Kagaya

Situated practically at the base of Tokyo Skytree, Kagaya preserves the unpretentious warmth and energy of a neighbourhood izakaya right beside the bustle of the sightseeing district. The signature dish to order right after taking a seat is the slow-simmered tokusei motsu nikomi. Piping hot and rich with dissolved flavours around tender offal, it pairs effortlessly with a cold hoppy or a draught beer, making an ideal opener.

Beyond traditional pub fare, the seafood selection merits attention. Fresh Pacific bluefin tuna sourced directly from Toyosu Market is offered across cuts from lean akami to medium-fatty chutoro and rich otoro. When deciding feels difficult, the three-kind bluefin tuna platter brings akami, chutoro, and otoro together onto a single plate. Moving between the rich sweetness of the fatty cuts and the clean depth of the lean meat provides a welcome contrast to the simmered and grilled dishes.

Skewered offal such as tongue, heart, pork jowl, chitterlings, and liver can be ordered 1 skewers at a time, making it easy to sample different cuts alongside drinks. Beyond the house-special stamina skewers, fried items are plentiful, including crisp horse mackerel, chikuwa wrapped in seaweed batter, and deep-fried octopus, keeping the table comfortably filled with small plates.

The pub opens at 16:00 on weekdays and from 15:00 on weekends, making it a handy drop-in spot for an early evening drink after exploring the Skytree area.