Yokaro

I recently had the pleasure of dining at a traditional Japanese timber restaurant that left me utterly impressed. From the moment I stepped in, the warm, rustic ambiance of the wooden interior transported me straight to Japan’s timeless countryside. The highlight, of course, was the food. The fish, sourced locally, was as fresh as it gets. Every dish was prepared with meticulous attention to detail, cooked in an old Japanese style that brought out the natural flavors perfectly. The delicate seasoning and traditional techniques elevated each bite to sheer perfection. What truly amazed me was the balance between quality and price. This five-star meal came at such a reasonable cost that it felt like an absolute steal. If you’re looking for an authentic Japanese dining experience with exceptional food and affordability, this restaurant is a must-visit. I’ll definitely be coming back!

A very good experience! This place is beautiful, it's a traditional house with old wooden beams. The food was good too: they serve marinated and pickled mackerel, a Kansai speciality. Many people were queuing but we were quickly given a table, on the second on a tatami mat 🙂‍↕️😁

I walked by this restaurant and the delicious smell made me stop. I ordered the soumen and konnyaku as single items. The soumen was AMAZING- such flavorful fish! Service was very prompt- I was brought tea right after coming, and the food was brought just a minute after I ordered.

Staff is friendly to foreigners that cannot speak Japanese. Meals are simple, well seasoned and delicious. Highly recommended.

(Trip was made back then on 28 Nov 2019, 2 years before the Covid-19 Pandemic hit) Once we’re in Nagahama, we had to try Yaki Saba (slow-cooked mackerel on a bed of women noodles), the city’s most famous and iconic dish. It is said that nobody does it better than Yokarou, an establishment operating from an old traditional wooden house, with beautiful traditional Japanese interiors. Initially we thought that it’s just some simple plain noodles with mackerel stewed in soy sauce, but we thought wrong. The mackerel was stewed in their homemade sauce for an extended period, soaking in the flavour and turning the bones brittle, so brittle that you can even eat the bones entirely. The mackerel also imparts its flavour into the sauce, which is used to cook the somen noodle. The somen acts as a vessel, holding all the goodness within. If there ever was a perfect dish, this would probably be it in my books. When taking a bite of the noodle, I wasn’t eating the noodles, I was tasting the essence of the mackerel. It has such complex depth of flavour and was so flavourful (mild fragrance of the mackerel, mild sweetness from the soy sauce, hint of char from the grilled mackerel) that I craved for more. The mackerel was also delicious, taking on the same complex flavours from being stewed in the sauce, and the bones literally disintegrated in my mouth. The staff recommended to sprinkle a little of their homemade spice and eat it with the noodle. Oh my god, the spice was like icing on the cake, it complimented the dish so well, providing further depth of flavour and a new tasting experience. I’m amazed that they’re able to elevate such a common simple ingredient and turn it into something so elegant and refined. This was hands down, the best and most memorable meal we had on the entire trip. If it wasn’t for the Covid-19 pandemic and travelling was possible, I would immediately fly back to Japan just to savour it again.

I like this. I think this is the first time for me enjoying Yakisaba Somen. I like the somen texture. It is sooo soft. The Yakisaba also taste so good. I ordered the lunch set menu and it has also sushi which is also good. The restaurant has vintage atmosphere. The first time i come, i thought store is closed because i didnt able to find the door, turns out the door is from the side.

You can never find a restaurant this good with its food specialty, that you have to wait for your turn to get seated. Not only from all over Japan but also tourist from all over the world will surely enjoy japanese special cuisine here, and worth every minute of your waiting time. Its just sad that the locals from this place who have been cooking this recipe for ages doesnt have the same feel and taste of the "homemade recipe". This is Nagahama's specialty so I think it should be done like it's your grandma who cooked it, to promote more of this citys' real taste. But no one to blame, after all, it's a commercial business to serve and let everyone be satisfied.

The braised mackerel with noodle was delicious. The good smell came to my nose when I passed by.