“Iwatoya” is a long-established shop that just celebrated their 100th anniversary in 2016, and 90% of their clientele order the “Hot Pot”. Normally when people hear the term “Hot Pot” they think of chopped chicken and meatballs, but here at “Iwatoya” they have different offerings for different tastes - those who don’t like chopped chicken can have the “Meatballs Only” option, and those who want it the works can order the “Soup Daki” option that includes bone-in chicken, meat balls, thigh meat, and gizzard.

The soup is not milky white, but clear. The broth is made by simmering chicken bones and chopped chicken over very low heat for about 5 hours. It looks light, but it’s packed with flavor and its goodness seemingly seeps into your bones. The photo shows a mix of bone-in chopped chicken and meatballs. Using mainly South Kyushu young chickens from Miyazaki and Kagoshima, its texture is pleasantly springy and juicy. The meatballs are sweet, and goes well with the pleasantly acidic ponzu. It’s fluffy, but with a satisfying texture.

The final course is the fun part of Hot Pots. You can choose between Sanuki-style udon, rice soup, or ramen. The ramen is served with coarsely ground pepper and chopped scallions; the curly noodles tangles with their famous soup, making us come back for seconds even though we were full.