Local Guide
6 popular restaurants in the northwestern area of Yamaguchi Prefecture, Nagato, Hagi, and Shimonoseki, known by those in the know.

It is quite difficult to find locally loved stores using the keyword "sightseeing. Often, you can get information from conversations with locals, or stumble upon a store you like while on the move, or come across one unexpectedly. To help you find your way around, we have selected six restaurants in Nagato, Hagi, and Shimonoseki in Yamaguchi Prefecture that have earned a good reputation among the locals through SNS and word of mouth. From an ethnic cuisine restaurant in a back alley in a port town, to a bakery in a small old house, to a Japanese sweets store with an abundance of photogenic menus, these are all stores that are growing in popularity and are not to be missed.

A wide selection of carefully selected local sake. Sake shop where you can drink sake directly inside the store.

The temperature is kept below 16 degrees Celsius year-round, and the restaurant offers a wide selection of sake, mainly local sake from Yamaguchi Prefecture. Shochu, Western-style sake and wine are also carefully selected.
The temperature is kept below 16 degrees Celsius year-round, and the restaurant offers a wide selection of sake, mainly local sake from Yamaguchi Prefecture. Shochu, Western-style sake and wine are also carefully selected.

Yamaguchi Prefecture is a treasure trove of local sake. Hagi City and the adjacent Abu-cho area are also dotted with sake breweries that produce beautiful sake. SAKAYA, which stocks a wide variety of brands from the prefecture, carries only the best products that meet the owner's discerning taste, who says, "I don't carry ordinary products.
Almost all of the sake is junmai sake or junmai daiginjo, which is purchased with an emphasis on rarity as well as taste. In addition to popular brands that are rarely distributed to the general public, such as "Ohmine" (Omine Shuzo), be sure to check out the seasonal limited edition sake available at the time of your visit, such as new sake hatsushibori, hiyaoroshi, and orikarimi.

Enjoy your purchased sake in a relaxed atmosphere at the KAKUCHI eating and drinking space.

Food can be brought in freely, and the restaurant is fully equipped with a refrigerator. Many people linger in the cozy atmosphere (admission fee 500 yen, no time limit).
Food can be brought in freely, and the restaurant is fully equipped with a refrigerator. Many people linger in the cozy atmosphere (admission fee 500 yen, no time limit).

At "KAKUCHI" on the second floor of the store, you can enjoy sake purchased at the store in a relaxed atmosphere. The restaurant is equipped with plates and chopsticks as well as ice and glasses (all self-service), and you are free to bring your own food (no sales). Stores and supermarkets in the neighborhood are well stocked with sashimi and side dishes made from fresh fish and other Hagi's prized ingredients, and you can go out to buy them on the way to the restaurant.
If you want to enjoy a comparison of drinks, we recommend the all-you-can-drink event on the first Saturday of every month (reservations not required, starts at 17:00), where local sake, wine, and Western sake are also on offer.

Local Guide Comment
If you want to know how good sake tastes, this is the perfect place for beginners. The friendly owner will give you detailed advice on what people like to drink and the best situations for drinking sake, such as before or during a meal. Souvenirs and gifts are also recommended.
World Sake Select Shop SAKAYA
  • Address 522-1 Tsuchihara, Hagi, Yamaguchi MAP
  • Direction Approximately 35 minutes from the Edo IC of the Ogori Hagi Road
  • Direction Approx. 5 min. walk from "Hagi Bus Center" bus stop
  • Business hours 10:00-19:30
  • Closed Wednesdays (open on national holidays)
  • Admission Fee 0838-22-8127
  • TEL Free of charge

An old private house bakery located in a good old rural landscape at the foot of a satoyama.

Popular
Popular "cream bun" (220 yen). The savory baked dough is filled with homemade cream.

