Boosting horsepower and heading to Yoshiwara! What's this talk about all of a sudden...? If you're thinking that, don't get it wrong. Laugh. Do you know the origin of the phrase "boosting horsepower"? Actually, when going out to Yoshiwara, which was once Tokyo's leading pleasure district, or as a finale after enjoying oneself, there was a culture of eating horse meat dishes. At that time, there were many horse meat dishes, but the only one that remains today is "Sakura Nabe Nakae," established in Meiji 38. They themselves are a cultural presence, but they also play a role in preserving the history of Yoshiwara. When the renowned restaurant "Kanemura" closed down, they took over the building, which is over 100 years old and designated as a tangible cultural property by the country. They operate this as a separate annex called "Sakura Nabe Nakae Annex Kanemura." Full of cherry blossoms, full of horse meat. It's autumn, but at Nakae, many cherry blossoms are in full bloom. Starting with simmered dishes, followed by horse sashimi, horse sashimi nigiri sushi, and so on. Despite being a meat dish, the healthy taste of horse meat is quite enjoyable. This Tarotaro Yukke is one of their specialties. It's said that it was conceived by the artist Taro Okamoto! The combination of meat and raw egg seems to invigorate the body. The main event, Sakura Nabe. You can choose from cuts like tenderloin, belly, loin, and chateaubriand. Be careful, as some cuts may sell out late at night. The loin meat we had this time has a strong flavor that jumps into your mouth. Working to enhance that flavor is the miso sauce poured over it. This miso creates an indescribable richness. And if you mix it with an egg at the end, it transforms into the best side dish for rice. Men can expect to boost their "horsepower," while women can anticipate beauty and diet benefits from the healthy horse meat. Thank you for the feast.

I visited this restaurant for the first time to try their Sakura Nabe. Located near the entrance of the Yoshiwara soapland district, this former traditional Japanese restaurant, Kanemura, now operates as a Sakura Nabe restaurant. They only serve one group per day, probably because they have limited staff. The owner, Mr. Nakae, provided attentive service. The horse meat for the Sakura Nabe, sourced from Kurume, had a refreshing taste and was delicious without any strong flavors. I enjoyed it so much that I ordered more meat for the pot. The restaurant also has various materials that allow you to learn about the old Yoshiwara district, giving you a glimpse into the Edo period.

The vitality of Edo comes from horse meat. The moist and delicious horse meat has a nostalgic atmosphere and emotional appeal. It is in the downtown area.

In the heart of Yoshiwara is the traditional restaurant Kanemura, known for its horse sashimi and cherry blossom hot pot. The annex, operated by Nakae, is now a members-only establishment. The second-floor hall can accommodate two groups when divided by sliding doors, or can be opened up for larger gatherings. The menu features horse sashimi and cherry blossom hot pot, with options for à la carte or set courses. With the decline in popularity of raw beef, horse sashimi and horse sashimi sushi have become popular choices. The raw horse meat is typically served with ginger, providing a refreshing balance compared to garlic. Another specialty is the horse meat tartare steak, pounded to perfection and mixed with a complex blend of spices and condiments, resulting in a sweet flavor. The cherry blossom hot pot includes various cuts of horse meat along with seasonal vegetables such as shimeji mushrooms, burdock root, and eggplant. A unique combination of horse meat, tomato, and vegetables in a hot pot. The meal concludes with a delicious rice dish, where the remaining hot pot broth is poured over the rice for a rich and satisfying finish. The traditional entertainment course at the restaurant celebrates the 90th birthday of the esteemed Geisha Keiko Uchiumi, featuring performances by three Asakusa Geisha and a shamisen player. The evening includes traditional Edo-era entertainment such as comic storytelling and playful banter. The custom-made sake, featuring artwork by Keiko Uchiumi on the label, adds a touch of sophistication to the experience. Despite the diminishing number of traditional Edo-style establishments in Yoshiwara, it is delightful to see such a charming restaurant thriving in the district.

