Hello there! It’s Yutomino, your SaruKuma writer!

Today, I’m excited to introduce you to
“Shusai Irori,”
an izakaya located in Hikari-no-Mori, Kikuyo Town, Kikuchi District, Kumamoto Prefecture.

The restaurant sits right along the main road, so the signboard is easy to spot!

This was actually only my second izakaya visit since giving birth, so I was really looking forward to it!

When you have small children, opportunities to visit a Japanese izakaya tend to drop off, but this place has private rooms available,
which makes the izakaya experience much more accessible for families ☆

Here’s the entrance — once inside, you’ll take off your shoes before stepping up onto the tatami area, in true Japanese style ♪

We were seated in this cozy private room for 4 people ♪

There was also a private room for 6 people.

And here’s a peek at the counter seating ♪

There are also plenty of regular tatami seating areas in addition to the private rooms!

Recommended Menu

Since this is an izakaya, we ordered quite a lot — bear with me as I walk you through it all (^^)

First up, we toasted with a Draft Beer (540 yen) and

a Yogurt Ginger cocktail (510 yen). Kanpai! ☆

Fresh sashimi platter (otsukuri) ☆

A stylish, cocktail-style Tako-wasa (octopus with wasabi) ☆

For the kids, a Salmon Onigiri rice ball (420 yen)

Tororo Agedashi Tofu (deep-fried tofu with grated yam, 550 yen)

Dashimaki Tamago (rolled Japanese omelet, 650 yen)

Karaage (Japanese-style fried chicken, 680 yen)

Veggie-Packed Jumbo Gyoza (390 yen)

Spicy Sausage Spring Rolls (480 yen)

We mixed in a few kid-friendly dishes along with the adult fare and ordered all sorts of things, but —

last but not least, here’s the standout dish
that was the absolute highlight of our meal ♪

Beef Tongue Demi-Glace Stew with Baguette (800 yen)

I ordered this on a whim, thinking how unusual it was to find on an izakaya menu.

One bite, and the beef tongue melted in my mouth like butter,
perfectly paired with the rich, savory demi-glace sauce.
It was absolutely incredible!!!

One more thing about Irori — when we were ordering,
the staff kindly asked, “Which items will the children be eating?”
When I replied, “The omelet and the dashimaki tamago, and…”
they said, “In that case, we’ll prepare those first for you ♪”
and brought them out to us right away ( ;∀;)!

What a thoughtful, warm-hearted restaurant (*´ω｀)

Follow our Instagram for daily updates!
SaruKuma shares info on lunch spots, parks, indoor play areas, and more — geared toward families raising kids in Kumamoto.
We’d love your follow! (*´∀｀*)

Frequently Asked Questions

※Information is current as of the time of reporting. Prices and hours may change. Please confirm before visiting.