Naoya Kurishita, a former economic journalist, inexplicably writes a lot about alcohol. In this series, Kurishita visits bars that were once favorites of great figures. What kind of drinks did politicians, literary giants, and businessmen drink, what did they talk about, and how did they enjoy their evenings? This is an "adult's bar travelogue" in which he actually visits the establishments, savors the drinks and their history, and catches a glimpse of the daily lives of these great figures.

The fourth installment features Seiyoken in Ueno, a restaurant frequented by the renowned author Mori Ogai.

Mori Ogai was both the Surgeon General of the Imperial Japanese Army and a literary giant. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he was the ultimate double threat produced by the Meiji era, an elite among elites. One might imagine that he indulged in fine dining every day, but according to historical records, his home meals were surprisingly simple. So where did Ogai enjoy his "special occasion meals"? One answer is Seiyoken, a restaurant that still stands on a hill in Ueno Park.

Surgeon General, at home, boiled vegetables

A few years ago, the Mori Ogai Memorial Museum in Bunkyo Ward held a special exhibition titled "Ogai's Food." According to an article introducing the exhibition, Ogai's daily life, as recounted by his eldest son, Oto, was extremely simple. He never complained about the side dishes his grandmother and mother made, and preferred softly cooked vegetables with mild flavors. His favorite foods were eggplant and cucumber, so it was almost like vegetarian cuisine. It was a dinner table that showed absolutely no trace of the influence of someone who had returned from Germany.

However, the situation changed completely when guests arrived. Ishikawa Takuboku, who visited Ogai's home, wrote in his diary that "the feast was a magnificent Western meal." Ogai selected Western dishes from a German recipe book and had his wife and others prepare dishes such as cabbage rolls and what we now call stuffed cabbage rolls.

When the family ate out, they always ate Western food, and their destinations were Tsukiji Seiyoken and Ueno Seiyoken. Apparently, the à la carte menu at Ueno Seiyoken at the time included items like "chicken cutlet" and "scrambled eggs." Normally, they ate boiled vegetables, but on special occasions, they went to Seiyoken. He was truly a man of distinction. I want to be like him. I arbitrarily make every night a special occasion with fried food and alcohol, and only my body is steadily swelling up.

The pioneers of Western cuisine, supported by Tomomi Iwakura

Seiyoken was founded in 1872 (Meiji 5). Founder Shigei Kitamura consulted with Tomomi Iwakura, who encouraged him to open a restaurant in Tsukiji, stating that it was "absolutely necessary for social and diplomatic purposes." It was a pioneer of French cuisine in Japan. In 1876 (Meiji 9), a branch was established at its current location overlooking Shinobazu Pond, coinciding with the development of Ueno Park. It is said that General Grant and his wife of the United States were entertained here in 1879 (Meiji 12), making it a social venue for state guests. When the main store in Tsukiji was destroyed in the Great Kanto Earthquake, the functions of the main store moved to Ueno, where it remains to this day.

It frequently appears in literature as well. In Soseki's "Sanshiro," Sanshiro is invited to a meeting at "Ueno no Seiyoken," which is said to be modeled after Seiyoken, but he hesitates, saying, "I've never been to a place like that. They must charge a high fee." In Ogai's "Seinen," there is a scene where the protagonist is strolling through Ueno and sees a fine car parked in front of the entrance to Seiyoken. For students in the Meiji era, it was a symbol of the sophisticated and somewhat exclusive. That sense of exclusivity remains much the same for me, a middle-aged person in the Reiwa era.

A long-established restaurant where you're seated in five minutes despite there being four groups waiting.

It was 2 PM on a weekday. A five-minute walk from the park exit of Ueno Station, going against the flow of families returning from the zoo, I climbed a slope and a white building appeared in the woods. The building housed both a French restaurant specializing in set courses and a casual Western-style restaurant, and my destination was the latter. There was a line of about four groups at the entrance to the Western-style restaurant on the left side of the facade.

I braced myself for a 20-minute wait, given that it's a 150-year-old establishment, but I was seated in just five minutes. The turnover was unusually fast. It's probably partly because it's a large restaurant with 150 seats, but the seating and serving were incredibly efficient. I thought to myself, "This must be a restaurant frequented by the Surgeon General," but that's probably irrelevant.

