Top 15 Restaurants in Hiraizumi, a World Heritage Site Discover Oishii Japan -SAVOR JAPAN -Japanese Restaurant Guide-

Update-date: Jun 05 2020

Author: SAVOR JAPAN

Categories: Hiraizumi

Top 15 Restaurants in Hiraizumi, a World Heritage Site

Hiraizumi is a historical city in the southwestern part of Iwate Prefecture in the Tohoku region. It used to be the capital of Japan at one point in the past. In 2011, it was designated as a World Heritage Site due to its various ruins and temples, such as the Konjiki-do (Golden Hall) that was built in the late 11th - 12th century. This article will introduce the top 15 restaurants around Hiraizumi!

See full listings of restaurants found in and around Hiraizumi.

1. Niku Ryori Ogata (Maesawa - Yakiniku, Western Cuisine, Shabu-Shabu, Sukiyaki)

This yakiniku (Japanese BBQ) restaurant can be found at Maesawa in northern Hiraizumi. Iwate Prefecture is proud to call Maesawa the home of Maesawa beef. Niku Ryori Ogata is directly managed by a small, award-winning farm that diligently rears Maesawa cattle. The meat from this farm has won awards at numerous meat fairs, so the meat at this restaurant is definitely high-quality! Tables are equipped with grills for diners to cook their own meat. The [Maesawa Beef Yakiniku Taste & Compare Set] (4,000 JPY plus tax) comes highly recommended, as it allows customers to taste 3 different cuts of meat – lean, marbled, and extremely marbled.

Niku Ryori Ogata

Open: Lunch 11:30 am - 3:00 pm (L.O. 2:30 pm), Dinner 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm (L.O. 8:30 pm)
Closed: Wednesday
Average price: [Dinner] 4,000 JPY / [Lunch] 2,000 JPY
Address: 1-22, Mukaida, Maesawa-ku, Oshu-shi, Iwate (Map)
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2. Koromogawa-so HOKUTEN (Hiraizumi - Creative Cuisine)

The municipal hotel is located on top of a small hill to the north of Chuson-ji Temple, where Konjiki-do is located, which is only a 5-minute journey by car. Koromogawa-so HOKUTEN is the panoramic cafe and bar on the 6th floor of this hotel. The menu reflects this location’s history of once being the Official Jack Daniel's Bar through the [Jack Daniel's 3-Kind Tasting Set] (650 JPY), as well as the [Jack Daniel's Grilled Seiryu Chicken] (680 JPY) in which ji-dori (local chicken) from Iwate Prefecture is flambed in Jack Daniel's. Here, diners can enjoy lovely food and alcohol while admiring the amazing scenery of Hiraizumi!

Koromogawa-so HOKUTEN

Open: Lunch 11:00 am - 2:00 pm, Dinner 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm (L.O. 9:30 pm)
Closed: Tuesday *Closed the following day instead if Tuesday falls on a national holiday
Average price: [Dinner] 4,000 JPY / [Lunch] 1,000 JPY
Address: 6F, 60-2, Hinata, Koromogawa-ku, Oshu-shi, Iwate (Map)
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3. Dining Café Kokopelli (Mizusawa - Creative Cuisine, Dining Bar, Fusion Cuisine)

This international cuisine restaurant is located in Mizusawa, which is famed for its remnants of samurai residences. "Kokopelli" refers to a Native American deity of protection. The menu consists of Indian cuisine cooked in a Tandoor oven - such as [Tandoori Chicken] (450 JPY plus tax) and [Naan] (300 JPY plus tax or 650 JPY plus tax), as well as 6 types of [Indian Curry] (650 JPY plus tax) - which are all authentically made using a delicious formulation of spices. Hungry customers will be happy to see the length of the naan – at 40cm, it will undoubtedly satisfy your stomach! It is also available for takeout. Other items on the menu include Italian cuisines like pizza, doria, and pasta.