It was a rainy Saturday in April when a luxurious event called "Sakura Meat Cuisine Feast" was held at a certain restaurant in a corner of the former famous red-light district of Yoshiwara. The event included a talk by Master Keiko Utsumi, who celebrated her 90th birthday last year, and an introduction to the elegant adult game of "Ozashiki Asobi" by the beautiful Asakusa geisha ladies. Excited to experience my first Ozashiki Asobi, I traveled a long way to attend. Arriving in front of the restaurant by taxi from Uguisudani Station, I climbed the stairs to find a large tatami room set up. Our seats were in the front row, right up close. The group of us, all first-timers to Ozashiki Asobi, awaited the start with nervous expressions. Soon, the main event of the evening, Master Keiko Utsumi, appeared. Despite her age of 90, her lively tone and quick wit were overwhelming. I felt that I wanted to age gracefully like her. We started with a toast with beer! Appetizers and sashimi were served, and on stage, the graceful Asakusa ladies began their elegant dance performance. Watching the traditional Japanese entertainment up close was a mesmerizing experience. I won't go into detail about the gentlemen sitting nearby (laughs), but I felt like I had warped into a different dimension and experienced a strange feeling of wonder (laughs). They were so beautiful after all. The dishes I enjoyed that day: - Appetizers: simmered sakura meat, tamagoyaki, pickles, with condiments and shichimi pepper - Sashimi sushi with horse meat, lean meat, belly meat, and pickled ginger - Assorted sashimi: lean meat, belly meat, marbled meat, and tartar steak - Sakura nabe with assorted meats: lean meat, belly meat, fillet, rolled lean meat - Seasonal assorted vegetables: shimeji mushrooms, shredded burdock root, pickled sakura radish, sakura wheat gluten, barley wheat gluten, lotus root wheat gluten, green onions, white konjac, Edonana, sakura meat with black sesame meatball, tomatoes, zucchini, okra, eggplant, shishito peppers - Rice with pickles and red miso soup - Dessert: sakura and yellow peach ice cream, sakura rice cake, and a courtesan-themed candy The drinks I enjoyed that day (all-you-can-drink!): - Beer - Junmai Daiginjo cold-pressed sake with an illustration by Master Keiko Utsumi - "Nihon Mori" sakura meat is something I have eaten in the countryside and in Tokyo before, but the sakura meat from this long-established restaurant, with over 100 years of tradition, was exceptional. The melt-in-your-mouth sushi and the superb assortment of meats were particularly delightful. The marbled "tartar steak" and the elegant flavor of the meats made the sake flow down easily. It was truly an unforgettable experience.

Near the Yoshiwara main gate, there is a favorite cherry blossom hot pot restaurant called "Nakae". Established in 1905, our restaurant has taken over the last ryotei in Yoshiwara and opened a new branch called "Sakura Nabe Nakae Bekkan Kanemura". Enjoy the cherry blossom hot pot and horse meat course in a historic ryotei. Although it takes a bit of courage to go to a place in Yoshiwara, you can feel a different atmosphere compared to the main store. We were invited to a fun event called "Introduction to Geisha Entertainment with Uchiumi Keiko Sensei" at "Sakura Nabe Kanemura" and decided to attend. There were 6 of us, among a total of about 30 customers, but the seats were so close to Uchiumi Sensei that we could practically touch her. There were also individuals attending alone, but our group was the largest and we had a lot of fun (laughs). Uchiumi Sensei's lively stories, the enchanting and glamorous dance of the geisha with a beautiful voice that didn't seem like she was 90 years old. Even men couldn't help but be captivated. Of course, there were many who were even more captivated... As the geisha served sake, the bottles with labels written by Uchiumi Sensei kept disappearing... I heard a waiter exclaiming, "We're running out of sake! It's going to be gone!" (laughs) Feeling bold, with the help of my friends, I finally participated in the game of "Ko Ko". I think it was something like "Old Man, Hunter, Tiger"? The winner of each round serves sake to the loser, and the loser drinks! The celebration was... a bit complicated, but fulfilling my wish to play "Ko Ko" was quite enjoyable. I'm grateful to my friends who encouraged me. I started to understand the fun of geisha entertainment and even thought, "Next time, I want to try Tosenkyo". This time, it was a large group event, but of course, you can also enjoy geisha entertainment individually. The food is basically the same as at "Nakae", but experiencing that atmosphere once is also enjoyable. This ryotei in Yoshiwara is perfect for private conversations or for those who get too rowdy. It was a valuable experience at the ryotei Kanemura. The course for "Introduction to Geisha Entertainment with Uchiumi Keiko Sensei" (26,000 yen) includes the following dishes: - Appetizer: Tamagoyaki (rolled omelette) - Appetizer: Simmered horse meat with soy sauce, served with condiments and shichimi pepper - Horse meat sushi: Roast, belly, sirloin, pickled ginger - Assorted horse meat sashimi: Roast, belly, marbled tartare steak tartare - Cherry blossom hot pot: Assorted horse meat (roast, belly, fillet, rolled roast), seasonal assorted vegetables - Rice, pickles, red miso soup - Dessert: Cherry blossom and yellow peach ice cream, cherry blossom okoshi rice cracker, courtesan karinto - Sake for this occasion: Asakusa no Sui, Junmai, Asakusa Sake Brewery, Tokyo

