminiscent of an old-fashioned Japanese house.

The space at the back of the store, which was once a residence, has been renovated into a tatami room, making the interior much more spacious than you would imagine from the store's compact appearance. There are four private rooms with different styles and layouts, including a room overlooking a courtyard with a pond. There are also counter seats and table seats that evoke a sense of history, and each space is enveloped in a relaxed atmosphere. A full range of alcohol is available, including sake, mainly pure rice wine, as well as beer, sours, highballs, shochu, and wine. Pairing your drink with the food is also a great way to enjoy the restaurant.

Comments Local Guide
A retro Showa-era Japanese-style restaurant and izakaya beloved by locals. After enjoying the wide variety of seafood dishes that you can only get in a seaside prefecture, and the lotus root dishes that are unique to Tsuchiura, you can finish off with a bowl of kamameshi, which will leave you feeling very satisfied.
Takasago
  • 住所7-14 Yamatocho, Tsuchiura City, Ibaraki Prefecture MAP
  • アクセスAbout 5 minutes walk from JR Tsuchiura Station
  • 営業時間17:00-22:30 (LO 21:00 *LO 21:30 on Fridays and Saturdays, drink LO 22:00)
  • 定休日Sundays, December 30th to January 4th
  • TEL029-821-1814
  • 駐車場free

Enjoy fatty yellowtail shabu-shabu

"Yellowtail Shabu-shabu" (right) 2,600 yen per person (minimum order is for two people), "Assorted Sashimi" 2,800 yen for two people
"Yellowtail Shabu-shabu" (right) 2,600 yen per person (minimum order is for two people), "Assorted Sashimi" 2,800 yen for two people

This extremely popular restaurant is representative of Tsuchiura City and is known to all locals. The reason it attracts so many gourmets is the uncompromising selection of ingredients and the hearty, beautiful presentation of the thickly sliced sashimi and other dishes. Although the "Yellowtail Shabu-Shabu" is a limited menu item available from November to April, it is a popular dish with so many fans that people travel from outside the prefecture just to enjoy it. Depending on the season, they purchase the yellowtail that is at its fattiest. After quickly parboiling it in a simple kelp broth, the delicious, sweet flavor of the fat fills your mouth.

A three-storey izakaya that can cater for a variety of occasions

A Japanese-style room with a sunken kotatsu. The walls are painted in a two-tone orange and yellow color, creating a gentle atmosphere.
A Japanese-style room with a sunken kotatsu. The walls are painted in a two-tone orange and yellow color, creating a gentle atmosphere.

This large, three-story izakaya can be used for a variety of occasions. The first floor has counter seats and a sunken kotatsu seating area. The second floor has a vermilion-colored retro tatami room, and the third floor is a banquet hall that can accommodate 30 to 50 people. Despite this number of seats, it is often fully booked even on weekdays, so we recommend making a reservation in advance. In addition to fresh fish, the restaurant also offers a wide variety of fried and grilled dishes and snacks. As for alcohol, there is a wide selection of famous brands of sake from all over the country, including expensive premium shochu.

Comments Local Guide
This immensely popular izakaya serves the thickest sashimi. The yellowtail shabu-shabu is very filling, but the taste never tires of making you want to return again and again.
Good house
  • URLhttps://umiaya2021.owst.jp/
  • 住所1-6-7 Sakuramachi, Tsuchiura City, Ibaraki Prefecture MAP
  • アクセスAbout 4 minutes walk from JR Tsuchiura Station
  • 営業時間17:30～24:00（L.O.23:30）
  • 定休日Irregular holidays
  • TEL029-826-6878
  • 駐車場free

Ingredients that have been painstakingly prepared are served robatayaki

"Robatayaki six kinds platter" 1,390 yen (front), "Salted motsu stew" 650 yen, "Scallop fragrant radish salad" 640 yen in the back
"Robatayaki six kinds platter" 1,390 yen (front), "Salted motsu stew" 650 yen, "Scallop fragrant radish salad" 640 yen in the back

The owner, a local who studied Japanese cuisine in Ginza and gained knowledge of meat at his family's steak restaurant in Tsuchiura City, opened this restaurant in 2015. He is proud of his robatayaki, which is made by grilling dried fish and mirin-dried fish prepared in-house over charcoal. Many regular customers order the "Robatayaki Rokku-mori" (Robatayaki Six Types of Fish Skewer), an assortment of six types of fish skewers: salmon belly, squid mirin, shrimp, mackerel mirin, Atka mackerel, and turban shell. As the owner wanted customers to "try a little bit of every type," all the fish are boneless and skewered, making them easy to eat and snack on. Fish skewers can also be ordered individually.

