Akashi City, Hyogo Prefecture’s Specialty, Akashi-Yaki – Long-Standing Store “Izumiya”
Akashi City of Hyogo Prefecture is famous for its octopus! The bodies of octopus from Akashi City are firm due to living in harsh tidal currents, and they’re known for their delicious flavor as a result of feeding on crabs.
Akashi City’s local specialty, Akashi-yaki, was the inspiration for takoyaki; Akashi-yaki is made by putting octopus into a mixture of egg, flour, and dashi, then cooking it into a spherical shape. Akashi-yaki is softer than takoyaki, and it is eaten with dashi rather than with sauce.
This time around, I visited Izumiya, a long-standing restaurant beloved by locals, to eat Akashi-yaki.
Founded in 1951, Izumiya is an Akashi-yaki restaurant that frequently gets exposure on TV and in other media.
Because it is located in a residential area, Izumiya is easy to accidentally pass by.
There was Akashi-yaki cooking off to the side as I walked in. Such a lovely smell!
A plentiful menu!
In Akashi City, Akashi-yaki is referred to as just “tamagoyaki.”
They serve two types, regular and special, and both come in 20-piece portions per person. The special version uses twice as many of Hyogo Prefecture’s prized eggs as the regular.
I wasn’t quite sure which to order between the regular and special versions, but in the end I went with the regular “tamagoyaki.”
In addition to tamagoyaki, the menu also features items like ramen, udon, and donburi. They’re all nice and cheap, too.
Apparently Chinese noodles are also popular with the locals. I wanted to order some, but they were out this time.... (; ;)
I ordered my second choice instead....
When you first sit down, they give you a cup of tea on the house.
Tamagoyaki
Enter the dashi, an indispensable part of “tamagoyaki”! The flavor of the bonito is really prominent. Usually tamagoyaki is served with cold dashi, but you can ask for it to be warmed up if you want.
The contrast between the red wooden plate and the tamagoyaki was very pretty.
I let them soak up plenty of the dashi before eating!
The texture is very fluffy. The flavor is light and refreshing, and the refined taste of the dashi spreads through your mouth.
It’s on the small side, but inside is Akashi-local octopus. The real thing definitely is delicious!
Nabe-yaki Curry Udon
Hot curry udon in an earthenware pot! The soup in this uses the secret recipe for dashi used for the “tamagoyaki,” creating a masterful blend of bonito flavor and spicy curry! I just want to sip at it forever.
I waited a bit too long to eat the soft-boiled eggs, and they firmed up a bit....
There was plenty of stewed beef in the soup, so soft it could melt in your mouth! So delicious!
Oyakodon
Plenty of dashi is used in the oyakodon as well.
The harmony between the chicken and egg is outstanding!
The delicate sweetness in the seasoning is delicious!
Summary
The other menu offerings aside from Akashi-yaki are delicious too, and I’m sure this restaurant will continue to be loved for years to come! The only disappointing thing was that they were out of Chinese noodles!
By the way, Akashi Station is 20 minutes by train from Kobe Station and 40 minutes from Osaka Station. Try exploring a bit further than usual and enjoy some authentic Akashi-yaki!
Basic information on Izumiya
- Address
- 2-15-15 Hayashi, Akashi City, Hyogo
- Access
- 10 minutes on foot from the south exit of Hayashisaki-Matsuekaigan Station
- Tel
- 078-922-8176
- Hours
- 10:00-19:00
- Closed
- Tuesdays, first Mondays.
Author
Birth place: Osaka prefecture
Takoyakikun
Restaurant reviewer dedicated to visiting all highly talked about restaurants in the Osaka City area and passing that information on to our readers!