Asashio is a ryokan and restaurant with real history and tradition behind it. Apparently it gets used for banquets a lot too.

Ieyasu and Naotora

They’ve been turned into characters and you see them used all over the place. In real life they were fearsome people in power… well, it’s all ancient history now.

Today’s menu

Appetizers

Every single one is delicious. Good enough to make the drinks go down fast.

Maou

With sake and shochu, there are cases where a place has a contract with a particular restaurant association and gets the bottles in very cheap. When that happens, the price you pay ordering at the shop can end up far below retail. This place pours Maou at a really low price, so the food is good and the drink is cheap and good too – there’s nothing more you could ask for.

Chawanmushi

Every single one is a work of art.

Sashimi

Shirauo

Shirauo is a Hamamatsu specialty.

Grilled sawara

The grilled dish is artfully done too.

Nasu dengaku

This is the house signature, and it was incredibly good. Good enough that I’d want to come back just to eat it again.

Kaki fry

It’s winter, so you have to have them. The oysters were big. The batter was good too, and when a specialist place makes them something is just different.

Dessert

I thought that was the end of it, but…

Rice

Whether it’s Korea or Japan, rice really is the foundation of it all…

I ate very well, and if you ever come to Hamamatsu on a trip, I’d recommend staying a night here.

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