I'd like to write that the greenery of Ueno Park stretches out outside the window, but my seat doesn't face the window. I sit down and first order a medium bottle of beer. For food, I choose pork cutlet and beef stew. The menu in Ogai's time included chicken cutlet, but since there's no chicken on the current menu, please forgive me for having pork instead.

Both dishes arrived in about ten minutes. That speed is incredible. Even family restaurants take a little longer than that.

A sauce that takes a week to prepare is served in just 10 minutes.

The pork cutlet is covered in a generous amount of demi-glace sauce. Seiyoken's demi-glace is made using a base that has been passed down since the restaurant's founding in 1872, to which meat, bones, and aromatic vegetables are added, and then simmered for about a week while being strained. In other words, it takes only 10 minutes to reach the table, but 150 years and 1 week to prepare. This time is the secret to this long-established Western-style restaurant's cuisine.

This cutlet is definitely a "cutlet," not a tonkatsu (pork cutlet). The batter is thin, and it cuts easily with a knife. The sweetness of the pork is complemented by the richness of the dark sauce. It would sound good to say that it's the kind of taste that goes well with beer, but I just wanted a reason to drink alcohol in the middle of the day.

When it comes to beef stew, it's practically a dish where you eat the demi-glace itself. The beef falls apart easily, and the sauce is glossy. From the first bite, the flavor profile is clear, and you understand why this has been around since the Meiji era. While thinking random thoughts like, "Is this what the Meiji Restoration tasted like?", you suddenly realize the bottle is light.

The bill isn't exactly cheap, to be honest. Beef stew is 3,350 yen. But it's quick, no waiting, and delicious. I want to tell Sanshiro, who hesitated thinking "they must charge a high membership fee," that in this Reiwa era, the only charge is for the meal, and it's well worth it.

A life with a shop for special occasions

On my way home, I thought about it while gazing at Shinobazu Pond. Mori Ogai's everyday meals consisted of boiled vegetables, and special occasions were spent at Seiyoken. My everyday meals consist of fried food and alcohol, and special occasions are also fried food and alcohol. It goes without saying which way of life is right, but at the very least, having a place to go on special occasions makes life richer.

Ueno has museums and art galleries, but Seiyoken is a place where you can fill your stomach with culture. The sauce, which has been simmering since the Meiji era, is still on someone's plate today. Perhaps that's what it means for culture to continue.

The surface of Shinobazu Pond gleamed faintly in the afternoon light. My stomach was full, and my legs felt light as I walked down the slope.

Today's recommendation

Pork cutlet (with demi-glace sauce) 2300 yen

Beef stew: 3350 yen (with bread or rice)

Beer (medium bottle) 850 yen

*Prices are subject to change, so please check with the store.

Shop information

Ueno Seiyoken Main Store Restaurant (Western Cuisine)

Address: 4-58 Ueno Park, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Phone: 03-3821-2183
Opening hours: Weekdays 11:00-17:00 (Last order 16:00), Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays 10:30-18:00 (Last order 17:00)
Regular holiday: Monday (open on public holidays)
*Reservations are not accepted. Customers will be seated on a first-come, first-served basis.

Access: 5-minute walk from JR Ueno Station Park Exit / 5-minute walk from Keisei Ueno Station Main Exit (Keisei Main Line) / 5-minute walk from Tokyo Metro Ueno Station Exit 7

Naoya Kurishita

Born in 1980 in Tokyo, he is a writer and book reviewer. After completing his studies in business administration at the Graduate School of International Social Sciences, Yokohama National University, he worked for a specialist magazine before becoming independent. Although he started out as an economic journalist, he somehow writes a lot about alcohol. His books include "What I Learned About Life from Getting Drunk" (Sayusha), "How Great People Survive: Side Hustles, Job Changes, Financial Strategies, and Begging" (ibid.), "The Drinking Habits of Politicians: The Drinkers Who Moved the World" (Heibonsha Shinsho), and "Profit and Virtue" (CE Media House).