Sugamo巣鴨

The shop that made salted daifuku a Sugamo name, using only domestic koganemochi glutinous rice. The salty-sweet red bean filling is the whole point; take one to eat on the street. It sits on Jizo-dori, so it fits into a stroll to the Togenuki Jizo temple.

How to book: No table service; buy at the counter on Jizo-dori. Same-day orders for larger boxes are best phoned ahead in the morning.

Official site ↗ Verified 2026-09-29

A long-established soba house beside the Togenuki Jizo statue, grinding its buckwheat on stone mills and serving it with a dipping sauce blended from three kinds of dried bonito. Order the cold soba, then finish with the red-bean kanten. The easiest proper soba stop on the Jizo-dori walk.

How to book: Walk in, or book by phone or the online form on the shop's own site.

Listing (Tabelog) ↗ Verified 2026-09-30

A canteen that opened in 1964 and still feeds the grandparents' Harajuku with fried shrimp, pork miso soup and curry. Fish comes from Uogashi and the rice and meat are bought from the source, which is why the line never really stops. Come here for a proper teishoku after the temple at Togenuki Jizo.

How to book: No reservations; walk in and expect a queue at peak hours. The main shop is in the Jizo-dori shopping street.

Official site ↗ Verified 2026-09-29

A big Japanese-style tavern a minute from the north exit, known for eel and sashimi from Tsukiji along with grilled skewers. The tatami and private rooms make it comfortable for a family or a small group. It is an easy sit-down dinner after walking Jizo-dori.

How to book: Online booking through the shop page, or phone; private tatami rooms suit groups.

Official site ↗ Verified 2026-09-29

A tiny counter run by a chef trained in Kyoto, tucked away off the main streets. Seasonal fish is the focus, served as an evening course or a lighter set at midday. A quiet, grown-up alternative to Jizo-dori's snack stalls.

How to book: Reserve through the online form linked from the Tabelog page, or by phone; the counter is small.

Listing (Tabelog) ↗ Verified 2026-09-29

A small, relaxed eel restaurant using domestic live eel prepared to order, with a loach hotpot for the adventurous. It is a friendly, unfussy way to try unagi without a formal-restaurant setting. Three minutes from Sugamo, and it closes early, so come by day or early evening.

How to book: Phone or online booking; multilingual menus are offered at the table.

Listing (Tabelog) ↗ Verified 2026-09-30

A basement seafood izakaya one minute from the station, known for nodoguro from Shimane and a deep sake list. Sunken-kotatsu private rooms make it good for groups. Handy for an easy evening after Jizo-dori.

How to book: Online reservation recommended, phone also accepted; private tatami rooms can be requested.

Listing (Tabelog) ↗ Verified 2026-09-29

A shop from the late Taisho era near the Togenuki Jizo, known for yatsume-unagi, the lamprey eaten as a winter tonic. The lamprey is only available in the colder months, so this is a true old-Tokyo curiosity rather than a standard eel meal. Go with an open mind and a phone-booked table.

How to book: Reservations by phone; cash only.

Listing (Tabelog) ↗ Verified 2026-09-30

An Edomae counter open since the mid-eighties, with eight counter seats and a few tables, pouring sake into Edo kiriko glass. It sits right beside Komagome Station, the next stop down the line, so count on a walk of about ten minutes from Sugamo. One of the highest-rated sushi counters in this corner of Toshima and Bunkyo.

How to book: Online reservation only, through the link on its Tabelog page; it is closed two days a week.

Listing (Tabelog) ↗ Verified 2026-09-30

A late-opening sushi-ya just across from the Jizo-dori end of Sugamo Station, with an eight-seat counter downstairs and a tatami room above. It suits a slow evening of seasonal fish and sake after the old-town stroll. It stays open well past midnight, which is rare for a proper counter in this part of town.

How to book: By phone or through the online booking link on its Tabelog page; counter seats are few, so book ahead.

Listing (Tabelog) ↗ Verified 2026-09-30