Established in 1954, there is a long-established coffee shop in Kitakyushu, which can also be found in Izutsuya. Our parents' generation, especially women, used to hear about places like this in Kokura where they would enjoy tea or lunch after shopping in a time when such shops were not as common as they are now. The Izutsuya branch is located on the 4th floor of the new building, at the end, with a connecting passage to the main building only on the 5th floor, making it a bit hard to find. However, even past lunchtime, mainly people in their 60s and above were seen waiting, with some enjoying the famous dish here, the "nabe-yaki udon". I had to wait about 10 minutes after writing my name. Since I had already had lunch, I took a break with a drink. They kindly moved me to a seat by the window, offering a view of Ougai Bridge, Kokura Castle, Kokura Castle Garden, Riverwalk, and Kitakyushu City Hall. I have seen this view from the 8th-floor restaurant area as well, but the view from the 4th or 5th floor connecting passage is just the right height and looks beautiful. - Strawberry Milk (680 yen): A summer limited shaved ice menu, I chose this instead of the regular shaved ice as it seemed like a lot. The shaved ice soaked in plenty of condensed milk, topped with lots of strawberry jam with plenty of fruitiness. The condensed milk shaved ice is as sweet as "shirokuma", so the real strawberries are not as tart, and the sweet jam complements it well, making it delicious. - Iced Coffee (640 yen): Quite bitter but not unpleasantly so, with cream and whipped cream in the ice, providing a truly authentic taste. I think it's not as crowded on weekdays, so it's recommended for those who want to relax and take a leisurely break in an elegant atmosphere.

It was a windy day, but I decided to have the kettle-cooked udon and fried rice set at the dessert shop on the 4th floor of the new building at Izutsuya. The interior is stylish, but the shop is located within the miscellaneous goods & fashion floor. I chose the kettle-cooked udon and fried rice set at a dessert shop because I saw it on a local TV show and it looked delicious. The kettle-cooked udon had plenty of ingredients like meat and fried tofu, with a hint of mugwort mochi. It was piping hot and tasty, with a slightly sweet soup. The fried rice was a bit sticky, but just the right texture for me. Are you a fan of fluffy fried rice or sticky fried rice? There are other locations of Wakatake besides this one, so I might try something different next time. Bon appétit!

I arrived in Kokura in the early afternoon. I had okonomiyaki for lunch, but now I feel like having something sweet. I thought there might be a dessert place at Izutsuya, so I searched the main building and annex. Finally, I found a soba restaurant called Wakatake that also serves sweets. They offer a set with fruit-filled anmitsu and coffee for 1,080 yen. It is located on the 4th floor of Izutsuya, where you can enjoy a view of Kokura Castle and the Murasaki River from the window. I sat towards the back, but I took a photo by the window when I stood up to pay. Now, about the anmitsu. The set comes with a smaller portion compared to the standalone anmitsu, but I was impressed by the sweetness of the red bean paste. The fruit was plentiful, and after finishing the agar jelly, I was quite full. The coffee was easy to drink. The chilled whipped cream added a touch of luxury, and even though I usually drink black coffee, I couldn't resist adding the whipped cream for extra enjoyment. When you visit Kokura Izutsuya, there is something you must see. That is...

I hadn't eaten here in about 10 years since my last visit. I stopped going after a few times because of the poor service, rather than the taste of the food. I used to come around 6:30 pm, but there were few staff and the service quality was poor. However, now that Ito Yokado department store closes at 7 pm and this restaurant has also closed its main store and only operates a cafe inside the department store, I thought things might have changed a bit. When I visited this time, it had improved. I arrived at 6 pm. The spacious restaurant had only two other groups of customers. I chose a seat by the window with a view of Kokura Castle and Riverwalk. I ordered the Wakatake bento and French toast set. The bento tasted quite good. There were occasionally some disappointing side dishes, but overall it was delicious. The French toast itself wasn't that tasty, but the generous amount of fruits and ice cream served with it were delicious. The service was average, the view was nice, and I think I'll be able to come back here in the future.

