CMP

Inside Tokyo’s oldest onigiri restaurant

A short walk from Sensoji, cryptoboss casino the oldest temple in Tokyo, sits another aging classic – Onigiri Asakusa Yadoroku.

Founded in 1954, it’s believed to be the city’s oldest onigiri (Japanese rice ball) restaurant.

"The reason why my family started this business is simple," says Yosuke Miura, third-generation owner of the rice ball diner.

"My grandfather didn’t work and my grandmother had trouble living a financially stable life."

Needing to support her unemployed husband and family, Miura’s grandmother founded the rice ball eatery – an origin story that’s reflected in the restaurant’s moniker.

Asakusa is the name of the district where the shop is located, but Yadoroku – which translates literally as "House Six" – has another, less flattering, definition.

"Roku means ‘rokudenashi,’ which means ‘useless person,’" he tells CNN. "So directly translated, the restaurant’s name means ‘a useless person’s house.’"