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Two Jiyugaoka shopping days, with stew, shaved ice and a yakiniku meal

Shopping in Jiyugaoka led to different food stops on two visits four years apart. One ended with a rich stew and rice; on the later summer outing, a donut-topped shaved ice came before a first meal at てっちゃん.

From two separate haruru.1002 accounts shared in February 2020 and July 2024, edited with permission.

2020: a change of plans led to 四文屋

After browsing the small shops in Jiyugaoka, Haruru had planned to go somewhere stylish for drinks. Instead, 四文屋 caught her attention and she went in.

She liked the food, the variety and the service. The motsu stew tasted richer than those she had tried elsewhere, and made her want rice alongside it.

When she noticed nikomi rice on the menu, she ordered it. The red pickled ginger worked especially well with the stew and rice. She enjoyed the yakitori too and left wanting to return.

2020: a change of plans led to 四文屋 — Haruru’s photograph
2020: a change of plans led to 四文屋 — Haruru’s photograph
2020: a change of plans led to 四文屋 — Haruru’s photograph
2020: a change of plans led to 四文屋 — Haruru’s photograph
2020: a change of plans led to 四文屋 — Haruru’s photograph
2020: a change of plans led to 四文屋 — Haruru’s photograph
2020: a change of plans led to 四文屋 — Haruru’s photograph
2020: a change of plans led to 四文屋 — Haruru’s photograph
2020: a change of plans led to 四文屋 — Haruru’s photograph
2020: a change of plans led to 四文屋 — Haruru’s photograph

2024: a donut on top of the shaved ice

On a hot Sunday outing to Jiyugaoka, she started by looking for an unusual shaved ice. What she found had a donut perched on top.

She ate the donut first, enjoying its chewy texture and the berry sauce. It looked almost too good to disturb, but she finished it all.

After cooling down for a while, she continued shopping and stopped for more drinks along the way.

2024: a donut on top of the shaved ice — Haruru’s photograph

A first meal at てっちゃん, and more food after the noodles

Later she went to てっちゃん, where she had made a reservation for five o’clock. They let her in a little early. It was her first visit, and she liked the old-fashioned atmosphere: red tables and chairs, familiar-looking tabletop grills and friendly staff.

She enjoyed the meal from the first mouthful and kept ordering. A shiso and umeboshi sour was among the drinks she liked.

The black reimen was meant to finish the meal, but she then ordered kalbi and rice as well. By the end, she had walked, shopped, eaten and drunk plenty, and felt it had been a thoroughly enjoyable day.

A first meal at てっちゃん, and more food after the noodles — Haruru’s photograph
A first meal at てっちゃん, and more food after the noodles — Haruru’s photograph
A first meal at てっちゃん, and more food after the noodles — Haruru’s photograph
A first meal at てっちゃん, and more food after the noodles — Haruru’s photograph
A first meal at てっちゃん, and more food after the noodles — Haruru’s photograph
A first meal at てっちゃん, and more food after the noodles — Haruru’s photograph
A first meal at てっちゃん, and more food after the noodles — Haruru’s photograph
A first meal at てっちゃん, and more food after the noodles — Haruru’s photograph
A first meal at てっちゃん, and more food after the noodles — Haruru’s photograph

Sources for this account

These are two separate accounts, shared on 18 February 2020 and 29 July 2024. 四文屋 is legible on the earlier visit’s entrance sign, while 焼肉 冷麺 てっちゃん appears on glasses in the later meal photographs. The shaved ice, stew with rice and final orders are drawn from Haruru’s own captions.