This is a popular Japanese restaurant that my friend favors. It is located inside the Izutsuya Shinkan, so it's convenient to stop by while shopping. The entrance has a waiting list where you write your name, and the average wait time is about 10 minutes. There is a menu display next to the entrance, so if you hesitate too long, time flies by. The interior of the restaurant has spacious seats and a relaxing atmosphere. As soon as we sat down, we were served cold water and green tea at the same time, which was a first for me. After much deliberation from the display menu, I decided on the Wakatake Gozen (1300 yen). It's a great set that comes with a bento box, soup, and dessert. The restaurant mainly had female customers, and there were no children running around. It's a calm space where you might end up staying longer than expected (laughs). The order arrived in about 5 minutes. The hot pot udon arrived first. The bento box, which is stacked in two tiers, is very generous in portion. It includes chicken, shrimp, scallop, chimaki, and colorful side dishes, with chirashi sushi topped with shredded egg, which seemed to never diminish no matter how much I ate. Everything had a refined taste and was delicious. By the time I reached the dessert (anmitsu), I was already full. The azuki beans were not too sweet, which was nice. Next time, I'll try the popular hot pot udon.

The main store in Kyomachi has a different atmosphere. Located in the new building of Izutsuya, the interior has a fresh and bright image. I like the view of Kokura Castle and the Murasaki River from the glass windows. The food is perfect for a light lunch or a tea break in between shopping, with a variety of set meals and sweets available.

One of the must-try dishes for people who have lived in Kokura for a long time is the kamayaki udon at this restaurant. It is a dish called "nabeyaki udon" because the udon noodles are cooked in an iron pot. The broth is sweet, but the highlight here is the udon noodles. The ingredients for the udon have not changed at all since childhood. The original main store has closed down, but this place still offers the same unchanged taste. Located on the 4th floor of the new building, towards the back, not in the restaurant area of Izutsuya, so it may be a little hard to find, but it is always bustling during lunchtime.

Today, I went shopping in Kokura. It was past 12 o'clock, so it was time for lunch. What should I eat today? My companion suggested "Wakatake's Kamayaki". I realized I had never been to Wakatake, although I often visit Kotukido. Decision made! This time, I went to Wakatake in the new building of Kokura Iizuka-ya because I had some shopping to do. It was almost full on a Saturday afternoon. The staff were busy and bustling, so we had to wait a bit before being seated. I had decided on the pot-cooked udon, so I ordered without looking at the menu. The restaurant was crowded, but we were seated near the window with a great view. It was the beginning of cherry blossom season, and Kokura Castle looked beautiful. My companion has been a fan of this udon since childhood, and used to come here almost every week with their mother. It seems to be a nostalgic dish for them. While listening to their stories, our order arrived. The pot-cooked udon here is a bit unique, as it is served in a shallow pot that doubles as a bowl. So, it's more like pot-baked udon (laughs). The sweet broth had a lovely aroma, and the udon was almost hidden under the generous toppings. I took a sip of the broth... delicious! The dish was filled with 7-8 different toppings, each with a meticulous flavor. There was even mugwort mochi in it, which was a nice touch. Before I knew it, I had finished everything, including the broth. I would rate the pot-cooked udon 4.0 stars (laughs). I wanted to visit the main store in Uomachi, but I heard it had closed down, which was disappointing. It's a popular restaurant, so I recommend coming at a less busy time if you want to enjoy it leisurely. Thank you for the meal, it was really delicious (laughs).

When you go to Itsuboya, your feet naturally lead you there. It's a very popular restaurant, so you might have to wait in line during lunchtime. But I still want to eat there. It's very popular among women. I recommend sitting by the window! You can see Kokura Castle, the City Hall, and the Murasaki River, which makes you feel relaxed. It's okay to go alone. For those who can't wait (laughs), magazines are available for your enjoyment. There are many delicious menu options, so I always have a hard time deciding. What I always want to eat is the green tea soba set. Oh, I want to eat it (tears). But what I always struggle with is the fried rice!!! It's delicious!! It's fluffy and better than any other Chinese restaurant. But, but, I also struggle with the hot pot udon. It's so delicious!!! I have so many choices to make, it's a dilemma. I'm happy that there is a set menu with both fried rice and hot pot udon. Anyway, I highly recommend this place to women. Personally, I prefer the Itsuboya store over the Kyomachi store!!