Recreating the atmosphere of a good old folk house with nostalgic folk items

The interior of the restaurant has a nostalgic atmosphere. Folk songs are playing pleasantly.
The interior of the restaurant has a nostalgic atmosphere. Folk songs are playing pleasantly.

The interior of the restaurant is decorated with many folk items, giving it the feel of a traditional old-fashioned house. Behind the table seats, there is a tatami room with a sunken kotatsu table and counter seats arranged around a hearth where the owner grills ingredients. In addition to fish, they also serve charcoal-grilled meats such as Wagyu beef, beef tongue, skirt steak, and pork belly. In addition to salads and a la carte dishes, they also offer dashi chazuke and rice balls, which are perfect for finishing off a meal. The alcoholic beverages are mainly local Ibaraki sake, with seasonal limited editions being added one after another. They also offer non-alcoholic plum wine and lemon sours, so even those who don't like alcohol can fully enjoy the izakaya atmosphere.

Comments Local Guide
You can enjoy creative homemade dishes and robatayaki using seasonal ingredients. All the dishes are delicious and go well with sake.
Robata and Meat Kappo Sasaya
  • URLhttps://www.robata-sasaya.com/
  • 住所1-5-5 Kawaguchi, Tsuchiura City, Ibaraki Prefecture MAP
  • アクセスAbout 5 minutes walk from JR Tsuchiura Station
  • 営業時間17:00-23:00 (last orders 22:00)
  • 定休日Sundays and public holidays (if Monday is a public holiday, the following day will be closed)
  • TEL029-828-8725
  • 駐車場None

A Japanese restaurant that focuses on locally produced ingredients and makes the most of seasonal flavors

"Grilled Hitachi beef" 1,980 yen (front), "Softly boiled octopus" 840 yen (back left), "Deep-fried Mekou" 660 yen (back right)
"Grilled Hitachi beef" 1,980 yen (front), "Softly boiled octopus" 840 yen (back left), "Deep-fried Mekou" 660 yen (back right)

The owner, a native of Tsuchiura City who honed his skills at a Japanese restaurant in Tokyo, serves a variety of dishes incorporating seasonal flavors and mainly local ingredients. The "grilled Hitachi beef" has a good balance of lean meat and fat, and the moment you bite into it, a refined flavor spreads across your tongue. The "soft boiled octopus" is a hidden popular dish made by simmering Hokkaido octopus in beer and seasoning it with sweet and spicy flavors. "Mekkou fried chicken" is made by deep-frying octopus caught off the coast of Tokiwa, one of the leading mexical fish fishing grounds in the country, so you can enjoy the mild taste of the white meat and the fluffy texture.

Away from the hustle and bustle of downtown, it sits quietly in a relatively quiet area.

Counter seats where you can enjoy watching the craftsmanship right before your eyes. Feel free to come alone.
Counter seats where you can enjoy watching the craftsmanship right before your eyes. Feel free to come alone.

The restaurant opened in 2015, utilizing the temporary store space of the owner's family's long-established local sushi restaurant, which was operating during renovation. The restaurant has a relaxed atmosphere that is perfect for adults, and is recommended for those who want to enjoy their food and drinks at a leisurely pace. In addition to counter seats and raised seating on the first floor, there are also private rooms on the second floor. The food menu includes simmered and boiled dishes that clearly display the professional techniques of the chef, as well as nigiri platters that he learned from his father, rolls with fatty tuna and anakyu, and seafood bowls. They also have a selection of local sake from Ibaraki Prefecture, which you can enjoy in small quantities by the glass.

Comments Local Guide
All the dishes made with seafood prepared by the owner, whose father is a sushi chef, are delicious. It is very popular with locals and is always crowded, so we recommend making a reservation.
Waso Shun Kobee
  • URLhttp://koubee.info/
  • 住所1-8-11 Kawaguchi, Tsuchiura City, Ibaraki Prefecture MAP
  • アクセスApproximately 7 minutes walk from JR Tsuchiura Station
  • 営業時間12:00-14:00 (LO13:30), 17:00-23:00 (LO22:30)
  • 定休日Wednesdays, New Year's holiday, Obon *Please check the website for details
  • TEL029-875-5800
  • 駐車場Free (4 cars) *A service coupon will be issued to those who have a parking ticket for Musashiya Kawaguchi paid Parking

