Where to Eat in Yanagase Gifu: 10 Best Restaurants in Yanagase & Kawaramachi

Planning a Food Tour in Yanagase and Kawaramachi

Lunch and dinner behave differently across both districts. Midday sets run cheaper and faster, while dinner unlocks full kaiseki courses and izakaya menus that need more time. Most Yanagase restaurants sit within easy walking distance of Meitetsu Gifu Station and JR Gifu Station, so walking beats renting a car for one evening. Check the How to Get to Gifu: 2026 Travel Guide guide for train and bus options, then pair the food route with a fuller Gifu Itinerary One Day Travel Guide if staying more than a day. Travelers on a single afternoon can also treat this as a day trip from Nagoya, since Gifu sits a short ride away. Language coverage is uneven across the arcade. Some restaurants list English menus or English-speaking staff on booking platforms such as Savor Japan, while smaller counters may need a translation app.

10 Best Places to Eat in Yanagase and Kawaramachi, Gifu

These ten spots cover the range, from a single-focus Hida beef counter to a hotel dining room with a river view. Addresses and hours below come from each restaurant's own listing with Gifu's tourism bureau and reservation platforms. Hours shift seasonally, so confirm before building a fixed itinerary around any single stop.

• Bakuro Ichidai Gifu Kanda
  • Kanda-cho's 7-7 address is dedicated entirely to Hida beef, served as yakiniku grills and shabu-shabu.
  • It opens 11:30-23:00 daily, with lunch orders cutting off at 15:00 and dinner orders at 22:00.
  • Lunch sets are the cheaper way to try the beef before committing to a full dinner course.
• Japanese Restaurant Takada Hassho
  • At 17-2 Sugiyamacho, this kaiseki restaurant plates seasonal multi-course meals built around presentation as much as flavor.
  • Seasonal courses can include Nagaragawa ayu sweetfish when it's running, alongside other Mino-area ingredients.
  • It's open 11:30-14:00 and 17:00-22:00, but reservations are required and holidays are irregular, so call ahead.
• Kouzo
  • Named after kozo, the mulberry fiber used in Mino washi paper, this 35-2 Yawatacho restaurant builds courses around local, seasonal ingredients.
  • Hours run 11:30-13:30 and 18:00-21:00, both last-order times, with a regular closure on Mondays.
  • It can adjust a course for dietary needs with advance notice. For open-air seating over the water instead, check the kawadoko riverside dining guide.
• Furaibo Shingifuten
  • Nagazumicho's Furaibo is known for teba-saki, its original fried chicken wings, plus sashimi and skewers.
  • It pours beer, local sake, and shochu, and its counter seating works well for solo diners.
  • Hours run Tuesday-Saturday 17:00-23:00 and Sunday 17:00-22:30, but it's closed Mondays, including public-holiday Mondays.
• Izakaya Kei ~ Fireflies~
  • Izakaya Kei pairs small plates with a rotating list of local sake, a good stop for anyone building a Gifu sake tasting into the evening.
  • The setting leans toward a quieter, more atmospheric take on the standard izakaya format.
  • As with many arcade spots, hours and holidays shift, so confirm the current schedule before heading over.
• Gifu Private Room Izakaya Irodori (Gifu Ekimae Store)
  • Near Gifu Station, Irodori serves yakitori, sashimi, and seafood, with a flat budget around ¥3,000 per person.
  • Dinner runs 17:00-24:00 with a last order of 23:00, and private rooms suit groups wanting to talk without arcade noise.
  • Regular holidays are irregular, so check ahead if visiting on a weekday.
• Hako-ya Gifu
  • At 2F, Yoshimoto Building, 3-13 Nagasumi-cho, this izakaya offers private rooms with kotatsu seating, suited to family meals and small banquets.
  • It's open late, 17:00-24:00, and closes only on December 31 and January 1.
  • The contemporary dining room is a step up from a standard counter izakaya without moving into kaiseki-level cost.
• French Restaurant Castle
  • On the 12th floor of the Gifu Grand Hotel, this 80-seat dining room overlooks the Nagara River, Mt. Kinka, and Gifu Castle.
  • It serves French cuisine built from local ingredients, open 11:30-14:30 and 17:00-21:00.
  • It's a practical choice for guests already booked near the river; see the Where To Stay In Gifu Travel Guide guide for other options nearby.
• Chinese Restaurant Kasen
  • Also inside the Gifu Grand Hotel, on the 1st floor lobby level, this 40-seat room serves dishes drawn from China's major regional cuisines.
  • Hours match the hotel's French restaurant, 11:30-14:30 and 17:00-21:00.
  • It suits a formal group dinner without needing a reservation days in advance, though confirming same-day is still smart.
• BAROSSA Cocktailier
  • PORT-A's 2nd floor cocktail bar in Kinpocho runs its own in-house distillery.
  • Its hours are unusual: Saturday 14:00-23:00, and Sunday and holidays 14:00-22:00.
  • It's closed Monday through Friday for distillery operations, so plan a weekend stop specifically for it.

