I had a weekday off and decided to visit the Nihonbashi head shop of Kaisendon Tsujihan (日本橋海鮮丼 つじ半) in Nihonbashi. It’s known to be a very popular restaurant. I had heard that even around 2 p.m. on weekdays, there’s often a long line. So, I arrived at 2:20 p.m., but there were still about 15 people waiting in line!
The head shop, located in Nihonbashi, has a traditional appearance that might make it seem like a long-established restaurant. However, it’s actually relatively new, having opened in 2012. Tsujihan is managed by Tsujita (つじ田), a well-known tsukemen shop, and Kaneko Hannosuke (金子半之助), a famous tempura restaurant.
This particular shop is especially popular with international visitors. About half—or maybe even more—of the people waiting seemed to be from other countries.
Inside, there is an L-shaped counter with just 10 seats. Despite the long line, since they only serve one main dish, the Zeitakudon (ぜいたく丼, luxurious seafood bowl), I was able to get seated within 30 minutes. 😊
Menu. They offer menus in English, Chinese, and Korean for foreign guests. Here are the options:
Ume 梅 (1250 yen) 9 kinds of seafood, including tuna, nakaochi (scraped tuna meat from the spine), and salmon roe.
Ta-ke 竹 (1650 yen) Ume plus crab and extra salmon roe.
Matsu 松 (2200 yen) Ume plus crab and sea urchin.
Tokujo 特上 (3600 yen) Matsu with extra crab, sea urchin, and extra salmon roe.
You can also add extra salmon roe (300 yen) or extra sea urchin (500 yen).
This time, I ordered Zeitakudon Matsu. First, two slices of tuna sashimi were served separately. They recommend saving two slices for ochazuke (rice with tea or broth) later, but it’s perfectly fine to eat them all before the main bowl arrives.
This is the Zeitakudon Matsu. A colorful mound of mixed tuna, nakaochi, flying fish roe, and more is beautifully topped with vibrant salmon roe. The name Zeitakudon (贅沢丼), meaning “luxurious bowl,” is truly fitting. It’s a photogenic sashimi bowl!
Way of delicious eating. I’m afraid it’s Japanese words only.
They provide yolk soy sauce to enhance the flavor, which you can pour over the bowl before eating.
From the horizon. It’s mountain. The tuna was fresh, the flying fish roe had a delightful texture, and the salmon roe was simply delicious! However, most of the toppings, except for the salmon roe, are mixed together, so it’s hard to enjoy each ingredient’s flavor individually.
Hidden inside the “mountain” of seafood are the crab and sea urchin. However, I was a bit disappointed as there wasn’t much of either. Honestly, for the price, I think the Ta-ke option might offer better value, as there isn’t much difference in appearance between Matsu and Ta-ke.
After eating half of the sashimi bowl, I asked the staff to add soup stock to my bowl. The broth, made from red sea bream, was mild and flavorful, pairing wonderfully with the salmon roe. If you plan to try this, I recommend saving plenty of salmon roe for the ochazuke!
About
Name Nihonbashi Kaisendon Tsujihan (日本橋海鮮丼 つじ半)
Open Lunch, Dinner
Reservation Unavailable
Credit card Unavailable
URL Website
Google Map
Comments