Hasebe, a Jimbocho Set-Meal Restaurant: Bluefin Tuna from Toyosu Every Morning and Lunch Worth the Line | Photographer ELLI’s Town Walks #3

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Hasebe, the Jimbocho set-meal restaurant that celebrated its 100th anniversary last year (2024). Third-generation owner Tomoharu Hasebe heads to Toyosu Market at 4:30 every morning to buy the best fish of the day. The top seller is bluefin tuna sashimi, and at lunchtime there’s a line every day for the fish set meals, most of which are still ¥880 even after a price increase. Photographer ELLI visited this beloved restaurant run by a husband and wife. (From installment 3 of “Photographer ELLI’s Town Walks,” Hon no Machi, August 2025 issue)

Tomoharu Hasebe, third-generation owner of Hasebe — Tomoharu Hasebe, third-generation owner (photos by Eri Ito unless otherwise noted)

Every morning at 4:30, Tomoharu heads to Toyosu Market to buy fresh fish. It is his daily routine.

This is the third walk by photographer ELLI, who says she “had no connection to Jimbocho.” She spoke with Tomoharu Hasebe, owner of Hasebe, a popular set-meal restaurant (teishoku-ya) where people line up for lunch, which marked its 100th anniversary last year.

The top seller: bluefin tuna sashimi

The restaurant: lines at lunch, sake from all over Japan at night

During the bubble era it was busy. They served 120 meals at lunch, and every night the tables turned over twice: first the “window-seat tribe” (sidelined older office workers) who came to drink from 5 p.m., then the salarymen after 7. The restaurant somehow made it through the pandemic, and about two years ago customers started coming back.

Hasebe moved to its current location in 2000 as part of a redevelopment. Tomoharu is someone the neighborhood relies on, serving as treasurer of the local neighborhood association, among other roles.

The sake shelf at Hasebe — At night, too, customers gather for sashimi and Japanese-style side dishes with a wide selection of sake from all over Japan

The tatami seating at Hasebe — The calm interior

Hasebe’s English menu — There’s an English menu, too

Signature dishes: bluefin tuna sashimi and fish set meals

Bluefin tuna sashimi at Hasebe — Bluefin tuna sashimi, the most popular dish

The tuna for the most popular dish, the sashimi, is hand-picked at Toyosu that day, and where it comes from changes daily.

The set-meal menu at Hasebe — Set-meal menu cards lined up on the wall

He is the third generation, following his grandfather. The cheap and delicious fish lunch sets, most still ¥880 even after a price increase, are hugely popular, and there is a line every day.

Spanish mackerel marinated in Saikyo miso — Fresh Spanish mackerel (sawara) marinated in sweet Saikyo white miso

Grilled Saikyo-miso Spanish mackerel set meal

The owners: a restaurant kept by former classmates

His wife, Miyuki, has been helping at the restaurant for about three years. The two were classmates at local schools from elementary through high school, and later married. Miyuki recently took up golf, so now the couple share a hobby too. Together, in close harmony, they keep this neighborhood institution going.

Shop information

▶Shop page (map and related articles)

Seasonal Cuisine Hasebe
Address: 1-39 Kanda-Jimbocho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Phone: 03-3291-6558
Closed: Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays
Celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2024 (per the print edition)
Nearest station: Jimbocho
▶View on Google Maps
*Address, phone and closing days are from the Hon no Machi member shop list (September 2026 issue). Hours and other details may change; please check with the shop before you visit.

Photographer ELLI’s Town Walks: All installments

▶See every installment and a map of the shops ELLI has visited on the series page

◀Previous: #2 The Adirondack Café
▶Next: #4 Toyodaen & Daisen

#1　Luncheon
#2　The Adirondack Café
#3　Hasebe (this article)
#4　Toyodaen & Daisen
#5　@Wonder
#6　Book House Cafe
#7　Kissa Hotaka
#8　Mamekobo
#9　Banuken
#10　Asanoya
#11　Yamagataya Paper Shop
#12　Kissa Poupée
#13　Ochanomizu Hotel Shoryukan
#14　Kanda Awahei
#15　Daiki Shoe Store
#16　Sakaiya Sports
#17　Fuji Record Sha

Eri Ito (ELLI)
Photographer. In her Hon no Machi series “Photographer ELLI’s Town Walks,” she visits shops in Kanda, Ochanomizu and Jimbocho every month.

This article introduces installment 3 of “Photographer ELLI’s Town Walks” (photos and text by Eri Ito), published in the August 2025 issue (Vol. 4) of Hon no Machi, the community salon magazine of Kanda, Ochanomizu and Jimbocho.

▶Read the August 2025 issue of Hon no Machi (PDF, in Japanese)

Founded in 1980, Hon no Machi brings you the latest from Book Town every month, together with Jimbocho’s bookstores, publishers, cafés and galleries.

▶Back issues of our series are being published on our note page (in Japanese)

日本語で読む — Read this article in Japanese