Kaikan Restaurant Hitakatsu Review: Authentic Japanese Home Cooking
Discover Kaikan Shokudo, a hidden gem in Hitakatsu, Tsushima, serving authentic and affordable Japanese home-style cooking. Just a 5-minute walk from the port!
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Discover Kaikan Shokudo, a hidden gem in Hitakatsu, Tsushima, serving authentic and affordable Japanese home-style cooking. Just a 5-minute walk from the port!
Recommended Restaurants in Tsushima's Hitakatsu,
Kaikan Shokudo for Authentic Japanese Home Cooking
Text/Photos ©Hibubu
Hitakatsu in Tsushima is a small town, so you won't find an overwhelming number of restaurants.
However, I discovered quite a few delicious spots, more than I expected!
Today, I'll introduce you to **Kaikan Shokudo**, a Japanese home-style restaurant that captured the most authentic local vibe among all the places I visited.
Kaikan Shokudo Kaikanshokudō |
Operating Hours: Mon, Wed-Sun 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM Closed: Every Tuesday |
📍 Kaikan Shokudo is conveniently located about a 5-minute walk from Hitakatsu Port.
It's super easy to find thanks to its excellent accessibility.
Many other great eateries are clustered around this area, so I recommend taking a stroll to explore the neighborhood too!
The restaurant is tucked away in a small alley.
Perhaps because many Koreans visit, I was pleasantly surprised to see the restaurant's name written in Korean.
It was also great to be able to check the menu outside the restaurant beforehand.
Plus, they offer a diverse range of dishes, and the prices seemed a bit more affordable than other places.
Kaikan Shokudo seemed to be quietly run by a family.
While I had seen some reviews mentioning unfriendliness, I didn't experience that at all.
Instead, I felt a comforting sense of ease, almost like visiting a beloved grandparent's house in the countryside.
The interior, though a bit old, exuded a charming atmosphere, and with seating for about 10 people, the restaurant itself wasn't very large.
📌 Menu
Fried Chicken / Fried Shrimp Set Meal 1150 yen
Pork Cutlet / Bulgogi Set Meal 1300 yen
Omurice, Pork Cutlet Curry 900 yen
Chicken Rice, Fried Rice, Curry Rice 800 yen
Champon, Sara Udon, Yakisoba, Yaki Udon 800 yen
Nabe Udon (Hot Pot Udon), Meat Udon 700 yen
Pork Cutlet / Beef / Bulgogi Donburi (Rice Bowl) 900 yen
Chuka Donburi (Chinese-style Rice Bowl) 850 yen
Egg Donburi 750 yen
The menu includes set meals, noodles, rice dishes, and donburi (rice bowls), with additional à la carte options available.
With such a variety, it's a great restaurant to visit even with kids.
In fact, at the table next to us, a family with children was enjoying their meal!
On the table, cutlery, water, soy sauce,
shichimi, and other condiments were already provided.
They didn't just give us regular mineral water;
they offered cold tea, which was an even nicer touch.
We ordered the Nabe Udon (700 yen) and
Donkatsu Donburi (900 yen).
Even combining both dishes, it only came to 1600 yen, or about ~$10,
which felt incredibly affordable!
Luckily, we were the first customers,
so our food came out in about 10 minutes.
After we arrived, more customers kept coming in.
Our first dish was the Donkatsu Donburi.
It's a dish featuring a tonkatsu topping over rice,
generously covered with egg.
It also came with a sweet sauce and onions,
and I was pleasantly surprised by the generous portion of rice, making it a truly satisfying meal.
I ordered it without much expectation,
but they actually pound the pork themselves
and fry it fresh right after you order.
Perhaps that's why it was incredibly tender,
and there was absolutely no hint of pork odor.
Plus, the sweetness of the sauce and onions
made the tonkatsu and rice even more delicious.
If you're someone who normally loves tonkatsu donburi,
this is a flavor that I think everyone will enjoy!
Next up was the Nabe Udon.
It arrived in a ceramic pot,
and if you love chewy udon noodles,
I highly recommend ordering this without hesitation.
Thanks to the light yet clean broth and the springy noodles,
it was a warm and incredibly satisfying meal.
What's more, the toppings were incredibly diverse!
With chicken, oden (fish cakes), fried tofu pockets (yubu), and egg,
it was one of those dishes that made me think,
'All this for this price?!'
If I ever travel to Hitakatsu, Tsushima Island
again, this is definitely a restaurant I'd love to revisit!
Considering the prices on Tsushima Island, it offers great value for money,
and perhaps because it's run by a father and son,
you can really taste the sincerity and care in their cooking.
Especially seeing that the tonkatsu is fried fresh
right after you order,
it made me think that all their other dishes must be equally delicious.
Kaihan Restaurant closes early,
so I hope you'll make a point to visit for breakfast
or a casual lunch sometime!
Kaikan Restaurant operates from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM on Mondays and from Wednesdays to Sundays. Tuesdays are regularly closed.
Kaikan Restaurant is located approximately 5 minutes away from Hitakatsu Port. The interior of the restaurant can accommodate around 10 guests.
Nabe Udon at Kaikan Restaurant costs ~$4, and Tonkatsu Donburi costs ~$6. The total for these two menu items is ~$10.
Kaikan Restaurant's Tonkatsu Donburi is made by freshly pounding and frying pork. It features a harmonious blend of sweet sauce and onions, offering a tender and satisfying meal without any gamey odor from the meat.
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