New Year Day Drinking in Nakameguro

Happy New Year!
How was your 2025?
I started this blog and spent a lot of time thinking about my future.
In 2026, I’d like to continue building on the ideas I’ve started and help them grow.
At the same time, I hope to have many new experiences and enjoy the year.

At the beginning of the year, I went to Nakameguro Hachiman Shrine with a friend for Hatsumode.

The shrine is famous for the Sazare-ishi, a stone mentioned in Japan’s national anthem, Kimigayo.
It’s a short walk from the busy station, but the shrine is located in a quiet residential area.

Since it was just after the New Year, there were quite a few visitors that day.
After praying, we drew omikuji fortunes.
I got Suekichi — not bad.

After that, we bought omamori charms for protection and traffic safety, and then looked at the Sazare-ishi.

After a quick Hatsumode visit, we went day drinking in Nakameguro!

Honestly, I wanted to drink Japanese sake, but there weren’t many izakaya open.
After walking around for a while, we finally found a seafood izakaya under the train tracks.

The restaurant allowed smoking.
Inside, there were a counter and some tables, and a few customers were sitting at the counter.
We were seated at a table, and since the menu had craft beer, we started with that.

The restaurant served mostly Italian dishes with a focus on seafood.
We ordered oysters, fried cod, and a salad.
The menu would have gone well with wine, but since it was New Year, I really wanted Japanese sake, so I ordered the only one they had.

It was quite sweet.

After that, we went to another izakaya that served yakiton.
I ordered yakiton and Japanese sake again at the counter.

In Nakameguro, not many places were open early in the New Year.
But I really enjoyed the first izakaya we visited — it had a great atmosphere and the food was delicious.
Nakameguro seems to have many good, cozy places, so I’d like to try drinking there at night as well.

日本語版記事はこちら
Japanese ver. ⇒click here

I visited here
「Minatomachi-bar Nakamegro koukashita」