Isogaya Shokudo is a traditional Japanese diner that has been serving customers for over 40 years in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture.
I’ve been coming here for about 40 years, and even after trying katsudon all over Japan, I still haven’t found one that I like more than theirs.
What makes their katsudon special is that it’s prepared differently from the version most people know.
In a typical Japanese katsudon, a deep-fried pork cutlet (tonkatsu) is simmered in a sweet soy-based broth with onions, then finished with beaten eggs. This allows the breading to absorb the broth, creating a soft, tender texture.
At Isogaya Shokudo, however, the pork cutlet is never simmered in the broth.
Instead, the freshly fried cutlet is placed directly on top of the rice, keeping the coating crispy and the meat juicy. The flavorful broth and egg are prepared separately, so you can enjoy the contrast between the crunchy cutlet and the soft, savory egg.
The restaurant offers two versions:
- Katsudon – Fried pork cutlet served over rice with a light drizzle of the restaurant’s signature broth. No egg.
- Katsudon Jo (Premium Katsudon) – The same dish, but topped with softly cooked eggs that have been simmered in the broth. The eggs are added after the cutlet, so the crispy texture is preserved.
The bowl in my photo is the Katsudon Jo, and it’s the one I always order.
When I was younger, I would order the Katsudon Jo with a bowl of ramen on the side. Now that I’m over 60, the katsudon alone is more than enough!
If you ever visit Toyota City, I highly recommend stopping by Isogaya Shokudo. If you’ve only had the traditional simmered version of katsudon, this unique style offers a completely different experience—and it’s one that has kept me coming back for four decades.
Address: Isogaya Shokudo
7-5 Kamihara, Kamihara-cho, Toyota, Aichi 470-0341, Japan
Tel: +81-565-45-2855
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