Dining Café Kokopelli

Open: Lunch 11:30 am - 3:00 pm, Dinner 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Closed: Monday
Average price: [Dinner] 2,000 JPY / [Lunch] 1,000 JPY
Address: 1F, 22, Miyashita-cho, Mizusawa-ku, Oshu-shi, Iwate (Map)
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4. Tsukiyomi (Mizusawa - Creative Cuisine, Izakaya)

This izakaya (Japanese pub) is only around a 2-minute walk away from Mizusawa Station. The once castle town of Mizusawa is now commonly known as the “Little Kyoto of Michinoku in the Tohoku region”. The Edo-style interior of this restaurant is one of the reasons behind its popularity. A signature menu item is their Kansai-style [Kushiage] (100 JPY plus tax – 200 JPY plus tax per skewer), which consists of skewered and deep-fried bite-sized ingredients. Also highly recommended is the [Chicken Sukiyaki] (hot pot stew) (2,000 JPY plus tax for 2 people). This dish consists of ji-dori from Iwate Prefecture served in the traditional Nanbu ironware of Iwate Prefecture.

Tsukiyomi

Open: [Friday, Saturday] 5:30 pm - 1:00 am
[Monday - Thursday, National Holidays, Day before National Holidays] 5:30 pm - 11:00 pm (L.O. 10:30 pm)
Closed: Sunday
Average price: 3,000 JPY
Address: 2F, 23-35, Nakamachi, Mizusawa-ku, Oshu-shi, Iwate (Map)

5. Trattoria Primi (Kanegasaki - Italian Cuisine)

This Italian restaurant, known for its affordable dishes filled with top-quality ingredients, is located along National Road Route 4. The hearty [Rossini-style Beef Tenderloin and Foie Gras] (1,380 JPY) is brimming with foie gras and truffles but doesn’t hurt your wallet. Also recommended is the 30cm [Pizza Margherita] (580 JPY), baked in an Italian-made oven, and the [Japanese Sea Urchin Spaghetti] (880 JPY) that's full of raw sea urchin caught in Hokkaido.

Trattoria Primi

Open: 5:00 pm - 12:00 am (L.O. 11:00 pm)
Closed: Irregular
Average price: 3,000 JPY
Address: 80-13, Nishine Ninodai, Kanegasaki-cho, Isawa-gun, Iwate (Map)
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6. Cafe Dining Donguri (Ichinoseki - Cafe, Western Cuisine, Desserts)

This Western-style Japanese cuisine restaurant is located in Ichinoseki-shi, which is south of Hiraizumi. The interior decor of the restaurant takes its name, "donguri" (acorn), at face value, and is based on the idea of a forest. The restaurant endeavors to always handmake its dishes using local ingredients. Their adult's child lunch, the [Donguri Brown] (1,200 JPY), is their signature dish. It consists of a range of mini-sized dishes that people loved when they were young, such as mini-beef patties. Also highly popular is the [Mini Dessert Plate] (600 JPY), which consists of homemade desserts and seasonal fruits.

Cafe Dining Donguri

Open: Lunch 11:30 am - 3:00 pm, Dinner 5:00 pm - 8:30 pm (L.O. 8:00 pm)
Closed: Monday *Closed the following day instead if Monday falls on a national holiday
Average price: [Dinner] 2,000 JPY / [Lunch] 1,000 JPY
Address: 1-5, Aza Unan, Ichinoseki-shi, Iwate (Map)
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7. Tokiwa-tei Ichinoseki Branch (Ichinoseki - Yakiniku)

This branch of Tokiwa-tei - a yakiniku franchise - is only around a 3-minute walk away from Ichinoseki Station. Here, diners can enjoy eating Sendai Hormone (innards) - a type of yakiniku cuisine that comes from Sendai in Iwate's southern neighbor, Miyagi Prefecture. This restaurant prefers to marinate its fresh offal in a range of special sauces before serving. Sauce options include miso, which is commonly used in Sendai, and salt from Okinawa. The [Assortment of 3 Types of Sendai Offal] (680 JPY) consists of offal marinated in special salt, normal salt, and miso. They are deliciously tender and plump even after grilling.

Tokiwa-tei Ichinoseki Branch

Open: Dinner 5:30 pm - 12:00 am
Closed: Irregular
Average price: 2,500 JPY
Address: 1-27, O-machi, Ichinoseki-shi, Iwate (Map)
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8. Kaiji (Ichinoseki - Izakaya, Sushi)

Enjoy cuisine made with fresh seafood at this izakaya, which is only around a 3-minute walk from Ichinoseki Station. They are very particular about only using ji-zakana (local fish) from the Sanriku region (Aomori Prefecture, Iwate Prefecture, and Miyagi Prefecture), as they want to fully show off the pure deliciousness of the seafood there. The [Ji-zakana Sushi] (50 JPY - 300 JPY) lets customers enjoy ji-zakana at a low price! The generous size of their [Sea Urchin Chawanmushi] (690 JPY) - where beaten eggs are mixed with dashi (broth), steamed, and topped with an abundance of sea urchin - will no doubt please both the eyes and stomach! Clams and mussels are used in the dashi (broth) to give it its refined flavor.

