From famous shops to hidden gems. 5 lunch spots in Kirishima worth making a trip for
Kirishima is a popular tourist destination in Kagoshima Prefecture. Surrounded by magnificent nature, such as the Kirishima mountain range on the border between Kagoshima and Miyazaki, Kagoshima's symbol Sakurajima, and the calm Kinko Bay, it captivates people with its hot springs, food, and scenery. In this article, we will introduce 5 lunch spots in Kirishima that are worth making the trip for, ranging from popular restaurants to hidden gem cafes.
1Gamakoan
A popular 47-year-old soba restaurant where you can luxuriously enjoy homemade soba and local ingredients.
A popular soba noodle shop with a 47-year history located near Kirishima Jingu Shrine. They grind buckwheat grown locally in Miyakonojo using a stone mill and make the noodles using spring water, a gift from Kirishima's nature. There are two types of homemade soba: "nama-soba" (fresh soba) made on the day, and "inaka-soba" (country-style soba), which is characterized by thick noodles and a texture that breaks easily.
Among them, the "Jitokko Soba," a popular menu item of the "nama-soba," is a masterpiece that has been loved for over 10 years. The light soup, which combines the broth inherited from the previous generation with the juices of the Jitokko chicken, has a rich, delicious flavor that warms the body. They use vegetables grown on their own farm or sourced from local farmers.
We also recommend the "Soba Shop Bread," which is perfect as a snack during your trip or as a souvenir.
The spacious interior has about 50 seats, and there are not only table seats but also tatami mat seating, so customers with small children can enjoy their meals with peace of mind.
Inside the shop, you can also buy natural yeast bread made with 100% Kyushu-grown wheat. It is said that many customers come specifically for the handmade bread using locally produced jam and red bean paste. In addition, there are many handmade sweets, processed goods, and local specialties on display, so you can also enjoy choosing souvenirs. We also recommend the "amazake" (sweet fermented rice drink) made with glutinous rice and rice malt, which is a seasonal menu item.
Local
Supporter
The shiitake mushrooms in the "Jitokko Soba" are also homemade, allowing you to enjoy local flavors that can only be tasted in this region. The handmade bread is a size that is easy to eat after a meal, so you can enjoy it like a dessert.
2Direct-sales restaurant "Kurobuta no Yakata"
A popular restaurant with long lines where you can taste authentic Kagoshima black pork cuisine.
A direct-from-the-farm Kagoshima Kurobuta (black pork) restaurant located about a 5-minute drive from Kirishima-Jingu Station. The Kirishima Kogen Pure Black Pork, shipped directly from the farm, is a Kagoshima black pork with excellent meat quality that has been certified as a 7-star product by the Kirishima Gastronomy brand, Gensen Kirishima. The recommended Kurobuta Katsu-don features a thin, crispy batter with a perfect balance of dashi broth and soft-boiled egg, and with every bite, you can taste the juicy flavor of the meat. To bring out the natural flavor of the black pork, they use sugar-free breadcrumbs and coarse sugar instead of regular sugar in the dashi. It is a popular restaurant with long lines that has been featured in numerous media outlets.
Children are welcome. A friendly and bright restaurant for everyone from solo diners to groups.
The interior is spacious and offers counter seating, table seating, and tatami mat seating. High chairs for children are also available, so you can visit with peace of mind even if you have children with you.
In addition to katsu-don, the menu includes items such as the Katsu Set Meal (also available a la carte), Kurobuta Shabu-Katsu Curry, Kurobuta Hamburg Steak, and Kurobuta Shabu-Shabu. The most popular item is the Kurobuta Sanmi Katsu Set Meal. It is a popular set meal that allows you to greedily enjoy three types of pork: fillet, loin, and shabu-katsu, with over 60 orders placed daily. There is also a shop space inside the restaurant where you can purchase black pork, sausages, and other items on the spot and have them shipped nationwide.
Local
Supporter
The combination of the crispy pork cutlet soaked in broth and the creamy soft-boiled egg in the "Kurobuta Pork Katsudon" is superb. The aroma of the broth and the piping hot steam when you open the lid will whet your appetite even more.
- Direct-from-farm restaurant "Kurobuta no Yakata"
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4962 Kirishima-Eisui, Kirishima City, Kagoshima Prefecture MAP 
Approx. 5 minutes by car from JR Kirishima-Jingu Station
Dining 11:00–15:00, Shopping 11:00–17:00
Wednesdays (or the following day if a public holiday), year-end and New Year holidays
0995-57-0713
Free
3chichinpuipui cafe
Enjoy a quiche plate in a relaxing space worth making a special trip for.
A cafe restaurant located in Kokubu, Kirishima City, where you can enjoy views of the clear air and rural landscapes of the Kirishima mountain range. You can enjoy a colorful lunch plate made with seasonal vegetables, including the Kirishima Quiche, which has been certified by Gensen Kirishima.
The light-textured quiche, which is so delightful to look at that it feels like eating dessert, is packed with Kirishima ingredients and served with homemade sauce. The flavor of the ingredients that spreads throughout your mouth is a delicious way to experience the season. You can spend a happy time here that feels as if you have been put under a spell.
The interior features stylish decorative lighting and antique-style goods.
The shop offers a calm atmosphere where the gentle glow of light bulbs blends perfectly with natural light from outside. The deep, comfortable sofa seats and the charming wooden tables are said to have originally been serving carts used in an elementary school.
