Hakusuien, Shirakawa-go lunch

354 Ogimachi, Shirakawa, Ono District, Gifu 501-5627, Japan

Hakusuien came highly recommended by my husband’s friend, so naturally I went in with fairly high expectations. Located in the heart of Shirakawa-go, it’s a convenient and popular lunch spot, especially for tourists and tour groups. But after trying it myself… I’d say it was more “okay” than memorable.

The restaurant has a nice traditional setup, with tatami-style seating and a classic countryside feel. It does give you that “I’m eating in Shirakawa-go” experience, which is part of the charm.

Food Experience

The Highlight: Hida Beef on Magnolia Leaf 飛騨牛朴葉味噌

We each ordered the Hida beef cooked on a magnolia leaf with miso teishoku, which is one of their signature dishes.

The beef itself was tender and flavourful
The miso added a nice smoky, savoury taste

That said, it didn’t quite live up to expectations. Also, I accidentally left the beef on the leaf for too long and it ended up getting burnt, so do keep an eye on it if you order this!

The serving is huge as each set come with both rice and noodle (soba/udon)

Other Dishes We Tried

We also ordered a few ala carte items:

Grilled Japanese pork
Cold tofu

These were decent, but again, nothing particularly impressive. Just simple, standard dishes that didn’t stand out.

Menu Options

The menu is quite limited:

About 6 teishoku (set meals) to choose from
Or you can go à la carte

It’s enough variety for a quick lunch.

Overall Thoughts

Honestly, I can see why Hakusuien is popular:

Convenient location
Easy introduction to local dishes like Hida beef
Quick, fuss-free meal

But for me, it didn’t quite justify the hype.

Final Verdict

Nice to try, but not a must-visit

If it’s your first time in Shirakawa-go, it’s still a decent place to experience local flavours. But if you’re expecting something truly standout or worth going out of your way for, this might feel a little underwhelming.

Comments

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