This old private house bakery is located in the village of Sounose, upstream from the Onshin River that flows through Nagato Yumoto hot spring. The handmade bread made by the owners, who are also sisters, is very popular, and they are only open on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The store is open only on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and its products, which are made with what they consider to be delicious and gentle flavors, have a wide range of fans from children to the elderly.
The store has about 20 kinds of breads, and the lineup varies depending on the season. The shop offers a variety of sandwiches and burgers recommended for lunch as well as snacks, making it the perfect place for a sightseeing drive.

The best products are inevitably sold out. Visit early!

The waiting area is filled with toys and is often visited by parents and children.
The waiting area is filled with toys and is often visited by parents and children.

The store is a renovated 60-year-old private house. With terraced rice paddies and satoyama spreading out in front of the store, the nostalgic atmosphere of the store is irresistible. The wooden deck next to the store is open to the public as an eating and drinking space, and the taste of the bread is exceptional as you enjoy it while feeling the natural breeze.
On early days, the bread is often sold out before noon, so it is best to visit right after the store opens or call to reserve the items you want. There is also a wide selection of chiffon cakes and other items that children will enjoy.

Local Guide Comment
Only a short drive from the hot spring town of Nagato Yumoto. Park your car in the parking lot along the Onshin River, and the 5-minute walk along the small path to the store is part of the fun of visiting. The scenery of stone-wall terraced rice paddies and seasonal flowers and grasses blooming at your feet will allow you to fully enjoy a walk in a farming village.
Pan Kororin
  • Address 1390 Fukagawa-Yumoto, Nagato City, Yamaguchi Prefecture MAP
  • Direction Approx. 30 min. from Mine IC on Chugoku Expressway
  • Business hours 11:00-16:00 (close when sold out)
  • Closed Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday
  • TEL 070-3664-2435
  • Parking Free of charge
  • Memo Open only on weekends and holidays; check SNS for business information.

Neo" wagashiya is rapidly gaining popularity as a new hot spring attraction in Kawatana Onsen.

Popular staples are
Popular staples are "Warabicha" (550 yen and up), a straw rice cake drink, and "Dango" (150 yen per dango).

Located along Route 191, not far from Kawatana hot spring town, the store's stylish exterior with its white "noren" curtain fluttering in the wind catches the eye. The catchphrase "Neo Wagashiya" (neo Japanese confectionery) further stimulates interest in the products. The most popular item is the "Warabicha," which is also popular for its photogenic qualities.
First, customers select a drink from three types of lattes (matcha, hojicha, and kuromitsu kinako soy milk), and then choose one of five types of strawbimochi made in the company's own factory, including plain, brown sugar, and baked sweet potato strawbies, to combine. The matcha, hojicha, and kinako (soybean flour) are carefully selected by a long-established shop. The matcha and hojicha teas and soybean flour are carefully selected by a long-established shop. They are a perfect match for the warabimochi, making for an addictive taste experience.

While preserving the tradition of Japanese confectionery, the shop explores flavors from a new perspective.

Specializes in takeout. Ingredients for wagashi, such as warabimochi and bean paste, are made at the company's adjacent factory.
Specializes in takeout. Ingredients for wagashi, such as warabimochi and bean paste, are made at the company's adjacent factory.

The dumplings are a little different from the usual, but they are still wagashi. The store's policy is to create new wagashi while respecting the fundamentals of tradition. The names are unintentionally comforting and the innovative and stylish appearance is photogenic.
The most talked-about item is the "Melting Gokujo Warabi," which is a freshly made warabi mochi using the highest quality domestic warabi flour. Because the unique firmness of the mochi disappears as it cools, the shelf life of the mochi is set at a mere one hour. We hope you will enjoy this delicious treat, a perfect souvenir of your trip.