The interior is a renovated warehouse that also serves as a general store. It is lined with items that pique the interest of people of all ages, from nostalgic goods to rare finds. You can also view the rural landscape from the windows, making it a recommended spot to take a break while idly watching the clouds drift by.
Local
Supporter
"Today's Quiche" can be purchased by the slice. It is perfect for takeout to accompany a picnic at a nearby park.
- chichinpuipui cafe
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- 244-1 Kokubu-Uwai, Kirishima City, Kagoshima Prefecture MAP
- Approx. 10 minutes by car from JR Kokubu Station
- Lunch 11:00–15:00 (L.O. 14:30), Dinner 18:00–21:00 (L.O. 20:30)
*Dinner is by reservation only, at least one day in advance - Tuesdays and Wednesdays, year-end and New Year holidays
- 080-4696-4190
- Free
4Kirishima Koji Kura GEN
A koji restaurant where you can enjoy dishes made with "koji" (malted rice).
This koji restaurant is located within Barrel Valley Prague & GEN, a koji theme park near Kagoshima Airport. You can enjoy Kagoshima's local specialties and koji with all five senses. With the motto of "contributing to people's beauty and health through koji," they serve dishes such as "Loin Cutlet Set Meal" and "Pork Bone Stew Set Meal" using koji-fed pork raised on their own farm.
A recommended dish is the surprisingly tender and juicy koji-fed pork "Hamburger Steak Plate." The hamburger steak made from koji-fed pork raised on their own farm is so tender it melts in your mouth. With every bite, the flavor and juices overflow, and it pairs perfectly with the rich demi-glace sauce.
The interior is impressive with its modern and colorful decor.
The interior, featuring carefully selected decor, offers both table and tatami seating, allowing you to enjoy a Japanese-modern space. On sunny days, you can also spend a relaxing time on the terrace, soothed by the dappled sunlight and flowers.
For dessert, we recommend the "Koji Cream Puff," limited to 55 per day. It is a popular koji sweet that has been a hit since the shop opened, and is an exquisite item created in collaboration with a former chef from the renowned French pastry shop "Michel Belin." You can also tour the koji warehouse adjacent to the restaurant, as well as the factory where you can learn about the history and production methods of beer and shochu.
Local
Supporter
Koji is used generously not only in the "Hamburg Steak Plate" made with Koji pork, but also in the miso soup and dressings. The miso soup, in particular, had a deep, gentle flavor that warms you from the core, the kind you could drink every day without ever getting tired of it.
- Kirishima Koji Kura GEN
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- 876-15 Fumoto, Mizobe-cho, Kirishima City, Kagoshima Prefecture MAP
- Approx. 1 minute by car from Kagoshima Airport (pick-up/drop-off service to Kagoshima Airport available)
- 11:00–15:00 (L.O. 14:30)
- Wednesdays, Year-end and New Year holidays
- 0995-58-2535
- Free
5Studio Mominoki
Enjoy today's lunch at a confectionery shop that feels like it's straight out of a picture book.
Located in the nature-rich Makizono-cho, Kirishima City, this is a weekend-only confectionery shop renovated from an old folk house. Run by a travel-loving couple, it was remodeled with the image of a Nepalese cafe. At the entrance of the charming interior, baked goods, quiches, cakes, and puddings are lined up, filling the air with a sweet aroma.
The "Lunch of the Day" menu focuses on Thai cuisine and spice curries; the spinach and chicken curry features incredibly tender meat, with spices that bring out the sweetness of the vegetables. It is a hearty, vegetable-packed lunch that is gentle on the body and warms both the body and soul.
Take a break in a relaxing space filled with natural light.
Whether you sit at the counter with a view of the outdoors or on the sofa seats bathed in natural light, you can enjoy the scenery from a different perspective at every seat. The interior, converted from an old folk house, utilizes floorboards and windows once used in elementary schools, creating a space that feels somewhat nostalgic.
During the winter, a wood-burning stove warms the entire shop, and a hot "cafe au lait" or "brown rice quiche" is recommended after your meal. Additionally, there are wooden toys inside and a seesaw and swings outside, so customers with children can also relax and spend time with peace of mind.
Local
Supporter
This is a shop where you can enjoy lunches and sweets that delight both body and soul, using ingredients that are as gentle on the body as possible. The interior is simply adorable, and it is a relaxing place even for those dining alone. It is a space where you can forget about your daily routine, and you will also be thoroughly soothed by nature, including the beautiful river along the path from the parking lot to the shop.
- Studio Mominoki
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- 2089-8 Kaminakatsugawa, Makizono-cho, Kirishima-shi, Kagoshima Prefecture MAP
- Approx. 10 minutes by car from JR Kirishima-Jingu Station
- 11:00–16:00 (Lunch from 11:30)
- Monday–Friday (when participating in events)
- 0995-78-8131
- Free
Local supporter in charge of this article
- Mana YamaguchiKirishima Guide
KAI Kirishima
Kirishima Onsen, Kagoshima Prefecture
A hot spring inn where you can view Sakurajima from all guest rooms and enjoy the magnificent scenery of vast grasslands from the open-air bath in the large public bathhouse.
Access About 15 minutes by taxi from JR Kirishima-Jingu Station
- Accommodation rate example
- Per person per night From ¥19,000