Food & Drink in the Hida Region
Under construction and pending updates.
The North: Hida, Furukawa, Miyagawa, and Kamioka
- Kitchen Kyabingu (Furukawa): A cozy lunch spot in the historic district that serves Hida beef. Try the beef curry with rice, or the Kyabingu Teishoku (set menu) with sizzling steak on a hot iron plate.
- Ichinomachi Coffee House (Furukawa): This friendly little coffee house features the best homemade curry around. The quiet atmosphere offers a good place to read, write, study, or meet friends.
- Matsuki Cake Shop (Furukawa): Near the Surugaya Supermarket.
- Ramen Hiro (Furukawa): Run by a taciturn man who makes a tasty tomato chilli ramen!
- The Sky Dome (Kamioka): Kamioka’s Michi-no-Eki, the Sky Dome has a nice sit-down restaurant and Japanese-style fast food.
- Keyaki (Kamioka): A yakiniku restaurant on the main road that runs along the river.
Takayama- North: Kokufu, Nyukawa, and Kamitakara
- Itakura Ramen (Nyukawa) - 8:30am-5pm - 0577-78-1138
- Kaiten Zushi (Kokufu): Next to Apita – for cheap rotating sushi in Kokufu.
- Chinese Restaurant (Kamitakara): Reservation recommended! Located by Hokuryo JHS.
Central Takayama
Restaurants:
- Center 4 Hamburgers - Best hamburgers to be found in Japan, Center 4 is an ALT favorite. The owners, Gaku and Yukari, can speak English and have a great relationship with the Hida ALTs.
- Jakson Curry: A small restaurant near Takayama station with great Japanese curry.
- Café Ichii: This hilltop café is a great place to eat in the Higashiyama area. The owner, “Ichii Mama,” loves practicing her English with the ALTs that come in.
- Chapala: Takayama’s only Mexican restaurant, featuring average Mexican food and Coronas. A five-minute walk from Takayama station. Open for dinner only (from 6:00-10:30pm, closed Sundays)
- Choukai: Great teishoku, tonkatsu, and udon, right off the 41. Try the crab cream croquettes!
- Kanki (“Caesar Salad”): Known for its Caesar Salads, most people don’t know it by its original name.
- Mahal: Located near Nishi High School, Mahal serves delicious Indian/Nepalese curry and enormous naan, and is the only Indian restaurant to be found in Takayama.
- Bar Fiore: A great place for handmade pasta, and delicious pizzas. Reservations are advised.
- Hamazushi: Cheap and delicious kaiten-zushi, with plenty of side dishes to choose from. Located just off the 41 near Edion.
- Pizza California: A bit expensive, but good quality pizza. Located in Chijima-machi.
- Mina Vieta: Nice Italian food. Open 11:00-2:30 for lunch, 5pm-9pm for dinner, closed Weds.
- Tsubaki Café: Located on the Ekimae Chuo street in front of the station, Tsubaki makes a great matcha latte and has nice seating area on the second floor for studying.
- Koma: A bit narrow, Koma is the place to go for good okonomiyaki in the Kokubunji neighborhood. Located close to city hall.
- Nakau: Inexpensive Taiwanese food, right across from Piwa.
- Wasabi: A classy café right across from the Kanshokan (library) with lots of delicious drinks.
- Restaurant Shiki: Right in front of Kogyo High School, Shiki does yakiniku and Japanese cuisine.
- Icchou ( 一丁 ): Near Ogaki Bank, Ichou has great chashu ramen.
Izakayas:
- Ogiya - Open until 2:00am: A 12-minute walk from Takayama Station, Ogiya has great yakitori and a well-priced nomihodai for two hours of all-you-can-drink alcohol. Right across from Monkey House Hyaku-en shop.
- Bols -“A faux Irish pub, Bols offers Guinness, decidedly mediocre food, and an (almost always) empty establishment in which to bring 10 of your friends.”
- Murasaki aka “Spiderman” - Big beers, 10 minutes from Takayama station.
Bakeries, Confectioners, & Specialty Foods
- Trainbleu: Takayama’s most famous bakery, Trainbleu is located off the 41, but is notorious for having a line out the door of hungry customers.
- Seize: An excellent Western-style cake shop.
- Chez Gou: Delicious confectioner’s, Chez Gou makes the really tasty baked goods you’ll get as omiyage every once in a while. Located right behind Aoyama.
- Tora-ya: For traditional Japanese sweets. Located in Sanmachi.
- Anew: A health food store for organic foods, brown rice, soy butter, and more.
- Okaasan: A macriobiotic store with small health and import sections. Good for canned beans and nut butters.
- Chocolat Beli: Located in Ishiura just west of the train tracks, known for their macarons.
Takayama- South: Miya, Kuguno, Asahi, and Takane
- White Runse (Miya): Famous for apple pie, White Runse is a gorgeous mini-hotel/restaurant/cake shop often booked for weddings (check their online calendar). Dinner by reservation only. Try their cake buffet in early July! http://www.rakuten.co.jp/runse/
- Nakajin (Miya): Great handmade soba and udon noodles. The menu is limited to noodles, but the food is delicious. Venue has a beautiful outdoor Japanese garden. Reservation recommended.
- Gaoro (Miya): Chinese restaurant in front of Minashi Shrine.
- Mikadoya (Kuguno): Right in front of Kuguno station. Try the curry udon!
- Michi no Eki (Asahi):A nice place to go if you’re interested in green curry. They make most of their food with the yomogi plant which results in green curry, green udon and green everything.
- Rinrin Café (Asahi): A cute place to eat—nice lunch sets and really cute and delicious looking parfaits.
The West- Kiyomi, Shokawa, and Shirakawa
- Tenboudai (Shirakawa): Located within the tourist souvenir shop. It’s the only viewpoint in town, so it’s easy to find. Very traditional Japanese food, and there is an English menu. Try the Kattakedon – a hot pot of rice, meat, and a raw egg on top.
- Kisami (Shokawa): A wonderful little sushi and udon shop right next to the Michi-no-eki in Shokawa.
- Muroya (Shokawa): A good soba and tonkatsu place. They have the absolute BEST zaru-soba.
- Suika (Shokawa): A nice Chinese restaurant that averages around 1000-1500 yen per meal.
- High Time (Shokawa): A café located right next to Shokawa no Sato. They have good coffee and hot chocolate and wonderful lunch specials.
The South- Gero, Hagiwara, Osaka, Maze, and Kanayama
Siegfrida (Hagiwara): A delicious & classy specialty cake shop in Hagiwara.
- Midori no Yakata (Hagiwara): A coffee shop in Hagiwara decorated with antique clocks. Try the “ring toast”!
- Kurakko: A teppanyaki restaurant that serves okonomiyaki and monjayaki.
- Kiryu Coffee: Recommended for morning service.
- Shikikou: Restaurant for standard Chinese food.
- Touan (Gero): A Chinese restaurant near downtown Gero. Get the Gero milk ramen and the best tebasaki in Japan. Open for dinner only.
- Enzou: Try the tomato-don!
- Takeshi (Gero): A sushi/udon place in the alleyway in front of A-Coop
- Maru-hachi Shokudo: Open 11am-5pm, Maru-hachi is famous for Keichan!
- Crepe Shop (Hagiwara): A delicious crepe shop in front of the station. The owner, Mika, “speaks fantastic English and is super kawaii.”
- Coco de Riga: Located on the 41, near the giant Zebra sign. Takes a while to make food but has good homemade cakes and lunch.
- Uosen (Gero): For kaiten-zushi!
- Fellow: A really good Italian restaurant