Akaneya is another restaurant offering an awesome lunch that is far too easy to drive past. It is on the road between Yuzawa and Muikamachi and its unassuming front offers no clue to how good it actually is. Head inside to find a corridor with lots of small rooms branching off it. The decor is a mix of dark and light woods as well as white washed walls; relaxing, and easy on the eye. The tables are huge slabs of timber and polished to a shine.
The lunch menu is short with only six or seven dishes. Do not be fooled though, as there is more than meets the eye. Your choice of main arrives with a bowl of rice and a bowl of noodles. It is all delivered on what looks like a very thick tray or wooden chopping board, but your server tells you to lift off the top. When you do, you find that the base is actually a box filled with lots of delicious side dishes to accompany your meal - pickles, vegetables. an onsen egg and some fruit to name but a few.
A great surprise and a delicious lunch.
