I went to a day trip hot spring at Amagi and stopped by for dinner on the way back. I wasn't sure if I could order from the evening menu or not, so I decided to choose between Champon or Katsudon. But in the end, I couldn't decide and ended up ordering both. As expected, both were incredibly delicious! I will definitely make the 60-minute drive again to eat there.

I also introduced it on YouTube Mie-chan's channel. The night seems to be popular, but this time it was during the day. I tried the popular special champon. I went in right after they opened, but more and more customers came in afterwards. The champon was full of ingredients, and the addictive soup was very delicious. Next time, I want to go eat when the son is running the place at night.

It's been a while since my last visit. This is one of the places where I would like to have a meal while drinking alcohol, with the chef's choice based on the ingredients of the day. They are open late, so it's easy to visit. The rolled omelette is delicious, but the simmered dishes and stewed dishes are also quite good. I heard that the owner has a background in sushi restaurants, and at this age, the flavors are wonderful. The broth had a slight hint of fishiness, but I think it's important to have a focus on seasonal ingredients. I couldn't eat the nanten (Japanese pepper) but I prefer it over the slimy texture, and I also want to try the pickled ginger.

I have always wanted to visit a restaurant called Kanaya Shokudo in Amagi, which is a 50-minute train ride from Nishitetsu Hanabatake Station. The restaurant was featured in a YouTube video by Mokumeshi, a YouTuber with 564,000 subscribers. The video showed how the restaurant is bustling even at midnight, with the owner single-handedly managing a peak of 20 seats. The owner is a talented and cool person, known for selling egg sandwiches at a department store and being knowledgeable about sneakers. Many customers, including those from outside the prefecture, visit the restaurant after watching the video. I was lucky to have such an amazing restaurant in Fukuoka. The dishes I ordered, including mentaiko tamagoyaki, sashimi platter, gyu tataki, and miso-grilled eggplant, were all delicious. I also included a photo of the super cool sneakers at the end. I definitely want to visit this restaurant again. Thank you for the wonderful meal!

Visited at 22:04 on a regular day. Without knowing there was a menu, I consulted with the owner and ordered the simmered sea bream set for 1,250 yen and the spicy cod roe omelette for 750 yen. At 22:27, the spicy cod roe omelette arrived first. It was delicious with the sweetness of the egg, the umami of the broth, and the saltiness of the cod roe, as well as being visually appealing. At 22:36, the simmered sea bream set arrived. It had a more refined taste similar to a high-end restaurant rather than a home-cooked meal, and it was delicious. I imagined that both dishes were created with careful craftsmanship under the solid training of the young owner. There were two groups of customers who had left by the time I arrived, so I had a pleasant chat with the owner. I promised to visit again with a local souvenir next time.

I came across this restaurant on YouTube and decided to check it out. I was worried that they might not be open past midnight, but they were. I ordered today's special and tamagoyaki. They told me they had run out of rice, but they were willing to cook some fresh for me, even though it would take 20 minutes. The fish simmered in soy sauce had a nice color and shine, and it tasted delicious. It was probably sea bream. The side dishes of burdock root and thick fried tofu were also tasty. The freshly cooked rice was really good. The miso soup was a bit concentrated, but still good. The rolled omelette was tasty too. The cold tea they served had a nice leafy aroma. Overall, it was a great restaurant.

I relaxed at Himiko's hot spring nearby and got hungry, so I visited The Showa Diner. It had a great atmosphere. I ordered champon, which was delicious with ingredients like bamboo shoots and mushrooms instead of seafood. Inland Kyushu-Oita champon tends to have a high bamboo shoot and mushroom ratio.

It was also a long time since my last visit. The atmosphere was still very Showa era, with vintage refrigerators and black telephones. The refrigerator looked really sturdy. My own refrigerator, even though it's only a few years old, is not that great. When I ordered the daily special, the landlady said, "Today's dish is simmered fish." I agreed and waited, and then a regular customer who seemed to be a taxi driver came in and the landlady prepared the daily special without saying anything. I didn't take any pictures, but the taxi driver was reading the newspaper while waiting, and it really matched the atmosphere of this place. That day's dish was simmered flounder. The simmered daikon radish was also well seasoned and tender. The miso soup had about 10 clams in it, quite a generous portion. The place seemed lively at night too, with many customers having their own bottles kept there.

The dashimaki tamago was the best in the world, including the staff!

August 2, 2020 (Sunday) - Katsudon, Champon, Stir-fried Vegetables, Draft Beer July 19, 2020 (Sunday) - Katsudon, Stir-fried Vegetables, Draft Beer

I visited the Kanaoya Shokudo in Asakura City, as recommended by MyRebi-sama. The parking lot was located across the street from the restaurant, charging 50 yen for 30 minutes. Despite the store being open, there was no one inside when I entered. Eventually, a young proprietress appeared and I ordered the Nabeyaki Udon. The soup was very spicy, but the ingredients were fresh and the noodles were soft. The meal cost 600 yen, which I found to be reasonable. I plan to explore the area more on a warmer day. Special thanks to the previous reviewers for their helpful insights.

