When You've Tried Kobe, Discover Aichi's Rare Horai Wagyu at Itadaki

Every seasoned Japan traveler has a wagyu story. Maybe it was a meticulously grilled Kobe beef steak in a hushed Ginza dining room, or a slice of Matsusaka served with the reverence of a jeweler presenting a rare gem. You remember the marbling, the melt, the moment.

And then you wonder: is there something else out there? Something equally extraordinary — but completely unknown to most visitors?

Masayuki Goto, founder of Itadaki in Osu, Nagoya, has been asking that question for years. Not just as a restaurant owner, but as someone who travels internationally specifically to seek out food and drink he has never encountered before. "Understanding how different cultures shape their culinary traditions is a lifelong passion," he says — and it's precisely that curiosity that led him to build Itadaki around one of Japan's most overlooked wagyu treasures: Horai Wagyu from Okumikawa, Aichi Prefecture.

If Kobe is your benchmark, Horai Wagyu is your next chapter.

Who This Is For

• ✅ Wagyu enthusiasts who have tried Kobe, Matsusaka, or Omi beef and want to discover Japan's next rare find
• ✅ Repeat visitors to Japan seeking authentic, off-the-beaten-path culinary experiences in Nagoya
• ✅ Travelers who feel anxious about dining at local Japanese restaurants due to language barriers
• ✅ Anyone curious about what makes Horai Wagyu so rare — and why it's only available in limited quantities each day
• ✅ Visitors to Osu, Sakae, or Nagoya Station looking for a memorable lunch destination with full English support

300 Out of 500,000: The Rarity Behind Horai Wagyu

Japan raises approximately 500,000 wagyu cattle every year. Horai Wagyu accounts for just 300 of them — raised across only 3 farms in the Okumikawa region of Aichi Prefecture.

What makes this cattle so rare isn't simply the numbers. It's the method. Horai Wagyu are raised on sake lees from Horaisen Sora, one of Aichi's most respected breweries. That distinctive feeding process shapes a beef with a flavor profile unlike anything in the mainstream wagyu world — a balance of fine marbling and genuine lean-meat depth that surprises even those who consider themselves wagyu connoisseurs.

Goto sources this beef directly from those farms — a relationship built on shared values of quality and care, not volume. It's part of the larger philosophy behind Itadaki: every ingredient on the bowl comes from Aichi Prefecture. The rice, the egg, the sauce, the pickles, the shiso leaves — all grown or produced within the same region. Not as a marketing concept, but as a genuine commitment to the farmers and the land that makes it all possible.

At Itadaki, Horai Wagyu is served as the centerpiece of Japan's only Rare Wagyu Gyudon — a culinary concept Goto invented from scratch, reimagining the humble beef bowl as a genuine fine dining experience. The beef is prepared using a proprietary two-stage cooking technique that delivers a rare, silky texture while fully meeting Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare food safety standards. It is, in every sense, a dish that exists nowhere else in the world.

And it's strictly limited to 10 bowls per day.

"I Was Nervous About Ordering — Until I Walked In"

Here's something Goto hears often, and takes seriously: many foreign visitors who are curious about Itadaki hesitate to make a reservation because they're not sure they'll be able to navigate the experience without Japanese.

It's a completely understandable concern. Rare wagyu gyudon isn't a concept most international travelers have encountered before. What does "rare-style" mean in this context? How do you eat it? Is it safe? What should you say when you walk in?

Goto spent time thinking carefully about this before Itadaki opened — drawing on his own experiences as a traveler who has walked into restaurants abroad without speaking the local language. The solution at Itadaki is practical and comprehensive: a fully printed multilingual menu available in English, Simplified Chinese, and Korean, with clear photographs, prices, and ingredient descriptions for every item.

But the detail that visitors consistently mention is the five-step visual guide included in the menu: How to Enjoy Rare Gyudon. It walks you through exactly what to do when the bowl arrives — how to separate the Nagoya Cochin egg (white into the miso soup, yolk atop the beef), when to mix, how to add condiments, and how to finish with wasabi for a refreshing final note. Nothing is left to guesswork. You can read it at your own pace, in your own language, before you take your first bite.

The result is an experience that visitors describe with a word that doesn't always come naturally in unfamiliar dining situations: comfortable.

"The staff were welcoming and made us feel at home even without perfect Japanese."

