Yangju Okjeong katsu spot with molten cheese katsu and curry: Himawari

Himawari Yangju Okjeong Main Branch is a Japanese restaurant on Okjeong-dong-ro 7da-gil in Yangju, Gyeonggi. It's open 16:00–01:00.

Today I'm introducing a clean, cozy Japanese restaurant in Yangju's Okjeong new town — Himawari Yangju Okjeong Main Branch. If you're into Japanese food, you've probably heard of it, or maybe you're already a regular :)

What is the Himawari Yangju Okjeong Main Branch dining room like?

💛 A full, comfortable interior full of atmosphere

The moment you step through Himawari's door, what catches your eye first is the interior design where white tones and wood tones blend softly together. Overall it's bright, but with the warmth that wood adds, so the moment I walked in I felt at ease.

What is on the tonkatsu menu at Himawari?

Himawari's main menu is really varied, so there's fun in picking according to your taste. Starting with the classic, popular rosu katsu (loin cutlet), through to the hire katsu (fillet cutlet) prized for its tender texture, and the fish katsu that's the textbook definition of crispy outside, tender inside — there were all kinds of tonkatsu sets ready to go.

How much cheese is inside the Himawari cheese katsu?

Himawari's cheese katsu was truly a masterstroke..💛 The moment I saw the cross-section of the cutlet I gasped — between the thin, crispy coating and the meat, the cheese was packed in without holding back at all. Every bite let the soft, savory cheese overflow through my mouth, and the more I chewed, the more that rich, deep cheese flavor and savoriness spread through my whole body.

The outside was crispy while the inside was moist and soft with cheese. The curry I ordered as a side was a perfect match with the plain white rice.

The fried coating with wasabi and tonkatsu sauce

I truly met a life-changing tonkatsu..🥹 The moment I bit in, the outside went 'crunch!' and broke apart lightly — how can a coating be this crisp with zero sogginess?

I gasped the moment I saw it... Can you see the cheese, packed so full it looks ready to spill out between the katsu pieces laid side by side on the plate? 💛 The cheese wasn't that cheap-smelling kind, it had a really savory, deep milk flavor, so the more I chewed the more I marveled. The crispness outside, the leanness of the meat, the chewy savoriness of the cheese — all three elements were truly perfect...

Right when it started to feel a little rich, adding a touch of wasabi or dipping into the sauce made it disappear endlessly — magic 🪄 If you're a cheese lover, this is genuinely a can't-fail menu item.

Is the cheese katsu at Himawari worth ordering?

Himawari Yangju Okjeong Main Branch let me enjoy high-quality Japanese dishes, satisfying and delicious, in a tidy, clean atmosphere. If you're in Yangju's Okjeong new town looking for a proper Japanese restaurant or delicious tonkatsu and nabe, I recommend giving the good-vibe, good-taste Himawari a visit :)