Ninja Yashiki Ninja Castle Asakusa is a six-minute walk away from the Tokyo Skytree Line and Ginza Line’s Asakusa Station, and a three-minute walk away from the Asakusa Station on the Tsukuba Express. It’s also a four-minute walk away from Tawaramachi Station on the Ginza Line, a station with excellent access to the sightseeing spots in Asakusa.

Once you go through the entrance, your journey to another world begins. It’s more fun to see what happens when you enter the shop for yourself, so please approach the shop with anticipation.

Once you enter the shop, you’ll suddenly be greeted by ninjas! At that moment, you’ll have time-traveled back to a ninja house from the Edo period!

From Japanese swords and armor to Japanese paintings and masks, the place is meticulously decorated to reflect the historical atmosphere of a ninja house in the Edo period. You’ll soon forget about the present time. Right up until you’ve been shown to your seat, your heart will be pounding with excitement.

The menu has items all named after words to do with ninjas, or ninja techniques and skills all arranged neatly. From dishes such as “Shiromi-sakana ~Kumo-kagure~”, which translates to “white fish hiding amidst the clouds,” to “Kuroge Wagyu-no-battō-jutsu”, which means “sword drawing technique of black-haired wagyu,” there are all sorts of creative names used. As the menu has pictures as well and food names, it makes it a breeze to tap and order.

Also, at Ninja Castle, their specialty is more than just visually impactful food and presentation. From their Kuroge Wagyu, or black-haired wagyu beef, to seasonal vegetables, the Asakusa izakaya uses products and ingredients made in Japan to the extent possible, for authenticity. From here, we’ll be introducing a few popular and recommended dishes from their menu.

The very sight of the dish “Bakudan” (meaning bomb) definitely packs a punch. Just what is hidden within its flames? It’s something you should enjoy finding out for yourself when you order it, but as the number one menu item with both a wonderful taste and presentation, it’s a must-get.

The thick smoke drifting out from the dish makes it look almost like the scene of the opening of a tamatebako, which means treasure box. The sashimi slices of seasonal fish go well with alcohol too.

This is one of the restaurant’s recommended dishes, which sports tender fried chicken in a volcano-like arrangement and with a punchy taste.

A colorful sight that is a delight to behold, this dish consists of refreshing and fresh vegetables on a bed of ice. To the extent possible, the veggies used are Japanese produce, and the bright colors of market-sourced seasonal vegetables are pleasing to the eye.

Ninja Yashiki Ninja Castle is an incredibly fun Asakusa izakaya where you can enjoy your meal with alcohol, but since it opens from 11:30 a.m., there is a lunch and café service as well. With curry and original sweets and desserts as its mains, you can enjoy alcohol with your food from the afternoon. As the shop also offers late lunch and refreshers, it’s very convenient.

As the restaurant offers takeout and delivery, you can enjoy popular menu items from Ninja Yashiki outside too. Though it’s only limited to the Asakusa vicinity (Taito Ward), the delivery is provided by a ninja too! (Might be fun to order to your accommodations!)

To prevent the spread of Covid-19, sanitizer is provided at the entrance, and the ninjas wear masks as well.

The seating capacity has also been reduced by about twenty percent, and seats where patrons face each other have been converted into counter-style seats. With the change in seating arrangements and reduction in capacity, measures have been taken to maintain social distancing.

The bill is settled at your table. Cashless payment methods accepted include credit cards and electronic money. Besides this, free Wi-Fi is available at the shop too.

From the end of June, the tablets used for placing orders were updated to support Japanese, English, and Chinese, so that more people can use it with ease. Of course, even with the decrease in contact time and opportunities, hospitality from the ninjas will remain unchanged as they come to communicate with you.

The shop owner says, “Many visitors from abroad come here for sightseeing, and many Japanese customers come to celebrate birthdays and other special occasions too. From here on, we’d like Japanese people to visit more often, and we think it can be used for company dinners too, such as for special events or celebrations!”

Be it for small surprises or company events, the atmosphere will surely liven up. Especially for history buffs, this is one place they’ll be itching to visit!

July 2020 marks the first anniversary of Ninja Yashiki Ninja Castle Asakusa, and there are various campaigns in celebration. Do check them out when you visit the shop.

If you would like to experience both Japanese culture and cuisine in Asakusa, Ninja Yashiki Ninja Castle Asakusa is the place for you! By the way, there is only one Ninja Yashiki Ninja Castle Asakusa in Asakusa, so be careful not to mistake it with other similar shops.

Written by Miyuki Yajima

*The above article is based on information from July 2020