A5 Wagyu in Ichinoseki City (Iwate Prefecture)
That evening, we followed the coordinates to a yakiniku restaurant. When we arrived at the building, it looked so ordinary that we thought we might be in the wrong place. The front of the building was a ramen shop with its doors tightly shut, even though the internet said it was open.
We got out of the car and stood there confused for a while until we saw a middle-aged woman inside the building. We approached her and asked, "Where can we park if we want to eat yakiniku?" using a translation app.
She read the message and tried to explain, but it was clear we didn’t understand. In the end, she led us to the parking area near the train station.
When we walked back into the building, we realized the yakiniku restaurant was inside, not the ramen shop at the front. Inside, it was a small restaurant with only a few tables, seating fewer than 20 people. Our group of six fit perfectly into two tables.
We opened the menu and started with something simple—Arakasu. The moment the first piece hit the charcoal grill, everyone looked at each other and said, "Yeah... this is it." After that, we started ordering more seriously.
Of course, we couldn’t miss the most impressive item on the first page of the menu: Chef’s Selection. Every piece grilled to perfection—tender, with just the right amount of fat and a subtle charcoal aroma. No need for dipping sauces or anything complicated. Just a sprinkle of salt was enough to bring out the flavor.
We didn’t know which pieces were A5 or what would come next, but every piece was carefully chosen. It made us forget that just moments ago, we were hesitant about trying it.
Maybe... that’s what they call "Wagyu."
Isshin Restaurant (一新) in Ichinoseki City, Iwate Prefecture, Japan, is located near Ichinoseki Station’s West Exit, on the first floor of the "マルチョウビル" building at 2-34, Kamiotsukikoji, Ichinoseki.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/zsrrXDKdonuHDSfA8?g_st=ic