Enjoy elegant and plump eel at Shoin-jinja-mae Station
Are you familiar with the Shōin-jinja-mae station on the Setagaya Line in Setagaya Ward?
This local line in Setagaya Ward, consisting of only two-car trains running above ground, connects Sangenjaya and Shimotakaido. Shōin-jinja-mae station is the third stop from Sangenjaya Station on the Shimotakaido-bound line.
It’s the location of a shrine dedicated to Yoshida Shōin.
Just two or three minutes from Shōin-jinja-mae station, in a residential area, is a restaurant called “Hifumi Honten.”
It’s an eel specialty restaurant located in a residential area, resembling a single-family house.
The interior isn’t very spacious; I don’t think it has 20 seats.
It’s a small, cozy restaurant run by the husband and wife.
Therefore, I recommend making a reservation in advance for both lunch and dinner.
It’s best to make a reservation about two weeks in advance.
I visited Hifumi Honten for lunch one day.
I made the reservation about two weeks in advance.
I made an inquiry by phone.
The woman who answered the phone, who seemed to be the owner’s wife, answered my questions efficiently, and I made a reservation.
For lunch, they offer unaju (eel rice bowl) and an eel course.
The unaju alone is a satisfying portion, so for those who want to savor the rice bowl, I highly recommend just ordering the unaju.
On the other hand, for those who want to enjoy eel in various ways, not just as a rice bowl, I recommend the course.
I ordered the eel course lunch.
The lunch course starts with an appetizer of eel in vinegar, followed by eel chawanmushi (steamed egg custard), grilled eel (without sauce), grilled eel skewers (with sauce), unaju, and eel liver soup—a series of eel dishes.
鰻の肝と皮の串焼き
All the eels are delicious.
The plain grilled eel is plump and very tasty, and the grilled eel liver and skin skewers are delicious with a rich sauce and a nice chewy texture.
鰻の白焼き
After enjoying various eel dishes and different cuts, the unaju (eel rice bowl) finally arrives.
It’s served in a dazzling lacquered bowl.
Gently opening the lid, the unaju revealed is mouthwatering just to look at.
And of course, the unaju is delicious!
The eel is plump and the skin is crispy, fragrant, and delicious.
It makes you want to eat more rice.
You can feel the owner’s delicate and meticulous work in every dish you eat.
The restaurant doesn’t have many seats, so I highly recommend making a reservation.
待ってましたのうな重！
They had several kinds of bottled beer available.
The area around Shoin Shrine, which is associated with Yoshida Shoin, is also nearby, so we hope you’ll come enjoy eel at Hifumi and then take a stroll around Shoin Shrine.
一二三本店 Hifumi Honten
Address：4-24-15 Wakabayashi, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo
TEL：03-3421-2702
Business Hours：11:30~14:30、17:00~21:00 （Thursday OFF）
Nearest Station：2-minute walk from Shoin-jinja-mae Station on the Setagaya Line
