Yamasaryokan

Verdict: Book It; Especially If You Are Making the Drive

Most visitors to Oita head straight to Beppu or Yufuin and never think twice about Usa. That is the wrong call if you care about eating well. Yamasaryokan (formally Ryotei Yamasa Ryokan) in the Ajimu area of Usa has held a Tabelog Bronze Award every year from 2017 through 2026, scored 4.28 on Tabelog, was named to the Tabelog Japanese Cuisine WEST Top 100 in 2021. These are not courtesy awards. For a ryokan dining room in a rural corner of Oita Prefecture, that ten-year streak places it in a category well above what you would typically expect from the region. Book it.

What Yamasaryokan Actually Is

The common assumption is that this is a standard ryokan kaiseki stop; pleasant enough, nothing to reroute a trip for. Correct that framing. The kitchen specialises in suppon (soft-shell turtle), a cuisine that has almost no dedicated practitioners left in English-language travel circuits and is historically prized in Japan for both its depth of flavour and its tonic properties. The restaurant has been doing this since 1920, that longevity is not incidental, it reflects a level of ingredient sourcing and preparation knowledge that generalist Japanese restaurants cannot replicate. Tabelog reviewers note the connection to renowned authors who patronised the restaurant, reinforcing its standing as a place with genuine cultural weight, not a tourist-facing approximation of tradition.

The setting reinforces the case. Tatami rooms, spacious seating, a relaxing atmosphere are listed in the facilities, this is a room built for a long, considered meal, not a quick turn. Seven private rooms accommodate groups from two to twelve, with a large hall that seats up to 48. For a business dinner or a group looking for full privacy in the Oita countryside, the infrastructure here is genuinely practical. Parking is available, including space for large buses, which matters given the location in Ajimu, roughly 30 minutes by car from Usa Station and about 5 minutes from Ajimu Interchange on the Higashi Kyushu Expressway.

Pricing and Timing

Dinner runs JPY 10,000 to 14,999 per person (listed price); actual spend based on reviews trends toward JPY 15,000 to 19,999 with the 10% service charge factored in. Lunch is more accessible at JPY 5,000 to 5,999 listed, with review-based spend around JPY 3,000 to 3,999. One logistical detail worth knowing: the soft-shelled turtle set meal is available only during weekday lunches, so if suppon is the specific reason you are going, plan accordingly and book a weekday midday slot. Dinner service runs 17:00 to 21:00 (last entry 19:00); lunch 11:00 to 15:00 (last entry 14:00). Closing days are not fixed, so confirm before making the drive. Reservations are available and direct, the venue accepts credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Amex, Diners), PayPay, d Barai. Phone: +81-978-44-0002. The full menu and ryokan details are at suppon-yamasa.jp.

Why This Matters for Usa Specifically

Ajimu is one of those Oita sub-regions that does not generate much international press despite being the source of some of the prefecture's most interesting food. Yamasaryokan is, by any measurable standard, the anchor dining destination in this pocket of Kyushu. If you are routing through Oita Prefecture, whether as part of a Kyushu circuit or a detour from the broader Japan itinerary, this is the meal that gives the region a culinary reason to stop rather than pass through. For context on what else the area offers, see our full Usa restaurants guide, our full Usa hotels guide, our full Usa bars guide, our full Usa wineries guide, and our full Usa experiences guide.

For Kyushu-focused itinerary planning, Goh in Fukuoka and Aji Arai in Oita are the natural bookends to a regional food trip that includes Yamasaryokan. Further afield in western Japan, Gion Sasaki in Kyoto and akordu in Nara represent the kind of destination dining that draws the same type of explorer this venue appeals to. If your Japan trip extends to the main island, HAJIME in Osaka and Harutaka in Tokyo occupy the same serious-dining tier. For other regional anchors worth knowing: 1000 in Yokohama, 6 in Okinawa, Abon in Ashiya, affetto akita in Akita, and Ajidocoro in Yubari District. And if you are interested in how suppon-focused Japanese cuisine compares to the depth of technique at, say, Atomix in New York City or the seafood precision of Le Bernardin in New York City, the common thread is ingredient singularity driving a menu rather than format.