Foodies Asia (en)For "foodies" who are particular about food.

 

“Hitsujya” in Murayama City, Yamagata, the excellence of their natural wine selection slowly permeates the atmosphere of their Genghis Khan lamb dish made with 100% locally-raised lamb.

We enjoyed this delicacy, which is rare in Japan, with its fresh and transparent texture.

Ave. Budget: Lunch 5,000-7,000 JPY, Dinner 10,000^15,000 JPY

Check the information on ‘Tabelog’

 

 

This is a completely different level of jingisukan compared to the typical one.

I think it was about 2-3 years ago when a winery in Tohoku posted on Instagram, which caught my attention. However, there wasn’t much information on other sites, so I just bookmarked it and hoped to try it someday.

When I was moving from Yonezawa to Sendai, I thought I would go there even if it was a detour. But when I searched again, I found that it had become a popular restaurant.

It has received high ratings on review sites, which may be why even on weekdays at lunchtime, the seats were already full.

The place is located in Murayama City, Yamagata.

From National Route 13 that runs along the Yamagata Shinkansen, drive north for about 10 minutes until the area becomes residential-free, and the restaurant is located on top of a small hill.

The sheep used at ‘Hitsujiya’ are 100% self-raised, and it is said that the log house of the restaurant is also self-built.

 

The wines served are natural

Another characteristic of this restaurant is its emphasis on natural wine.

Looking at the empty bottles displayed around the fireplace, you can see that they offer bottles from wineries known for their honest production, mainly focusing on natural wines from Italy, France, and Japan.

 

 

On the day of the visit, it was a weekday, so I ordered the “Jingisukan Lunch Set” for 3,630 yen, which is only available on weekdays.

First, homemade iburigakko (smoked pickled daikon) and Nara-zuke (pickled vegetables from Nara) were served.

Then, the main dish arrived.

According to the restaurant, they only butcher one sheep per week (which is about 150 servings), and if they run out, they will close temporarily, which shows their dedication to quality.

The set comes with two “sheep merguez sausages.”

The daikon leaves for the smoked daikon pickles come with the set during this season. While the recommended cooking method is steaming, the staff noticed my surprise and set it up for me.

You can enjoy the lamb from rare to medium rare and it’s delicious.

The lack of any gamey taste in the lamb meat used for the jingisukan, which is 100% self-raised, was a surprising contrast to the other lamb meat I have had before. Finally,

I ordered a homemade cheesecake and hand-drip coffee for dessert.

As I indulged in the aftertaste of the dessert and looked back, I couldn’t help but think that the lamb at “Hitsujaya” was not just on a different level but in a different dimension altogether. Similar to how the low-temperature fried tonkatsu at “Narikura” in Minami-Asagaya, Tokyo or “Katsuretsu MATSUMURA” in Nagoya have become nothing short of high-level meat dishes, the lamb at “Hitsujaya” also feels like an entirely different dish from traditional Jingisukan.

Although it has been said that even those who don’t like lamb can enjoy it, as someone who loves lamb and mutton with a little bit of gaminess, either way is fine for me. So, you don’t have to go out of your way to eat Jingisukan. Rather, I would like lamb lovers to try it. After all, Jingisukan is truly one-of-a-kind.

 

 

Menu

【Main】
“Hitsujiya Genghis Khan course” 4,840 yen
*4 to 5 items
“Full course of sheep and sheep” 11,000 yen
*7-8 items. Reservation required 7 days in advance from 2 people

[a la carte] “Genghis Khan for 1 person (about 150g of meat and grilled vegetables)” 3,630 yen
“Seasonal salad” 1,320 yen
“Raw ham prosciutto crudo” 2,750 yen
“French fries” 1,320 yen
“Sheep’s Melgate sausage” 1,650 yen
“Sheep bio cheese platter (2 servings)” 2,200 yen
“Panezza’s Italian wood-fired oven bread” 770 yen
“Homemade smoked cheese” 660 yen
“Rice” 220 yen
“Miso soup” 220 yen
“Handmade cheesecake” 495 yen
“COZAB GELATO (chocolate, sorbet)” 660 yen

 

*Menus and prices are for reference only. Please note that this may change depending on the season and availability of ingredients. wine is natural

 

How to Reserve

By appointment only. The amount of sheep available is limited and there are temporary closures, so be sure to call to confirm.

 

Map &Access

About 15 minutes by car from JR Ou Main Line “Murayama Station”.