Kiwamiya - Takatori Branch Tenjin Area

Located along a quiet stretch of the Fujisaki shopping arcade, Kiwamiya's bright and boldly painted exterior is impossible to miss. So is the sweet scent of smoke from succulent barbecued beef billowing out of their chimney. Warning! Kiwamiya is so popular that reservations are strongly advised, and it tends to get noisy, but in a good way! Each table or seat along the counter has it's own real charcoal grill that gets so hot you'll definitely feel it. Above, high-powered fans suck the smoke away. The proprietor took his time, including even working on several ranches, before deciding on sources for Imari Beef, the nationally renowned brand from Saga. Normally Imari Beef is very expensive, but at Kiwamiya most items are under ¥1,000, including the Imari spareribs at ¥480, the rib loin at ¥610, and the beef tongue at ¥720. Beyond beef there's a bevy of other dishes including, chicken, fish, salads, soups, rice dishes and for those who really like their meat rare, beef sashimi! Foil-yaki, usually veggies rolled up in a sheet of tin foil are popular as is the Korean-styled bibimba rice bowl. Lots of fun, tasty and very reasonably priced - highly recommended!

Last updated August 2008