Dewa Ya (出羽屋) Nishikawa

I finally visited Dewa Ya, a place I had wanted to try for a long time.Homemade wild grape juice◎The balance of acidity and sweetness is just right.Appetizers:Maitake mushroom with nut sauce, mizuna, hatakeshimeji, simmered fuki, yamabushitake.The flavors are primarily of mushrooms.Five varieties:Simmered akebi, juunaki salad, dried katakuri, tobitake, and fern.Overall, the bitterness is quite strong.I don’t appreciate the bitterness, so it just tasted bitter to me.Small bowl◎Kogomi with sesame, and chrysanthemum with black fungus in vinegar and walnuts.I like kogomi.Sweetfish spring rolls☆Incredibly delicious!Grilled eel:It was overcooked and burnt, giving it a bitter taste.Walnut tofu:The flavor is good, but it was lukewarm—not hot or cold...Junsai◎You can’t go wrong with this!Sweetfish soup:This was also lukewarm...The white miso is delicious, though...Iwana sashimi◎Delicious.Grilled sweetfish◎This was also tasty.Chilled chawanmushi◯Mushroom hot pot☆Enjoying various summer mushrooms.It’s refreshing and very delicious.Seasonal tempura:The chrysanthemum tempura is beautiful,but it absorbed too much oil and was hard to eat...Tobitake rice and miso soup☆I was happy to have plenty of miso soup.The tobitake rice was also my first time trying it, and it was delicious.Dessert◎They actively incorporate bitterness into their dishes.Honestly, if you’re not a fan of bitterness, you might not appreciate it, but for those who do, it must be appealing. Less

It takes about 1.5 to 2 hours by car from Sendai.The Chef's Table is available for lunch and dinner, accommodating one group of up to 8 guests at a time. It is not open every day, as time is also reserved for events and for the chef to gather ingredients from the mountains.The Chef's Table was launched with the suggestion of the knowledgeable proprietress, featuring a chef who is the fourth generation of a long-established inn, sharing the essence of Yamagata's countryside cuisine.The wine pairings selected by the proprietress are also very popular.The chef personally gathers ingredients from Mount Gassan, which is nearly 2000 meters high.Occasionally, he also takes chefs and regular customers to Mount Gassan.The dishes at Dewa Ya are coordinated by the chef's brother.* As for the meal, the ingredients were simply fascinating.I felt a strong desire to keep coming back to this restaurant (even though it's hard to get a reservation).I even bought the chef's book on wild vegetable cuisine. Less

I stayed at the Dewa Ya inn and enjoyed their cuisine. This restaurant is famous for its wild vegetable dishes, and I had always wanted to visit, so I was thrilled to finally make it there.Since it was my first time, I started with the dinner menu for guests rather than the chef's table, and I was truly impressed. I was curious about what the menu would be like in summer when wild vegetables are less abundant, but I was delighted to find that they offered a wonderful selection of wild vegetables right from the start.Homemade wild grape juice 1. Appetizers Maitake mushroom with miso, snow bamboo, yamabushitake mushroom, water plant, tamogi mushroom, Uruoi flowers, wild celery with walnut miso 2. Five-layer dish Koshiabura Mixed with junana 3. Anemone Simmered katakuri Dohina - Seasonal dish Junsai Everything up to this point was wild vegetables. I tried Dohina for the first time, and it had a delightful bitterness that was very tasty. For drinks, I was drawn to the basil tea and decided to give it a try. It had a fragrant aroma similar to lemongrass tea.- Tofu dish Walnut tofu 1. Grilled dish Salt-grilled sweetfish 2. Cold dish Chilled grilled eggplant chawanmushi with silver sauce and young ginger 3. Hot pot Summer mushroom hot pot 4. Fried dish Seasonal tempura 5. Main course Bamboo shoot rice rolls, miso soup, pickles 6. Dessert Kuromoji yokan This was one of the most delicious meals I’ve had in recent years. I particularly love tamogi mushrooms, so I was very satisfied to enjoy them in the hot pot. Next time, I will make a reservation for the chef's table and come back again. It was a great meal. Less

