Tonkatsu Taro, the birthplace of Niigata’s sauce katsudon. Even though I’d just finished breakfast, I still wanted to try it—thankfully they have a mini bowl option.
Two sauce-coated pork cutlets laid right on top of white rice. That’s it, super simple.
It doesn’t look especially pretty, but that’s kind of the point with Niigata sauce katsudon.
The sweetness of the sauce clings to the cutlet with a bit of chew, and with Niigata rice it tastes plain and comforting in the best way. When it started to feel a little rich halfway through, adding a bit of yellow mustard or pickled daikon totally changed the flavor.
No wonder it’s a beloved local spot—by the time I finished, there was already a long line out front!
Tonkatsu Taro | Review by 金己田
Other Reviews by 金己田
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Tokyo Midtown
Tokyo Midtown is a complex “city” featuring 6 buildings and wide spaces of greenery. This complex encompasses a variety of shops, restaurants, offices, green spaces, a hotel and a museum.
Among Tokyo’s cherry blossom spots, which one best captures the city’s urban atmosphere? I’d say it’s definitely Tokyo Midtown.
The cherry blossoms bloom right in the heart of the city, surrounded by tall buildings. During the day, they have a refined and charming beauty, and walking through the area feels stylish and elegant. But once night falls, the lights illuminate the cherry blossom avenue, reflecting beautifully with the lights from the buildings and instantly turning the scene into a dazzling cityscape.
I stayed from daytime until night and got to see the cherry blossoms in completely different moods. Every minute was worth it. -
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Amanohashidate Shrine
Amanohashidate, one of Japan’s Three Scenic Views, is a breathtaking natural sandbar stretching 3.6 kilometers in an elegant arc, covered with lush pine trees. Known as "Hashidate Myojin," Amanohashidate Shrine is located about a 10-minute walk from the rotating bridge and the Otenbashi Bridge, quietly nestled among the pine-lined path.
Walking from the rotating bridge toward the long sandbar, Amanohashidate Shrine is tucked away along the path. The shrine is smaller and more delicate than I expected, but the atmosphere is wonderfully quiet. The torii gate standing by the sea felt a little lonely against the cloudy sky.
The weather wasn’t great when I visited, but walking between the shade of the pines and the sea breeze, then coming across this shrine and torii gate, actually made me feel like this kind of weather suited the place even better. -
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Kamogawa (Kyoto)
Kamogawa has its head in Mt. Sajikigatake, runs through Kyoto north to south, and merges into Katsura River in Toba. Near Shijo, there is downtown such as Gion on the east side and Kawaramachi on the west, the main commercial area representing Kyoto.
I took a walk to the area near Shijo Ohashi Bridge on the Kamogawa River and went down the steps. The famous “evenly spaced seating” was right in front of me. Couples, students out for a walk—everyone really seemed to have an unspoken agreement to sit at just the right distance from each other.
The weather was perfect, so I joined in too. I originally planned to stay for just 10 minutes, but with the gentle breeze, chatting with my friend and zoning out while looking at the river, I ended up sitting there for half an hour. It became the most relaxing and memorable part of my trip to Kyoto. -
