Fukushima
Local Guide
Recommended restaurants in Aizuwakamatsu where you can enjoy horse sashimi and Japanese sake

Along with Nagano and Kumamoto, the horse meat culture has long been rooted in the Aizu region. There are many restaurants in Aizu Wakamatsu that specialize in horse meat dishes, and horse sashimi can be enjoyed at most izakaya (Japanese style pubs). There are also more than 30 sake breweries scattered throughout Aizu, and each brewery has its own unique selection of local sake. Here are some of the best restaurants serving horse sashimi and local sake that you should definitely try when you visit Aizu.

Enjoy horse sashimi and sake made with the skill of a former sushi chef

From the front:
From the front: "Sakura Sashimi" 880 yen, "Sakura Katsu-age" 770 yen

Founded in 1970 as a sushi restaurant, it was redesigned three years later as a restaurant specializing in sakura meat. The menu includes horse meat sashimi, sushi, and other dishes that make use of the skills of a former sushi chef, as well as the popular "sakura katsu-age" (fried horse cutlet), which is made by pounding horse meat with a knife to create a menchi-style dish. Sake is carefully selected from Aizu Wakamatsu's sake breweries. The menu features a variety of sake with a refreshing taste that goes well with horse meat, such as "Gekkyu," a pure rice sake, and "Hanaharu Daiginjo," a limited-edition sake. In addition to the lean horse meat, if you are lucky, you can taste "mane-gami" and "marbling," which are rare parts of horse meat.

A full menu of horse dishes from one dish to set menus

The atmosphere is comfortable for everyone from single customers to groups.
The atmosphere is comfortable for everyone from single customers to groups.

The restaurant is spacious, with counter seating, a remnant from the sushi restaurant days, as well as table seating and tatami rooms. The restaurant is family-owned and operated, with the first and second generations working side by side in the kitchen. During weekday lunch hours, popular set menus using horse meat, such as "Sashimi Set Meal" and "Sakura Sauce Cutlet Set Meal," are offered at a service price. From October to April, the restaurant offers "sakura nabe" (cherry blossom hot pot), a dish of horse meat cooked in the style of sukiyaki. This specialty, made with horse meat seasoned in the style of sukiyaki, is a perfect accompaniment to sake.

Sakura-nabe Yoshida
  • Address 5-14 Toei-cho, Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture MAP
  • Direction 6 minutes drive from JR Aizuwakamatsu Station
  • Bus Direction Take a bus from JR Aizuwakamatsu Station, get off at "Aizuwakamatsu Shiyakusho-mae" and walk about 2 minutes.
  • Business hours 11:00-13:30 (L.O.), 17:00-21:30 (L.O.)
  • Closed Sunday (open on 3 consecutive holidays)
  • Phone 0242-28-5533
  • Parking Free

Impressed by the freshness of horse meat selected by a professional meat chef

From the front,
From the front, "Sakura Sashimi" 900 yen, "Sakura Toro Kalbi" 900 yen

Aizuwakamatsu's famous yakiniku restaurant has been in Aizuwakamatsu for over 60 years. Originally started as a butcher store, the restaurant has an established reputation for its meat selection, offering a wide range of meat from Aizu's specialty horse meat to beef, pork, and chicken. Many people come here for the horse meat, and the freshness of the horse sashimi is particularly exceptional. The meat is tender and melts in your mouth because it is fresh and never frozen. The signature dish is the "Sakura Toro Karubi. It is a rare part of the meat, equivalent to the halami of horse meat, and is addictively delicious when quickly seared and eaten rare.

A sacred place for yakiniku that attracts fans from all over Japan

The restaurant is mainly tatami rooms. Table seating is also available.
The restaurant is mainly tatami rooms. Table seating is also available.

The restaurant is located in a residential area slightly outside the center of Aizu Wakamatsu. Although it is located far from the nearest station and bus stop, the restaurant, which seats about 50 people, is always full. Reservations are therefore essential, and it is recommended to make reservations for popular dishes such as "Sakura Toro Karubi. In addition to horse meat, the restaurant is also proud of its special A5-rank beef from Oku-Aizu, which goes well with Aizu sake, a local alcoholic beverage with a refreshing taste. In particular, the horse sashimi has an exceptional three-flavor combination of sake, horse meat, and a special garlic miso paste.

