Hachimaki Okada
The small Japanese restaurant Hachimaki Okada stands quietly at the back of the Matsuya Ginza Department Store in the Ginza 3-chome district.
Established by the first proprietor, Mr. Tokotugu Okada, in the Ginza 5-chome district in 1916, the restaurant is soon to celebrate the 110th anniversary of its foundation.
Tradition holds that the restaurant name, “Hachimaki,” meaning “headband,” was derived from the fact that the first proprietor wore a twisted towel around his head to keep his hair from falling out while cooking. Even though the restaurant was severely damaged by the Great Kanto Earthquake, he rebuilt it faster than anyone else. After the war, to serve dishes, he built a small hut in the area that had been ravaged by fire, thereby supporting post-earthquake reconstruction efforts. Since then, Hachimaki Okada has been one of Ginza’s long-established and most prominent restaurants, favored by many acclaimed writers and politicians. It has been dealing with Dairiki Shoten for over 100 years since its founding. The current proprietor, Mr. Kozo Okada, became the third proprietor of the restaurant in 1986 after receiving training at a Japanese-style luxury restaurant in Shinbashi. He has passed down Edo cuisine to the present day, maintaining its simple yet profound taste and flavor created by the first proprietor, which embodies the spirit of Edo.
Anglerfish hotpot appreciated by renowned writers
Hachimaki Okada’s winter specialty is a hotpot made with anglerfish, a standout menu item at the restaurant. In one of his books, writer Hitomi Yamaguchi wrote that he did not feel that winter had come unless he ate an anglerfish hotpot at Hachimaki Okada.
The restaurant uses anglerfish caught in the waters around Hokkaido, purchased by Dairiki Shoten through its expert fish suppliers. Its anglerfish hotpot employs all seven major parts of the anglerfish, including meat, liver, gills, and skin. Indeed, the soy sauce-based anglerfish hotpot maximizes the deliciousness of anglerfish, making it a perfect dish for winter. Its rich yet refined taste and flavor are truly the highlight of the season in Ginza, warming gourmands to their very bones in the cold weather.
Truly excellent flavor of Edo style
Another specialty is ebishinjo, or deep-fried balls made from Shiba shrimp meat. Ebishinjo is prepared by carefully pounding Shiba shrimp delivered by Dairiki Shoten, kneading the pounded shrimp into balls after adding a small amount of onion, and deep-frying them after creating a dent in the center of each ball. The moment one bites into the ball, the delicious flavor of Shiba shrimp spreads softly throughout the mouth. Drawn from a cask, Kikumasamune is a sake brand that has always been served since the time of its first proprietor. One can truly feel the essence of Edo when enjoying ebishinjo alongside a cup of Kikumasamune, which is slightly sweet and carries the fragrance of Japanese cedar.
Delicious fish in season
Hachimaki Okada serves the most delicious seasonal fish for sashimi. Extracting the true flavor of ingredients carefully without trying to attract customers by doing something different reflects the attitude of Hachimaki Okada. All fresh fish served by the restaurant, including fish for sashimi, are sourced from Dairiki Shoten.
ProprietorKozo Okada
The proprietor’s comment
Given the long-standing relationships of trust, I confidently leave the choice of fresh fish to Dairiki Shoten.
- Restaurant name
- Hachimaki Okada
- Location
- 3-7-21 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0061, Japan
- Phone
- +81-3-3561-0357
- Business hours
- 5:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m. (8:00 p.m.)
- Closed
- Sundays and national holidays
- Access
- Two-minute walk from Exit A12 of the Ginza Station on the Tokyo Metro Ginza, Marunouchi, and Hibiya Lines
