Welcome to Gajumaru

Hello there!
It’s Maru, your Sarukuma writer 🙂🙃

Today I’m taking you to Honmachi, Uto City, Kumamoto, where you’ll find
“Gajumaru” — a cozy little spot worth seeking out.

It’s a takoyaki shop that’s open from lunch right through to evening, but the colorful banners outside hint at much more — yakitori, beef hormone yakiudon, motsunabe hot pot, and other tempting dishes 😋

And word on the street is the takoyaki here is seriously delicious. Count me in! (^^)

Heads up: the parking lot beside the building isn’t for the restaurant.
Instead, look across the street for the spaces marked with the Gajumaru name.

Inside there are two tables for dine-in customers.
With retro Showa-era posters on the walls, the space feels clean, nostalgic, and wonderfully relaxed ✨

I spotted what looked like a lucky Daikoku-sama statue — I had to fight the urge to rub his belly for good fortune and just snapped a photo instead ✨

Come to think of it, my own dad has a pretty similar belly going on at home (^^)

Gajumaru’s Must-Try Menu

Here’s the takeout menu.

And the dine-in menu!

Look at all the takoyaki varieties 😍 Nori-wasabi, basil cheese — yes please!

And original creations like beef butter spaghetti? Now I’m intrigued (^O^)

The yakitori menu is the real deal too!

Plus a full lineup of alcohol and soft drinks.

This time I dined in to enjoy everything piping hot. Kids are warmly welcomed too!
The owner’s top recommendation: the salt takoyaki 🐙🔥

And honestly, it doesn’t even look like ordinary takoyaki — it has a chic, almost gourmet presentation!

Whoa, that’s HUGE!

I literally said it out loud — these are jumbo-sized 😆

Oh wow, this is so good 😍😍😍

I almost forgot there was no takoyaki sauce on top — the salt seasoning is so flavorful, it’s perfect just as it is \(^o^)/
The inside? Molten, gooey, and steaming hot ✨

If salt takoyaki had been the original style, I’m convinced it would have become the standard. It’s that good ✨

And next up, another fan favorite — the hormone yakiudon!

The springy, chewy beef offal (motsu) is the star of the show.
Served sizzling on a hot iron plate — there’s nothing like that first bite straight off the grill 💞

It’s perfect as a post-drinking late-night bite, but equally great for lunch or a casual snack to tide you over!

Maybe next time I’ll bring my own “Daikoku-sama” — aka my dad — to meet his stone twin 😆

Thank you for the wonderful meal! Highly recommended — go check it out for yourself ✨

Frequently Asked Questions

※Information was accurate at the time of reporting. Prices and hours may change. Please confirm before visiting.