Sakaiya

Swishing thinly cut pork through clear broth and eating it with finely shredded scallions brings out a gentle sweetness and a pleasing, clean aroma. Tucked away on the second floor of a building in Funamachi, Shinjuku, Sakaiya (三櫂屋) centers its dining on pork shabu-shabu, sliced carefully in-house. Free from heavy greasiness and framed by generous piles of scallions, the meat invites continuous bites without feeling overly rich.

Starting with Small Plates and Regional Sakes

Taking time over small plates and drinks before firing up the hot pot is a natural way to begin here. The menu spans substantial dishes such as wild-caught sashimi, lightly seared whale meat, and simmered beef skirt, alongside traditional delicacies like fresh karasumi, salted sea bream entrails, dried sardine sheets, and dried firefly squid. Drink pairings emphasize regional Japanese sake—such as Masumi from Nagano, Kikuhime from Ishikawa, Okunomatsu from Fukushima, and Fuki from Mie—alongside authentic shochu, including Aogashima's Aochu.

Set Course Flows and a Clean Finish

For an effortless order, the set courses provide a guided progression from an appetizer and sashimi through grilled fare, pork shabu-shabu, dashi-steeped rice (chazuke), and dessert. Diners seeking a fuller portion of meat can choose the course with increased pork for shabu-shabu, while the Sakaiya Omakase course incorporates specialized appetizers and grilled fish. Finishing the broth with rice for chazuke, enriched by the savory essence of the simmered pork, rounds off the meal on a gentle note.

The understated dining room offers a comfortable setting to gather around a table and share drinks with close friends or colleagues. Operating exclusively for dinner and accepting reservations, booking ahead is recommended to ensure a table.