Local Guide
Six gourmet spots in Hagi and Nagato where you can relax and enjoy yourself even with children

Exploring gourmet food is one of the most enjoyable and important factors of a trip. If you are going on a family trip, a major point in choosing a restaurant is to make sure that the children will be well satisfied and that you can use the restaurant without hesitation, even with children in tow. If the adults can enjoy local gourmet food to the fullest and the children can be overjoyed, then there is nothing to say. Here are six recommended gourmet spots where the whole family can enjoy a trip to Yamaguchi Prefecture.

Not only locals but also fans from all over the country! Shaved ice that is sure to impress!

The most popular
The most popular "Milkshake Fresh Strawberry with Jam" (600 yen)

One of the best places to visit in Hagi is Kikugahama, a beautiful sandy beach about a 15-minute walk from Hagi Castle Town. Before visiting Kikugahama, you should definitely check out the store, which is located along the beach. It is often introduced in the media as a famous shaved ice store, and fans from all over Japan visit to enjoy the excellent shaved ice, which is served not only during the summer season but also throughout the year.
The shaved ice menu consists of approximately 60 different kinds of shaved ice made using original methods, and the new menu item that always appears at least once a year is also not to be missed.

The secret of the delicious taste is the smoothness of the shaved ice made with secret honey.

The spectacular view of
The spectacular view of "Kikugahama" from in front of the restaurant. The mountain in the center is Mt. Sashigetsu with the ruins of Hagi Castle at its foot.

The secret of the shaved ice that attracts so many people lies in the shaved ice production method and the secret ingredient, "mitsu. The honey is carefully handmade and used generously in all menu items. Because the honey is thoroughly absorbed into the ice, the flavor is never too light or too strong depending on the density of the honey, as is often the case with shaved ice.
The menu includes a variety of excellent items such as fruit shakes, Uji green tea, and Kintoki. The finely shaved ice is covered with honey, which makes it feel even smoother in the mouth. You will be impressed by the taste that overturns the image of shaved ice.

Local Guide Comment
If this is your first visit, it will surely overturn the stereotypes of shaved ice you have been eating. The unique taste of shaved ice will make you want to come back again and again. We also recommend the okonomiyaki and takoyaki, which are made with the finest dough.
Yamazaki Restaurant
  • Address 106-2 Ima-Uyoden, Hagi City, Yamaguchi Prefecture MAP
  • Direction About 10 minutes by car from JR Higashi Hagi Station
  • Direction From Hagi Bus Center, take the Hagi Circulation Maru Bus (eastbound), and get off at "Jodaijo Iriguchi" stop. 5 minutes walk.
  • Business Hours 11:00-21:00 (L.O.20:30)
  • Regular holiday Open all year round *Special holidays apply.
  • TEL 0838-25-5337
  • Parking Free of charge

Even better than the top. Kaisen-don, a bowl of rice topped with fresh seafood, is a sight to behold!

Kaisen-don
Kaisen-don" is available in "Top" (1,250 yen), "Special" (1,750 yen), and the "Special" in the photo (2,500 yen)! Tokujo" 2,500 yen.

This popular restaurant is located in the "Roadside Station Senza Kitchen," a hot spot in Nagato City. You can enjoy a variety of menus that focus on Nagato's proud ingredients, such as fresh local fish and dishes using the specialty "Choshu Dori" (Choshu chicken).
The most recommended dish is the "Kaisen-don" (bowl of rice topped with seafood, miso soup, and pickles). The freshness of the local seafood is not only delicious, but its gorgeous appearance is also a sight to behold. The highest grade "Toku! Tokujo" bowl is filled with 12 to 13 kinds of seafood, including sea urchin, squid, tuna, sea bream, shrimp, and turban shells, as well as seasonal ingredients.

Families can enjoy Nagato's prized delicacies, mainly from the sea!

The restaurant overlooks Senzaki Bay. A tatami room is recommended for those with children.
The restaurant overlooks Senzaki Bay. A tatami room is recommended for those with children.

