Izakaya Hopping in Ashiya City! 11 Recommended Places for Great Food and Drinks

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They offer a full lineup of à la carte dishes made with seasonal ingredients, with such an appealing menu that you likely could not try everything in just one visit.

A nice touch is that the small otoshi (appetizer) bowls served at the start let you choose any two from several options. It seems they mainly feature simmered dishes.

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The oden, made with a dashi broth that reflects the restaurant’s roots as a former udon shop, is especially popular. They offer everything from standard items to seasonal ingredients.

Their carefully made dashi uses not only bonito flakes, but also a custom blend of seafood and Rishiri kombu kelp. They also stock white wines that pair well with the vegetable oden.

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Tanoshiya, about a 3-minute walk from Hanshin Ashiya Station, is a popular izakaya where you can enjoy tasty dishes that make the most of the ingredients, including its specialty shio oden (lightly salted Japanese stew).

Inside, the restaurant has a calm Japanese-style atmosphere, making it easy to visit for many occasions, whether with friends or family.

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The owner-chef, a certified sommelier and kikizakeshi (sake sommelier), has selected a wide range of drinks and dishes that pair perfectly with them.

The classic Japanese washoku (Japanese cuisine) dish, an ozukuri assortment (assorted sashimi), is one plate you will definitely want to order. In addition to standard soy sauce, they also offer a variety of dipping sauces, including salt, ume shoyu (plum soy sauce), and wasabi shoyu (wasabi soy sauce).

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The shio oden (salt-seasoned oden), made slowly over time, features a simple seasoning of dashi made with chicken bones, iriko (dried small sardines), kombu kelp, and other ingredients, with only salt added.

It is said to have a light, clean taste, yet still offers deep flavor. You can also enjoy unusual ingredients such as ebi shiitake (shrimp-stuffed shiitake mushroom) and foie gras.

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Tori Ito is an izakaya near JR Ashiya Station that is a great pick when you want to enjoy yakitori (grilled chicken skewers) and a wide selection of drinks. You can enjoy yakitori in a casual yet stylish setting.

The space stands out for its colorful paintings, and it has 20 counter seats, so you can relax and take your time. It also seems to have an atmosphere that makes it easy to drop in even on your own.

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A lineup of 23 kinds of yakitori (grilled chicken skewers) is one of the big draws here. Rather than sticking to a specific chicken brand, they use high-quality asa-biki dori (freshly butchered chicken) sourced On-the-Day.

They grill it in a way that brings out the full flavor unique to asa-biki dori, and it is well liked for being juicy and delicious.

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Among the yakitori (grilled chicken skewers), the especially recommended item is the "tebasaki (chicken wings)," served with a sweet soy sauce based tare sauce.

Along with the taste, the satisfying volume is another nice point. Besides the skewers, they also offer a full lineup of a la carte dishes made with fresh chicken and vegetables that pair well with drinks.

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Shusai Daichi is an izakaya where you can enjoy a wide variety of shusai (drinking dishes) along with Special Japanese sake and highballs. You can taste fresh seafood caught in Setouchi (the Seto Inland Sea).

The interior is said to have a pop and casual feel. The counter seats, lined with bottles of alcohol right in front of you, look easy to use even when dining alone.

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They bring in fish caught that very morning from more than 100 fishing ports across Japan on the same day, so on some days you may even come across premium fish or rare varieties.

One of the big draws is that you can enjoy the seafood in a wide range of preparations, including sashimi, grilled dishes, and simmered dishes. They also keep around 15 kinds of local sake on hand at all times, so you will want to enjoy them together.

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They also recommend the charcoal grilled dishes made with Awaji Wagyu and fresh seafood. Thanks to the far infrared effect of the charcoal, the Wagyu turns out moist and juicy.

The seafood seems to have its rich fat concentrated, letting you enjoy a flaky texture. Reviews said the maguro (tuna) kama (collar) served on this day was hearty and very satisfying.

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Ashiya Torikiyo, about a 2-minute walk from JR Ashiya Station, is a long-established chicken specialty izakaya (Japanese-style pub) founded in 1966. You can get there through the shopping arcade, so you do not have to worry about getting wet in the rain.

Inside, the clean white-based interior feels bright and spotless. There are counter and table seats, so it works well for everything from solo drinks to group gatherings.

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They offer a carefully selected lineup of chicken dishes made with Ashiya-dori (chicken from Ashiya), and some say that whatever you order is tasty and never misses.

The yakitori (grilled chicken skewers) is popular, made with fresh chicken that is hand-cut in the restaurant and carefully skewered. They also have a good selection of drinks that pair well with the chicken dishes, from standard options to limited-edition sake.

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In addition to yakitori (grilled chicken skewers), they offer a wide range of chicken dishes, and the most popular of all is "Ikeda no Kara-age."

The chicken is marinated in a special house-made dashi soy sauce, then fried until crisp on the outside and juicy inside, making it a great match for beer. It comes in 3-piece and 5-piece options.

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Located a 5-minute walk from JR Ashiya Station, Hanasaki is an izakaya where you can enjoy sumibi kushiyaki (charcoal-grilled skewers) made with premium jidori (local branded chicken), along with vegetable dishes that bring out the natural flavor of the ingredients.

The calm, hideaway-style interior is small and cozy, making it a great fit for anyone who likes a warm, homey atmosphere.

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You can enjoy yakitori made with Kumano Jidori (Kumano local chicken) from Kumano City in Mie Prefecture, paired with wine and seasonal premium sake.

