The narrow pocket of Kanda comprising Sudacho and Awajicho boasts half a dozen restaurants that are among the most venerable in Tokyo. Like Botan, the buildings date from the late 1920s, boast superb wooden architecture and have improbably survived the bombs of war and the clutches of the redevelopers.
The granddaddy of them all is Isegen, which has been cooking up robust anko nabe (monkfish hot-pot) since 1830. It is so old-school it doesn’t take reservations (get there early or expect to wait) or credit cards. In summer, when the menu focuses on river fish, it is usually easier to get a table.
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