The room was not great. The tatami mats were damp, the light bulb was out. The table had marks from the previous customers' cups and the sashimi was lukewarm because it had been prepared in advance. It's a shame since they have fresh fish. The all-you-can-drink alcohol took a long time to arrive, but maybe they made up for it with the number of beers served?

This time, we had lunch at "Yakumo-tei" to say goodbye to a colleague who is transferring. Honestly, I didn't know about this restaurant before. That's because it is located in the same building as Izumo soba, with Izumo soba on the first floor and Yakumo-tei on the second floor. However, the presence of Izumo soba at the entrance of the building is so strong that it overshadows Yakumo-tei, making it almost invisible. I have been living in Kitakyushu for over 10 years, but I feel sorry for not knowing about this restaurant. However, the restaurant was almost full within 10 minutes after we arrived. It seems to be a well-known place among those in the know. We ordered the following: - Special lunch set (900 yen including tax) The set includes: - 5 kinds of sashimi - White fish fry - Chawanmushi (savory egg custard) - Miso soup - Steamed white rice The set has a good amount of food, allowing you to enjoy various dishes. The sashimi slices are thick and of good quality. With all this volume and even a coffee after the meal, the set is priced at 900 yen, which is not cheap but still reasonable. Personally, considering the atmosphere of the restaurant, the service of the staff, and the taste of the food, I think Yakumo-tei is much better than the soba shop on the first floor. I would like to visit again if I have the chance. Thank you for the meal.

The interior of the restaurant is a bit old-fashioned. It was lunchtime but there were no customers inside. I ordered the set meal with the award-winning fried chicken. There was a fish tank at the entrance, so I thought the fish would be delicious, but the sashimi didn't seem very fresh. The fried food in the set meal was hard and the rice was just average. The fried chicken, which was supposed to be award-winning, didn't taste that great either. I couldn't finish the set meal or the fried chicken, so I felt like moving on to another restaurant. Deliciousness: 3/10, Atmosphere: 3/10, Value for money: 4/10, Service: 5/10, Likelihood to return: 2/10

It was a little gathering at a drinking party. We chose the special course with a 120-minute all-you-can-drink option for 4,000 yen, which included the award-winning fried chicken. We decided to add the squid from Yobuko for an extra 1,000 yen, making it 5,000 yen in total, slightly higher than usual. The restaurant had a vintage feel, from the end of the Showa era or the beginning of the Heisei era. There was a squid tank at the entrance, but the dim lighting made it look unappealing. When we told our name at the reception, we were directed to the 5th floor, but then told it was actually the 3rd floor. As we tried to get off, the elevator took a while to arrive. After finally reaching the 3rd floor, we were told it was actually the 5th floor. They communicated with the 5th floor and then confirmed it was indeed the 3rd floor. Our table was already set with a lot more food than our group size warranted. When we questioned this, they double-checked and confirmed it was the 5th floor (awkward smile). The course dishes were decent, with the standout being the konjac vinegar dish. The sashimi and hot pot were average, and even the award-winning fried chicken was not as good as other places. The squid looked a bit limp and lacked transparency. The last dish, the yellowtail sushi, was quite tasty, but for 5,000 yen, the overall experience fell short. It lacked freshness overall. If it was 4,000 yen, it would have been acceptable, and even 4,500 yen would have been fine, but at 5,000 yen, it crossed the line in terms of value for money. It's a bit disrespectful to Higuchi Ichiyo (laughs). The taste is decent, but the cost-performance ratio is poor, so it's less than 3 points.

It was our last stop on our trip to Kyushu, and I really wanted to try fresh squid sashimi in Kokura. Unfortunately, the shops at the station were sold out, so I searched nearby and found a place that had it. I called ahead and they confirmed they had squid, so I hurried over to eat. It was a bit small, but I was so happy to finally try the squid I had been craving.

Fried chicken curry. The fried chicken is delicious. The curry is average, I guess.

Fugu Sammai is reasonably priced.