I absolutely love wild vegetables. They allow me to feel the seasons, and above all, they make perfect snacks to accompany drinks. I frequently visit Yamagata, but finally, I have made it to Dewa Ya...It's not easy to get here from Tokyo; I either have to splurge on a taxi or find a designated driver. This time, a friend—who feels more like family—picked me up at Akayu Station and we headed to Dewa Ya.The restaurant has a charming atmosphere... I definitely want to stay here next time. As we entered through the spacious entrance, we saw customers enjoying soba in the adjacent area. We took off our shoes and walked quietly down the hallway. Then, we were led to a cozy private room. We could see the garden, and it was incredibly quiet. Ah, what a luxurious flow of time this is.The first dish that arrived was an assorted platter of wild vegetables. I could easily finish a four-go bottle of sake with just this. This single dish made the journey worthwhile. Of course, I ordered Japanese sake and repeatedly apologized to my companion for being the designated driver, gratefully enjoying the wild vegetables alongside the sake. Dishes kept coming out, and when it was time for the hot pot, the head chef came to prepare it for us. I wanted to add rice to the rich broth, but since the final dish was wild vegetable rice, I reluctantly gave up that idea. But how many wild vegetables can one meal contain?When I asked the head chef, "In today's world, with bears being a concern, gathering wild vegetables must be tough, right?" she replied that local people collect them for her. That makes sense... wild vegetables have become a precious food source compared to the past."I don't want to leave; I want to lie down on this tatami mat," I thought, holding back my emotions as I reluctantly walked down the hallway. Next to the reception, there was a small area selling souvenirs, and I happened to find a hand towel with the same pattern (myoga) that I own. I had a delightful moment of excitement with a young woman who seemed to be the young proprietress and other staff members. I bought it at a design festival in Tokyo, but to encounter the same artist's work in Yamagata was a pleasant surprise.As I was leaving the restaurant, a young chef came out from the back to see us off. I'm sure the person at the reception was the young proprietress, and this chef must be her husband and heir. In short, this restaurant will be in good hands for a while. I’m glad to have confirmed that...Next time, I want to try the chef's table. No matter the challenges, I will definitely visit this restaurant again. Less

In the remote region of Yamagata, this renowned Japanese restaurant far exceeds a Tabelog rating of 4. It is also one of the 13 establishments awarded the Chefs Gold in this year's Tabelog Awards, meaning it was chosen by chefs recognized for their culinary excellence. Additionally, it serves as a long-established inn that has welcomed practitioners who go into the mountains for training. Because of this, I decided to stay overnight with dinner and breakfast included. The three-story building is spacious, with numerous rooms, including banquet halls that are not in use, making it easy to get lost. The staff consists of around 20 employees. For dinner, we enjoyed a special course at a chef's table reserved just for us. In a comfortable room, it was only my spouse and I. The large, clean counter was in a beautifully remodeled room. As we gazed at the garden illuminated by the lights, the head chef and the proprietress attended to us personally. It was quite moving, especially since there were other guests staying for dinner that night. However, I heard that soon they will be accommodating several groups at the chef's table simultaneously. The dishes served were refined and elegant Japanese cuisine. Each dish presented was so delicious that it made me sit up straight. The joy of enjoying local mountain vegetables was delightful, but the tempura had an incredibly light batter, rivaling that of the most sought-after tempura restaurants. The bear shabu-shabu was seasoned solely with the bear meat itself, without any kombu or bonito, yet it had no gamey or oily taste. The broth was light and full of umami, deeply nourishing and comforting. While the bear hot pot at Hira Sanso is exceptional, this one was at the pinnacle of quality among bear hot pots served at famous Japanese restaurants! We also had eel, served as both white grilled eel and eel rice bowl. The rice in the eel bowl was mixed with sauce and garnished with shiso, making it very elegant. When paired with the grilled eel, it was pure bliss! The head chef is also knowledgeable about Japanese wine, offering a perfect selection of sparkling, white, and red wines by the glass. After dinner, I returned to my room in a dreamy state. The inn's most splendid room is a renovated storehouse located at the far end of the property, featuring a 15-tatami mat room plus a 6-tatami mat room, complete with a bathroom. Describing it this way makes it sound incredibly luxurious. However, it is originally an old inn where practitioners used to stay. You can see signs of aging everywhere, with the sink in the washroom often clogged. The air conditioning was difficult to adjust, and without blackout curtains, the shoji screens let in too much light in the morning. Naturally, instead of a bed, there were futons. Lying on the futon in the vast room, staring at the ceiling, I was reminded of the large dormitory rooms from school trips. The chef's table room was stylish and divine, and the meal was the best of the best. Now, looking at the large dormitory room, I couldn't help but feel the stark contrast. ...It made me a little sad and brought tears to my eyes. Of course, breakfast was quite ordinary, as it is an inn for practitioners. The cost for this day was JPY 26,000 for the chef's table dinner plus drinks, totaling JPY 30,200. Additionally, the accommodation with breakfast was JPY 22,000. This long-established inn, which has been in business for 95 years, also has a soba restaurant on-site and is managed by the fourth generation, carrying the weight of many employees. On the other hand, it attracts food enthusiasts from across the country and hosts one group of guests at the chef's table, showcasing the talent of its chefs. I can only imagine how demanding their daily work must be. As for my own evaluation, since I experienced both dining and lodging, I cannot simply switch my mindset to just the meal. This time, I will not assign a score. My assessment always considers both dining and lodging together. However, I cannot give a low rating to such high-quality dishes. If I had to say, for dinner alone, I would rate it 4.8. The lodging, however, is completely out of the question for scoring. I wonder if it would be better to separate the management of dining and lodging. I believe that would allow for a greater focus on culinary excellence. At the very least, perhaps they could renovate a special room with beds exclusively for chef's table guests, significantly increasing the accommodation fee. I believe guests coming from all over the country would appreciate that. Running an inn and restaurant while carrying the weight of local history is quite challenging, and this two-day, one-night experience made me realize that. Less