Kaiji

Open: Dinner 5:30 pm - 10:00 pm (L.O. 9:30 pm)
Closed: Monday
Average price: 3,500 JPY
Address: 1F, Sugayo Bldg., 1-12, O-machi, Ichinoseki-shi, Iwate (Map)

9. Ajigokoro (Maesawa - Yakiniku)

This restaurant, which specializes in beef cuisine, is located to the north of Hirazumi, in Maesawa. It is directly managed by a small farm called "Ogata Bokujo" that rears Iwate's brand beef, Maesawa beef, as well as their own branded Ogata Bokujo beef. This house brand is sold in the meat store on the 1F, with the restaurant being on the 2F. A range of beef dishes is available on the menu, such as steaks stone-roasted on yogan (volcanic rock) plates, yakiniku, sukiyaki, and shabu-shabu (sliced meat parboiled with vegetables). The [Ogata Bokujo Beef Sukiyaki Course] (3,780 JPY) comes highly recommended. It has the same quality as Maesawa beef but is kinder on the wallet.

Ajigokoro

Open: Lunch 11:30 am - 3:00 pm (L.O. 2:30 pm), Dinner 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm (L.O. 8:30 pm)
Closed: Thursday
Average price: [Dinner] 5,000 JPY / [Lunch] 2,400 JPY
Address: 2F, 102-4, Tougasaki, Maesawa-ku, Oshu-shi, Iwate (Map)
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10. Chanko-beya Daigoro (Maesawa - Japanese Cuisine)

This no-frills restaurant is located on National Road Route 4. The name, “Chanko”, refers to a hot pot meal that is eaten by sumo wrestlers on a daily basis. The most recommended item has to be the [Special Chanko Hot Pot – Miso Flavor] (1,300 JPY), where pork from Iwate Prefecture, chicken, and 18 different vegetables are combined and cooked in a hot pot. Containing shrimp and scallops, the [Kimchi Hot Pot] (1,300 JPY) is also very popular; as is the [Shoga-yaki Set Meal] (800 JPY) that's made by grilling pork from Iwate Prefecture with an original homemade ginger sauce; and the [Simmered Maesawa Beef Set Meal] (950 JPY), where Maesawa beef is simmered alongside vegetables.

Chanko-beya Daigoro

Open: 11:00 am - 9:00 pm *Lunch is from 11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Closed: Irregular
Average price: [Dinner] 1,500 JPY / [Lunch] 780 JPY
Address: 64-17, Shinjo, Maesawa-ku, Oshu-shi, Iwate (Map)
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11. Restaurant Asahiya (Senmaya - Western Cuisine)

This long-standing restaurant has been loved for generations. It is located between Ichinoseki - found to the south of Hiraizumi - and Kesennuma, which faces the Pacific Ocean. The extensive menu consists not only of popular Western-style Japanese dishes like beef stew and beef patty but also includes authentic French cuisine. Their specialty is the [Special Curry Pilaf] (850 JPY). This hearty signature dish consists of tonkatsu (fried pork cutlet) with curry rice, curry-flavored pilaf, and salad. A range of 4 - 5 homemade cakes are also available.

Restaurant Asahiya

Open: 11:00 am - 8:30 pm *Lunch is from 11:00 am - 2:00 pm
Closed: Monday *Closed the following day instead if Monday falls on a national holiday
Average price: 1,500 JPY
Address: 43-8, Senmaya Aza Miyashiki, Senmaya-cho, Ichinoseki-shi, Iwate (Map)
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12. Kappo Saikiyouan (Mizusawa - Japanese Cuisine)

This well-established restaurant with over 110 years of history is only around a 10-minute walk away from Mizusawa Station. Here, diners can enjoy [Unaju] (eel on rice in a lacquer box) (Ume costs 1,950 JPY, Take costs 2,600 JPY) made with domestic eel, as well as [Kamameshi] (rice, meat, and vegetables in a small iron pot) (1,000 JPY) that's cooked in Nanbu ironware - a traditional craftwork of Iwate Prefecture. For lunch, they serve the [Ni-dan Ju-bento] (2,150 JPY), which contains eel, and the [Unagi Bento] (1,550 JPY), which comes with a mini unaju. Take-out options such as the [Unaju] (Take – 2,600 JPY) and bento with eel (from 2,000 JPY) are also available.

