Kotora
狐虎
Sangenjaya · Izakaya
Kotora is a Setagaya tuna-specialist izakaya in Ikejiri-Ohashi, 7 minutes from the station. Google rating 4.7/296. Signature is raw bluefin tuna sashimi platter (¥1,380), tuna-leek skewers, tuna-tail steak. Late hours until 4 AM Fri–Sat. ¥5,000–6,000 per person. Reservation recommended.
As seen on Instagram
How to visit
- Address
- 2-37-20 Ikejiri, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo (東京都世田谷区池尻2-37-20)
- Hours
- Mon–Thu, Sun 16:00–23:00 / Fri–Sat 17:00–28:00
- Price
- $$
- English (?)
- Limited
- Reservations
- Required
- Payment
- cash, credit_card, ic_card, qr_code
Place data via Google Maps
First-timer tips
- Best for
- Tuna-specialist izakaya for solo drinkers, dates, and sake lovers; whole bluefin cuts in a quiet Setagaya pocket, open until 4 AM on weekends.
- Avoid if
- Avoid if you need an English menu (Japanese only), cannot reserve ahead, or want a large or formal dining setting.
- Nearby pairing
- Pair with Canteen Kado (12 min west)
What makes it special
Ikejiri-Ohashi is the residential Setagaya pocket between Shibuya and Sangenjaya — quiet, hard for tourists to find, dense with hidden small izakaya. Kotora is the standout: a tuna-specialist counter that breaks down whole bluefin in-house, lets you taste different parts of the same fish, and runs late on weekends (until 4 AM Fri/Sat). Expect to spend around ¥5,000–6,000 per person.
Rated 4.7★ from 296 reviews on Google Maps — Tokyo izakaya rarely cross 4.5 because Japanese reviewers are conservative.
How to visit
A 7-minute walk from Ikejiri-Ohashi Station (Den-en-toshi Line, 1 stop from Shibuya). Hours: Mon–Thu and Sun 4:00 PM–11:00 PM; Fri–Sat 5:00 PM–4:00 AM. The street is residential — easy to walk past. Reserve.
FAQ
Why a tuna specialist?
Kotora sources whole bluefin tuna and breaks it down in-house. The signature platter offers different cuts (akami, chu-toro, o-toro) of the same fish — much harder to do as a small izakaya than as a sushi house, but it lets the kitchen offer parts (cheek, tail, neck) that don't make it into sushi-counter rotations.
What's a tuna-tail steak?
The bluefin tail meat — denser, more sinewy than belly cuts. Pan-grilled rather than served raw. ¥1,290 at Kotora; gives you a different texture from sashimi within the same fish.
Worth the trip from central Tokyo?
Ikejiri-Ohashi is one stop from Shibuya on the Den-en-toshi line — about 4 minutes by train. The Setagaya residential pocket is its own scene; Kotora is a worthy anchor.