01 / ABOUT THE PLACE
About this place
Step down a narrow passageway beside a building in Tsukudo-Hachimancho and slide back the door: the quiet of the lane gives way to an immediate hum of energy. Set across two floors in a converted traditional wooden house, Chinchin (椿々) is an easygoing izakaya pairing carefully prepared modern Japanese pub dishes with an extensive drinks list.
Open the menu and the original Edo-style stew immediately catches the eye. Simmered slowly with beef tendon, offal, and honeycomb tripe in red wine and rich Hatcho miso, the broth develops a deep, lingering savor. Smeared generously onto slices of crisp garlic toast served alongside, it works effortlessly with a glass of wine or a cup of sake.
The other house signature is the katsu sandwich, stacking thick-cut pork loin between soft slices of sandwich bread brushed with a sweet sauce. With its crunchy coating, tender meat, and sealed-in juices, it is just as popular ordered as a drinking snack mid-meal as it is saved for a substantial finish.
The supporting menu is just as wide-ranging. Generously sliced sashimi platters sourced straight from Toyosu and dark, deeply simmered daikon oden are regular centerpieces for shared tables. Fried bites and smaller plates have plenty to tempt as well, from plump prawns coated in chili mayonnaise to crisp Oita-style toriten chicken tempura served with mustard soy sauce.
Seating spans the counter on the first floor—where the cooking unfolds right before you—up to relaxed tatami seating on the second floor. Because the dining room draws steady crowds night after night, booking ahead for dinner is strongly advised.
