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Fujiya Hanare, a motsunabe favorite in Shinjuku, Tokyo.
On the day we planned an outing to Shinjuku, she asked if I wanted to go for a beef-intestine hot pot. Wait, they eat that in Japan too? Were we heading to Koreatown? We were not. I have always loved it, but had no idea Japan had its own version. Her suggestion was a motsunabe with assorted intestines. She knew exactly what I would like.
Motsuyaki Shinjuku Sanchome Fujiya Hanare is an izakaya focused on the varied textures and flavors of offal. Distinctive cuts such as tongue, heart, liver, and large intestine invite you to compare them one skewer at a time. Its appeal seems to lie less in elaborate dishes than in the care taken to bring out each cut's particular bite.
The liver skewers and negireba, liver topped with seasoned scallions, are especially intriguing. The fragrance of scallions adds variety while letting you enjoy the liver's rich flavor. Another interesting approach is to compare the textures of tongue and heart before moving on to the deeper flavors of liver and intestine. On a first visit, the five-skewer assortment would be a good way to get a sense of the restaurant's grilling and seasoning.
Beyond skewers, salt-seasoned stewed offal and Hakata-style beef-offal hot pot give the meal its substance. The hot pot comes with a choice of soy-sauce or miso broth and suits a shared meal. Low-temperature-cooked liver and tongue are also available, offering a chance to compare textures with their grilled or simmered counterparts.
For anyone who enjoys offal, choosing among these dishes is part of the fun. Still, what determines the result is less a claim of fresh ingredients than careful preparation to manage strong aromas, cooking suited to each cut, and balanced salt and sauces. This is not an assessment based on tasting those qualities directly, so I cannot judge that level of execution, but it is a place where I would like to order several cuts in small portions and compare them slowly over drinks.
Price impression: Moderate.
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