H25.4 First visit and off-meeting with a regular reviewer here. Yoshiwara... it still looks like that kind of town, doesn't it? I might get drawn in if I walk around carelessly, so I took a taxi from Uguisudani Station to the front of the store. The store is right in the middle of Yoshiwara. It has a cool exterior. On this day, it was a beginner's meeting for playing with geishas with Master Keiko Utsumi! This kind of opportunity doesn't come often! Everyone looked slightly nervous as the meeting started. Master Utsumi's voice is amazing. I wish the young ones around here would learn from her. Now, after watching the geishas dance, it's time for food! Horse meat tsukudani, tamagoyaki... just these go well with a cup of sake, right? Cherry blossom muscle stew - I really like this dish. It's not too heavy. It would have been better if the shichimi had a bit more kick. Horse sashimi nigiri sushi - lean and fatty cuts. The lean one is refreshing yet flavorful, it's good! Assorted sashimi - lean, fatty, marbled, tartare steak. Hmm, of course it's delicious, but I wanted different types like vertical cuts. Cherry blossom hot pot - the base tastes like sukiyaki, but I melted something like miso at the beginning. The contents include a meat assortment and seasonal vegetable assortment. I preferred the vegetables! Shimeji mushrooms, shredded burdock, cherry radish, cherry wheat gluten, millet gluten, lotus root gluten, green onions, konjac, Tokyo greens, tomatoes, zucchini, okra, eggplant, shishito peppers... who would have thought tomatoes would be good. I've had tomatoes in miso soup, but tomatoes in sukiyaki. Also, cherry meat black pepper tsukune. This was good too. And rice, pickles, red miso soup... no bad dishes. Cherry and yellow peach ice cream, cherry rice cake, oiran kagirin... no bad dishes. We also got to see Toratoro, and enjoyed the good old Japanese culture to the fullest. They even prepared souvenirs for us, very satisfied. Thanks to the producer, Car Lover, and everyone for taking care of us. The fun meeting continued to the after-party...

Bottan-san and Car-Lover-san, Hiroshi from Akita, came to have a meal here after hearing about it, so I asked to be brought along as well. When I actually visited, I was surprised! The restaurant was in a truly wonderful location. The charm of this place might be its location. Out of the 7 people, there were 4 men, and I'm sure all of them were secretly thinking, "I wish we had come with just the guys." Car-Lover-san and I just gazed at the view from the tatami room window and silently vowed to come back for sure (probably). They say it's difficult to get to the restaurant without parking a taxi right in front, but I definitely want to walk slowly from about 500 meters away. The restaurant is a traditional Japanese house styled like a ryotei, which was bought by the owner Mr. Nakae from a ryotei called Kanemura. Inside, it felt like a small museum reminiscent of the Yoshiwara from the Edo period, showing a determination to preserve Edo culture, not just for business. Today was supposed to be a day off, but thanks to the power of the regular customer "Car-Lover-san," they made it a private reservation. Amazing. This means we have to eat and drink a lot. When it comes to horse meat, it was so delicious in Hakata at Koshinraku that I was worried it would be so bad at Sagimaru in Meguro that I would be unhappy, but that concern disappeared when I entered the restaurant. Moreover, the dishes were completely different from what I had imagined, truly traditional horse meat cuisine. The owners serve the dishes with exquisite timing, and the freshness of the horse meat is beyond words. Various parts are served, but the amount is just right. Even after eating to my heart's content, there was no stomachache, and I find myself wanting to eat more. The course included a variety of dishes such as horse sashimi, sushi, steak, hotpot, and more. The meal ended with rice, pickles, red miso soup, and dessert. I heard there will be a Kami Kame no Kai in June and made a reservation before leaving.

