I first heard the name of this restaurant nearly 20 years ago.There was a place in Karatsu known for its amazing river fish dishes, and I heard that their "Ame-yaki" (candy-grilled fish) was exceptional.Since then, I had always wanted to visit, and I finally made it happen.This year marks its 188th anniversary. The founder, Genkichi Tanaka, started by dealing with water candy and river fish, which led to the nickname "Ame-ya no Gen-san," and eventually the name "Ame Gen."Throughout the seasons, you can enjoy various mountain and river delicacies such as wild vegetables, sweetfish, yamame (landlocked salmon), Mukuzukani (river crab), eel, carp, soft-shelled turtle, duck, boar, and whitebait.For this visit, I chose a course featuring sweetfish and the seasonal Mukuzukani as the main dishes, and I also ordered the grilled eel.It took about four and a half hours to drive from Miyazaki. Upon arrival, the exterior of the building exuded an extraordinary atmosphere.The room we were shown to was also magnificent. The weather was nice, so we opened the glass doors and enjoyed the gentle flow of the Tamashima River while feeling the refreshing autumn breeze. Just sitting in the tatami room and sipping tea was pure bliss.The dishes were served in beautiful pottery from the renowned Nakazato Taroemon kiln in Karatsu, enhancing the presentation and making the food taste even better.The highlight of my meal was the grilled sweetfish.Before tasting it, I thought they were simply grilling the fish with a secret sauce, but the depth of flavor was far beyond that, and it was incredibly delicious.Typically, sweetfish is grilled whole, including the innards, which I find difficult to eat. I prefer to enjoy just the flesh, but I managed to eat it despite my reservations. However, both the grilled and the candy-grilled versions were delightful.The additional order of grilled eel was also perfectly cooked, with a crispy skin and moist flesh, making it very enjoyable.With the wonderful decor, stunning views, and exquisite cuisine, my two-and-a-half-hour stay felt far too short. I believe this is a restaurant that everyone should visit at least once in their lifetime.I hope to return next spring during the whitebait season, and after exchanging greetings with the proprietress, I left the restaurant.Not wanting to head straight home, I decided to stop by Karatsu Castle. It had some impressive exhibits, and the view of Nijinomatsubara was breathtaking, allowing me to fully enjoy my time in Karatsu.