The Shinsekai flagship of the kushikatsu lineage traced to 1929, beneath Tsutenkaku Tower and iconic for its shared dipping sauce and famous 'no double-dipping' rule. It offers no dietary accommodations: a shared deep fryer means heavy cross-contamination, the batter contains wheat, and the communal sauce is shared by all diners.
Aomori Shamorock chicken skewers over binchotan charcoal
A Nakano counter yakitori specialist grilling heritage Aomori Shamorock chicken over binchotan charcoal, skewer by skewer.
Course of fried skewers served a few at a time
Kushiage served skewer-by-skewer inside a creaking 1909 three-storey wooden townhouse that is a registered National Tangible Cultural Property.
Rice-flour kushiage omakase course
A reservation-only Ginza counter where an entirely gluten-free kushiage omakase is fried in rice oil with rice-flour breadcrumbs — a rare safe haven for coeliacs.
Rosu-katsu (loin cutlet), endless cabbage & rice refills
A 1939 Meguro institution where white-clad chefs fry plump pork cutlets in a theatrical open kitchen, plating them with endless free refills of cabbage and rice.
Vegan takoyaki, kushikatsu and ramen versions of Osaka street food
A fully plant-based izakaya in Shinsekai (opened 2023) serving vegan, gluten-free versions of Osaka street food — takoyaki, kushikatsu and ramen — with no animal products and no fish dashi by design, so it sidesteps the bonito-dashi trap. 'Gluten-free' is the venue's own claim rather than a certification, so celiac diners should confirm dedicated-fryer and cross-contamination handling directly.
