Takayama / Hida Furukawa / Kanazawa 2017

We had one of our best meals of our trip in this tiny izakaya in Hida Furukawa called Makkun, run only by the chef, his wife and his mother-in-law. We were told by our Airbnb host that this was his favourite izakaya but they didn't speak an ounce of English. But since we had a friend who took Japanese lessons before we decided to take the plunge. They weren't kidding about the no English at all but man the food was sooooo good and reasonably priced. We had the okonomiyaki, tamagoyaki, pork belly with ginger, tofu steak and maguro gyoza and fried sweet potato.

That fried sweet potato was mindblowing - it was coated and fried like a potato chip and seriously soooo good. The tofu steak, a local specialty, was also insanely good with a savoury sauce topping the soft tofu. Even the simple dish like the tamagoyaki was perfect. And the chef's wife, who was the hostess, was so friendly and earnest despite the language barrier and play-acted for us her toy retractable knife. Such a great experience in this small town (compared to the more touristy Takayama) - we really felt almost like locals!

Literally the prettiest kaisen don I have ever eaten. There are many stalls in Omicho Market serving fresh fish and sushi but we came here on a recommendation from a friend - and this was the only stall we saw with a queue outside. Fanned out beautifully, the cuts of fish were fresh and thick. Even the octopus, which I'm not usually a fan of, was excellent. The rarely-seen kazunoko (herring roe) was also crunchy and delicious. All around yum. All that fish, including uni, crab, and scallops and GOLD FLAKES (which Kanazawa is very known for) for less than S$40!

The only shop in Takayama Old Town to have a snaking queue is this shop selling Hida beef sushi. From left to right: lightly seared and topped with charcoal salt, lightly seared and topped with soy glaze and ginger and spring onion, and gunkan style topped with a raw quail egg. Each piece had its own distinct taste, and the condiments each complemented the delicate yet rich Hida Beef. The beef was sooooo tender and barely required chewing. Seriously good value (900 yen for this Set C). The sushi is handed to you on a rice cracker plate that is 100% edible and also very yummy. Limited seating in the shop next door, you have to order, grab and go. All part of the charm.