Can I Enjoy Rare Wagyu Before Catching the Bus to Takayama?
gotowpA message came in through Instagram a while back that I still think about. A traveler from Australia was planning a trip that included Nagoya, Takayama, and Shirakawa-go. She had one full day in Nagoya before catching the Hida limited express the following morning — and she asked, almost apologetically: "I've heard about your wagyu gyudon and I really want to try it, but I'm worried I won't have enough time. Is it realistic to come for lunch before heading to Takayama?"
My honest answer? Not only is it realistic — for so many of our guests, that exact combination has become the highlight of their entire Japan trip.
Let me walk you through what that experience actually looks like, from arrival to the moment you leave with a full heart and a story worth telling.
This article is for you if:
- ✅ You're traveling from Nagoya to Takayama, Shirakawa-go, or Gifu and want to make the most of your time in the city
- ✅ You're a wagyu enthusiast curious about rare Japanese beef beyond the well-known brands
- ✅ You've never heard of Horai Wagyu and want to understand what makes it special
- ✅ You're wondering whether a specialty lunch restaurant in Osu fits into a tight itinerary
- ✅ You want a memorable meal experience that doubles as a genuine Nagoya discovery
Before: The Classic Nagoya Layover Dilemma
Here's a scenario many travelers know well. You're spending one or two days in Nagoya — maybe en route to Takayama or Shirakawa-go, maybe adding it to a Tokyo-Kyoto itinerary. You've heard Nagoya has its own food culture, but between Nagoya Castle, Osu Kannon, and making sure you're at the bus or train station on time, the last thing you want is a lunch experience that eats into your afternoon.
The worry is understandable. You've probably had the experience of a "special" restaurant that turned out to involve long waits, confusing menus, or a bill that arrived 45 minutes after you finished eating. When you have a bus to catch, that kind of uncertainty is stressful.
And then there's the question of the wagyu itself. Is rare-style beef actually safe? You've eaten wagyu before — maybe in Kyoto, maybe in Tokyo — but "rare wagyu gyudon" sounds unfamiliar enough to give you pause. Understandably so.
So you end up at a conveyor belt sushi place near the station. It's fine. You catch your bus on time. But something nags at you: you were this close to Osu, and you didn't go.
What Itadaki Actually Looks Like in Practice
We open at 11:00 Tuesday, Monday, Saturday, and Sunday — and on public holidays, we open even earlier at 09:00. Lunch service runs until 15:00, with last order at 14:30. We're a 4-minute walk from Yabacho Station Exit 4 on the Meijo Subway Line.
From Nagoya Station, that's roughly 10 minutes by subway: Higashiyama Line to Sakae, transfer to the Meijo Line, off at Yabacho. So even if you're staying near Nagoya Station, you can be seated at Itadaki before 11:30 with ease.
Once you're here, the experience moves at your pace — but it's genuinely efficient. The menu is printed in English (also available in Simplified Chinese and Korean), with photos, prices, and a step-by-step visual guide called "How to Enjoy Rare Gyudon." You don't need to ask a single question if you'd prefer not to. Point, order, enjoy.
The dish arrives beautifully plated, and the five-step eating guide makes the experience feel like a deliberate culinary journey rather than a rushed lunch. Most guests are done within 45 to 60 minutes — which, from Yabacho Station, leaves you plenty of time to explore Osu Kannon Temple before heading to your departure point.
The Wagyu Itself — And the Safety Question, Answered
Let's address the concern directly, because it matters.
When we say "rare wagyu," we're not serving raw beef. Our signature two-stage cooking technique heats the beef to over 70°C at the core — fully meeting Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare food safety standards. What the technique preserves is the texture: tender, silky, with that distinctive mouthfeel you only get with high-grade wagyu. It's a technical achievement that took significant development to get right, and it's what makes the dish unlike anything else you'll find in Japan.
The beef itself is something worth understanding before you arrive. We use two wagyu from Aichi Prefecture: Mikawa Beef, which is available every day, and Horai Wagyu — limited to just 10 bowls daily.
