Tonkatsu Toyama owner Shigenori Toyama inherited the signature sasami-katsu—chicken tenderloin cutlets—created by his father. On July 1, 2015, he opened “Tonkatsu Nidaime Toyama” in Asakusa, Tokyo. After the early years, when his father also worked beside him in the kitchen, Shigenori continued to refine a flavor of his own, and the restaurant became “Tonkatsu Toyama.” The Toyama name—and the craft behind it—still lives in every plate.
02 / SIGNATURE
Tonkatsu Toyama’s signature: Sasami-katsu.
Forget the idea that chicken tenderloin has to be plain. Our sasami-katsu is plump and tender. Shigenori Toyama continues to refine the specialty he inherited from his father into the flavor of today’s Tonkatsu Toyama.
03 / PRECISION
Tonkatsu is delicate.
The condition of the meat, temperature, sugar content, crumb size and time: change one, and the color, sound and texture change too. We tune every variable until appearance and flavor meet at their best.
PORK / MATURATION
Time is part of the craft.
Kagoshima Kurobuta pork, prized for the sweetness of its fine fat, gains aroma and depth in Toyama’s blended frying fat. Canadian pork reaches our restaurant chilled from processing in Canada. At Toyama, we regard that time as part of the maturation process that tenderizes the meat and develops its umami.
Maturation → tenderness → umami → frying → aroma
BREADCRUMBS / COLOR
A clear, beautiful golden crust.
We use two grades of breadcrumbs with different textures, judging their sugar content and the progress of the fry. The goal is not a dark crust, but the color where lightness, aroma and the flavor of the pork are in balance.
LARD / BEEF TALLOW
Building flavor into the frying fat.
We make our own blend of high-quality lard (pork fat) and beef tallow. Prepared in the restaurant from solid fats, it gives the tonkatsu a fragrant, refined finish.
04 / THE WHOLE PLATE
Every accompaniment has a leading role.
The meal does not end with meat and crust. Rice, miso soup, sauce, condiments and salt shape the rhythm of every bite.
RiceNiigata Koshihikari milled within the previous weekMiso soupA miso blend from Mankyu Miso in AsakusaHouse sauceA house balance of sweetness and acidityStem wasabiFresh heat and aromaBamboo-charcoal saltDeep flavor with a gently sweet finish
Complimentary refills of rice and cabbage
Enjoy what you love without holding back, until you are satisfied. That generosity matters to us, too.
05 / OPEN KITCHEN
At Toyama, nothing is hidden.
Nine counter seats and two raised-floor tables. From every seat, guests can see the cooks frying and watch their hands at work. The cooks, in turn, read each guest’s expression as they fry every cutlet. Aroma, sound, movement and attentiveness: kitchen and dining room face one another as a single stage at Tonkatsu Toyama.
We look forward to welcoming you in Asakusa, Tokyo.
Alongside our regular local guests, we welcome visitors from Southeast Asia, Europe and the Americas. We are 30 seconds on foot from the North Exit of Tobu Asakusa Station. Come enjoy tonkatsu served fresh from the fryer.