Today for lunch, I visited this restaurant, which is a recipient of the Tabelog Award 2026 Silver.I was invited to the chef's table, a place everyone wants to go, for my first visit. A big thank you to the regulars!**Drinks:** Japanese sake Etsu Kaijin (Kagawa Prefecture, Maruo Honten Co., Ltd.)**Dishes:** Spring rolls with bamboo shoots (Nemagaridake) Fried udo Blanched wild vegetables: Warabi, Nirinso, Mizu, Junana, Junsai, Yukizasa, Shiode, Yamabuki, Gomaae of kogomi, etc.Walnut tofu Sashimi: Masu (trout) Yamame (landlocked salmon) with yam udo on the side.**Drinks:** Japanese sake Kudoki Jouzu (Yamagata Prefecture, Kamenoi Shuzou Co., Ltd.)Tempura of bamboo shoots Tempura of yukizasa Grilled bamboo shoots over charcoal with miso. Mixed egg yolk and miso for a milder flavor.Iwanna pressed sushi with vinegared rice mixed with Koshia-bura.Frozen mochi with a crispy texture. Shiso maki Miso and walnut filling wrapped in thin omelet.Tsukinowaguma hot pot Bear hamburger with wild vegetables and shiode.Bamboo shoot rice Rice from Yamagata Prefecture, Sasanishiki Pickles Miso soup **Dessert:** Watermelon daifuku made with freshly pounded mochi.Every dish was wonderfully delicious, and the hospitality was top-notch! Total: JPY 32,400 It was a great meal! Less

