Chiggo Gawa ちっご川

Time for Bonnenkai!

It's Bonenkai season again, and this year I was invited to join a party at a tiny unassuming izakaya called Chiggogawa on Highway 3 in Kurume. I had passed it on several occasions and knew where it was, but this was my first time to go. They advertise bonenkai / shinnenkai on the side of the (brightly lit) building, announcing that reservations for groups are possible. It's advertised as a yakitori restaurant, but of course there are more options than that, even for a tiny place. The small rooms for group parties are left mostly open and drafty, but they have heaters (air conditioners). There is a bar in front and I'm guessing five rooms that seat around ten people each. Our set menu including a couple beautiful platters of sashimi, a few kinds of 'kushi' or kabobs, a big chicken nabe which we added chanpon to at the end, a salad, a free range grilled chicken plate, and kara-age with fries, plus drinks. We enjoyed our time there for a few hours. It is accessible by bus numbers 3 and 31 from Nishitetsu Kurume Station (in the direction of Yame). Open 5pm-1am