Yusai at Amano-Hashidate is a small inn near Amano-Hashidate. We stayed here for one night during our sightseeing trip. We used a rental car to get to Amano-Hashidate from here, but it's only about a 15-minute walk. The room had a view of the sea and Amano-Hashidate. It's a family-run inn with spacious rooms and decent food. The room we stayed in was a maisonette type, with the dining area, sink, bath, and toilet on the first floor, and the bedroom on the second floor. The room was very clean, the bedroom was spacious, and the bed was comfortable. The amenities and variety of drinks provided in the room were plentiful. The food was simple home-cooked style, with a mix of Japanese and Western elements. Dishes like spicy beef stew, croquettes, and squid noodle soup were served. It's not fancy or elaborate, but it's delicious in a heartfelt way. The meals are served in each room, so you can relax and enjoy your food. It feels like being treated to high-quality homemade dishes at a friend's house.

We stayed at "Amanohashidate Yuzai" with my wife during New Year's. The purpose of this trip is to stay at this inn. The inn accommodates only two couples a day, run by a couple. They serve creative dishes based on Japanese cuisine using local ingredients. The journey to Amanohashidate was exciting. We took the train from JR Osaka Station to Fukuchiyama Station, then transferred to the Tango Railway to Amanohashidate Station. Since we had some time before check-in, we strolled around the station. Amanohashidate, which we visited for the first time, was smaller than we expected. Although we could walk to the inn, they kindly picked us up by car to match the 3:00 pm check-in time. Upon arriving at the inn, we were surrounded by a quiet and high-quality atmosphere with no sight of tourists. The room was a maisonette type with a living room, bathroom, and toilet on the first floor, and a bedroom on the second floor. They served tea and sweets in the living room, which included persimmon jelly and boiled eggs from local free-range chickens. It was the first time we had boiled eggs served at an inn. The persimmon jelly was delicious, and we enjoyed it with aged sake. The bedroom on the second floor had a TV, but there were no sound-producing devices on the first floor, allowing us to relax in silence. We could see Amanohashidate from the living room window. We spent time leisurely until dinner. The inn was decorated with antiques, and the owner kindly explained them to us. We had no knowledge of antiques or history, so it might have been like explaining something incomprehensible. Dinner started with a New Year's-like appetizer assortment, mostly made from local ingredients. The taste of the vinegar used in the sushi rice was unique and slightly sour, reminiscent of a vinegar called "Fuji Vinegar" we had before. The crab bisque with olive leaf powder was outstanding, and it could easily be served in French restaurants in Tokyo or Osaka. The bitterness of the olive leaf powder complemented the bisque well. The sashimi platter, including grilled mackerel, marinated flounder with kelp, yellowtail belly, squid, crab, and olive oil, was delicious. Drizzling local olive oil over the flounder with kelp turned it into a carpaccio-like dish, a unique attempt that did not disrupt the Japanese cuisine's essence. The pumpkin noodles with horsehair crab and tomato vinegar sauce replaced the traditional dish. The pumpkin noodles blended with a flavorful tomato sauce were a perfect mix of umami, sweetness, and acidity. Grilled crab, peanuts, and sweet potatoes were served with crab miso and legs. The crab shoulder with chili sauce was also exceptional. It was a dish with a unique way to enjoy the difficult-to-eat crab shoulder meat.

I revisited the inn "Amanohashidate Yusai" in the northern part of Kyoto Prefecture, one of Japan's three scenic views. This time, we had a meal after my son's Shinto shrine visit, so I made a reservation and they prepared a basket for the baby. They also provided a red rice dish and a hot sake in a celebratory dish upon request. The food is 100% locally sourced, starting with an appetizer of homemade yuzu pepper seared mackerel and grilled blowfish. The sashimi platter included five types of fish, and we were instructed to drizzle olive oil over the squid and yellowback sea bream. The soup featured local beef cheek curry, which was incredibly tender. The meal also included steamed egg custard with abalone and noodles with smoked moroheiya. The fried fish was served with blueberry sauce, and the main dish was tender beef marinated in miso. The meal ended with a light ice cream dessert. Overall, the restaurant offered a unique dining experience with locally sourced ingredients and thoughtful touches throughout.

I visited the hotel and creative Japanese restaurant "Yusai" located very close to Amanohashidate. The atmosphere of the restaurant was very nice and I was able to enjoy a leisurely meal. They also offer a shuttle service, so it seems like you can request pick-up from nearby accommodations or the station. I tried the Kyoto-style creative Japanese course for 6,480 yen. The menu mainly consisted of local seafood and mountain vegetables, with a special focus on game meat such as deer and wild boar, which are not commonly eaten. It was a rare and valuable experience for me. The game meat was delicious and did not have any unpleasant smell.

Recently, when I went to the fish market, I noticed that the Torigai (cockle) has started to appear, just like it did a while ago. About a year ago, I went to Miyazu on the Japan Sea side to eat Tanba Torigai. Tanba Torigai is different from regular Torigai in terms of size, thickness, sweetness, and price. The larger ones are about the size of a fist with the shell on. When you open them up, the meat is thick and has a satisfying chewy texture. However, they are only available for shipping from late April to early July, and they are considered valuable, so the price is high. During this period, Miyazu and Maizuru offer various plans focusing on Torigai at restaurants and accommodation facilities. One place I visited was Yousai, which overlooks the famous Amanohashidate, one of Japan's three scenic views, right in front of the monument of the Nihon Sankei. It was a very elegant ryokan, where the couple served the dishes with great care. I had the "Shinkan Tanba Torigai Kaiseki (7-8 Torigai dishes + homemade dessert)" at that time. While looking at Amanohashidate from the window, I enjoyed a meal filled with Tanba Torigai. First, they showed me the Torigai before cooking. They were huge and had a beautiful purple color. Next was the appetizer, which included roast beef, Bai shellfish, a root vegetable resembling red turnip, mozuku seaweed harvested from the bay, and Torigai sushi. They were all delicious, and the Torigai had a strong chewy texture that left an impression. The broad beans were also delicious, with a pleasant aroma and a fluffy texture. Next was sashimi, including octopus, local ingredients, and of course, Torigai. The Torigai had a strong aroma characteristic of shellfish. The liver that came with it had a rich umami taste and a nice aroma. I was surprised by how delicious the Torigai liver was. Then came the sukiyaki-style Torigai. It was cooked briefly before being served. After that was the confit. It was cooked slowly, and I noticed that the texture and aroma changed depending on how well it was cooked. Following that was a salad dish. The texture was different from the sashimi, with a satisfying chewy texture. Perhaps they adjusted the cooking time differently. Then came the himo (Torigai's adductor muscle), soup, tempura, and tempura rice with tea. Each dish seemed to highlight subtle flavor differences based on how the Torigai was cooked or sliced. Finally, the dessert was made with special azuki beans from Oshikii in Ine-cho. It was explained that they don't grow as large if cultivated elsewhere. Indeed, they were as big as the Torigai. They were well-cooked without falling apart. I thought it was a restaurant that delicately prepared various ingredients like Torigai, liver, himo, soybeans, etc. I left the restaurant feeling full and satisfied. It was so delicious that I definitely want to go back again this year! Thank you for the wonderful meal.