Yōshoku

What is “Yōshoku” ?

It is a Western dish that has evolved uniquely in Japan and is basically eaten with rice.

Its roots go back to the Meiji period. Japan would actively accept Western culture, people started to have Western food including meat eating which had never existed before.

Western cuisine gradually transformed into its unique dishes called Yōshoku mixed with Western and Japanese food culture.

Roots of Yōshoku in Kobe

After the opening of its port in 1868, Western cuisine began to be served at hotels for foreigners in Kobe.Among them, the Western cuisine at the former Oriental Hotel, which opened in 1870, was famous and highly acclaimed not only in Japan but also abroad.

Gradually, more and more restaurants were opened by hotel chefs and cooks from foreign ships, and Western cuisine adapted to Japanese tastes spread throughout Kobe.

Kobe still has many long-established Western-style restaurants that have been in business for generations, many of which are famous for their old-fashioned flavors.

Why not enjoy a trip to Kobe in search of delicious Western food?

Recommended Yōshoku Restaurants in Kobe

GRILL IPPEI

A pioneer of Yōshoku restaurants in Kobe, it was established in 1952.
Famous for its omelette rice, the omelette is rolled so thin that the inside can be seen through, using about half an egg.
They have three branches in Kobe. It is popular not only with tourists but also with locals, and there is always a line of customers.

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GRILL JUJIYA

Located about a 7-minute walk from Sannomiya Station,established in 1933.
The handmade demi-glace sauce, which takes three days to prepare, has been passed down from generation to generation without changing the recipe since the restaurant’s opening.
The sauce is full of flavor and goes perfectly with the crispy, savory beef cutlet.

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ITO GRILL

Located a short walk from the Nankinmachi Chinatown Square, the restaurant opened in 1923.
The first owner originally worked as a cook on a ship in Europe. He opened the restaurant with three tables.
The restaurant’s popular menu item is beef stew. The tender meat is tossed with a rich but not too heavy sauce, and the deliciousness of the stew will make you smile.

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Kobe Yōshoku Food Guide Map (Japanese)