Kikyo-ya — Restaurant in Hakuba

First of all, if zero star rating would be possible, I would love to give it for these guys! This was my worst “service experience” since 4 years living in Japan! By far! But first things first: we chose the restaurant after seeing the reviews in google maps. 4.4 is really impressive. So after a long day in the mountains we were really hungry and wanted to treat us with some nice and yummy Sushi. We went there and got a seat at a table in a corner. The restaurant was busy, but many people/groups were leaving. It was about 7 pm when the stresses waitress took our order. Water was served after a while and so we sat there drank water and we were having some nice conversation. After 45 minutes - there was still not a single dish served - we were starting to wonder, if our order ever reached the kitchen. The guys in the kitchen were running like headless chicken, but not much food came out from there. But we were patient, we are in Japan, right? After another 15 minutes (yes, now we are talking about 60 minutes waiting time) we were still sitting there with having only water on the table. So I called the waitress to our table and informed her on the waiting time and that it would be nice to at least get the ordered Edamame and the Tuna/Avocado salad after one hour waiting time. Another 10 minutes later, the Edamame appeared on the table (see the nice picture). Unfortunately we were not informed about the additional waiting time for the more complicated food to come, which made us deciding to leave the restaurant immediately. By the way, I paid for the 70 minutes Edamame which we did not even eat. My conclusion here is: if you have enough time to waste, go there to experience the lousiest service possible in Japan! But better bring your bento with you ;) The food might be tasty, but this we cannot evaluate. Unfortunately. Thanks guys for a great job spoiling...

My wife and I recently dined at Kikyo-ya while visiting Hakuba, and the experience was a mix of highs and lows.

Let’s start with the food. The salmon plate was a letdown—the salmon didn’t look or taste fresh, which was disappointing. However, their fatty tuna completely turned things around. It was incredibly fresh, flavorful, and melted in our mouths. Even better was the boiled fatty tuna plate, which was the standout of the evening. We also ordered the assorted sushi today special (10-piece). Aside from the underwhelming salmon, every other piece was fresh and delicious. My wife and I finished everything, left full, and our stomachs were happy.

Now for the downside—customer service. This is where Kikyo-ya really needs improvement. When we first arrived, no one greeted or welcomed us. Throughout the meal, the staff seemed to ignore us when we requested additional plates and a spoon for our soup. We tried several times to get their attention, but they acted as if they couldn’t hear us. The extra plates never arrived, and at one point, food fell directly onto the table, which raised concerns about cleanliness—especially in a busy restaurant. The male staff were noticeably indifferent and had an unwelcoming attitude. On the positive side, the female waitress was kind and made a genuine effort to serve everyone. Sadly, as we left the restaurant, no one said goodbye or acknowledged us at all.

In summary: • Food: 4/5 — Great quality overall, except for the disappointing salmon. • Service: 2/5 — No greeting, no goodbye, inattentive service, and poor attitude from male staff. One kind waitress was the saving grace.

Kikyo-ya has potential, especially with the quality of some of their sushi offerings. If they can improve their service, customer engagement, and consistency, it could be a much better...

Everything is good, except the food.

Sashimi plate: Below average, not fresh, tasteless. The best part of the Sashimi plate is the Tamagoyaki, which made from chicken eggs, not fish.

Sashimi bowl: same to sashimi plate.

Sushi (today's special): Below average. The thickness of the sashimi is similar to the Sashimi plate/bowl. But less is more! It is a shame to a restaurant with a sushi bar that would serves sushi like this!

Tampura(shrimp): the worst tampura I ever tasted in the entire life. The shrimp tastes like cooked before it gets fried!

Sukiyaki(beef): it cant goes wrong because the beef is sourced. The only dish i would recommended in this restaurant.

It might be a good restaurant in the past, now it looks like a tourist trap to serve the westerners who have no idea what is the true taste of...