【Access】Take the express bus from Yamagata Station to Kawanisi IC, which takes about 35 minutes. A shuttle service will be provided from there.【Atmosphere】This is a charming ryokan located at the foot of Mount Gassan, surrounded by mountains. The restrooms are clean.【Cuisine】Enjoy seasonal dishes made with wild vegetables harvested from Mount Gassan (as per the menu).- Appetizers: Two-wheeled vehicle, burdock with walnut miso, snow bamboo grass, kogomi with sesame dressing, water plant, boiled butterbur, shio de, dohoina, and kanzou.- Small Soup: Gassan bamboo shoots and peeled buckwheat.- Seasonal Small Bowl: Walnut tofu.- Seasonal Dish: Grilled trout with wild vegetable miso.- Hot Pot: Wild vegetable hot pot.- Seasonal Dish: Grilled Gassan bamboo shoots—when peeled, beautiful shoots are revealed. They are in season.- Fried Dish: Seasonal tempura.- Rice: I chose seasonal rice (Gassan bamboo shoots) (cold soba is also available).- Dessert: Kuromoji yokan—made with kuromoji blended into the yokan.【Drinks】Draft Beer: AsahiChilled Sake: Miyazaki (Goketsu / Junmai Daiginjo)—delicious.【Comment】Recently, there is a risk of encountering bears. I was surprised by the variety of wild vegetables and the diverse ways to enjoy them. The Gassan bamboo shoots, in particular, were in season and had a delightful texture.It seems you can enjoy the cuisine here even without staying overnight.I thought that if the lighting were changed from white to a warmer tone, the food would look even more appetizing and the atmosphere would be enhanced. Less

The mountain vegetable soba served in a charming building comes in a hot pot, allowing you to serve it into your own bowl. There’s a generous amount of mountain vegetables, and the flavor is light, making it delicious and easy to finish. ✨✨I arrived at 11:40 AM on a weekday, just ten minutes after opening at 11:30 AM, and the place was already full.What I ordered:- Mountain Vegetable Soba Set: JPY 2000- Tempura Soba Set: JPY 2000The tempura, made with seasonal mountain vegetables and maitake mushrooms, was crispy and delicious.The mountain vegetable soba set also includes seasonal rice, which was bamboo shoot rice this time. The thinly sliced Yamagata bamboo shoots added a lovely aroma to the rice.The iron pot soup was filled with plenty of ingredients and a generous portion of soba, offering great value for the price. Everyone around me ordered the mountain vegetable soba, and I completely understand why after trying it.It was a great meal. ✨✨ Less

A Silver Award-winning gem of local cuisine on Tabelog!I visited "Dewa Ya" in Nishikawa Town, Yamagata Prefecture for the first time. This time, I came for lunch at their soba restaurant without a reservation.Dewa Ya is renowned for its wild vegetable dishes and has a rich history as an inn for pilgrims visiting the sacred Dewa Sanzan mountains. Located at the foot of Mt. Gassan, one of the Dewa Sanzan and a part of Japan's top 100 mountains, the restaurant focuses on natural ingredients sourced from the area, utilizing preservation techniques like drying and salting to showcase the bounty of the mountains in their dishes.I arrived around 11:45 AM on a Sunday and was the 10th group in line. About six groups were seated during the first round, and I was guided to my table around 12:25 PM for the second round.On this day, I ordered the Gassan Wild Vegetable Soba Set in a large size. The large pot was filled with plenty of wild vegetables and mushrooms. The photo shows one serving, but it was quite substantial. The flavor was rich and aromatic, spreading gently across the palate, and while it was intense, it wasn't overly salty, making it easy to enjoy. The large portion of soba was indeed very generous. I was completely satisfied.The set also included seasonal rice, which was bamboo shoot rice that day. It was so delicious that I highly recommend getting the set.The three additional small dishes included were walnut miso with udo, black sesame salad with aokogomi, and wild vegetable mizuna. Each offered a unique combination of bitterness, aroma, and texture, truly representing the local flavors. The sweetness of the walnuts and black sesame provided a nice contrast, making for a refreshing palate cleanser between bites of the hot pot. The special Dewa Ya wild grape juice was also wonderfully tangy and sweet.Next time, I hear they have game meat in winter, so I would love to either stay overnight or visit the chef's table.▷ Gassan Wild Vegetable Soba Set JPY 2,000 (Large size + JPY 200)▷ Seasonal Assorted Small Dishes (3 items) JPY 1,000 - Walnut Miso with Udo - Black Sesame Salad with Aokogomi - Wild Vegetable Mizuna▷ Dewa Ya Special Wild Grape Juice JPY 500———————————————————————Thank you for reading my review.If you're interested in this restaurant, please bookmark it by clicking the "Save this restaurant" button at the bottom of the screen!♪——————————————————————— Less

