Otako Honten in Nihonbashi: Famous Toumeshi (Tofu Rice Bowl) for Just 670 Yen Near Tokyo Station

Tokyo has an image of being expensive for everything. For example, you might think lunch costs nearly 1,000 yen or more everywhere except chain restaurants like gyudon shops if you live in rural areas.

While that’s true in some areas, you can find cheap and delicious restaurants in Tokyo if you look. Otako Honten, which I’m introducing today, is one of them.

Otako Honten is a long-established oden restaurant founded in 1923 (Taisho 12). Along with the oden this shop serves, another specialty is toumeshi.

It’s rice topped with a big piece of broth-soaked tofu – in a sense that’s all it is, but it’s indescribably and gently delicious. Moreover, at a location near stations in central Tokyo, it costs just 670 yen and is served super fast. There’s no doubt it’s a strong ally for busy office workers in the area.

I highly recommend this restaurant for lunch to those using Tokyo Station or Nihonbashi Station for travel or connections!

Otako Honten: A Long-Established Oden Restaurant in Central Tokyo

Otako Honten is about a 7-8 minute walk from JR Tokyo Station, or about 3 minutes from Nihonbashi Station. Established in 1923 (Taisho 12), it’s a venerable establishment with 93 years of history, though it apparently moved to this location just over 10 years ago.

The giant red lantern makes you want to pass through the noren curtain.

I visited right at lunchtime on a weekday. Across from someone who looks every bit the chef making oden and toumeshi, suited people who likely work nearby are having lunch.

The menu. The signature oden looks appealing, but let me go with the toumeshi set meal… wait, what’s that in the back??

Yes, it came out instantly while I was sitting down, ordering, and taking photos of the counter. Too fast! LOL This speed is wonderful for time-pressed office workers.

There also appear to be rice bowls and set meals using Daisen chicken, and mackerel set meals. Yes, photos are nice but let’s eat before it gets cold.

Toumeshi with Broth-Soaked Tofu Has a Gentle Deliciousness

Toumeshi topped with tofu that clearly has absorbed lots of flavor, simmered dish with daikon radish, beef tendon and egg, a somewhat modest (sorry!) salad, miso soup, and pickles.

Up close, the large tofu is quite impressive. The surrounding rice also appears to have broth poured over it.

The simmered dish. There wasn’t much beef tendon, but both the daikon and simmered egg were flavorful and delicious.

The tofu is very hot and soft, with the broth’s flavor wafting from inside as well. It has a gentle taste, and you don’t mind at all that there are no other side dishes.

If you want variety mid-to-late meal, it’s good to add accent by sprinkling chili pepper or eating the more concentrated broth at the bottom. It’s also nice to vary the pace with pickles, simmered dish, and miso soup.

Final Thoughts

Toumeshi – a tofu rice bowl simmered in continuously-replenished secret broth – is definitely one Tokyo gourmet experience you should try! Next time I want to visit at night to enjoy oden with sake.