Mariko Have you eaten turtle meat? Here in Japan – we do.
However, eating turtle meat is not that usual in Japan either. Turtle meat is a delicacy here. You can’t just find it in grocery stores. In Tokyo there are around 90 places that serve this dish while around 6,300 Italian restaurants are out of 130,000 restaurants in Tokyo.
Let me tell you about the one where I visited, a restaurant, “GENPEI” in TSUKISHIMA, Tokyo.
What kind of turtles do Japanese eat?
Do we eat all kinds of turtles? Of course not. The kind which we eat is “Suppon”, a soft-shell turtle (Trionychidae).
Suppon lives in a natural pond, however, they are bred especially to be served in the restaurants.
Why Suppon is delicacy?
Suppon is delicacy which we can eat in a few restaurants and the price of it is high. It has good meat and you can make good soup. It tastes decent and very delicious.
“Suppon” is said as a walking oriental medicine. It has a lot of nutrition, which revitalizes and enhances stamina. On the other hand, as it has a lot of collagen which makes skin smooth, it is good for beauty.
A restaurant “GENPEI” Menu
The restaurant “GENPEI” where I visited offers not only Suppon course but also other seafood courses such as puffer fish course. You can order a la carte, as well.
1 whole Suppon costs JPY 13.000, which is enough for 3 persons. If you reserve 1 whole Suppon, they will make a course depending on the number of customers. For a whole Suppon, you need to reserve beforehand as they buy a whole fresh suppon on request. I usually make a reservation 1 or 2 weeks before.
They serve fresh and good food and offer reasonable price. Courses are priced from JPY3,800 to JPY4,280, which is a very reasonable price considering the quality of the meals served in this restaurant.
Please have a look at their menu other than 1 whole Suppon course.
English translation on the menu is below.
A course including Suppon cooked pot (This includes Suppon cooked pot with other dishes, different from 1 whole Suppon course I mentioned) JPY3,800 / person
Course
- A Puffer fish course (Oct. – Apr.) JPY 4,280 / person
- A Pike conger course (May – Sept.) Reservation is necessary. JPY 4,280 / person
- A whale meat course Reservation is necessary. JPY 4,280 / person
- A seasonal course JPY3,800 / person
- A yellow tail fish cooked pot course (Dec. – Mar.) Reservation is necessary. JPY3,800 / person
A la cart recommendation dishes
- A 4 kinds Sashimi (raw fish) dish JPY1,800
- A Mackerel sushi JPY900
- A cooked duck JPY1,000
- A Rolled egg including eel JPY1,600
Drinks such as beer, whiskey, wine, and soft drinks
Some kinds of good Japanese sake
Suppon course
Starter…I am afraid that I forgot taking the photo.
▼We said “Kanpai” in Japanese which means “Cheers!“
▼Raw turtle meat(Raw Suppon meat) for 1 person. As there were 3 of us and we ordered 1 whole Suppon, they divided the meat into 3. the way it’s prepared doesn’t remind you that what you’re eating is a turtle (unless you look into the pot…the second photo from here)
Small yellow eggs in the left hand are given by the cook as a complimentary side dish. That is why there were Suppon eggs though the Suppon we ate was male.
▼Cooked Suppon with sweet soy source
▼Cooked Suppon in a pot
They cooked Suppon with vegetables in a pot placed in the center of the table. We picked ingredients with chopsticks from the pot to each dish and ate.
▼Suppon’s blood
They served Suppon’s blood with red wine placed in a small glass. It tasted like a red wine.
▼Suppon soup with rice
After we ate all ingredients, the cook took the pot back to the kitchen and added rice and eggs and cooked it. It is the last amusement as rice absorbs Suppon soup and it is tasty.
▼pickles
We, Japanese often eat rice with pickles.
The atmosphere of “GENPEI”
The atmosphere of GENPEI is cozy. There are only 2 tables for 4 persons each, 1 table for 2 person, and some counter seats. The restaurant is run by a middle-aged married couple, a cook and his wife. They are friendly and kind. They explain dishes such as what ingredients are, and how are they cooked in details.
“GENPEI”, the name of the restaurant is derived from a famous war happened in the year 1185 in Japan.
Where is the restaurant “GENPEI”?
The location of GENPEI is around 3 min. walk from the subway station of Tsukishima, which is TOEI Oedo line and Yurakucho line. Firstly, let’s go to the exit #10, following directions in the station.
▼Choose the direction to #10 exit.
▼Go up a escalator.
▼After go out of the exit #10, You can see take-out meals shop called “Hotto Motto” on the other side of the street. Cross the street by zebra zone. Go straight in the street on the right side of “Hotto Motto”.
▼Turn to the left on the 1st crossing from the main street.
After a while, you will see some restaurants’ lights along the street.
▼Then, you will find a light drawn “GENPEI” in Japanese on the left side of the street.
▼This is the front of the restaurant.
Address
Tsukishima 3-11-11, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0052
TEL.03-3531-8842
It takes about 5 min. from Tsukishima station of TOEI OEDO line and Yurakucho line.
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Hello, there! I am Mariko Tofuku, running this site “AHA! Tokyo!”.
I have been living in Tokyo since I was 11 years old.
Let me introduce Tokyo deep spots and events where only Tokyoites know but usual tourists don’t visit!
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