In April of the 25th year, revisited - the first 27 photos are new~ Added the names of the older sisters~ [Achiki's Recommended] - The essence of the good old Edo Yoshiwara [Bill] - Participation fee... 26000 yen (including food, all-you-can-drink alcohol, souvenir) [Situation this time] - Introduction to parlor games with Naumi Keiko Sensei and Asakusa geisha older sisters (Sasha-nee, Seiko-nee, Chinonee, Norie-nee) Enchanting dance, Totoitsu Taikai, Tora Tora, and more [Contents] - Simmered tsukudani, tamagoyaki - Soy sauce simmered cherry blossom meat with condiments and shichimi pepper - Horse sashimi sushi rolls with loin, belly, pickled ginger - Assorted sashimi with loin, belly, marbled, tartare steak - Assorted cherry blossom hot pot meat with loin, belly, fillet, rolled loin Seasonal assorted fresh vegetables - shimeji mushrooms, shredded burdock, cherry radish, cherry gluten, awa-fu, renkon gluten, negi, shirataki, Edo greens, cherry meat black pepper tsukune, tomato, zucchini, okra, eggplant, shishito peppers - Rice, pickles, red miso soup - Cherry blossom and yellow peach ice cream, cherry blossom rice cake, courtesan karinto - Bottled beer, sake with Keiko Sensei label, Daiginjo cold pressed (all-you-can-drink) [Details] After a long time, back to Nakae Kanemura. Just on the day I made a reservation, there was "Let's play with Keiko-chan - Introduction to parlor games" so how about it? All-you-can-drink alcohol! A lovely invitation from the boss☆ Of course, I'll join in! So, for the first time in my life, I played parlor games~ Met up with friends at Uguisudani Station and took a taxi to the restaurant. We were seated on the second floor, with a total of 23 people including us 6. We had the best seats once again, thanks to the boss☆ Thank you very much for the delicious food! However, the highlight of this time was not the cherry blossom hot pot or the alcohol... It was the 90-year-old Naumi Keiko Sensei! Her voice was amazing! Her witty storytelling and shamisen playing during the Totoitsu Taikai were excellent☆ The Totoitsu competition that everyone participated in was also fun. And the Asakusa geisha older sisters added glamour to Keiko Sensei's performance! They were so alluring and enchanting~ - The elegant "Sasha" from the countryside. - The skilled dancer "Seiko". - The favorite of a certain person, "Chinonee". - The fun conversationalist, "Norie". Their dancing to the sound of the shamisen and taiko drum was so elegant and enjoyable. I love the sound of the shamisen and the scent of the white powder☆ I had a great time enjoying it~ The parlor game of Tora Tora was joined by my friends! Tora tora, tora tora♪ Tora tora, tora tora♪♪ Oh, we won beautifully! The losers had to drink... Oops, maybe it was better to lose (laughs). After that, the older sisters came to our table to chat☆ Pouring drinks back and forth... the sake was delicious. "Norie" is from the local area, so the local stories were interesting. Time flew by so quickly. Keiko Sensei left first, thanking everyone. She shook hands warmly with everyone, including me... I can't say anything more about what happened next~ After chatting for a while, we also left. Where to next? To be continued...

I received an invitation from a friend who loves cars, so I immediately accepted. I had been wanting to visit the restaurant "Sakura Nabe Nakae" since last year when I visited a nearby restaurant, but it was closed that day. So, when the opportunity arose, I gladly joined a group of seven for a feast at the restaurant. The atmosphere at the restaurant was charming, reminiscent of old times. We enjoyed a variety of dishes, including horse sashimi and a delicious hot pot with seasonal ingredients. The highlight was the "after rice," a surprising dish made with the broth from the hot pot. It was all so delicious, and we had a great time with good company. Thank you to the hosts and our friend for organizing the memorable evening.

This time, with the guidance of "Car Enthusiast" whom I met on this site, I had the pleasure of dining with "Udon Lover" and "Bottan." It was right in the heart of "Yoshiwara"... my first time stepping foot in there. Looking to the right, there were places like "June Bride," "Maiden Amusement Park," "Queen Bee," and to the left, "Talover Club," "Secretary's Office," "Excellent Club Baron"... It was filled with neon lights and a flashy atmosphere, quite different from a horse stable (no offense). It made my blood boil in a way... Anyway... it was my first time dining at a horse meat specialty restaurant... Please refer to the photos for details. Just like how I can eat eel dishes continuously without getting tired, I realized that the same goes for horse meat... I also had my first taste of the "rose" part (white meat)... It was a rare experience that I am grateful to the three of them for... Thank you for the meal... m(_ _)m

When I visited this restaurant in Tokyo for work, I found it to be located in a very charming and pleasant area. Once inside, I was captivated by the indescribable atmosphere, and personally, I really liked it. I tried various dishes, but what I particularly enjoyed was the sashimi platter. The moment it touched my tongue, I was so impressed by how delicious it was. I was able to try a variety of different items, which was fantastic. The horse meat sushi was also amazing, incredibly fresh and delicious enough to make me want to shout "amazing" in my heart. The service from the staff was very warm and I was extremely satisfied. I definitely want to visit this restaurant again when I have work in Tokyo.