There are certain good things to moving house, at least in the initial days. One of the bright spots is that I don’t have to cook. Don’t get me wrong, I love to be in the kitchen some of the time and I love to make healthy food for my family. But it’s nice to have a break from meal duty. And we’re still in the infancy of the move, so I haven’t yet gotten tired of food that’s not made by my own hand (and food that’s not exactly on the usual menu).
As our move to Tokyo begins with a stop in this weekend, we’ll be indulging a final time in one of our favorite treats, a Sasebo burger at Log Kit. Sasebo is known for its hamburgers, a legacy that stems from its ties to the American military. When the Imperial Navy moved out of their seaside base in Sasebo following the end of World War II, the American navy moved in. Used as a jumping off point for servicemen en route to the conflict in Korea, the town’s population swelled and local restaurateurs began searching for ways to cater to the hungry crowds coming off the base. The first burger joint opened up in the early 1950s and more soon followed; the rest, as they say, is (culinary) history.
Log Kit isn’t the oldest burger shop in town – that honor goes to Blue Sky – but it’s one of the best-known. Sitting on a busy corner just off the Sasebo expressway, Log Kit beckons visitors with an over-the-top Old West theme. Staff sport cowboy hats and the interior is an ode to cowboys and their paraphernalia.
The menu has over a dozen options, with toppings covering the usual suspects of bacon and egg or avocado. Add cheese to make it even more mouth-watering, and then see how it compares to the size of your head. No lie, these burgers are massive.
If burgers aren’t your thing (and if not what are you doing here??? 😛 ), there are also a range of sandwiches (think BLTs) and hot dogs to choose from. If you need a side, the onion things here are the best I’ve had. For youngsters, the separate kids’ meal offers a smaller sized burger with smiley-face friend potato wheels and a choice of drink.
Should Log Kit entice you to go on a burger pilgrimage, make sure to pick up the Sasebo Burger map from the local tourist office. The English map offers about 8 or 9 more choices; if you can puzzle out the Japanese, they recommend nearly two dozen places.
Uncover Japan 
Oh my gosh I’m dying to try a Sasebo burgerrr~(・﹃・)
So glad I just finished eating before I read this or I’d have to get a burger for dinner!
Will definitely have to trek over there and def blog about it! ₍₍ (ง ˙ω˙)ว ⁾⁾
Sasebo has the best burgers for sure. Tokyo also has some really good ones but the one at Log Kit on Sasebo is the best I have ever had (aside from one in Sasebo at a restaurant whose name I totally forget). Pick up the Sasebo Burger Map and you can stuff yourself silly on burgers for days. 🙂
Yum – and love the name. It’s not quite Engrish, but still doesn’t make a lot of sense. I remember having Pizza Hut one night when I was in Tokyo and it was a welcome taste of home!
It IS one of those funny store names that doesn’t QUITE work, isn’t it? I always think of Lincoln log toys, as the shop kinda gives off that impression. But the burgers are amazing.