It is widely believed Oysters are more delicious in the months that include the letter "R". That means September, October, November, December, January, February, March and April. A new Hiroshima style Kakigoya Oyster house has opened in Shin Yamashita. Kakigoya Oyster, house where you can choose charcoal-grilled oysters and then eat them is becoming very popular. This style restaurant has spread out all over Japan from Hiroshima area where a large amount of oysters are harvested.
"Kakigoyo by Tycoon" has been open at the former site of restaurant Tycoon since last November. Restaurant Tycoon "was" a seafood restaurant with tables for 300 guests that opened in an old warehouse in 1989. It attracted many visitors with a nice view from the terrace. It was used for film shootings of TV dramas and movies. However, it was closed last May. "Kakigoya by Tycoon" is using the terrace. You can enjoy eating steaming hot oysters near a warm charcoal grill outside in a wintry day. The restaurant is one of only a few places that gives you the experience of Kakigoya.
The restaurant is located in a warehouse area across from an elevated expressway along the main street of Shin-Yamashita. It is in a building which was formally used as a warehouse. Maybe, you would not know the restaurant is in there unless you are told. Going through a large hall, we see a counter and display cases of seafood. There are oysters, turban shells, crams, scallops, shrimps squid, dried fish, meat and vegetables in the cases. Each oyster plate contains 10 or 12 pieces. You can choose what you want from the display cases. As soon as a table is ready, the staff will take you to the terrace where about 20 grills are placed and the smell of charcoal and nice grilled seafood are wafting. You put on Gunte cotton work gloves and place the seafood on the grill by yourself. Oyster Shells pop open in the heat all of sudden. So you need to cover them with a lid. It is ready in less than two minutes. The nice smell of Oysters begin wafting up from your grill. Pick them up by tongs and open the shells by knife. You will find a fat Oyster with steam in the shells. You can eat them with soy sauce, tabasco sauce, ponzu citrus sauce, or without sauce. The taste of the fruits is refreshing. Its a good combination with oysters. I recommend you try ponzu citrus sauce first. Besides the food, they have wide variety of drinks: beer, sake, whisky, shochu highball, oolong tea, etc. It looks cold outside on the terrace. However, you will warm up from the heat of the charcoal and the hot food. You might even need a cold drink to cool down!
Tycoon is located between Yamashita Park and Honmoku Pier. From the terrace, you can see Yokohama Marine Tower standing in the middle. The small hills of the Yamate area, where the harbor view park is located, stretches out to the left. If you go down to the boatslip from the terrace, you can see the Bay Bridge nearby. There used to be a lumber pond on the water near the restaurant. Barges used to occupy the water and carry shipments between the warehouses and the ships off the harbor. Most of that is gone, but it keeps the atmosphere of Yokohama harbor's good old days. It is a nice place to spend a cold day to warm yourself with a hot delicious seafood and drinks looking out over a nice view of the harbor.
