Japan’s wagyū beef has spread its delicious reputation throughout the world and has become a global brand.
Shabu-shabu is a hotpot dish that allows you to enjoy the simplicity of wagyu’s flavor by briefly dipping and swishing it in broth, and enjoying it along with vegetables.
Located in the bustling heart of Shinjuku’s Kabukichō district, “shabu-shabu sukiyaki steak NIIMURA” (referred to hereafter as “NIIMURA”) is a well-known restaurant specializing in shabu-shabu, sukiyaki, and steak.
Since opening its doors in 1961, it has satisfied the appetites of countless customers.
Despite being in the center of a busy entertainment district, NIIMURA offers a calm, refined atmosphere. It’s a recommended restaurant not only for anniversaries and special celebrations but also for those times when you simply want to indulge in a luxurious meal.
Savor premium Kuroge wagyu beef with special dipping sauces!
NIIMURA’s shabu-shabu courses vary by the grade of beef and included dishes.
The highly popular “Wagyu Shabu-shabu Set” is a course meal using carefully selected Kuroge (Japanese black) wagyu. This set comes with marbled wagyu beef, Japanese vegetables, tofu, mochi, and kishimen (flat, thin udon noodles).
“和牛しゃぶしゃぶセット（１人前）,” Wagyu Shabu-shabu Set (for one person) 4,840 JPY (tax included)
The shabu-shabu also comes with two types of dipping sauces and three kinds of condiments.
The dipping sauces are a ponzu citrus sauce rich in fruit juice and a sesame sauce made from 15 ingredients including sesame and walnuts. Both are made in-house.
(top row from left) garlic, grated daikon radish with red chili, chopped green onions, (bottom row from left) sesame sauce, ponzu sauce
The condiments offered include garlic, grated daikon radish with red chili, and chopped green onions. The Umami bites editorial team particularly recommends mixing garlic into the sesame sauce.
Combine the two types of dipping sauces that bring out the full flavor of wagyu and the three condiments to customize it to your preferred taste!
The basic way to eat shabu-shabu is to dip the beef into the hot kombu (kelp) broth, swishing it briefly and then eating it with dipping sauce. The key is to swish it in the broth until it’s just slightly pink—around medium-rare.
Enjoy the richly marbled ribeye to your heart’s content!
What makes shabu-shabu great is that dipping it in the soup removes just enough fat, allowing you to enjoy the umami of the meat with a refreshing taste.
The flavorful sauces complement the beef perfectly, making each bite irresistible.
The vegetables include chrysanthemum greens, leeks, enoki mushrooms, and shiitake mushrooms. Additionally, tofu and mochi are served as part of the set.
After enjoying several slices of wagyu, add the vegetables to the pot and eat them with your favorite dipping sauce.
Afterward, continue eating the remaining wagyu, or perhaps order additional ingredients if desired. As the meal progresses, the sweet fat from the wagyu and the umami from the vegetables dissolve into the broth, continuously changing its flavor.
Kishimen noodles are the perfect finish for shabu-shabu broth!
Once you’ve enjoyed the meat and vegetables, it’s time to finish your meal with the included kishimen noodles—a specialty from a long-established noodle shop in Nagoya with over 100 years of history.
Boil the kishimen in the flavorful broth, which has concentrated umami by now, and pour everything into your bowl. You can top it with the remaining condiments or remaining meat and vegetables for extra flavor.
Many customers end up drinking a lot of or finishing the delicious broth, which becomes infused with the umami of the meat and vegetables.
The smooth, chewy kishimen have a pleasant texture, and together with the delicious soup, the noodles go down easily even if you’re already full!
Be sure to enjoy the kishimen after you’ve finished your shabu-shabu!
The secret behind NIIMURA’s sukiyaki, popular with overseas diners
While NIIMURA has built its reputation on shabu-shabu and steak, there’s one unexpected star on the menu that’s especially popular with international visitors.
And that dish would be… sukiyaki!
“和牛すき焼きセット（１人前）,” Wagyu Sukiyaki Set (for one person) 5,280 JPY (tax included)
NIIMURA says that the majority of their international customers order sukiyaki.
As with their shabu-shabu, NIIMURA offers various courses of sukiyaki. The “Wagyu Sukiyaki Set,” which uses A5-grade Kuroge wagyu, is a set meal that allows you to indulge in quality sukiyaki at a reasonable price.
There are two main styles of sukiyaki in Japan—Kanto-style and Kansai-style. NIIMURA’s version is Kanto-style: beef tallow is melted in the pot, followed by seared green onions, and then wagyu is simmered in a sweet-savory soy-based broth called warishita.
As it simmers for a while, the pleasant aroma of the warishita fills the air.
Once the beef is partially cooked, add in the vegetables and simmer everything together. Once it’s all cooked, dip the ingredients in raw egg before eating.
The umami-packed wagyu makes rice disappear in no time!
The rice that comes with the Wagyu Sukiyaki Set is refillable free of charge, so enjoy!
NIIMURA provides a tourist-friendly, popular dining experience
Niimura is popular not just with locals but also diners from around the world.
The restaurant offers menus in five languages: Japanese, English, Chinese, Korean, and Thai.
If you’re unsure how to enjoy shabu-shabu or sukiyaki, feel free to ask the friendly staff who will be happy to guide you through the process.
From the main courses to the smallest side dishes, every element of the meal is crafted with care, reflecting the high standards of a long-loved establishment.
Open late into the night, NIIMURA is a fantastic choice whether you’re out for a memorable meal or simply craving top-tier wagyu!
Information
| Store name | しゃぶしゃぶ ステーキ にいむら本店 Shabu-shabu steak Niimura honten |
|---|---|
| Address | Kawashin Building 1F, B1F, 1-14-3 Kabukichō, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
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| Access |
Seibu-Shinjuku Station 3-minute walk from Seibu-Shinjuku Station Main Exit
Shinjuku Station（SJK） 4-minute walk from Exit B13
Shinjuku-Sanchōme Station 6-minute walk from Exit A6
|
| Phone number | 03-3205-2200 |
| Reservations | Accepted Phone, Tabelog, Hot Pepper Gourmet |
| Payment |
|
| Service charge / Table charge | None |
| Hours | 12:00-2:00 AM（last order 1:30 AM） Last entry 1:00 AM |
| Closed | No holidays |
| Seating | 90 seats 74 table seats, 16 private dining room seats |
| Smoking | All seats are non-smoking |
| Official website | https://niimura-honten.instatry.jp/ |
| Other information |
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※Menu contents, prices, store information, etc. are current as of April 2025.
