ASAKUSA, the most famous destination for foreigners, attracted nearly 10 mil. visitors in 2018. Now they are all gone with Covid-19 . Instead, local residents are coming back to this town, to some extent. Some shops along the main street to Sensoji temple are open, some closed. Same with the restaurants gathered around the town.
The most noticeable among them is the queue to YOSHIKAMI restaurant. "We're so SORRY that they're too NICE!" as the motto, this restaurant has been a forerunner of modern Japanese cuisine for 70 years. Interestingly, foreigners regard Asakusa as the centrepiece for traditional Japanese culture, whereas for locals, it has long been the birthplace for modern culture where cinemas, comedy or musical stages have always attracted Tokyo residents.
Yoshikami is a "Yo-shoku" restaurant, meaning Western style cuisine. On the menu are familiar dishes for Europeans such as beef stew, sirloin steak, pork cutlet or omelet. But over the years, chefs have skillfully maximised their tenderness, richness and umami flavour favourable to Japanese customers, and now established another style of cuisine.
You can still feel their passion for Yo-shoku cuisine when you see a dozen of chefs cooking enthusiastically in a small open kitchen. Asakusa has always been a powerhouse of culture, and Yoshikami has been a powerhouse of foodies.
English on the Menu. Credit card accepted.