Yakiniku Maruchu
  • Address 1-34 Nishiki-cho, Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture MAP
  • Direction 13 min. walk from JR Nishi-Wakamatsu Stn.
  • Bus Direction Approx. 6 min. walk from Yugawa-machi bus stop after taking the bus from JR Aizu-Wakamatsu Sta.
  • Business hours 17:00-22:00 (21:30L.O., Sun. Holidays 21:00L.O.)
  • Closed Days Wednesday
  • Phone 0242-28-4191
  • Parking Free

Enjoy local cuisine and local sake to your heart's content at a well-known restaurant loved by locals

From the front: “Kekebashi (Sakura-zashi)” 1,650 yen, “Kozuyu” 780 yen
From the front: “Kekebashi (Sakura-zashi)” 1,650 yen, “Kozuyu” 780 yen

A representative izakaya of Aizu-Wakamatsu that attracts many fans from outside the prefecture. The dishes make generous use of local ingredients, and the restaurant is well-known for its regional specialties. In particular, “Kozuyu”—a home-style dish simmered in scallop broth with taro, carrots, and wood ear mushrooms—offers a comforting, homely flavor.In addition, be sure to order the horse sashimi known as “Ketobashi” and the “herring marinated in sansho pepper.” The bar offers a wide selection of fresh, quality-controlled sake from Aizu. Furthermore, a resident sake sommelier is on hand to recommend sake tailored to your preferences.

A cozy space in a renovated ryotei (traditional Japanese-style restaurant)

Counter seating in a separate space. Many customers come alone.
Counter seating in a separate space. Many customers come alone.

Kagota" is the name of a teahouse that existed in Aizu-Wakamatsu from the Edo period to the early Showa period, and was named in honor of its prosperity. The restaurant, which was renovated from a former ryotei (Japanese-style restaurant), has a relaxed atmosphere and offers counter seats, box seats, tatami rooms, and private rooms. Shoes are removed at the entrance, so you can relax and enjoy your meal as if you were at home. If you want to know more about sake, go to the counter seats. The refrigerator in the kitchen has a selection of sake that is not on the menu, so it is recommended to consult with the Staff/staff member before ordering.

Kagota
  • Address 8-49 Sakae-cho, Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture MAP
  • Direction 6 minutes drive from JR Aizuwakamatsu Station
  • Bus Direction Take a bus from JR Aizuwakamatsu Station, get off at "Aizuwakamatsu Shiyakusho-mae" and walk 5 minutes.
  • Business Hours 5:00 PM–10:00 PM (Last Order 9:00 PM)
  • Closed Closed on Sundays
  • Phone 0242-32-5380
  • Parking Not available (60-minute free parking ticket at Himawari Parking when using food and drink)

A izakaya full of local love with an established reputation for its selection of locally brewed sake

From the front:
From the front: "Horse Sashimi" 1,320 yen, "Aizu Chicken Kushiyaki Assortment" 1,320 yen

As the name suggests, this izakaya focuses on Aizu ingredients and local sake. We especially focus on "Aizu Jidori" (Aizu Chicken), which we serve in a variety of styles, from grilled skewers to fried chicken, sukiyaki, and omelette. In addition, you can also enjoy Aizu's local cuisine such as "horse sashimi" and "whale soup. The local sake lineup includes products from most of the breweries in Aizu, and one of the rarer ones is "Gihei" from the smallest brewery in Aizu Wakamatsu, Kaishuichi Sake Brewery. If you order the "Kizukizake Set" first, you will be able to choose three brands of Aizu's best sake to suit your tastes and get to know the sake you prefer.

A warm wooden space where you can relax and enjoy your meal

The interior has a modern atmosphere. In addition to counter seats, there are also tatami rooms.
The interior has a modern atmosphere. In addition to counter seats, there are also tatami rooms.

Located on Otemon Street, one of Aizu Wakamatsu's most popular streets lined with izakaya (Japanese-style pubs), visitors enter the restaurant through a narrow passageway on the side of the building. Once inside, you will find a Japanese-style space with gentle indirect lighting that emphasizes a comfortable atmosphere; the first floor has counter seats and a sunken kotatsu-style tatami room, while the second floor has a large tatami room and a private room, making it convenient for different purposes and numbers of people. In addition to the standard menu, the restaurant also offers the recommended dishes of the day, so you can enjoy seasonal ingredients to the fullest. We recommend the "Aizu Jidori Tamago Bukkake Meshi (rice topped with Aizu chicken eggs and bukkake)" or "Aizu Jidori Tamago Ice Cream" for a perfect end to a long day of drinking.

Saishoku Saishu Aizukko
  • Address 4-49 Sakae-cho, Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture MAP
  • Direction 6 minutes drive from JR Aizuwakamatsu Station
  • Bus Direction Take a bus from JR Aizuwakamatsu Station, get off at "Aizuwakamatsu Shiyakusho-mae" and walk 4 minutes.
  • Business hours 17:00-23:00 (22:30L.O.)
  • Closed Days Sundays
  • Phone 0242-32-6232
  • Parking No charge (60-minute free parking ticket at "Angel Parking" for customers who spend more than 3,000 yen)

MAP

Nearby Hoshino Resorts Properties
Back to Top of Article
*The information provided is current as of the article’s update date. Please check in advance before visiting, as details are subject to change.