Yanagiya
Regional -Grilling · Gifu
Restaurant in Gifu, Japan
The Read
Irori-Fired Regional Courses
Chef
Masashi Yamada
Dress
Smart Casual
Why go
Yanagiya in Mizunami, Gifu is a Tabelog Silver-awarded irori grill house (4.39 score, La Liste 97pts 2026) that delivers serious seasonal cooking — fish-focused now, game meat in autumn — in a relaxed tatami setting. At JPY 15,000 to JPY 20,000 per head, it is the strongest case for a destination meal in Gifu, but requires a minimum party of four and advance booking by phone.
About Yanagiya
Is Yanagiya worth the trip into rural Gifu?
Yes, more decisively than most restaurants at this price. Yanagiya in Mizunami, Gifu has held Tabelog Gold continuously from 2018 through 2021, then Silver from 2022 onward, earned a 4.39 score in 2026 — placing it among the top 157 Silver-tier restaurants on Japan's most scrutinised dining platform. La Liste also rates it at 97 points in 2026, it was selected for the Tabelog Japanese Cuisine EAST "Tabelog 100" in 2021. That run of recognition is not typical for a rural irori grill house. If you are planning a trip to the Gifu region, this is the one restaurant that warrants building an itinerary around.
What makes it worth it
The format is a gathered-around-the-hearth experience: each group gets its own irori charcoal fire lit specifically for them, the cooking proceeds around that live flame. The Tabelog description frames it plainly as a "Wild Feast" built on seasonal ingredients, the venue leans hard into that identity. In the current season, the kitchen's focus on fish is explicit in the listing — the venue flags a particular emphasis on sourcing quality fish, while autumn historically brings game meat into the rotation. Sweetfish and eel appear in summer. The point is that the menu is genuinely seasonal, not seasonally themed: what you eat depends on when you go.
The setting reinforces the casual register. Tatami rooms, sunken kotatsu seating, 100 seats across six private rooms, free parking on-site. Children are welcome. This is not a hushed counter experience where you sit in silence watching a chef work. It is louder, more communal, considerably more relaxed than a restaurant with these awards has any business being. That gap between the informal setting and the quality of what arrives at the table is the core reason to book. For context, Harutaka in Tokyo or Gion Sasaki in Kyoto operate with comparable Tabelog authority but in far more formal registers. Yanagiya delivers serious cooking in a format where you can bring your family or your colleagues without the room feeling precious.
Sake and wine are both treated seriously here, with a specific callout to wine selection on the drinks list, unusual for a rural irori-style house restaurant. No sommelier is listed for the Gifu location, but wine is flagged as a particular focus. If sake is your preference, that is covered too. Budget roughly JPY 15,000 to JPY 20,000 per head at listed prices, though review-based averages push closer to JPY 20,000 to JPY 29,999 once drinks are included, bring a major credit card (VISA, Mastercard, JCB, AMEX, Diners all accepted); electronic money and QR payments are not.
Logistics before you book
Getting here requires planning. Yanagiya is not walkable from central Gifu city. From Mizunami Station on the Chuo Line, it is a 20-minute taxi ride at roughly JPY 4,000 one way. Groups of six or more can request a free shuttle from the station. The Tono Railway Bus Akechi Line to the Suasahimachi stop is an alternative if you are using public transport, with a five-minute walk from the stop. Parking is available on-site for those driving.
Reservations are mandatory and the minimum group size is four, the kitchen lights individual irori fires per group, so walk-ins or pairs are not accommodated. For groups of seven or more, the reservation phone line is 0572-65-2102. On weekdays the kitchen closes at 10 PM, but preparation takes close to three hours, which means you need to arrive by 7 PM at the latest. Lunch service runs 12:00 to 15:00, dinner from 17:00 to 22:00 Monday through Saturday, with Sunday closing at 21:00. No outside alcohol is permitted. Book well in advance, especially for autumn and the seasonal game meat period; this is a destination restaurant for Japanese diners and tables do not sit empty.
How It Compares
Among the options in Gifu covered on Pearl, Yanagiya is the clearest choice if the goal is a high-credentialed, full-group experience built around seasonal Japanese cooking. Belle Equipe is the better option if you want French technique at a lower price point (JPY 10,000 to JPY 14,999) or if you are dining as a pair without the irori minimum-party constraint. For Japanese cuisine specifically in the region, Mizuki and Katatsumuri are worth comparing, though neither carries the same sustained Tabelog award history. Kobanzushi and hiro serve different formats and are better suited to smaller parties or shorter bookings.
Nationally, Yanagiya sits below the ceiling of Japanese fine dining, HAJIME in Osaka or Goh in Fukuoka operate at a different level of technical ambition, but Yanagiya's value proposition is distinct: it delivers award-level seasonal cooking in a format that is genuinely accessible, family-friendly, grounded in a specific regional tradition. For the right group, that combination is harder to find than another formal counter experience. See our full Gifu restaurants guide for broader coverage, our Gifu hotels guide if you are building an overnight trip around the meal.
