Karakaze

Step past the noren curtain of this casual neighborhood tavern to find an izakaya menu that gives familiar classics an inventive twist. Situated near Yutenji Station, Karakaze serves meticulously prepared small plates and drinks in an approachable, easygoing setting.

A natural place to begin is the 3-variety meat sashimi platter, which highlights freshness and pleasing textures. Offerings like springy pork heart sashimi bring out the nuanced depth of each cut, seasoned thoughtfully with condiments that pair effortlessly with a cold draft beer or a highball. Small plates with a playful spin—such as spicy marinated engawa yukhoe or potato salad infused with green curry spices—keep ordering engaging from round to round.

The drink lineup covers draft beer, Hoppy sets, and sours, but the extensive selection of shochu stands out. Enjoyed neat, on the rocks, or cut with soda, these pours go hand in hand with aromatic fried bites like chikuwa isobe-age scented with sea lettuce, or a crisp, thin-crust shiso pesto pizza.

To round out the meal, the beni shoga chahan comes highly recommended. The sharp tang and salinity of red pickled ginger, set against a peppery punch, make this fried rice surprisingly easy to keep eating even late into the evening.

Seating includes both counter and table options. Because seats often fill up quickly from early evening onwards, booking ahead is a sensible move before visiting.