— Guest review

That warmth isn't accidental. It's built into the name of the restaurant itself. "Itadaki" comes from itadakimasu — the Japanese expression of gratitude spoken before every meal. It reflects a belief that every guest, regardless of where they come from or what language they speak, deserves to feel genuinely welcomed at the table.

✓ Key Takeaways

• Horai Wagyu is one of Japan's rarest wagyu breeds — just 300 heads raised annually across 3 farms in Aichi, fed on Horaisen Sora sake lees — and Itadaki is one of the very few places in Nagoya where you can experience it.
• Itadaki's multilingual printed menu (English, Simplified Chinese, Korean) includes a five-step visual guide for enjoying the dish — no Japanese required to order, understand, or fully appreciate the experience.

How to Actually Order — A Practical Walk-Through

If you've never used Japan's Tabelog reservation platform before, here's what you need to know. Reservations can be made in English through the Tabelog website, and securing a table in advance is strongly recommended — especially if you want Horai Wagyu, which is limited to 10 bowls per day and often sells out during peak lunch hours.

When completing your reservation, copy and paste the following phrase into the notes field to request Horai Wagyu specifically:

鳳来牛希望 (This means "I would like the Horai Wagyu.")

If you prefer to walk in without a reservation, Mikawa Beef Rare Gyudon is always available — prepared with the same two-stage cooking technique and drawing on Aichi's Mikawa region beef, raised on okara feed with careful gut management. Arriving right at the 11:00 opening gives you the best chance of enjoying Horai Wagyu without a prior booking.

The Horai Wagyu Rare Gyudon is available in three sizes:
— Shinkoccho (Standard): 100g beef, 200g rice — ¥2,700
— Cho-ten (Medium): 150g beef, 250g rice — ¥3,200
— Zettcho (Large): 200g beef, 300g rice — ¥3,600

All prices are tax included. There are no set menus — Itadaki operates entirely à la carte, so you're free to add side dishes, beverages, or toppings as you wish. If you have allergen concerns, the multilingual menu notes key ingredients, and staff will do their best to assist — translation apps are also easy to use in the restaurant.

Getting There: Osu in 10 Minutes from Nagoya Station

Itadaki is located on the 2nd floor at 4-1-20 Osu, Naka-ku, Nagoya — in the heart of the Osu district, one of Nagoya's most vibrant and walkable neighborhoods. Getting there from Nagoya Station takes about 10 minutes by subway: take the Higashiyama Line to Sakae, transfer to the Meijo Line, and exit at Yabacho Station, Exit 4. From there, it's a 4-minute walk.

At street level, look for the Japanese sign reading 元祖レア牛丼 頂 (Ganso Rea Gyudon Itadaki) — then take the stairs to the 2nd floor. The restaurant seats 18 guests across counter seats and sofa-style tables, making it comfortable for solo travelers, couples, and small groups alike.

Itadaki is open Tuesday, Monday, Saturday, and Sunday from 11:00 to 15:00, and on public holidays from 09:00 to 15:00. Last order is 30 minutes before closing, and the restaurant does not serve dinner. Irregular closures may apply — the monthly business calendar is posted on Instagram, so it's worth checking before you visit.

"I've had Kobe beef and Matsusaka beef, but Horai Wagyu at Itadaki was on another level."

— Guest review

A Recommendation from Goto — and an Invitation

Goto's personal philosophy as a traveler is simple: seek out the thing that only exists in that place, at that moment. It's what drives him to explore food scenes abroad, and it's what he built Itadaki to offer in return.

Horai Wagyu is not something you'll find on a tourist map. It's not in the mainstream travel guides. It's the kind of discovery that happens when you go one step beyond the famous, one layer deeper into a city like Nagoya — and suddenly find yourself eating something that reframes everything you thought you knew about wagyu.

If that's the kind of lunch you're looking for during your time in Nagoya, Itadaki is ready to welcome you. In your language. At your pace. With a bowl that tells the full story of Aichi, one bite at a time.

For our complete menu, access details, and store information, visit our official page at https://itadaki8.com/english/

Horai Wagyu is limited to 10 bowls per day, and we'd love to have one waiting for you. Reserve Your Rare Wagyu Experience through Tabelog Online, and don't forget to add 鳳来牛希望 in the notes to confirm your Horai Wagyu request.

Not sure about the date yet? Check Our Monthly Schedule on Instagram before you plan — we'll be there, ready to say itadakimasu together.