Also on Pearl: Gifu bars | Gifu wineries | Gifu experiences | 1000 in Yokohama | Atomix in New York City | Le Bernardin in New York City
The take
The Take
The Vibe
Yanagiya presents a deliberately rural, hearth-centered experience that reads as both rustic and scenic. The restaurant sits in the mountains outside Mizunami, reached by a twenty-minute taxi through terrain that signals you are leaving urban convenience behind. Inside, the sunken irori is the organizing principle: charcoal is lit fresh for each group and the meal unfolds slowly around that heat. The combination of awards-backed seriousness and the elemental technology of the hearth creates an intimate, cozy atmosphere—part countryside dining house, part ritual—where the warmth of the fire underpins a focused, seasonal cuisine.
Best For
This is an evening destination for diners seeking a slow, ingredient-forward encounter rather than a quick meal. The format is a near three-hour course centered on the irori; the kitchen asks dinner guests to arrive by 7 p.m. The remote approach and the ceremonial pace make Yanagiya especially well suited to those treating the meal as a special occasion—people who want to engage with regional seasonality and the authority of a hearth-driven cookery. Its consecutive awards and high critical scores underscore that this is a serious, destination dining experience.
Ordering Tips
Plan logistics carefully: Yanagiya is remote—about a twenty-minute taxi from Mizunami Station—so allow time to arrive. The kitchen requests that dinner guests arrive by 7 p.m. because charcoal is lit fresh and the three-hour course unfolds around the irori; punctuality matters to the rhythm of the meal. Expect a slow, curated progression rather than an a la carte, hurry-up service. Given the format, treat the reservation and arrival time as part of the experience and prepare for an immersive, hearth-centered evening.
Planning details
Location
Mashizume-573-27 陶町猿爪 Mizunami, Gifu 509-6361, Japan · Directions
Recognition and awards
Also consider
Also Consider
- Belle Equipe, French, JPY 10,000 - JPY 14,999 JPY 2,000 - JPY 2,999
- hiro, Notable alternative
- Katatsumuri, Notable alternative
- Kobanzushi, Notable alternative
- Mizuki, Notable alternative
Restaurant context
Yanagiya is the highest-credentialed restaurant in this peer set by a clear margin: a Tabelog Silver award with a 4.39 score and continuous Gold recognition from 2018 to 2021 puts it in a different tier from most regional Japanese options. If you are organising a group of four or more and want the most decorated dining experience in Gifu, this is where to book. Belle Equipe is the strongest alternative for smaller parties or those who prefer French technique, it operates at JPY 10,000 to JPY 14,999, making it meaningfully more affordable, does not carry the four-person minimum that Yanagiya requires.
Mizuki and Katatsumuri are worth considering for Japanese cuisine without committing to Yanagiya's rural location or group-size constraint. Kobanzushi suits diners specifically looking for sushi, hiro is a reasonable fallback if Yanagiya's reservation line is booked out. None of the alternatives in this set match Yanagiya's award track record, but all are easier to access for couples or solo travellers.
The decision comes down to group composition and logistics. For four or more people who can arrange transport to Mizunami and book ahead, Yanagiya delivers a quality-to-setting gap that the other venues in this list do not replicate. For smaller parties or anyone based in central Gifu city without a car, Belle Equipe or the options in our full Gifu restaurants guide are the more practical choices.
Explore Gifu
Around this place
Discover more on Pearl
Unlock the full Yanagiya guide in Pearl, including awards, comparisons, FAQs, planning details, and nearby places.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I eat at the bar at Yanagiya?
No. Yanagiya does not operate a bar or counter service in the way city restaurants do. The format is seated course dining around a private irori hearth, with tatami and sunken seating across six private rooms. There is no drop-in bar option.
Is Yanagiya good for solo dining?
No. Yanagiya requires a minimum of four people per reservation, because each group's irori charcoal is lit specifically for them. Solo diners cannot book here. If you are travelling alone and want high-credentialed Japanese cuisine in the region, a city-based option would be more practical.
Is Yanagiya good for a special occasion?
Yes, it is one of the stronger cases for a special occasion in the Gifu area. Tabelog Gold from 2018 to 2021, followed by Silver through 2026, at JPY 15,000–20,000 per person (with actual spend often reaching JPY 20,000–30,000 based on reviews), gives it enough credibility to justify the occasion. The private irori room format suits celebration groups of four or more better than intimate dinners for two.
What are alternatives to Yanagiya in Gifu?
Within Gifu, Pearl covers Belle Equipe, hiro, Katatsumuri, Kobanzushi, Mizuki as alternatives depending on format and group size. Yanagiya is the clearest choice for a full-group hearth-cooking experience with the strongest award record in the region; the others suit different formats and party sizes.
Can Yanagiya accommodate groups?
Yes, groups are the intended format. Yanagiya has 100 seats across six private rooms, accommodating parties of 4 up to 30 or more. A free shuttle from Mizunami Station is available for groups of six or more. For groups of seven or more, reservations must be made via the direct reservation line at +81-572-65-2102.
What should I order at Yanagiya?
Yanagiya serves course meals only — there is no à la carte menu. The course is built around seasonal ingredients cooked over the irori hearth, with the kitchen described as focused on fish and regional produce. Courses start at noon for lunch and arrive sequentially, so allow at least three hours; the restaurant asks dinner guests to arrive by 7 p.m. on weekdays.
