Pubs & Bars · Practical guide
Akakara
Nagoya Sweet-Spicy Red Miso Hot Pot (Levels 0–10)
Prices, ordering steps, payment details, and common mistakes — in one place.
Quick Facts
Last checked against official information: 2026-11-09.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Japanese name | 赤から (Akakara) |
| Category | Pubs & Bars / Nagoya Sweet & Spicy Miso Hot Pot & Grilled Chicken Izakaya |
| Store Count | Approximately 150–180 locations nationwide across major city centers, station entertainment districts, and roadside hubs, operated by Kora Co., Ltd. (originating in Nagoya) (Store Locator) |
| Ordering Style | Booth or table seating equipped with tabletop induction or gas burners; order hot pots, spice levels, skewers, and cheese risotto via tabletop digital touchscreen tablets or verbally with staff; pay at cashier |
| Membership Required? | No membership or reservation required for regular dining; walk-ins welcome, subject to seating availability. |
| Approximate Price Range | Evening spend ~¥2,500–¥4,000; signature Akakara Nabe ¥1,749 per serving (minimum 2 servings); grilled chicken neck ~¥450–¥600; small evening Otoshi fee (~¥300–¥400) applies on a la carte pub dining; all tax-included (subject to revision) |
| Payment Methods | Cash, major credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, JCB, American Express, Diners Club), Japanese transit IC cards (Suica, PASMO, etc.), electronic money (iD, WAON, etc.), and smartphone QR code apps (PayPay, d-barai, au PAY, etc.) |
| Multilingual Support | Tabletop touchscreen ordering tablets feature multilingual language toggles with full-color photos and visual spice level guides |
What it is
Akakara (赤から), born in Nagoya and operated by hospitality leader Kora Co., Ltd., is Japan's most viral and fiercely addictive sweet-and-spicy red miso hot pot chain (Akakara Nabe). What makes Akakara legendary across Japan is its proprietary soup base: a rich blend of Nagoya red Hatcho miso, sweet honey, and fiery red chili peppers. Diners customize their heat by choosing from 11 distinct spice levels (Level 0 to Level 10)—with Level 3 being the beloved national standard matching a pleasant medium heat. Bubbling with beef tripe (Horumon), pork belly, chicken meatballs, soft tofu, and towering heaps of cabbage, Akakara is equally famous for its grand finale: stirring white rice and shredded mozzarella cheese into the leftover broth to create a molten, stretchy Cheese Risotto.
How to order
Dining at Akakara is interactive, social, and thrilling:
- Enter and take a seat: Walk inside. Staff will welcome you and guide your party to a dining booth equipped with an embedded tabletop burner.
- Understand the Otoshi cover charge: During evening dining, a small traditional starter (Otoshi, around ¥300–¥400 tax-included) applies when ordering drinks and a la carte pub dishes.
- Switch tablet to English: Pick up the tabletop touchscreen ordering tablet and tap the language toggle for English.
- Order the signature Akakara Nabe & pick your spice level:
- The 11 Spice Tiers (0 to 10):
- Level 0–1: No spice to very mild (gentle sweet red miso).
- Level 3: The #1 national recommendation. Perfectly balanced sweetness and pleasant chili heat.
- Level 5: Genuinely spicy (for avid spicy food fans).
- Level 10: Extreme fiery challenge for heat daredevils.
- Note: Hot pots are ordered for a minimum of 2 people.
- The 11 Spice Tiers (0 to 10):
- Order grilled chicken neck (Tori Seseri): While the hot pot heats up, order Akakara's famous Seseri—juicy grilled chicken neck meat basted in spicy red sauce or salt.
- Simmer the pot at your table: Turn on the table burner. Let the cabbage, tofu, and beef tripe simmer until the vegetables wilt into the dark red broth.
- The Grand Finale: Cheese Risotto (Shime no Cheese Risotto): CRITICAL STEP: When you finish eating the meat and vegetables, DO NOT throw away the soup. Order the "Cheese Risotto Set" on the tablet. Staff will add white rice, savory dashi, and a massive handful of shredded cheese, stirring it over the flame until it turns into molten, stretchy cheese risotto.
- Pay at the cashier: Take your check slip to the front cashier desk to complete payment.
What to order first
Dishes below reflect core brand staples officially featured on the Akakara Official Website:
- Signature Akakara Hot Pot (Akakara Nabe - 赤から鍋): Nagoya's famous sweet red miso and chili hot pot, simmered tableside with beef horumon, pork belly, meatballs, tofu, and cabbage (¥1,749 per serving).
- The Cheese Risotto Finale (Shime no Cheese Risotto): The iconic finish; white rice, butter, and mountains of shredded mozzarella cheese stirred into the leftover spicy red broth (~¥400–¥550).
- Grilled Chicken Neck (Tori Seseri-yaki - 鶏セセリ焼き): Juicy, bouncy chicken neck meat grilled on cast iron with spicy red tare or garlic salt (~¥450–¥600 tax-included).
- Deep-Fried Nagoya Chicken Wings (Tebasaki Karaage): Crispy fried wings basted in sweet-savory Nagoya glaze.
- Akakara Ramen Finale (Shime no Ramen): Curly ramen noodles simmered in the remaining hot pot broth as an alternative to risotto.
Payment & practical info
Prices and details checked: September 2026.
Practical dining and payment guidance based on official Kora policies (consult the Official Store Locator for branch locations):
- Accepted Payment Methods: Accepts cash, international credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, JCB, American Express, Diners Club), Japanese transit IC cards (Suica, PASMO, etc.), electronic money (iD, WAON, etc.), and smartphone QR code apps (PayPay, d-barai, au PAY, etc.).
- Start with Level 3: If you are unsure of your spice tolerance, always pick Level 3. It is Akakara's golden ratio—sweet, savory, and mildly spicy without overpowering the rich red miso umami.
- Nationwide Nightlife Access: With over 150 branches in entertainment districts across Tokyo (Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ginza, Ikebukuro), Nagoya, and Osaka, it is a fun, social dinner stop.
- Wi-Fi & Power Outlets: Availability varies by branch; dining booths generally do not provide customer power sockets.
- Tax-Free Status: Not eligible for tax-free shopping. Restaurant dining is domestic consumption.
Good to know / Common mistakes
- Forgetting the Cheese Risotto finale: Never leave Akakara without ordering the Shime. The cheese risotto made from the concentrated, caramelized leftover soup is widely considered the best part of the entire meal.
- Ordering Level 10 blindly: Level 10 is fiercely spicy and loaded with habanero-level chili flakes. If you want enjoyable flavor rather than a painful dare, stick to Level 3, 4, or 5.
- Splattering red soup: Simmering hot pots can bubble and spit red chili oil. Wear the provided paper bib (Kami-epuron) to shield your clothes.
- Tipping: Tipping is not customary in Japan, so there is no need to leave a tip. Settle your exact bill total at the front cashier desk.
FAQ
Q1: What is Akakara Nabe? Akakara Nabe is an iconic Nagoya-style hot pot made from a secret broth combining sweet honey, Nagoya Hatcho red miso, and fiery red chili peppers, simmered with beef tripe, pork, and vegetables.
Q2: Which spice level should I choose? Choose Level 3. It is the restaurant's signature standard level, offering an addictive balance of sweet red miso richness with a mild, tingling chili warmth that most people can easily handle.
Q3: Can foreign tourists easily order in English? Yes. Tables come equipped with a digital touchscreen tablet with English language support, complete with visual spice level meters and photography for all dishes and hot pot add-ons.
Sources
- Akakara Official Website: https://akakara.jp/ (Verified: 2026-09-30)