Aji No Tonkatsu Maruichi — Restaurant in Kagoshima

Black pork is a specialty here. The restaurant is deservedly popular with locals, there was a short line outside when we arrived. But was worth the 10min wait. Succulent and extremely tasty pork cuts in very generous serves. Perfect rice and accompanying pickles, miso and condiments. I had Prawn and pork cutlet and it was great to the last bite ! Chef Yoshiaki Take has been doing this for 40 years and is a master at his work. He came and helped us choose dishes and sauces personally, a genuine, likeable and friendly man. And his team take the lead from him. Welcoming and good humoured staff, English menu available and Chef Take helps with translations if you get stuck. Lovely place,...

A must visit place for one of the most amazing tonkatsu. When we visited, there were a lot of locals eating there. It is truly a well loved tonkatsu store among locals. We all ordered pork and shrimp teishoku set. The serving portions are gigantic but we finished them anyway. If you visit during lunch time, I think the lunch set is enough to make you feel perfectly full. The sauce is sooooooooo good and very well balanced, not too tangy not too sweet. The chef recommended us to eat it along with mustard and it is the game changer. Despite the super thick cut of the pork, it is super juicy and tender. It lives up to the reputation of the tender kurobuta. The shrimps are also as big as a...

World's warmest and nicest Japanese man that owns this place. Friendly to foreigners as him and his wife both spoke English and made me feel insanely comfortable as my Japanese isn't that strong and I have social anxiety eating at Japanese resteraunts in Japan. The Japanese patrons that were here very thankful to him bowing to him constantly and thanking him for the meal. Some of the best tonkatsu I've ever had in my life.

It's in the basement of an office building. Price is good considering a piece of kurobata (Berkshire pig) at any other place is half the size. In total for my set and drink I paid 3150 yen (as of 2024).

If I come to Kagoshima again I will...