The restaurant handles everything in house, from breaking down the chicken to grilling it, and they aim to serve each cut in a way that brings out its best flavor.

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You will also want to try the vegetable dishes, which bring out the natural flavors of the ingredients. They offer a lineup of seasonal vegetables chosen to match the time of year.

They also use ingredients such as young corn from Okinawa, sourced directly from farmers the owner knows. Since the seasoning is kept to a minimum, you can really enjoy the full appeal of the ingredients.

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Yakitori Genya has been serving customers for 21 years since it first opened in Ashiya, Hyogo Prefecture. It stands along a main street, a 5-minute walk from JR Ashiya Station, in an easy-to-find location.

The interior, lit by indirect lighting, is said to have a chic and stylish atmosphere like a bar. Solo diners also seem to be very welcome.

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They offer a yakitori menu with various cuts made from soft, high quality Awaji-san (from Awaji) freshly butchered chicken.

The yakitori is carefully skewered and quickly grilled over a powerful flame to bring out its natural flavor. Reviews also say each cut is cooked just right, making the drinks go down easy.

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If you want to share and enjoy chicken dishes together, the charcoal grilled menu items that are not served on skewers are a great choice. They also offer course meals where you can fully enjoy jidori (free-range chicken).

The “Satsuma Chiran Dori Honoo Sumibiyaki” is said to be an excellent dish where you can enjoy the rich flavor of Satsuma Chiran-dori and the aroma of charcoal.

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Futen is an izakaya run directly by the fresh chicken shop Ashiya Toriyoshi, located a 4-minute walk from JR Ashiya Station. You can enjoy rich, flavorful chicken dishes made with Special selected young hens.

Inside, the restaurant has counter seating where small groups can relax, as well as table seating that is perfect for family meals and Banquets.

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For the yakitori (grilled chicken skewers) served here, they use fresh morning-processed chicken from Awajishima (Awaji Island), purchasing whole birds. It seems they handle everything in-house, from breaking down the chicken to skewering it.

Compared with the rooster meat commonly on the market, the hen yakitori here has a more tender texture, and its juiciness is part of the appeal. They also have a wide selection of Japanese sake that pairs well with the yakitori.

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They offer several kinds of carefully crafted creative Hot Pot dishes, making this a great pick when you want to enjoy a good Hot Pot meal.

The "Futen Miso Tomato" Hot Pot is made with a whole fresh tomato. It is said to have rich umami, along with sweetness and a light tang. It also looks bright and colorful.

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Sumibiyakitri Setchu is a Japanese-style izakaya known as a place where you can enjoy drinks with authentic sumibiyaki (charcoal-grilled) yakitori, made with great care in both preparation and grilling.

The interior has a calm, hideaway feel with a modern Japanese design, and it offers counter seating and Sunken kotatsu seating.

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They offer a wide range of chicken dishes made with jidori (free-range chicken), and the charcoal grilled yakitori made with freshly butchered jidori seems to be especially popular.

The drink selection that pairs well with the Japanese food menu is also extensive, with everything from classic beer and highballs to various labels of Japanese sake, which is part of the appeal.

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Besides chicken dishes, you can also enjoy a full range of a la carte dishes that are easy to snack on with a drink in hand. If you want to have a lively time with everyone, the course menus with an All you can drink option are also recommended.

The menu features dishes that make the most of the ingredients' natural flavors, and people say that everything is good no matter what you order.

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Masaya Ashiya Higashi Ten is a restaurant about a 3-minute walk east from JR Ashiya Station, with a wide range of izakaya dishes centered on yakitori (grilled chicken skewers).

From the entrance, the nice aroma of charcoal grilling fills the air, and the lively atmosphere with glowing neon lights is part of its appeal. It seems to be used not only for drinks with friends or coworkers, but also often by families.

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As a specialist sumibiyaki yakitori (charcoal grilled chicken skewer) restaurant, it serves authentic yakitori grilled all at once over the intense heat of binchotan (high-grade white charcoal).

The fragrant grilled yakitori seems to pair perfectly with the "maboroshi no ninniku tare (legendary garlic sauce)." This sweet and savory sauce with a good kick of garlic is said to go great with drinks.

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They offer a good selection of small dishes, including meat dishes other than yakitori (grilled chicken skewers) and salads, that are just right for casual snacking.

The all-you-can-refill cabbage is also a nice touch. If you are not sure what to order, the course meals, available at a range of price points, are also a good choice.

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Sumishun Ashiya Ten is a Japanese izakaya that gets good reviews for its casual drop-in atmosphere. You can enjoy drink-friendly small plates such as fresh sashimi and yakitori (grilled chicken skewers).

It is a 3-minute walk from JR Ashiya Station, and the spacious interior is said to be perfect for Banquet gatherings. Some also say it is a small, homey restaurant.

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The sashimi menu, featuring an assortment of just-caught fish delivered straight from fishermen, is very popular.

They offer a lineup of seasonal fish that you can only enjoy at that time of year, and the freshness is said to be outstanding. In addition to sashimi, they also serve a wide range of seafood dishes such as tempura and simmered fish.

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They also offer a wide selection of yakitori (grilled chicken skewers), each one carefully prepared by hand and grilled over charcoal. The most popular item is the "Colon," which is said to be packed with collagen.

There are always more than 10 kinds of Japanese sake to choose from, making it perfect to enjoy with yakitori. The Japanese sake 3-kind tasting set is also recommended.