Ningyocho Imahan
A legendary 120-year-old establishment in Tokyo, renowned for its exquisite sukiyaki and top-grade wagyu beef, served with impeccable traditional serv...
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Ningyocho Imahan
Highlights
Must-see attractions
A legendary 120-year-old establishment in Tokyo, renowned for its exquisite sukiyaki and top-grade wagyu beef, served with impeccable traditional service.
Book Ahead
Reservations are highly recommended, especially for this popular sukiyaki spot.
Allergy Checks
Always double-check food allergies with staff to avoid any issues during your meal.
Quick Facts
Cuisine
Japanese
Price
$$$
Phone
+81 3-3666-7006
Address
2 Chome-9-12 Nihonbashiningyocho, Chuo City, Tokyo 103-0013, Japan
Highlights
Discover the most iconic attractions and experiences
Authentic Sukiyaki Experience
Savor top-grade Japanese wagyu beef, expertly cooked tableside in a rich sukiyaki broth with fresh vegetables. Indulge in the melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Private Room Dining
Enjoy an intimate and traditional dining experience in a private tatami room, perfect for celebrations or a peaceful meal.
Exquisite Wagyu Quality
Experience the unparalleled quality and marbling of Kuroge Wagyu beef, a true delicacy that melts in your mouth, enhanced by a traditional dipping egg.
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Insider Tips
from TikTok, Instagram & Reddit
Book Ahead
Reservations are highly recommended, especially for this popular sukiyaki spot.
Allergy Checks
Always double-check food allergies with staff to avoid any issues during your meal.
Consider Set Options
Opt for less expensive sets if you're not seeking an extravagant meal; they still offer great quality.
Private Room Ambiance
Private rooms are ideal for friendly groups or couples; can feel tense for others.
Tips
from all over the internet
Book Ahead
Reservations are highly recommended, especially for this popular sukiyaki spot.
Allergy Checks
Always double-check food allergies with staff to avoid any issues during your meal.
Consider Set Options
Opt for less expensive sets if you're not seeking an extravagant meal; they still offer great quality.
Private Room Ambiance
Private rooms are ideal for friendly groups or couples; can feel tense for others.
What Travellers Say
Reviews Summary
Ningyocho Imahan is celebrated for its exceptional sukiyaki, featuring top-grade wagyu beef that melts in your mouth and is often cooked tableside with attentive service. While many praise the traditional ambiance and private room options, some find the price point high for the overall experience and have noted occasional service lapses. Despite mixed reviews on value, the quality of the beef and the authentic sukiyaki preparation are consistent highlights.
"The best sukiyaki I've had in Tokyo, thank you to the staff for the great service! A very nice dinner! The wagyu beef is really delicious, I will eat it next time I go to Tokyo! The service, price and ingredients are all in line! They also gave gifts to the children."
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"Imahan is a popular spot for sukiyaki, and I recommend making a reservation in advance. The restaurant has a beautiful traditional Japanese atmosphere. The set menu is on the pricey side, but the quality of the meat is excellent, and the staff are very polite. That said, considering the overall cost and experience, it’s probably not a place I’d return to."
Sihori Chi
"We had a very disappointing experience at this restaurant, which we had hoped would be one of the highlights of our trip to Tokyo. We made a reservation in advance and paid ¥17,600 (¥19,360 including tax) for the Top Quality Beef Sukiyaki Tsuki Course for two. This was quite expensive for us, but we were willing to pay for what we expected to be an exceptional dining experience with top-tier ingredients and service.
Unfortunately, it turned out to be the opposite. We were left alone in a private room for long periods and had to wait excessively for our food.
The appetizer course went smoothly. However, despite clearly stating in our reservation that my husband has food allergies—including an allergy to otoro (fatty tuna)—we were still served a dish with about four pieces of red fish. I had to eat it in his place. (If you have food allergies, I strongly advise double-checking with the staff before dining here.)
Later, the staff brought in raw beef and then left the room. The meat and a bowl of cracked raw egg were left on the table for over 10 minutes. No one returned until I pressed the call button to say we were ready. Only then did someone come in to start cooking.