It's just an ordinary izakaya, I guess.

The tempura was delicious too.

Delicious fish can be found here.

When I was looking for a place to eat in Kokura, I found this place recommended by a local. Whenever this happens, I always make sure to visit. At first, I was a bit hesitant about going to the second floor of a soba restaurant. But once inside, I felt relaxed in the casual and comfortable atmosphere. The dishes I ordered were: 1) Squid sashimi - it was swimming in a tank until just now 2) Mackerel simmered in soy sauce - a local dish called "jinda-ni" 3) Squid tempura 4) Fish salad 5) Simmered head of sea bream. These were the dishes I had this time.

I went on a business trip to Kokura and was recommended a restaurant called "Katsuo Hachikuntei" for dinner at my business hotel. The restaurant was a bit hard to find, located on the second floor above a soba noodle shop. I tried various dishes that day, but based on the information that the squid was delicious, I ordered squid sashimi. I remembered seeing live squid swimming in a tank when I entered the restaurant. As I waited, the squid was brought to me, still in its intact form. When I reached out with my chopsticks to eat it, the sliced squid that had been prepared as sashimi started moving, showing its freshness. I highly recommend trying the squid sashimi at this restaurant. If you get tired of sashimi, you can also have it as tempura.

A high-ranking executive from the head office visited, so we used this restaurant for entertaining. The executive had mentioned beforehand that they wanted to eat "Ikas from Yobuko," so I searched and chose this place. First, the entrance is a bit hard to find, located next to a soba restaurant with stairs leading to the second floor. There, you can see live squid swimming in a tank, but it's not really designed for customers to view them easily. At the reception on the second floor, I mentioned the reservation name, and was instructed to take the elevator to the fifth floor. It seemed like the staff in the kitchen attire was not used to customer service. Upon reaching the fifth floor, there was no one there... Finally, someone noticed us when we entered the private room. The private room was a tatami room with a nice atmosphere, which was a relief. We ordered the 3,000 yen course and the Yobuko squid. The service by the women on the fifth floor was good, and we felt at ease. The course meal had a good amount of food, but nothing stood out as particularly delicious. The most disappointing part was the squid. I had imagined the fresh, transparent squid that I saw at Yobuko Manpou, but what arrived was a squid that was so dark it was hard to tell if it was alive or not. The executive also didn't seem too impressed, so I assume they had a similar impression as me. The taste was also different from what I had imagined. I wonder if they could organize the tank at the entrance better. The atmosphere of the restaurant was nice, so it was really disappointing. The bill was at an entertaining price, and I thought I wouldn't be able to come here with my own money.

I visited this restaurant in Kokura during a business trip, as it was close to the client's office. The interior was spacious and had a calm traditional Japanese restaurant atmosphere. I ordered the sashimi set, but the sashimi pieces were very small and seemed like leftover scraps. It was a bit disappointing. The atmosphere inside the restaurant was also a bit outdated, and there was nothing that made me think it would be a good place for evening entertainment or parties. However, it might be convenient if you are looking for a quick meal in the central area.

Near Kokura Station, there is a restaurant with a live fish tank that boasts fresh seafood. We had a private room for a banquet, and the atmosphere was calm, reminiscent of a traditional entertainment restaurant. - Live fish sashimi: The quality of the live sashimi seemed lacking. The squid seemed to be a different type, with less transparency and sweetness. The taste was different from what I had at Takakatsu in Fukuoka the day before. The shape of the emperor fish also seemed different... The flounder had very little flavor and most of it was left uneaten. It seems that white fish tastes better when aged. - Saba no Tokorogama (mackerel cooked in rice bran): A specialty of Kitakyushu, this dish was cooked using rice bran and had a nice spiciness from the chili pepper. - Tai no Ara-ni (simmered sea bream head): This dish had a slightly strong sweetness, but the big heads split in half and cooked richly were the highlight of the day. Overall, I didn't connect with the sashimi, but the simmered dishes were quite delicious. If you choose the right menu, it's worth a visit.