Most of the customers here are locals. The restaurant was originally run by an elderly couple, but since the old man retired, his son has taken over the kitchen. Inside the shop, you can admire a magnificent collection of traditional hagoita paddles.
The menu features carefully prepared, classic Japanese dishes, including nuta (vinegared seafood and vegetables with miso), fresh sashimi, crispy fried horse mackerel, and savory shrimp balls (ebi shinjo).
“Heso-no-Mise” means “Belly Button Shop.” Aray-ya would be named after owner’s or founder’s name. But why a belly button? The name carries a unique meaning. While a belly button might not seem to have a specific daily function, you’d certainly feel incomplete without it. The founder named the shop with the wish that it would become just like that—an essential, comfortable spot that people would truly miss if it weren’t there.
However, I suspect there might be another meaning behind the name. The restaurant is located right in the center of Asakusa’s entertainment district, where small side streets intersect in a complex maze. Perhaps that is why it came to be called the ‘belly button’—the very center—of Asakusa.