Local Guide Comment
In addition to limited-edition products made from seasonal ingredients such as sweet potatoes, strawberries, and pine muscats, there is also a delicious array of products that match the calendar, such as tsukimi dango (dumplings for moon viewing) and o-hagi (rice balls for the equinoxes). The lemon soda "Warabicha" available in summer is also highly recommended.
But Wagashi
  • Address 7305-1 Kawatana, Toyoura-cho, Shimonoseki-shi, Yamaguchi MAP
  • Direction Approximately 30 minutes from the Shimonoseki IC on the Chugoku Expressway.
  • Direction From JR Shimonoseki Station, take a bus to "Mare Toyoura-mae" or "Kawatana Station" and walk about 3 minutes.
  • Business hours 9:00-17:00
  • Closed Thursdays
  • TEL 083-250-9076
  • Parking Free of charge

Exquisite gelato made with the finest ingredients. A fantastic store open only on weekends.

The
The "Akashiso" and "Yuzukichi Basil" double (500 yen). Other choices include single (400 yen) and triple (600 yen).

The six flavors offered change daily, and in addition to the standard "milk" and other flavors, you can taste Yuzukichi, Nagato's specialty citrus fruit, as well as gelato and sorbet made from seasonal fruits.
Ingredients are mainly from Yamaguchi Prefecture, and those from outside the prefecture are also carefully selected with the owner's satisfaction. The ingredients are selected to be as pesticide-free, pesticide-reduced, and additive-free as possible, so you can enjoy gelato that tastes good for your health. You can choose from single, double, or triple orders, and it is also important to ask for the recommended combination for each day.

Be sure to check the business schedule before visiting!

The base operating spot is
The base operating spot is "Hanadan," a terraced rice field in Aburaya, Nagato. Hammock seats line up facing the Sea of Japan.

The name of the store comes from the Mukatsuku Peninsula in Nagato City, where the base of operations, Tanada no Hana-dan, is located. In some cases, the shop is open at a different location for events, so be sure to check SNS first to see where it is open on the day you visit.
The terraced rice field flower terrace is on the route to "Motonosumi Shrine" and is a spectacular spot maintained by local people and well known by those in the know. The horizon of the Sea of Japan stretches beyond the terraced rice paddies, and you can enjoy a relaxing gelato while taking in the beautiful scenery. The "ostand," named after the place where it is located, where visitors can shout out what they are pissed off about, is also secretly popular.

Local Guide Comment
The area is also home to many scenic spots, including Motonosumi Shrine, Sentatamijiki, and Higashi Gobata Terraced Rice Paddies. In some cases, the owner's friends' mobile vans operate side by side on the "terraced rice field flower steps," offering an extra gourmet experience in addition to gelato.
Disgusting Gelato store you have to look for
  • Address 1500-2 Aburatani Gobata, Nagato City, Yamaguchi Prefecture (terraced rice field flower terrace) MAP
  • Direction Approximately 60 min. from Mine IC on Chugoku Expressway
  • Business hours 11:00-16:00
  • Closed Monday-Friday
  • TEL 090-7893-5322
  • Parking Free (terraced rice field flower terraces)
  • Memo Open on national holidays during consecutive holidays

An ethnic restaurant specializing in take-out food located in a back alley in a port town

Gapa Green
Gapa Green" (800 yen) and "Yuzukichi Soda" (400 yen) made with homemade syrup

The store is located at the end of a narrow alley in the port town of Senzaki, where you can enjoy take-out ethnic cuisine, a rarity in the Nagato City area. Green Curry" and "Gapao Rice" are especially popular, and "Gapa Green," a combination of both, can be ordered as a back-up menu item.
The "Tec-Tec Cup Curry" is a two-layer dish with curry on the bottom and salad on top. You can literally enjoy eating it while strolling around, and it looks cute like a parfait. Since it is a small store, it is recommended to call in advance to place an order and set a pickup time.

The restaurant got its start as a mobile tuk tuk.

The limited-edition menu is posted inside the restaurant, along with cute decorations that change with seasonal events.
The limited-edition menu is posted inside the restaurant, along with cute decorations that change with seasonal events.

The store got its start as a mobile shop selling food in a "tuk-tuk," a Thai vehicle, and today it continues to do so on weekends in a kitchen car at nearby "Senza Kitchen," a roadside station, and at event venues. The kitchen car mainly offers a menu of drinks and sweets, and ethnic dishes such as "Gapao Rice" are basically only available at the hideaway restaurant. The number of repeat customers who fall in love with the addictive flavor that is not too spicy is increasing, and in some cases, those who keep coming back can find rare items on the menu such as "beef tendon curry.

