Sansada, Japanese restaurant in Asakusa, Japan.
Sansada is a tempura restaurant in Asakusa, Tokyo, specializing in fresh seafood and vegetables fried in sesame oil. The menu is short and focused, built entirely around this one cooking method.
The restaurant was founded in 1837 by a man named Sadayoshi from Mikawa Province, starting out as a street food cart near Sensoji Temple. Over the following decades, it grew into one of Asakusa's most enduring dining spots.
Sansada follows the Edomae style of tempura, where seafood is fried in sesame oil and served over rice in a lacquered bowl, known as tendon. Guests who sit at the counter can watch the cooks work up close.
The restaurant is a short walk from Asakusa Station and does not accept reservations, so arriving early or outside peak meal times helps avoid a wait. The menu is in Japanese, so pointing at photos or asking staff for guidance works well.
Sansada is considered one of the oldest tempura restaurants in Japan to have stayed open without a major break in service. The use of sesame oil, kept since the beginning, gives the batter a faintly nutty taste that differs from more modern versions.
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