There are two things about this place that stand out immediately before you enter
Location—It is located within sight of Saijo Station, just to the north of it. It is also just a few blocks east of Saijo's bar street and shopping arcade. Being so very near to the station, it is also a short walk from Saijo's museums, library, city office, spring water wells, and most everything else people visit Saijo for.
The Building—It is one door down from the entrance to the Aoki Hotel, and in fact, is joined inside to the hotel by a hallway. Usually, a hotel restaurant leads you to believe that the food will be sub-par or overpriced; but that is where this restaurant will surprise you. The food is better quality than most non-hotel restaurants in the price range, and the price is very reasonable. Especially if you are staying at the actual hotel, because you will receive about a 15 percent discount on all meals.
The next thing you will notice is, as you enter, how comfortable and home-y this particular hotel restaurant in fact is. It truly has a life of its own apart from Aoki. The shelves are filled with pottery, miniature traditional farm houses or zashiki rooms, little figures of tanuki or tengu, several Saijo-local accoutrements such as a danjiri or images of Ishizuchi mountain, and other personal touches. There are two tables at the entrance, and several Japanese-style booths further back. On the far side from the tables, you can see various containers full of pickling vegetables, especially plums (umeboshi).
The service is quick, to the point, and always comes with hot tea served to you in a pot with very beautiful cups.
In the morning they serve a massive breakfast. At lunch they serve a daily lunch set, where the meat portion can be chosen from a selection of eleven choices including three kinds of chicken, ginger pork, shrimp, fish (a variety of grilled or fried choices), and katsu. At night, it serves standard Izakaya fare with an ample drink selection that favors Japanese varieties.
