Iseya Sohonten

Locals have been pouring through the doors of this yakitori shop for decades, with generations of Japanese meat skewer lovers making it their home away from home. Iseya is located in Kichijoji, just north of the beautiful Inokashira Park (a great spot for cherry blossom viewing). Its corner building has a Meiji-era facade, with tiled wooden awnings and red izakaya lanterns hanging from them. You can just grab a few skewers in passing from their takeaway street counter, but you’d be mad to not take a seat and make a full meal out of it. That’s because their prices are unbelievably good. You don’t find such good chicken at such crazy cheap prices just anywhere. Grab a beer and settle in for a leisurely meal, ordering skewers as and when you feel like it. Their Chinese steamed dumplings are also definitely worth a try.