Local Guide Comment
Ojiyama Park, where you can overlook the entire Senzaki area, and the area around Senza Kitchen, where you can look out over the ocean, are recommended nearby spots where you can visit after takeout while the food is still warm. Ethnic food while feeling the pleasant sea breeze is exceptional.
TukTuk Cafe Hideaway store
  • Address Senzaki 1899, Nagato City, Yamaguchi Prefecture MAP
  • Direction Approximately 45 minutes from the Mine IC of the Chugoku Expressway
  • Bus Direction Take a bus from JR Nagato City Station, get off at Senzaki Fisheries Cooperative Association-mae and walk 5 minutes.
  • Business hours 11:30-15:30
  • Closed Friday *Open on Saturdays, Sundays, and national holidays with a kitchen car
  • TEL 090-9563-5968
  • Parking Free of charge
  • Memo Parking is in the plaza under the Aomi Bridge, marked by mint-colored tuk-tuks.

Pasta lunch full of Hagi ingredients served in a former samurai residence

An example of the pasta lunch (1,650 yen). Appetizers and pasta dishes change monthly and use a variety of Hagi products from the mountains and sea.
An example of the pasta lunch (1,650 yen). Appetizers and pasta dishes change monthly and use a variety of Hagi products from the mountains and sea.

Located in the Meiki district in the suburbs of Hagi City, this restaurant is a renovated former samurai residence. You can enjoy a pasta lunch that includes an appetizer and a drink (reservations required, time to be specified). The system is to choose one of two types of pasta, and both the appetizer plate and pasta are made with ingredients from Hagi, Nagato, and other nearby areas whenever possible.
You can enjoy the owner-chef's monthly menu of seafood and mountain vegetables, which changes monthly. There are five types of desserts that can be ordered in addition to the "Sake Kasu Matcha Tiramisu," and the photo-worthy decorations are also a treat.

The owner himself renovated the cozy and relaxing space.

The restaurant has been renovated to retain as much as possible of its original appearance as an old private house. The restaurant offers a panoramic view of the rice paddies and the village of Akegi.
The restaurant has been renovated to retain as much as possible of its original appearance as an old private house. The restaurant offers a panoramic view of the rice paddies and the village of Akegi.

The Akegi area where the restaurant is located once prospered as an inn station on the old highway "Hagiokan" (Hagi Okan). The owner hopes that visitors will appreciate the townscape that retains the atmosphere of bygone days and the splendor of the old private homes. The interior and exterior spaces of the restaurant are full of highlights, such as the stately stone walls, the site spreading out at the foot of the satoyama, and the floor plan that retains the appearance of a samurai residence.
In addition to the exquisite products, the coziness of the restaurant is another major attraction. After lunch, the restaurant is open as a café for two hours from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. You can stop by casually without a reservation, and if the weather permits, you can relax on a seat in the garden.

Local Guide Comment
The owner, who has traveled the world to hone his skills as a chef, fell in love with Hagi's ingredients and producers and opened this restaurant. Dinner (5,500 yen, minimum 2 persons, reservations required) is also recommended, and is perfect for anniversaries and other occasions.
Ristorante Hikoroku Matajuro
  • Address 4436 Akegi, Hagi, Yamaguchi MAP
  • Direction Approximately 20 minutes from the Edo IC of the Ogori Hagi Road
  • Business hours Lunch start times 11:00, 12:00, 12:45, 13:30- Café 14:00-16:00
  • Closed Monday, Tuesday, Sunday
  • TEL 080-3055-4336
  • Parking Free of charge
  • Memo Reservations required for both lunch and dinner (dinner is open only when reservations are made); reservations and inquiries can be made by phone after 15:00
The information in this article is current as of the date of the update. Please check before visiting as they are subject to change.