I would like to start by saying that this is unnecessarily long. If you find it too tedious to read, feel free to skim through it. Asakura City in Fukuoka Prefecture is my hometown, along with Asakura County. In the center of the former Amagi City, there used to be a West Japan Bus Center, a five-story department store, and an arcade shopping street. I went to the high school closest to the bus center, and back then, it was a fairly lively town. Over time, the arcade shopping street deteriorated and was removed, the department store was demolished and replaced with a convenience store, and the bus center, along with the supermarket inside, disappeared, leaving only a small bus stop and parking lot. Amidst all this change, the small diner that seemed outdated even back then stood alone. I visited the "Kanaya Shokudo" in Asakura City for the first time in many years. This was a place I used to go for lunch on Saturdays during high school. At that time, I had specific places I would go to eat certain dishes – ramen at "Hourokuken" with friends, "Chinmiro" alone, katsu curry at "Grill Hanabishi," yakisoba at "Moncel" on the 2nd floor of the bus center, and champon here at "Kanaya Shokudo." All of those places except "Kanaya Shokudo" have disappeared. Upon entering the restaurant, I realized that time had passed here as well, and the atmosphere inside was not frozen in time like the exterior. The place felt a bit rundown, and I hesitated as a woman entering alone. The interior had a counter on the left, two raised tatami tables in the back, a 6-person table in the center, and a table with chairs on the side. The stools at the counter seemed unused, and there were broken chairs lined up next to them. Two customers were eating set meals at a large table. I sat at a table near the entrance and asked if I could have the "nabe-yaki udon." The staff agreed, and I was surprised that they could make it since it's a labor-intensive dish using a stove. I arrived before 2 PM when the place was not crowded, and I assumed it would be difficult to make the nabe-yaki udon. I deliberately chose the nabe-yaki udon instead of the nostalgic champon, thinking it might be challenging for them to prepare. While waiting, I noticed a large number of shochu bottles lined up next to me, and I wondered if there was no rule about clearing them out within three months. I remembered the personality of the previous owner. The nabe-yaki udon arrived sooner than expected. It was served in a pot on a tray with a trivet, accompanied by a plate and a ladle. The ingredients included seaweed, fresh shiitake mushrooms, white leeks, kamaboko, sliced ​​tempura (thin Satsuma-age, locally known as tenpura), chicken, beef (probably the sweet and savory stewed kind used in beef udon), eggs (the whites were mostly cooked, and the yolks were raw). It was quite luxurious for 600 yen. I took a sip of the soup, which was a bit salty. The flavors of the seaweed and tempura also came through. The noodles were likely store-bought frozen noodles, but they were delicious as they had soaked up the broth. As I ate, I remembered that they used to serve the nabe-yaki udon in an aluminum pot rather than a clay pot. Was it at the nearby "New Matsuya"? While pondering this, I suddenly realized, "Wait, am I crying?" The nostalgia overwhelmed me, and tears welled up in my eyes. Embarrassed, I couldn't help but shed tears while slurping the nabe-yaki udon. I must have looked like a wanted criminal who had finally surrendered after a long chase. Not cool at all. A middle-aged man shedding tears while eating nabe-yaki udon...quite pitiful.

Next to the cafe called "Mon" near Amagi Bus Center, I visited a neighboring diner that caught my eye. Inside, there was a black telephone and a sturdy old refrigerator. The building is old but has a dignified atmosphere. I ordered the daily special for 700 yen. They informed me, "It will take some time to grill the fish," and I agreed to wait. While thinking that the price was a bit high for the area, I waited in the well-seasoned interior. There were also bottles of alcohol, so it seems like they have various offerings in the evening as well. The wait was worth it. It was grilled yellowtail collar. And it looked deliciously simmered. Plus, it was a generous portion. Oh, this has a satisfying amount to eat. And all this for 700 yen is cheap!!! There was plenty of grated daikon radish next to the grilled yellowtail collar. The service is good. The yellowtail was fresh and full of flavor. They grilled the fish well. The simmered dish was also homemade. Instead of the typical small servings of simmered dishes, they piled it on generously.

It is located in Amagi, Asakura City, Fukuoka Prefecture, in front of the Amagi Post Office. The restaurant has been in business for 55 years, so it has a bit of an old feel, but it is kept clean. There are 5 counter seats and tables for 4 and 6 people. There are 4 tables, allowing for a total of 23 seats. I visited at 11:40 am on a weekday and there were 3 customers already there, all in their late 60s, with a woman as the owner. I ordered the daily special for 700 yen, which was fried horse mackerel. The fried fish had a satisfying thickness and crunch. There were tonkatsu sauce and Worcestershire sauce on the table, and the side dishes like simmered vegetables and miso soup were delicious too. Smoking is allowed, with ashtrays on the tables. The only issue is that there is no parking lot, but I was allowed to park at a nearby convenience store after getting permission. The restaurant is open from 11 am to midnight, with the owner's son helping out in the evening. The owner was working hard. It might get chaotic during lunchtime if different people order different dishes, so it's better to order the same menu when going as a group. Three more customers arrived later, all ordering the daily special. The restaurant is next to a taxi company, and the TV show "Ikinari Shokudo" featured them having champon there.

I came across this restaurant on YouTube and was curious about it. I found out it was located in a town along the way during my travels, so I decided to get off the highway and have lunch there. I originally wanted to visit at night, but I enjoyed the atmosphere and the staff were very friendly.