Azumaya

When a hearty, comforting meal is in order, the Kurobuta pork dishes at Azumaya in Sumida Ward's Ishiwara district come immediately to mind. The standout Kurobuta katsudon arrives piled high, its thick breaded cutlet gently bound in soft egg and spread generously over the rice below. Tender pork beneath a crumb that keeps its savoury crispness under the broth makes it easy to finish in steady rhythm, rounded out with miso soup and pickles.

The wider menu features pork-led mains across the board, including Kurobuta tonkatsu sets and Kurobuta pork sauté sets served with rice, miso soup, and pickles, as well as a sweet-savoury Kurobuta sauce katsudon. Diners looking for both noodles and rice can pair bowls such as katsudon, oyakodon, or negitorodon with half-portions of soba or udon, making for a reassuringly hearty option.

Traditional everyday choices run from tempura sets, curry rice, and omurice to a broad spectrum of soba and udon, from chilled mori and zaru to warm kitsune, alongside seasonal specials like chilled tanuki in summer or nabeyaki udon in winter. Following renovations, the dining room is neat and bright, equally comfortable for a quick solo lunch or an unhurried dinner spent waiting for a set meal over beer or a highball.