Renga-tei: The Ginza Birthplace of Tonkatsu and Omurice Since 1895
Renga-tei has operated in Ginza, Tokyo, since 1895, originally opening as a Western-style (yoshoku) restaurant. According to accounts repeated across Japanese food media, the restaurant's founder adapted a French veal cutlet into a pork version -- using bread crumbs and deep-frying it in a tempura pot, since veal was hard to source at the time -- creating what became tonkatsu, and the restaurant is also widely credited as the birthplace of omurice. Both dishes are now staples of yoshoku (Western-influenced Japanese) cooking nationwide, making Renga-tei a useful stop for travelers curious about where two very common items on Japanese menus actually came from. The restaurant accepts cash only, a detail worth planning around before visiting.
- Tonkatsu (Breaded Pork Cutlet)
- Ginza
- ¥1,000–3,000
Good to Know
- Budget per person
- ¥1,000–3,000
- Hours
- Closed Sundays, during summer break, and over the New Year holiday; the restaurant is reported to be cash-only.
- Address
- 3-5-16 Ginza, Chuo Ward, Tokyo
- Nearest station
- Ginza Station
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- Pork cutlet (the restaurant's own telling of tonkatsu's origin) and omurice, both dishes the restaurant is widely credited with originating.
Location
3-5-16 Ginza, Chuo Ward, Tokyo
About a 3-5 minute walk from Exit A10 of Ginza Station, in Tokyo's Ginza district.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I get to Renga-tei?
- About a 3-5 minute walk from Exit A10 of Ginza Station, in Tokyo's Ginza district.
Information on this page is compiled and checked by our editorial team from the restaurant's official information and public data. Details we could not verify are not listed.
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