Shirakawago Restaurant Irori

The hide beef lunch set with grated yam is really good. There's a bit of everything of what this region has to offer, it's definitely worth trying and the meal is so yummy and satisfying. The side dishes were all very interesting and everything goes well with rice. They have tatami room and normal tables, but depending on the crowd, you might not be able to choose your seats because it does get busy during lunch time.

Great and cozy restaurant to try fresh, authentic Japanese cuisine. The restaurant might be crowded depending on when you go but we've always had a great time and delicious food. The staff is always friendly and offers you an English menu if needed. Depending on availability, they also offer various types of seating such as the big table in the middle, individual tables with a view on the outside, booth seating, tatami mat seating, etc. It's one of the very few restaurants in Shirakawago that stays open this late in the evening. Perfect for an evening walk after dinner!

I stopped by for lunch and ordered the Cold Soba Noodles with Mountain Vegetables for ¥1,200 and a Hida Beef Skewer for ¥650. The soba noodles were smooth and nicely chilled, perfect for a warm day. The dipping sauce was light and balanced, and the mountain vegetables added a refreshing earthy flavour with a mix of textures, slightly bitter greens, soft mushrooms, and crunchy root vegetables. The Hida Beef Skewer was tender and juicy with a light char on the outside. The flavour was rich and slightly sweet, with just enough fat to melt in your mouth. It’s a simple dish but really brings out the quality of the beef. Service was quick and friendly, and the restaurant had a cosy, traditional feel. A great place to stop if you want to try local flavours in Shirakawa-go.

Local cuisines of shirakawa in a thatched house. Variant foods are tasty and we specially love that seasonal bamboo tempura as a starter and traditional vibe of tatami.

Think the meat sauce might come across as a little salty for some people, but for someone who absolutely enjoys too much sodium in his meals, I loved it! The cooked mackerel & soba were decent

We were there on Apr 15. There was a line, but not waiting too long. I had a set meal and it came with many items. The Hida beef with miso on magnolia leave was tasty. Beef was tender. Service was faster that we took only an hour from waiting to pay the bill.

I ordered the IRORI Set Menu which contained the Hida Beef Broiled with Miso, Grated Yam Grilled in a Ceramic Pan, Deep-fried Tofu in a Soy-sauce-flavored Sauce and hot soba noodles. It was an authentic and healthy meal. I also enjoyed the tatami setting. As this restaurant was one of the most popular places in the village, the staff were seen very busy running in and out. Be patience with them! I also encountered a local filming crew in the other side of the restaurant that day! Very interesting.

Took the Hida beef set. The amount of the beef is not much but it was tasty. It really felt like authentic food. Service was awesome, they can all speak good english and are very friendly. Queues can look challenging but it was pretty fast (+- 30 minutes for 10 queue numbers). The price was not cheap (¥1.950) but it was understandable in such a tourist destination.