After finishing the sukiyaki, the staff told us they would return to prepare fried rice with the remaining egg. Instead, we were left again—with empty dishes, leftover egg, and a hot pan—for over 40 minutes. I even asked a staff member to refill our water (since there was no water jug in the room), but we were simply left there waiting.
Eventually, we felt we could not waste any more time and decided to leave. We did not get to complete the full course, and the level of service we received was nowhere near worth the nearly ¥40,000 we spent. Although the staff offered to serve dessert at the end, it did little to make up for what was, unfortunately, the worst dining experience we’ve ever had."
Ratsada Sampansakul
What People Like
What People Dislike
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, reservations are highly recommended, especially since this is a popular spot. It's advisable to book at least a month in advance.
The signature dish is the traditional sukiyaki, featuring top-grade Japanese wagyu beef cooked tableside.
Yes, the restaurant offers private tatami rooms, which are ideal for intimate gatherings and celebrations.
The wagyu beef is traditionally enjoyed dipped in a raw egg yolk after being cooked in the sukiyaki broth, creating a rich, velvety texture.
Yes, consider opting for less expensive sets, as they still offer excellent quality and a satisfying experience.
It's crucial to double-check all food allergies with the staff when making your reservation and upon arrival to avoid any issues.
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Ningyocho Imahan is a 120-year-old butchery and restaurant, where you can dine on flavourful, top-grade Japanese beef. As you take up your seat in the elegant space, your waiter will pour a small amount of a sweet soy-based soup into the heated iron pot on your table, before simmering the beautifully marbled beef in the sauce. When the beef is medium rare, it’s taken out of the pot and dipped into a beaten egg.
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Rich with history, Ningyocho Imahan was established 120 years ago. It’s both a butcher and a shop, which means you’ll always get the very best and freshest cuts on your plate. Located in a number of areas across Tokyo and Yokohama, we recommend checking out the Nihonbashi location.
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Settle into a private tatami room at Ningyocho Imahan and enjoy the star attraction: Kuroge Wagyu beef, which you can also buy at the Imahan butchery around the corner. The staff move elegantly, anticipating your every need, as they prepare your sukiyaki hotpot at the table, with seemingly endless top-ups of beef and vegetables. By the time you finish, you’ll feel like one of those famous Wagyu cows, yourself: pampered and full.2-9-12 Nihonbashi Ningyocho, Chuo, Tokyo +81 3 3666 7006
2025 Recommended Restaurant in Chuo Ward (Updated Jul)
📍Address: 2-9-12, Nihonbashi Ningyocho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 103-0013. 💰Price per person: From 10,000 yen. 💞Reason for recommendation: I went there on my birthday🤍 I had the sukiyaki course☺️ It was really delicious from the appetizer to the dessert‼︎ The meat was so soft that I could cut it with chopsticks, I was so happy,, The dessert was also served on a plate with fruit and sorbet, and it was delicious until the very end😄 It was so good that I went there about three times🤍
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Ningyocho Imahan Honten is renowned for its sukiyaki, a traditional Japanese hotpot dish. The restaurant, established in 1895, offers a taste of history with its high-quality wagyu beef cooked Kansai-style, where the beef is grilled first and then simmered in a sweet soy sauce broth. Served with fresh raw eggs and vegetables, the tender beef melts in your mouth, leaving a rich and savory flavor.
Nihonbashi Station, Tokyo's Best 30 Restaurants in Japan 2024
Established in 1893, this is a famous restaurant where you can enjoy Kanto-style sukiyaki and shabu-shabu. In the "Moon course", you can enjoy colorful appetizers and sashimi using seasonal ingredients, as well as the famous "Sukiyaki" using Japanese black beef with beautiful marbling. Fuwatama rice is recommended to finish off sukiyaki, and the egg and rice can be refilled.
What is there to see and eat in Ningyocho, Tokyo
They specialize in sukiyaki, but also prepare the beef in various different ways. Their courses, services and overall ambiance are impeccable, and a place that I’d list as a must-do on an itinerary. We were also gifted a box of their beef and it was nothing short of amazing.
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For some amazing sukiyaki - a simmered Japanese beef dish - be sure to visit Imahan on the 14th floor of Takashimaya Shinjuku.
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