Mitamura Shoten is an udon bar and also an izakaya in the Mukojima district of Sumida City in Tokyo. It is a 15-minute walk from Tokyo Skytree and a 10-minute walk from exit A3 of Oshiage train station. The Mitamura Shoten was opened in the fall of 2018.

As the owner explains, he himself grew up in the neighbourhood in Mukojima and had already made the decision at a young age to open his own restaurant one day in order to offer the people he knows and respects a place for exchange, relaxation, but of course primarily for the enjoyment of food. Open at lunchtime as a constantly busy udon bar, the menu consists of various udon sets from which to choose freely. These are the udon variations:

• Kakeudon (550 Yen)
• Bukakeudon (650 Yen)
• Wakame Bukakeudon (650 Yen)
• Kitsune Bukakeudon (650 Yen)
• Gyuniku Bukakeudon (750 Yen)
• Kashiwaten Bukakeudon (750 Yen)

For an extra 100 Yen, you can also get a 1.5 times the size portion. For particularly hungry guests, a 2 times the size portion is also served for only 200 Yen extra. There is also the option to choose extra toppings from a small list. This includes a raw or soft-boiled egg, or umeboshi, in addition to the regular ingredients like extra wakame or beef. Since all dishes have a set price, there is one serving of a side dish, which changes depending on the day of the week:

• Tuesdays: Takigomi gohan (rice which was cooked together with mushrooms, dashi and vegetables and other ingredients)
• Thursdays: homemade curry
• Wednesdays and Fridays: the side dish changes and thus offers a little extra surprise for the guest

According to the owner, Kitsune Bukakeudon is the most popular dish among the guests, so you probably won't have to think twice about what to choose on your first visit.

Since Mitamura Shoten is a popular place for a quick meal, especially around lunchtime, try not to arrive too late, as it's not uncommon for the freshly prepared side dishes to have already run out in the last half hour. In the evening, Mitamura Shoten transforms from an udon bar into an izakaya specializing in skewered grilled food (kushiyaki), offering guests a place to drink, eat, and socialize with colleagues, friends, and neighbours until late into the night. Alcoholic beverages offered here include nihonshu, shochu and wine.

The aroma of freshly prepared kushiyaki and cheerful voices can be heard as you walk by late at night, making Mitamura Shoten and its customers a permanent part of the neighbourhood scene in Mukojima 3 Chome.

In addition, there is also the possibility to order food in advance by phone or directly at the counter to enjoy your lunch or dinner at home, at the Sumida river or in one of the nearby parks. This is especially suitable for getting freshly prepared party snacks for family or friends on special days.

The owner is extremely flexible with the time frame of the order, so it is possible to order directly and take the food with you directly, or to order it days in advance for a special day and a fixed time.
I can only recommend to everybody to drop by the Mitamura Shoten udon Bar. Together with his wife, the owner provides a friendly atmosphere where I have enjoyed my lunch countless times. We also ordered the food for our small private Halloween party there and were not disappointed.

 

Getting there

It is located about a 15-minute walk from Tokyo Skytree and a 10-minute walk from Exit A3 of Oshiage train station.