Hokkyokusei Shinsaibashi Honten

Founded in 1922, Hokkyokusei is a venerable Western-style restaurant known as the birthplace of omurice. The main restaurant was built in 1950 in the sukiya-zukuri style of traditional Japanese architecture, offering a unique moment with an iconic dish and picture-perfect view out over a Japanese garden.

The legend of omurice kicks off with founder Shigeo Kitahashi who created the dish for a regular customer who’s delicate stomach meant they preferred only eating omelets and rice. Kitahashi wrapped ketchup-flavored rice in a thin omelet, and the dish was so well-received that it became a regular menu item, eventually becoming a staple in Western-style restaurants across Japan.

Hokkyokusei offers a variety of omurice dishes, from the simple yet profound chicken omurice with homemade tomato sauce to standard options like mushroom and beef omurice. Creative variations include Hayashi omurice and katsu curry omurice. For an additional 660 yen, you can upgrade your omurice with a shrimp fry topping and miso soup. A hidden gem on the menu is the karaage, made with chicken thigh meat and seasoned without garlic or ginger for a universally appealing taste.