Other specialties include the "sea urchin donburi," a bowl of rice topped with a full slice of local sea urchin, and the "kaiho kobore maki," a roll filled to the brim with sea urchin, turban shell, and tuna, all of which are sure to be a repeat customer favorite. The "Choshu Dori Oyako Don" and "Choshu Dori Sanzokuyaki/Kaizoku Musubi Set" are popular not only among adults but also among children.
Don't miss the "Senzaki Eating Set Meal," which covers all of Nagato's delicacies. You can enjoy the restaurant's famous "Hanabi Sushi," deep-fried Choshu chicken, three kinds of sashimi, and more all at once.

Local Guide Comment
In addition to Nagato's specialties, there is a menu that children will enjoy, and the restaurant has a large number of seats in the tatami room. Although a line is inevitable during lunch on holidays, we recommend that you enjoy the toy museum in the meantime, and use the restaurant early or late in the day for a more relaxed strategy.
Dining Area Senzaki Honmaru
  • Address Senza Kitchen Kitchen Building, 4297-1 Senzaki, 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 and get off at Senza Kitchen.
  • Business hours 11:00-19:00 (L.O.18:00)
  • Regular holiday 2nd Thursday of the month *Open during peak season
  • TEL 0837-26-2580
  • Parking Free of charge

Soba noodles and gibier, local delicacies from the wilds of Tawarayama

Kemmono Nanban Soba Set
Kemmono Nanban Soba Set" 1,870 yen. The small bowl is filled with seasonal vegetables and wild plants. The takikomi-gohan (rice cooked in a pot) is a treat to be enjoyed only after visiting the restaurant.

Tawarayama hot spring in Nagato City, known as a therapeutic hot spring since ancient times, has been attracting attention in recent years as a "hot spring for beautiful skin," along with its nostalgic townscape. The restaurant is located just around the corner from "Hakusaru no Yu" where one-day bathing is available, and adjacent to "Machinoyu". After enjoying the hot spring, you can relax and enjoy the local flavor of Tawarayama.
The soba noodles made by skilled local craftsmen are exceptional in both aroma and texture, and the "Tabeyama Soba Set" and "Seasonal Soba Set" are popular, served with a small bowl of seasonal vegetables and morning wild vegetables, and takikomi-gohan (cooked rice).

Healthy gibier goes well with soba noodles and has an addictive taste.

The restaurant is located in a corner of a hot spring resort area with the atmosphere of a good old therapeutic bathhouse. There is also a tatami room space where you can relax with your children.
The restaurant is located in a corner of a hot spring resort area with the atmosphere of a good old therapeutic bathhouse. There is also a tatami room space where you can relax with your children.

The restaurant is also proud of its wild game dishes, such as "venison steak donburi" and "venison fillet steak," which are sure to impress with their healthy taste. The most recommended of all is the "Kemononanban Soba Set. Wild boar chashu pork and venison tsukemono go perfectly with soba noodles. The "back-fat sauce" made from the broth of the chashu pork and the juice of Nagato Yuzukichi, a local citrus fruit, enhances the rich flavor of the soba.
The "Fried rice with minced deer meat" and "Fried rice with wild boar meat" are popular among children. Parents and children can easily experience Japan's traditional wild game.

Local Guide Comment
The wild boar chashu, which can be ordered separately, is made from cheek meat, of which only about 600 grams can be obtained from a single pig. It has a perfect balance of lean meat and fat, and is rich in collagen. The meat has a good balance of lean and fat, and its rich flavor is addictive.
Soba Izakaya Tamayama
  • Address 5110-1 Tawarayama, 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 Tawarayama Hot Spring and walk 5 minutes.
  • Business hours 11:30-14:00 (L.O. 13:45), 17:00-21:00 (L.O. 20:30)
  • Regular holiday Tuesdays and Wednesdays (open on national holidays)
  • TEL 0837-29-0303
  • Parking Free (Tawarayama Hot Spring Parking Lot No. 1)

Sashimi and boiled fish served at the peak of freshness

Kashima Gozen
Kashima Gozen" (1,920 yen): Five kinds of sashimi are available depending on the season. Rice is made from "Nagisa rice" grown in terraced rice paddies.