The Chef's Table at Dewa Ya in Yamagata has become a tradition in recent years. This time, I made a reservation to enjoy the seasonal wild vegetables. Once again, I was delighted by the wonderful dishes featuring mountain delicacies.【Visit Date】★ June XX, 2026, 12:00-14:30 【Reservation】★ Yes 【Number of Guests】★ 4 【Order Type】★ Omakase 【Dishes / Drinks】★ Spring Rolls with Wild Udo and Fried Nemagari Bamboo Shoots ★ Assorted Platter of 10 Types of Wild Vegetables ★ Walnut Tofu ★ Grilled Trout with Yamame and Wild Udo ★ Tempura of Nemagari Bamboo Shoots ★ Tempura of Yukizasa Leaves ★ Grilled Nemagari Bamboo Shoots with Miso ★ Wild Vegetable Sushi with Iwana and Koshia-bura ★ Shiso Wrapped with Shimi Mochi, Walnuts, Miso, Bamboo Shoots, and Wild Vegetables ★ Bear Hot Pot ★ Bear and Boar Meat Hamburg Steak with Salt ★ Bamboo Rice ★ Watermelon Daifuku (Drinks) ★ Various 【Total Bill】★ Approximately JPY 30,000 per person (Card Payment) Less

Located in Nishikawa Town, Yamagata, Dewa Ya is a renowned traditional inn that has been serving mountain vegetable cuisine for 98 years, nurtured by the rich nature of Mount Gassan. The restaurant is situated in a nature-filled area of Nishikawa Town, accessible by bus from JR Sagae Station, taking about 1 hour and 30 minutes from Yamagata Station. Despite the distance, it is known as a must-visit spot for food enthusiasts from all over the country seeking its exquisite flavors.On this day, I made a reservation for 1 person at 1:00 PM on a Saturday. The interior features a spacious layout with 120 seats, creating a calm Japanese atmosphere. It offers a relaxing ambiance, allowing guests to escape the hustle and bustle of the city and enjoy a peaceful moment.The menu includes soba, which does not require a reservation, as well as course meals that require reservations and the exclusive chef's table, which is difficult to book.I reserved the "Ofurimai Ryori Okondate (JPY 15,000, tax included)." Even with just one person, I was guided to a fully private room for the course.The course lineup is as follows:*Served in order*◾️ Homemade Wild Grape Juice ◾️ Appetizers - Fried Fuki Buds - Aiko - Mizuna - Dohina - Yama Urui ◾️ Seasonal Small Bowl - Junsai - Udo with Walnut Miso - Kogomi with Sesame ◾️ Small Bowl - Hayawasi - Warabi - Iwana Sashimi ◾️ Five Layers - Narukoyuri - Nirinso - Koshia Bura - Simmered Fuki - Amadokoro ◾️ Small Clear Soup - Gassan Bamboo Shoots - Shelled Soba ◾️ Tofu Dish - Mountain Vegetable Tofu ◾️ Grilled Dish - Sakura Masu Grilled with Mountain Vegetable Miso ◾️ Hot Pot - Mountain Vegetable Hot Pot with Chicken Thigh and Soba ◾️ Seasonal Dish - Grilled Gassan Bamboo Shoots ◾️ Fried Dish - Seasonal Tempura (Iwana with Shiso, Gassan Bamboo Shoots, Udo) ◾️ Rice Dish - Bamboo Shoot Sushi Rolls - Miso Soup - Pickles ◾️ Sweets - Kuromoji Yokan - Strawberry The first dish, "Wild Grape Juice," has a subtly sweet and sour flavor that sets the tone for the meal, enhancing the anticipation for the upcoming courses.The appetizers and small bowls showcase the unique characteristics of each mountain vegetable. The variety of bitterness, aroma, and texture allowed me to truly savor the essence of the mountain's bounty.The "Iwana Sashimi" offers a clean taste without any strong flavors. It is light yet flavorful, pairing excellently with the mountain vegetables.The "Mountain Vegetable Hot Pot" is filled with an abundance of mountain vegetables like warabi and Gassan bamboo shoots. The rich broth infused with the aroma of the vegetables was incredibly comforting and delicious.The "Grilled Gassan Bamboo Shoots" is a luxurious dish featuring three whole bamboo shoots. Grilling enhances their sweetness, allowing me to enjoy the natural flavors directly. The accompanying miso pairs perfectly with it.The final dish, "Bamboo Shoot Sushi Rolls," leaves a lasting impression with its fragrant bamboo shoot and gentle seasoning. I was able to enjoy the seasonal flavors until the very end.Dewa Ya is a distinguished restaurant where you can fully appreciate the depth of mountain vegetable cuisine. If you're looking for a special dining experience in Yamagata, this place is definitely worth a visit. Less

