Japanese(日本語）| | |

Address: 2-1-15 Kokubuncyo Aoba-ku Sendai Miyagi-pref
Tel (81)022-261-2164 Facsimile (81)022-268-2198

Menu

Ｓlowfood restaurant JIRAIYA in Sendai

A long time ago, the bandit-gangs that roamed the countryside would escape with their plunder to the safety of the high mountains. There they lived off the land and feasted over open fires. Come feast at Jiraiya. Imagine yourself high up in the mountains, safe in your own hideout, sharing wonderful food and drink with friends around the warmth of our grill, fuelled by the white charcoal of Mt. Zao.

Why we named "JIRAIYA"

A fantasy novel called Jiraiya was written during the Song Era (960-1279) in China.It later be came a hit in Japan during the late Edo Period, when it was taken up and published in the popular contemporary magazine Kusasoushi,as well as performed in kabuki theater. It was even (much later, of course) made into a movie staring a famous actor.The hero of this old tale is a thief named Jiraiya , which means "I was here!" Jiraiya robs houses, but always signs his name before fleeing.We've taken the name Jiraiya, but changed the Chinese characters to. This means "Earth Thunder".Our restaurant is located in the cave-like basement of a building. In the center is fireplace where local seafood , meat , and vegetables are roasted kabob-style over a charcoal fire. And it’s not just any old charcoal, but white charcoal made at the foot of Mt. Zao. In days gone past, bandits hiding in the mountains would roast their meals over bonfires. Such meals were one of the few luxuries they enjoyed; we've named this delicious style of food“base-camp fare”. Fresh mountain and ocean food served outdoors, under the sky. This is how we've chosen our name.

A Fish Called Kinki

These dark red fish are called Kichiji, but here in Sendai they're known as "kinki". Along the Pacific side of northern Japan and up to Hokkaido, they are rare delicacies, although they once were considered little more than trash fish when they were caught in the coastal waters. Kind of like how lobster were once considered trash fish in the Eastern United States. The flounder brought in at Yuriage, a small fishing port near Sendai, is turned into a local specialty called Sasakamaboko, a fish-paste product that is formed into cakes in the shape of a leaf and then grilled. Sasakamaboko makers discovered that although the thin body of the kinki does not have much flesh, the head contained delicious morsels with just the the right amount of fat for making the most succulent fish paste. The flesh is pressed out of the head, removing a portion of the oil, and mixed with that of other kinds of fish.