Horai Wagyu comes from the Okumikawa region of Aichi. Across all of Japan, there are only 3 farms raising it, with just 300 heads produced annually. For context: Japan raises approximately 500,000 wagyu cattle each year. That ratio tells you something about how rare this beef genuinely is. The cattle are fed on sake lees from Horaisen Sora — a premium local sake — which contributes to a flavor profile that's unlike standard marbled wagyu. It's not just richness. There's a depth and lightness at the same time that's difficult to describe before you've tasted it.
✓ ここまでのポイント
- Itadaki is a 4-minute walk from Yabacho Station and about 10 minutes from Nagoya Station by subway — easily fitted into a pre-Takayama itinerary
- The rare-style preparation is cooked to over 70°C at the core, fully meeting Japanese food safety standards — safe and uniquely delicious
- Horai Wagyu is limited to 10 bowls per day; advance reservation via Tabelog is recommended to secure it
After: What Guests Tell Us When They Come Back
The Australian traveler I mentioned at the beginning? She came. She ordered the Shinkoccho — our standard Horai Wagyu Rare Gyudon, 100g of beef over Aichi no Kaori rice — and she sent a message afterward from Takayama that evening.
"That bowl was the best thing I ate in Japan. I keep thinking about it."
That's not an unusual response. What changes for guests isn't just the taste memory — it's the realization that Nagoya offered something genuinely irreplaceable, and they almost skipped it.
"Perfect lunch during our Nagoya stay before our Shirakawa-go trip the following day."
— Guest review via Tabelog
"I've had Kobe beef and Matsusaka beef, but Horai Wagyu at Itadaki was on another level."
— Guest review
For many guests traveling the Nagoya–Takayama route, lunch at Itadaki has become part of the itinerary itself — not a detour, but a destination. The Osu district is vibrant and walkable, Osu Kannon Temple is five minutes from our door, and the Hisaya-odori Garden Flarie is a three-minute walk from Yabacho Station if you want a peaceful stroll before heading out.
One Practical Note on Reservations
If Horai Wagyu is the reason you're coming — and for many visitors, it is — please reserve in advance via Tabelog Online. In the notes field, add "Horai Wagyu request" (鳳来牛希望) and we'll hold your bowl. Reservations can be made in English on the Tabelog website.
If you're a walk-in guest, Mikawa Beef Rare Gyudon is always available — equally crafted with the same two-stage technique, and an exquisite dish in its own right. Arriving right at 11:00 opening also gives you the best chance of securing Horai Wagyu without a reservation.
We operate lunch only — no dinner service — on Saturdays, Sundays, Mondays, and Tuesdays. On public holidays, we open from 09:00. We occasionally have irregular closures, so please check our monthly calendar before finalizing your plans.
Making It Part of Your Nagoya Story
Nagoya is often described as a transit city — somewhere you pass through on the way to somewhere else. I've always found that framing a little unfair. This city is the birthplace of three of Japan's greatest historical figures. It has one of the country's most distinctive food cultures. And in Osu, it has a neighborhood unlike anything else in Central Japan.
A lunch at Itadaki fits into a Nagoya itinerary not as a detour, but as a natural anchor — a moment that grounds the rest of your day in genuine local experience. The Horai Wagyu comes from farms 90 minutes from where you're sitting. The rice is grown in Aichi. The miso soup is made with Hatcho miso from Okazaki. Every element of the bowl is a small chapter in the story of this prefecture.
When you're on the bus to Takayama watching the mountains come into view, you'll be carrying that story with you.
For our complete menu, access details, and store information, visit our official page at https://itadaki8.com/english/
We'd love to be part of your Nagoya day. To guarantee your Horai Wagyu bowl before the bus departs, you're warmly welcome to reserve your seat in advance — we'll be ready for you.
Reserve Your Rare Wagyu Experience
And to check which days we're open during your travel dates, our monthly business calendar is updated regularly:
Check Our Monthly Schedule on Instagram