Roadside Station Abucho is the first of 24 roadside stations in Yamaguchi Prefecture and one of the most popular. One of the station's main attractions is its Restaurant, which focuses on local production for local consumption.
The fish used in the menu is purchased directly from fishermen at the adjacent Nako Fishing Port as soon as they return to port, providing the freshest fish possible. The delicious sashimi with a crispy, bouncy texture is a real crowd pleaser. The signature "Kashima Gozen" menu offers five kinds of seasonal fish and turban shell sashimi, along with seasonal vegetable tempura, steamed egg custard filled with ingredients, and handmade small bowls of cooked food, all for a blissful experience.

Restaurant at a roadside station where you can also enjoy a spectacular view of the Sea of Japan and hot springs.

The restaurant offers a spectacular view of the Sea of Japan, and when weather permits, terrace seating is also available. Sofa seating is popular with parents and children.
The restaurant offers a spectacular view of the Sea of Japan, and when weather permits, terrace seating is also available. Sofa seating is popular with parents and children.

Along with fresh fish, the menu features a variety of dishes using brand-name ingredients from the prefecture, such as Choshu chicken and Mutsumi pork, among which the rare Mukaku Wagyu beef, a specialty of Abu-cho, has a deliciously lean flavor. The manager's homemade "spicy curry" and "ribeye steak" are available for your enjoyment. The daily set meal, available only on weekdays, is priced at 840 yen and includes sashimi. Even locals with a discerning palate will be satisfied with this super value menu.
The panoramic view of the Sea of Japan from the adjacent natural hot spring "Kashima no Yu" is also magnificent. If you go to the trouble of visiting, you will definitely want to enjoy both the gourmet food and hot spring baths.

Local Guide Comment
Some customers say, "My child loves fish as soon as he visits the restaurant. The secret of the delicious taste is freshness and the skill of the chef. Don't miss the "Kaisen-don," a bowl of rice topped with more than six kinds of seasonal local fish and a large shrimp, which the chef is proud of.
Hajimari no Restaurant Kashima
  • Address Inside "Roadside Station Abu-cho" 2249 Nako, Abu-cho, Abu-gun, Yamaguchi MAP
  • Direction Approximately 60 minutes from the Edo IC of the Ogori Hagi Road
  • Direction Take a bus from Hagi Bus Center and get off at "Roadside Station Abu-machi".
  • Business hours 11:00-17:00 Saturday & Sunday 11:00-20:30 (L.O.20:00)
    Café menu only from 15:00 to 17:00
  • Closed Wednesdays (or the following day if Wednesday is a national holiday)
  • TEL 08388-2-0355 (Roadside Station Representative)
  • Parking Free of charge

Enjoy the delicacies of Hagi's mountains and sea! Popular tenants of the Hagi Meirin Gakkosha, a sightseeing Property

Hagireki Special Lunch Set
Hagireki Special Lunch Set" for 1,980 yen. The set includes sashimi of seasonal local fish and seven dishes served in small bowls. Hagi ware is used for the dishes.

Hagi Meirin Gakusha," where the restaurant is located, is a popular tourist spot where you can experience Hagi's history and nature. The restaurant prides itself on its cuisine, which uses a wide variety of Hagi's marine and mountain products. The most popular item on the menu is the "Hagi Rekishi Special Lunch Set. In addition to sashimi, the flower baskets are adorned with seven different dishes using seasonal ingredients, arranged in small bowls. The contents of the dishes vary depending on the season, so you will have to wait until you visit to find out what kind of dishes you can expect to find along with the sashimi.
You can also enjoy Hagi's pride and joy of high-end fish at reasonable prices, such as the "Hagireki no fugu sashimi set" and the "fried sweet sea bream set.

A restaurant in a former wooden school building and former classroom full of attractions!

Walking around the Property, you will feel the comfortable creak of wood. Exploring the vast old wooden school building, one of the largest in Japan, is also fun.
Walking around the Property, you will feel the comfortable creak of wood. Exploring the vast old wooden school building, one of the largest in Japan, is also fun.