Kappo Saikiyouan

Open: [Weekdays] Lunch 11:30 am - 1:30 pm, Dinner 5:30 pm - 9:30 pm
[Saturday, National Holidays, Day before National Holidays] Dinner 5:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Closed: Sunday
Average price: [Dinner] 3,000 JPY / [Lunch] 1,700 JPY
Address: 88-2, O-machi, Mizusawa-ku, Oshu-shi, Iwate (Map)
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13. Akai Tori Morioka Eki-mae Branch (Morioka - Izakaya)

This authentic charcoal-grilled yakitori (grilled chicken skewer) restaurant, located to the north of Hiraizumi, is only around a 3-minute walk from Morioka Station. Here, you can not only enjoy eating Saisai chicken from Iwate Prefecture but also Nagoya Cochin chicken from Aichi Prefecture. Each skewer costs around 120 JPY – 170 JPY. A recommended dish for experiencing different tastes at once is the [Chef's Assortment of 5 Yakitori] (600 JPY). Also highly recommended are the [Cochin Thigh] (380 JPY) and [Cochin Breast with Wasabi] (380 JPY), which are both prepared from a whole chicken. The [Grilled Whole Chicken Thigh] (800 JPY) from a thoroughly-cooked Saisai chicken is also recommended!

Akai Tori Morioka Eki-mae Branch

Open: Lunch 11:30 am - 2:30 pm (L.O. 1:30 pm), Dinner 5:00 pm - 11:00 pm (L.O. 10:00 pm)
Closed: Sunday *Possibility of being closed during the last day of any consecutive holidays. Please check with the restaurant.
Average price: [Dinner] 2,500 JPY / [Lunch] 650 JPY
Address: 1F, Hirayama Bldg., 4-16, Morioka Eki-mae Kita-dori, Morioka-shi, Iwate (Map)

14. Wamiaji-dokoro Ippuku Morioka Saien Branch (Morioka - Kaiseki, Izakaya)

This seafood izakaya is only around a 5-minute taxi ride from Morioka Station. It is very particular about only stocking fresh, seasonal fish from the fishery association of Yamada-machi, which can be found on the eastern side of Iwate Prefecture, facing the Pacific Ocean. The restaurant’s pride and joy is the [Sanriku Ni-tsuke] (from 1,880 JPY). It consists of kinki ( a type of high-grade rockfish) that becomes fattier, and therefore more delicious, in the winter. The process of simmering the kinki in a sauce made with burdock perfectly accentuates the flavor of the fish itself. This highly recommended dish goes well with a few drinks, and will no doubt make you crave for more!

Wamiaji-dokoro Ippuku Morioka Saien Branch

Open: Dinner 5:00 pm - 11:00 pm (L.O. 10:30 pm)
Closed: Sunday
Average price: 5,000 JPY
Address: 2-6-25, Saien, Morioka-shi, Iwate (Map)
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15. Aisawa (Morioka - Izakaya, Japanese Cuisine)

This izakaya specializing in charcoal-grilled cuisine is located on B1F of a building that's only a 10-minute walk away from Morioka Station. It has been loved by locals ever since it opened more than 30 years ago. Diners should not miss out on trying their eel! The plump, fresh domestic eel used here is coated in a secret sauce that has been used since the izakaya's establishment and then grilled to perfection. A variety of other fresh fish caught in Iwate Prefecture is also available, all of which are lightly and aromatically grilled using charcoal from Iwate. Through their highly recommended tempura dishes, you can taste the original deliciousness of the seasonal ingredients used.

Aisawa

Open: Dinner 5:00 pm - 11:00 pm (L.O. 10:30 pm)
Closed: Sunday
Average price: 3,500 JPY
Address: B1F, AVAZ, 1-12-6, Saien, Morioka-shi, Iwate (Map)

Please make good use of this article to explore the gourmet offerings around Hiraizumi, a World Heritage Site!

Disclaimer: All information is accurate at time of publication.