The signboard “Available All Year Round” shows the backbone of the predecessor.
When you wander through the drinking district of Fuse, there is a place where your feet will mysteriously stop. There is no flashy signboard, and it does not look good on social media.
But from behind the curtain, laughter and the steam from the oden (dumplings) leaks out, making you feel nostalgic.
Awajiya is a popular izakaya that does not allow media coverage. Although it is the first time I have ever been there, somehow I feel at home. The flavorful doteyaki, whale ghosts, and year-round Kirin beer. The smell of the Showa period and the temperature of the present are mixed together perfectly. Such a place exists in Fuse.
| Address | 4-17 Ashidai Shinmachi, Higashiosaka City, Osaka, 577-0057, JapanGoogleMap |
|---|---|
| Phone number | 06-6781-3274 |
| Business Hours | 14:00~22:30 |
| regular closing day | Tuesday |
| Smoking allowed | Smoking allowed |
Perhaps today, the curtain is still swinging as usual.
On the north side of Fuse Station. In a corner of the drinking district where neon lights and billboards jostle each other, there is an especially quiet restaurant.
Its name is Awajiya. The sign is modest, and if you don’t look carefully, you might miss it. However, someone is always coming and going, and behind the curtain, the laughter of the regulars never ceases.
Behind the counter, steam is rising from the air, and the restaurant is steeped in the memory of its flavors.
Nothing fancy.” That may be the charm of this restaurant.
No matter how you slice it, it is a textbook example of a popular izakaya.
As soon as you pass through the noren curtain, you will immediately get the feeling that this is “THE popular izakaya”. This is “THE popular izakaya”.
The U-shaped counter in the center of the restaurant, the handwritten menu on the wall, and the slightly low ceiling.
Even the stained walls and dull lighting tell the story of the restaurant’s many years in business, making you feel strangely at home.
Sitting at the counter, you may be tempted to say, “Fresh for now! and the atmosphere is friendly.
The sound of simmering food makes you hungry.
When you take a seat, the first thing you see is a pot simmering behind the counter.
The signature dishes are “Doteyaki (550 yen)” and “Oden (100 yen and up). Both have been added to the menu since the restaurant’s opening, and are the very soul of the restaurant.
Doteyaki is a small intestine of pork with sweet and spicy miso paste. It has a rich flavor that lingers in the mouth.
In addition to the standard oden dishes of daikon radish and egg, the “shumai” is not to be missed.
The artisanal technique of putting it in the pot after receiving an order and pulling it out just before it becomes soft and fluffy. One bite will relax your body.
Whales are a “common” sight in this town.
On the menu, the word “obake” caught my eye.
It is whale skin sashimi. In Osaka, it is known by such a name.
Osaka used to be a distribution center for whale meat. That is why whale is still alive and well as a popular dish for the common people.
Awajiya’s standard dishes are whale bacon (600 yen) and obake (500 yen).
They are not special, but they make you nostalgic and proud.
The “ordinary” of this town is right there on the plate.
One of the regulars told me how good the sashimi was.
When you come here, you have to eat sashimi.
Mr. Takahashi, a regular at the counter, told me this.
At Awajiya, the fish purchased that day is listed on a white board as “Today’s Recommendation.
The red fish of the day was hon tuna. The fat is moderate and the cut is beautiful.
It is a dish that is more like a kappo (Japanese cooking) restaurant than an izakaya (Japanese style bar).
But here, it is served as a “side dish” without any pretense. That’s what I like about it.
The father’s back is reflected in the phrase, “It’s here all year round.
Looking at the wall, the words “Kirin Beer Available All Year Round” jumped out at me.
The sign proudly displayed on the wall brings a smile to the face of the current general manager.
In the old days, you couldn’t find draft beer anywhere,” he says.
The day we were finally able to stock Kirin beer was the day the previous generation continued the business.
The joy of that day is reflected in the phrase, “We have it all year round.
The signboard was specially made by Kirin Brewery.
The owner, who grew up watching his father’s back, had no hesitation in taking over the restaurant.
Chatting is also a snack for sake.
The owner smiles when I point the camera at him.
His face is perfectly suited to the atmosphere of the restaurant, and he is well-loved.
He is friendly to everyone, but not intrusive.
He is more like an old acquaintance than a customer and owner.
The conversations are always about trivial things. But that’s what I like about it.
It’s the kind of time where the bubbles of beer and the tiredness of the day just fade away.
A little secret place in Fuse.
Even if you search for it on social networking sites, you probably won’t find it.
But if you walk around the town, you can smell it. You can tell by the steam. You can tell by the sound of laughter.
Awajiya is the kind of place that makes you want to tell someone, but you also want to keep it a secret.
Awajiya is a store with just the right amount of secrecy.
I will come again.
There will surely come a day when you will want to step through that curtain on an ordinary day.
