Kuimonoya is a small but intimate izakaya restaurant a short walk from Yamato-Saidaji station, and it serves a wide variety of Japanese style food. Customers can either sit at a booth-style seat or at the counter in front of the kitchen where you can see the staff preparing meals. Servings range in size from small appetizers costing 300-400 yen, salads, or set meals costing around 1,800 yen.

I ordered chicken karaage (chicken in deep fried batter) as well as maguro (tuna) and dote-yaki (fried beef with vegetables). The chicken came in large quantities and the tuna was delicious when dipped in soy sauce and wasabi (horse radish). You can choose your sashimi or o-tsukuri from the glass window on the counter and the chef will prepare it for you.

For drinks, customers can order jugs (or bottles) of beer, chu-hai, shochu, or Japanese sake as well as soft drinks. For 1,500  yen you can order a nomihodai (drink as much as you want for a set price).

Kuimonoya accepts most credit cards  (JCB, American Express, Mastercard, VISA) as well as cash. I recommend this place if you are in Saidaiji looking for a reasonably priced Japanese style restaurant.

To get to the restaurant go out the North exit of Yamato-Saidaiji, walk past the Sanwa City building and follow the footpath on the left northwards for about 250 meters and you will see Kuimonoya on your left, 50 meters before you reach the intersection and located next to a cram school.

You can find restaurants like Kuimonoya as they have a “noren” or a fabric hanging over the entrance that indicates the restaurant is open for business. If you would to experience casual dining and good food at its best then a visit to an izakaya in Japan is greatly recommended. There is also a Kuimonoya located  in Oshikuma, which is about a 10 minute taxi ride from Yamato Saidaiji station.