The old elementary school building built in 1935 is still in use, and the long corridor and other old wooden school buildings are a must-see. The restaurant has many local fans as well as tourists, and offers a wide variety of dishes recommended for children, such as "Indian Spicy Choshu Chicken Curry," "Whale Curry," "Hagi-Ryori Special Handmade Sweets Set," and various types of floats.
The "3 mini bowls of fish, meat, and vegetables" set includes a bowl of natural Hagi fish and seafood, a bowl of brand-name meat, and a bowl of fresh vegetable tendon, all in a hearty portion. It is recommended for families to share.

Local Guide Comment
The local dish "Itoko-ni-ni" (with summer tangerine sweets) is a special treat for special occasions in Hagi. It is made with kamaboko (fish paste) and shiitake mushrooms, boiled azuki beans and white beans, and sweet kombu dashi (kelp dashi). Be sure to try this nostalgic delicacy.
Hagi Goyomi
  • Address Inside "Hagi Meirin Gakusha", 602 Emukai, Hagi, Yamaguchi MAP
  • Direction Approximately 30 minutes from the Edo IC of the Ogori Hagi Road
  • Direction From JR Shin-Yamaguchi Station, take the "Express Super Hagi" bus and get off at "Hagi Meirin Center".
  • Business hours 11:00 - 15:00, 18:00 - 21:00 (Reservations required by the morning of the previous day for evenings)
  • Regular holiday Tuesdays and the third Monday of the month (open if the day falls on a national holiday)
  • TEL 0838-25-8543
  • Parking Pay parking (Hagi Meirin Center Parking)

Enjoy yakitori directly from a famous restaurant with your children!

Yakitori (grilled chicken), Nagato's specialty
Yakitori (grilled chicken), Nagato's specialty "Choshu-dori", starts at 150 yen per piece. The "momo" and "tsukune" are popular among children.

Yakitori in Nagato City is basically salt-based. Onions are placed between the chicken pieces, and garlic powder or other spices are sprinkled on top if desired. This restaurant is a sister restaurant of the famous "Chikuzen Sohonten" in the city. Fresh local "Choshu-dori" chicken is skewered every morning and carefully grilled over a charcoal fire.
For lunch, we recommend the "Sakura Gohan," which includes three kinds of yakitori (momo, tsukune, and one skewer of the day's special), sashimi from local fish, and a small bowl of cooked food. A la carte dishes are available at night. The "Nagatiki," fried chicken with sweet and spicy sauce, and the "Nagatori-men" to finish off the meal are just a few of the gems on offer.

If you are bringing children, you can relax in a comfortable tatami room!

The tatami room seating area can be partitioned off from the restaurant floor with fusu, allowing customers to enjoy their meals with their children in peace.
The tatami room seating area can be partitioned off from the restaurant floor with fusu, allowing customers to enjoy their meals with their children in peace.

In addition to the delicious yakitori and a la carte dishes, another secret of the restaurant's popularity is its "accessibility. Another key point is that it is easy to enter, even for groups of only women or those with children. There are two rooms in the back with a total of four tatami room tables, which can be separated from the restaurant floor by a sliding door. Families can enjoy Nagato's famous yakitori in a relaxed atmosphere, especially if children are young.
Yakitori can be taken out by the piece, and popsicles are also available during the summer season. This is a great place to stop by while strolling through the hot spring district.

Local Guide Comment
Chicken Chicken Gobo" is the soul food of Yamaguchi Prefecture residents, consisting of fried chicken and fried burdock with a sweet and spicy sauce. It is an inevitable and irresistible taste that will make you want to eat it again and again.
Yakitori Sakura Shokudo
  • Address 1272-6 Fukagawa-Yumoto, Nagato City, Yamaguchi-ken MAP
  • Direction 10 min. walk from JR Nagato Yumoto Stn.
  • Business hours 11:00 - 14:30 (L.O. 14:00), 17:00 - 22:00 (L.O. 21:30)
  • Regular holiday Thursdays (open if Thursday is a national holiday, closed on another day)
  • TEL 0837-25-3660
  • Parking None (use Nagato Yumoto hot spring parking lot)
  • Memo Reservations accepted only at night
The information in this article is current as of the date of the update. Please check before visiting as they are subject to change.