Ginza Bairin

First established in 1927, Ginza Bairin is the very first specialty Tonkatsu restaurant in Ginza, Tokyo, and quickly gained popularity with its unique home-made Tonkatsu sauce and Tonkatsu recipes created by founder Nobukatsu Shibuya.

Among the many Tonkatsu recipes created by Nobukatsu-san, one of his most famous creations for Ginza Bairin is the Katsu sandwich. Faced with a severe shortage of rice after World War II, Nobukatsu-san had an idea— Tonkatsu can be eaten with bread in place of rice. When it was introduced, the Katsu sandwich became wildly popular and has since become a signature item on Ginza Bairin’s menu.