Monja is the shortened name for a uniquely Tokyo delicacy―mojayaki, a thin, Worcestershire-sauced pancake containing shredded cabbage and a wide and wild variety of other ingredients―anything from vegetables to seafood to pizza cheese.
The best place to experience monja is on Monja Street, also called Tsukishima Nishinaka Shopping Arcade.
Monja was born in this area, with the name entering common usage only in the 1920s. The arcade opened in 1988 and comprises four consecutive blocks of nothing but brightly lit monja shops, numbering over 75.
It’s best to stroll down the street at night, when the aroma of sauce bubbling on the griddle blends perfectly with the happy chatter of the monja crowds