Hearty oden and special dishes that will warm your body and soul

"Braised pork" 730 yen (front right), "Tsuchiura lotus root salad" (front left) 650 yen, "Oden platter" 800 yen (back)
"Braised pork" 730 yen (front right), "Tsuchiura lotus root salad" (front left) 650 yen, "Oden platter" 800 yen (back)

The signature dish is oden, a stew made with carefully made stock using dried bonito flakes from Makurazaki, Kagoshima Prefecture. There are 20 carefully selected varieties available all year round, including daikon radish, mochikinchaku, and rolled cabbage. You can order each dish individually, but the "Oden Mori" is a great deal with an assortment of six varieties recommended by the owner. There are also plenty of other dishes to go with alcohol, including another specialty, "braised pork," which is so tender it can be easily cut with chopsticks. The "Lotus Root Salad" is made using only the buds of locally grown lotus root, giving it a crunchy texture.

The spacious L-shaped counter seats are the best seats

The L-shaped counter seats surrounding the delicious steaming oden are popular.
The L-shaped counter seats surrounding the delicious steaming oden are popular.

The interior of the restaurant is decorated in chic colors, creating a relaxing and spacious space. In addition to tasteful counter seats, there are three private rooms, including sunken kotatsu and tatami rooms, and a banquet hall on the second floor. In addition to the regular menu, there is a recommended menu that changes daily, and many regular customers visit just for that. Another reason for its popularity is the wide selection of alcoholic beverages. In addition to local Ibaraki sake, they also have carefully selected sake and shochu from all over the country, as well as 10 types of draft beer, including craft beer.

Comments Local Guide
All the elaborate dishes are heart-warming. Oden is delicious not only on cold days, but also in the summer. You'll want to drink up every last drop of the broth.
Musha
  • URLhttps://a733201.gorp.jp/
  • 住所1-15-5 Sakuramachi, Tsuchiura City, Ibaraki Prefecture MAP
  • アクセスAbout 5 minutes walk from JR Tsuchiura Station
  • 営業時間17:00～24:00（L.O.23:00）
  • 定休日Sunday
  • TEL029-821-1711
  • 駐車場None

Fresh Tsukuba chicken from Ibaraki Prefecture, grilled over charcoal

In the front are "Negima" for 180 yen and "Chicken fillet" for 200 yen, and in the back are "Liver" for 220 yen and "Authentic Charcoal Grilled Oyakodon" for 640 yen.
In the front are "Negima" for 180 yen and "Chicken fillet" for 200 yen, and in the back are "Liver" for 220 yen and "Authentic Charcoal Grilled Oyakodon" for 640 yen.

This is a famous yakitori restaurant that uses local Tsukuba chicken. Tsukuba chicken is characterized by its fine meat quality, moderate elasticity and strong flavor. By slowly grilling it over binchotan charcoal at the perfect temperature, the outside is crisp and fragrant, while the inside is soft and fluffy, and the more you chew it, the more the fine aroma and flavor spreads. Liver, which many people dislike, has a moist and fluffy texture that will change your perception of it. In addition to the 12 types of Tsukuba chicken yakitori, the "Authentic Charcoal Grilled Oyakodon" is an addictive dish with its soft and sweet egg and the aroma of charcoal fire.

The atmosphere is so good you wouldn't think it was a yakitori restaurant.

Both the counter seats and the table seats offer a sense of privacy, allowing you to enjoy your meal at your leisure.
Both the counter seats and the table seats offer a sense of privacy, allowing you to enjoy your meal at your leisure.

The interior of the restaurant, finished in a modern Japanese style, has an elegant appearance reminiscent of a luxury hotel lounge. The gentle, subdued light from the indirect lighting creates a relaxing atmosphere. In addition to counter seats where you can relax on low chairs and open-air table seats, there is also a private room-style tatami space separated by a curtain. In addition to Tsukuba chicken, the restaurant offers a wide variety of dishes such as salads, sashimi of the day, fried dishes, and hot pots. There are also light snacks on offer, making it the perfect second stop.

Comments Local Guide
This is a local chicken yakitori restaurant with attentive service. They will also teach you the best way to eat yakitori and suggest tastings of local sake to go with your meal.
Chicken Skewer Restaurant Iccho
  • 住所7-2 Yamatocho, Tsuchiura City, Ibaraki Prefecture MAP
  • アクセスAbout 3 minutes walk from JR Tsuchiura Station
  • 営業時間18:00-24:00 (last orders 23:00, last orders for drinks 23:30) *Subject to change
  • 定休日Wednesdays, the first Tuesday of every month, December 31st to January 3rd
  • TEL029-824-2983
  • 駐車場None
*The contents listed are current as of the date of article update. They may be subject to change, so please check before using.