Cuisine
The Origin of Irori Cuisine in Yunishigawa Onsen – Charcoal-grilled Irori Dishes and Kaiseki Cuisine
The source of Yunishigawa Onsen, said to have been discovered over 820 years ago, lies beneath Honke Bankyu’s open-air bath, “Fuji Kura no Yu.”
For generations, our family has carefully preserved this spring, welcoming travelers seeking healing and tranquility.
Renowned as a hot spring of fertility and beauty, its pure, gentle waters invite you to relax and rejuvenate both body and spirit.
Honke Bankyu Specialty – Sashimi of Nikko Fresh Yuba
“Yuba,” known as tofu skin, is famous in two regions of Japan — Kyoto’s “Yuba” (湯葉) and Nikko’s “Yuba” (湯波).
Nikko Yuba is especially distinctive for its delicate flavor and smooth texture,
crafted using the pure spring waters that flow from the Nikko mountain range.
Selected Premium Japanese Beef
Example Dish – Premium Japanese Beef
Available with the upgraded meal plan
(for guests staying in rooms with private indoor baths or higher categories).
Traditional Irori Charcoal Grill
Both the traditional irori charcoal-grilled dishes, featuring fresh delicacies from the mountains,
and the seasonal kaiseki cuisine crafted with local ingredients are included in every plan.
Gather around the glowing hearth, savor the flavors of the mountains and rivers,
and enjoy blissful moments sharing bamboo sake or nigori sake with your loved ones.
Honke Bankyu Specialty – Issho-bēra
“Issho-bēra” is a unique local delicacy created by the 24th proprietress of Honke Bankyu.
It is a flavorful blend of aromatic mountain sanshō (Japanese pepper), wild bird meat, and miso,
so rich in taste that it is said “one bite makes you drink a whole shō (1.8 liters) of sake.”
The name “Issho-bēra” was inspired by this expression.
(Trademark Registration No. 5669373)
To serve it freshly grilled, the charcoal irori-style dining began here at Honke Bankyu—
the first in the Yunishigawa Onsen area.
Restaurant
Cross the Kazurabashi Vine Bridge to reach the dining area.
The Kazurabashi vine bridge spans the Yunishigawa River within our grounds, connecting the main building to the dinner venue. As you cross the bridge at dusk, it feels as though you've stepped back in time. The evening banquet begins at the "Heike Kakurekan" (The Hidden Heike Retreat).
This symbolic bridge, first ceremonially crossed during the “Genpei Reconciliation Ceremony” after 800 years of history, stands as a symbol of peace and friendship. It is said that those who cross together will enjoy lasting happiness.
Irori Dining in the Gosho-no-Ma Room
The ancestors of the Heike clan, after fleeing the capital, were able to survive deep in the mountains of Yunishigawa thanks to their harmony with both nature and the local people. This inn is built in their spirit — a raised-floor structure made from assembled mountain logs, faithfully recreating their way of life.
Surrounded by the soft glow of lanterns, dining around the irori hearth with your loved ones brings a sense of peace and warmth. Each irori table is spaced apart to ensure your privacy.
Please note:
We are unable to accommodate same-day changes to your seating or group size in the irori dining area.
A sake shelf made of Oya stone, featuring a curated selection of premium sake.
You can choose from a selection of carefully chosen sake, personally curated by our inn and displayed on the sake shelf.
Private Irori Dining Room (Example)
The private irori dining rooms are primarily reserved for small groups, guests staying in rooms with open-air baths, those on private room plans, long-term stay guests, and families with small children.
Sharing a meal around the irori hearth, softly lit by lantern light, offers a heartwarming experience that brings people closer together.
Course
Breakfast
Creative Japanese-style Breakfast Set
Flavor is an encounter.
Land, people, ingredients, and techniques — each meeting is like a journey.
In Tochigi Prefecture, we are blessed with an abundance of fresh ingredients,
and among them, we carefully select the gifts of the mountains to incorporate into our dishes.
With a wish for good fortune in every ingredient,
we strive each day to bring out the natural flavors of the season
and to present the blessings of nature in the most delightful way possible.
Cherishing each moment as a once-in-a-lifetime encounter,
we sincerely look forward to meeting every guest through our cuisine.
— From the Head Chef
Heiryūtei, the riverside breakfast venue, and Kaikotei.
Kōzen Jūmi Tōgarashi – Kouzen Ten-Flavor Chili Pepper Blend
Our signature creation, the original secret blend "Kouzen Ten-Spice Chili Pepper," is also used as a hidden flavor in our dinner dishes. Enjoy the bold aroma of wild mountain sansho pepper and the harmonious blend of natural ingredients.