A near-century-old institution (founded 1928) at the entrance to Inokashira Park, where smoky charcoal skewers cost around 100 yen and the lantern-lit corner building is a Kichijoji landmark. It is a no-frills, often cash-only local favourite rather than a fine-dining venue.
Can I eat here?
We haven’t confirmed specific diets here yet — use the phrasebook to show staff what you can and can’t eat.
Inexpensive charcoal skewers including chicken and motsu (offal)
Iseya Koen-ten is a long-running yakitoriizakaya standing right at the entrance to Inokashira Park in Kichijoji, the kind of stop regulars make on their way out of the park. The parent Iseya company was founded in 1928, and this branch opened in 1960 as what's locally known as the park's "front gate." The original building aged out and was rebuilt into its current three-story structure in 2013.
The draw is straightforward: charcoal-grilled yakitori at around 100 yen a skewer, with 12 varieties to choose from, ordered salt or tare. Among the confirmed options are liver, heart, tripe, tsukune (chicken meatballs), scallion skewers, and young chicken breast. Regulars order the motsu (offal) stew -- a hand-braised, chile-spiked dish -- without checking the menu; it's the house's best-known cooked plate. The handmade shumai is another fixture worth ordering alongside the skewers: unusually large, roughly twice the size of a standard piece and three to a plate, listed at 390 yen.
Seating runs to around 350 across the building -- tables and raised platform seating on the ground floor and in the basement, with an entire second floor of tatami-mat rooms. That capacity fills fast on a clear afternoon, and a queue outside before the doors open is common, especially on weekends.
A few practicalities to plan around. Iseya Koen-ten takes cash only -- no credit cards or electronic money -- and reservations are accepted solely for parties of ten or more; smaller groups line up like everyone else. Whether an English menu exists couldn't be confirmed, but ordering is manageable regardless, since the skewers are grilled in view and prices are posted, so pointing works. Posted hours are Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, 12:00-22:00, last order 21:00; the restaurant is closed Mondays and Wednesdays, plus the New Year holiday from December 31 through January 3. The smell of charcoal smoke drifting toward the station is usually the first sign you're close.
✓ Last verified Jul 2026
Hours and details can change — please confirm before you visit.
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