I’ve been searching for some good Butadon spots in Tokyo recently, and I managed to find one just a short walk away from Akihabara. Located at Ochanomizu is Buta Yarou, a small counter shop known for its budget-friendly Obihiro-style Butadon. So after spending the afternoon at Akihabara, I finally made my way there to see what the place has to offer.
So how exactly do they prepare their Butadon? What size options are available here? And is it worth the visit? Let’s get to it. How Good is Buta Yarou Actually?
–Menu & Ordering–
–Large Butadon–
–Small Butadon–
–Sauces–
–Verdict–
–Getting There–
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📋 Menu & Ordering 📋
You’ll be making your orders by the ticketing machine in front of the store. Select your preferred bowl size from the top three choices (Small, Medium, Large), grab your ticket, and hand it to the chef once you’re seated.
Butadon (Small) – ¥700
Butadon (Medium) – ¥950
Butadon (Large) – ¥1,200
Queue times can vary a bit. While I had zero wait during my 8:30 P.M. weekday visit, a decent line had formed outside once I finished.
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🍖 Large Butadon (¥1,200) 🍖
Buta Yarou’s Large Butadon features a beautifully arranged layer of charcoal-grilled pork belly slices, garnished with green onions and diced bits of butadon, served over a massive portion of rice.
Cooked over open charcoal and coated in their signature tare, the pork is surprisingly tender, and quite balanced for a belly cut – with a ton of good marbling as opposed to distinct layers of meat and fat.
The darker grill marks also provide a great smoky char that complements the pork belly and sauce.
Their tare glaze leans slightly towards the sweeter side similar to an unagi kabayaki sauce. However, between the soy sauce’s natural saltiness and intense smoky aroma from the grill, it hits a deep, savory profile that works perfectly with the richer pork belly.
Special mentions to the rice, which you get a TON of with their large-size bowl. It’s cooked with slightly less water than usual, resulting in a distinctly firm, ‘al-dente’-like bite that holds up well to the flavors of the pork and tare sauce.
If you come unprepared and order their large bowl, there’s a good chance you’ll end up with some leftover rice, so budget your meat-to-rice ratio accordingly – or consider grabbing their Ochazuke set (¥250) or Onsen Egg (¥100) add-ons to help finish the bowl (or just… top it with some extra tare for a satisfying finish!)
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🍖 Small Butadon (¥700) 🍖
My friend already had a meal earlier, so I insisted he grab the small bowl for today’s visit (mostly to help me with the size comparison!)
At ¥700, the amount of pork belly you get is quite solid for the price – though obviously nowhere near the value-for-money of the large bowl. Good for a light meal if you’re passing by, or as a smaller base for their Ochazuke add-on.
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🧂 Sauces 🧂
Should you need some spices and toppings, you’ll find an assortment of black pepper, shichimi, sansho pepper, karashi hot mustard, extra tare sauce, and some Takuan pickled radish by the table.
My recommendation is their sansho pepper to cut through the pork belly’s richness, and the Takuan pickles as a quick palate cleanser between bites.
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⭐VERDICT⭐
So how good is Buta Yarou actually? Straight up, it’s extremely good! Obihiro-style Butadon (a Hokkaido specialty) isn’t too common in Tokyo, so finding one here was a great surprise! Charcoal-grilled pork belly, a sweet-savory tare glaze, over a bowl of impressively-cooked rice – what more can you ask for?
At its core, it’s just a simple dish that’s executed really well – and easily one of the highlights of my trip!
So if you’re around Ueno, Akihabara, or anywhere in Tokyo and want some incredible comfort food at a great price, then absolutely head over to Buta Yarou!
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🚗 GETTING THERE 🚗
Buta Yarou is located right alongside Tokyo’s Kanda River near Ochanomizu Station. Do note that it’s tucked away on the building’s 3rd floor, requiring a walk up the narrow stairwell.
Ochanomizu Station (JR Lines) – Head towards the Hijiribashi Exit, and it’s a quick 2-minute walk around the block.
Ochanomizu Station (Marunouchi Line) – Head towards Exit 1 or 2, cross the bridge over the Kanda River, and it’s a 4-minute walk away.
Shin Ochanomizu Station (Chiyoda Line) – Head towards Exit B1, cross the road, and it’s a 4-minute walk away.
Aikhabara Station (JR, Hibiya, Tsukuba Express Lines) – A 10-15 minute walk along the Kanda River. Not the optimal choice, but if you’re around Akihabara, it’s something worth considering! (It’s how I got here today!)
Buta Yarou
🌏 Location 🌏
Ochanomizu, Tokyo
Japan, 101-0062 Tokyo, Chiyoda City, Kanda Surugadai, 2 Chome−6−15 3F
🗺 Map 🗺
https://maps.app.goo.gl/peSuPx6Rf2wJzHRu6
⏰ Opening Hours (Monday – Friday) ⏰
10:30 A.M. to 5 P.M. // 6 P.M. to 10 P.M.
⏰ Opening Hours (Sunday) ⏰
10:30 A.M. to 5 P.M. // 6 P.M. to 9:30 P.M. (Closed Saturdays)