Costs, Reservations, and Gifu's Monday Closures

Prices vary by format more than by neighborhood. A sit-down lunch set typically costs less than a dinner course at the same restaurant, based on rates each restaurant publishes on its own listing. The table below shows four examples from restaurants near Gifu Station and Yanagase.

• Furaibo Shingifuten
  • Closed every Monday, including public-holiday Mondays.
• Kouzo
  • Closed every Monday.
• BAROSSA Cocktailier
  • Closed Monday through Friday; open only Saturday, Sunday, and holidays.

Mistakes to Avoid in Yanagase Gifu

A few planning gaps show up again and again for first-time visitors to the arcade.

• Assuming every arcade shop stays open late
  • Some Yanagase storefronts, including tea specialists like Hayashiyatyaho at 9:00-18:00, close well before dinner service starts elsewhere.
  • Check hours for each specific stop rather than assuming arcade-wide late opening.
• Skipping a reservation for Hida beef on weekends
  • Bakuro Ichidai Gifu Kanda's dinner seating, open until 22:00 last order, fills fast on Friday and Saturday nights.
  • Book earlier in the week if a weekend visit is the plan.
• Missing the last transit back from Kawaramachi
  • Kawaramachi sits away from the main station cluster, and transit schedules change seasonally.
  • Confirm the last bus or plan a taxi back before a long dinner at a reservation-only spot like Takada Hassho.
• Showing up on the wrong day
  • Furaibo and Kouzo both close on Mondays, and BAROSSA Cocktailier only opens Saturday, Sunday, and holidays.
  • Cross-check the day of the week against each restaurant's regular holiday before building the night's route.

Building a Route Around Gifu's Sights

A full day pairs sightseeing with the food route instead of treating them as separate trips. Spend the afternoon at Gifu Castle and Mt. Kinka, then walk down toward the river before dinner. The Gifu Great Buddha Shoho-ji Travel Guide at Shohoji Temple sits close enough to fold into the same afternoon. Round out sightseeing with the wider 9 Best Things to Do in Gifu (2026) guide before picking a district for the evening meal. Travelers with extra time can look at Day Trips From Gifu Travel Guide for the following day, then return to Yanagase or Kawaramachi for a second dinner with a different focus.

Hida Beef Steak or Yakiniku: Choosing the Right Experience

Hida Beef Saryo Kangetsu STEAK offers a more formal alternative to the yakiniku and shabu-shabu served at Bakuro Ichidai Gifu Kanda. Its steak-focused format suits diners who want individual cuts presented as the center of a composed meal.

Bakuro Ichidai purchases whole cattle, allowing its kitchen to serve a wider range of cuts. Guests can grill yakiniku at the table or cook thin slices in shabu-shabu broth. The Kanda-cho restaurant also serves lunch until 15:00, making it easier to sample Hida beef during a daytime visit.

• Choose Kangetsu for a quieter steakhouse meal and more formal service.
• Choose Bakuro Ichidai for table grilling, shabu-shabu, or a broader comparison of cuts.
• Book ahead for weekend dinner at either restaurant, especially when traveling with a group.

Hida beef is known for fine marbling, so richer cuts are best balanced with rice, vegetables, or a lighter starter. Ask staff about the available cut and preparation method before ordering, since selections can change with supply.