The purpose of my trip to Yamagata was to enjoy wild vegetable cuisine here. I made a reservation for an 8,800 JPY course and visited on a weekday at noon. While waiting at the soba shop, I took off my shoes at the entrance and was guided to a private room with a view of the garden.I ordered a Gassan Beer for 900 JPY and a Wild Grape Soda for 1,000 JPY. I expected the Gassan Beer (Pilsner) to be a small bottle, but to my surprise, it was a medium-sized bottle. How generous!Wild vegetables kept coming out in abundance, and I experienced the unique feeling of being "full from wild vegetables" for the first time. I am truly grateful for the bountiful gifts of the mountains, filled with the vitality of "the long-awaited spring." It was a great meal.Appetizers: Shidoke, Udo with Walnut Miso, Yambuki, Kogomi with Sesame, Mizu, Nirinso, Aiko, Tarano-me with Dressing, Yama Uruoi Small Soup: Gassan Bamboo Shoots with Soba Seasonal Small Bowl: Wild Vegetable Tofu Seasonal Dish: Grilled Trout with Wild Vegetable Miso Hot Pot: Wild Vegetable Hot Pot with Yamagata Jidori Chicken Seasonal Dish: Grilled Gassan Bamboo Shoots Fried Dish: Seasonal Tempura Rice: Seasonal Rice Dessert: Kuromoji Yokan Less

I had the pleasure of enjoying wonderful seasonal vegetables with an amazing group of people. Breakfast was delicious as well.- Kudzu starch with wild celery, bracken, and koshiabura- Assorted ohitashi (blanched vegetables) Including shidoke, nirinso, yam urui, jiuna, mizu, ukogi, fuki no toubu, amadokoro, gyoja garlic, dohoina, and kogomi- Shidoke leaves with tofu, sesame miso, and walnuts- Grilled and raw trout with wild celery- Tempura Including koshiabura, kogomi, and tara no me (cod sprouts)- Pressed sushi with iwana (Japanese char)- Shimi mochi, bamboo shoots, kogomi, harigiri, red pepper, and camellia- Pulling udon with licorice oil- Shabu-shabu with wild celery and spring bear- Bear hamburger with gyoja garlic- Rice and miso soup- Strawberry daifuku Less

I was taken here by my in-laws. Since it was during Golden Week, it was extremely crowded, and we waited for 2 hours. There’s no calling system, so we just had to wait in front of the restaurant until our turn. If I had known it would be a 2-hour wait from the start, I would have gone to Lake Yamagata or a roadside station instead. However, the wait was worth it because the wild vegetable soba was delicious! The hot pot filled with wild vegetables was impressive and surprising. I enjoyed dipping the soba in it. It was truly delicious! The tempura was crispy as well. I also enjoyed the sobakaki (soba dumplings). I was completely full! Next time, I’ll aim for a day when it’s a bit less crowded. Less

Deawaya, Yamagata, Mushroom season, Early November 2025. Awesome.
出羽屋さん、キノコの季節。11月。非常に美味しいです。

鱒茸　香茸
ムキタケ　ハタケシメジ　ブナハリタケ　アオロウジ
ヌキウチ　ホンシメジ　ショウゲンジ　平茸
キブノリ
天然舞茸　おひたし
子持ち鮎　サンショウ
アケビ　キノコ味噌
栗茸　牛蒡　猪
シロショウロウ　たまご粥
キノコ汁　茶碗蒸し　熊
熊カツ
とびたけご飯
百合根　ヌキウチ
キノコチーズケーキ　舞茸　香茸 Less