Yuan – Best Mapo tofu in Nagoya

07/08/2025

Contents

Best Mapo tofu restaurant in Nagoya

The restaurant I’m introducing today is located in a residential area of Minami Ward. Minami Ward in Nagoya doesn’t have many tourist attractions. If I had to name one, it would be Kasadera Kannon. It’s a center of faith for local residents, but it’s not well known outside the area.

Since it’s a residential area, there are many people around, and here and there you’ll find local restaurants where residents gather. The Chinese restaurant I’m introducing today, Yuan, is one such place. It’s become popular enough locally to be featured on Nagoya’s local TV.

I went to Yuan for lunch around 1:30 p.m. on a Sunday. Although it’s a Chinese restaurant, the interior has a distinctly Japanese feel. Bottles of alcohol are lined up in the shop, so it might operate more like a bar in the evening.

Although it’s a popular restaurant, I went near the end of lunch hours, so there were only about eight customers. I was able to enjoy my meal in a quiet atmosphere.

Orders are placed by scanning a QR code with your smartphone. Recently, more and more restaurants in Japan have started using this system. I think it’s a good thing because it reduces the burden on the staff.

The most popular dish at this restaurant is Tenshinhan (a crab omelet over rice), but I wanted to try the Mapo Tofu. It had received rave reviews online. So, I ordered the Mapo Tofu set, which cost around 1,400 yen.

This Mapo Tofu was the best I’ve ever had in Nagoya. The spiciness of the Sichuan pepper was just right, and it paired perfectly with the rice. In fact, there wasn’t enough rice—I felt like getting a second helping. The set also came with a variety of side dishes, making it a very satisfying lunch. To be honest, most people probably don’t have a reason to visit Minami Ward, but if you ever go to Kasadera Kannon, it’s worth stopping by.

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