Kamakura Sukiyaki Shabu-Shabu Restaurant Sasho — Restaurant in Kamakura

We live in Kamakura, and dine out a lot. As locals and foodies, we are often asked by friends and family to suggest a spot to eat in Kamakura. We now have the perfect recommendation for anyone who wants to experience a memorable traditional Japanese meal!

• ENVIRONMENT: Sasho has the perfect atmosphere: you dine in an old Japanese house surrounded by a beautiful garden designed by a famous Kyoto specialist. During the day, it’s obviously bright and beautiful. At night, they light up the garden, so you can enjoy a different type of beauty when going at dinner time too! • FOOD: The food is outstanding. We had their dinner sukiyaki and shabushabu course, every dish was so well done, and the volume is big. They use Hayama beef, of which only 250 cattles per year are available. The meat is incredibly soft and it melts in your mouth. The sesame sauce and ponzu sauce for the shabushabu sauces were heavenly! The miso paste made by the mother of the chef is so tasty we wished they could sell it to us. Finally, they also offer a sake paring option for every dish of the course. We didn’t try the whole pairing option, but we got to try a sake from their “Keg” draft machine, which provides freshly pressed sake by the glass (only 20 restaurants in Japan including Sasho have one!), and it was truly one of the best sake I’ve tried so far! Also try their ginger ale if you don’t want to drink alcohol, it’s amazing! The final matcha preparation was the cherry on top. We will surely become regulars and try their lunch menu as well! • SERVICE: What made the whole experience a 10/10, was really the service. The lady serving us was the sweetest, most welcoming human. She explained to us all about Sasho, the history of the place, the fun facts, the details of every dish, and carefully made recommendations on what and how to enjoy the meal at every step. The staff speaks English fluently. • PRICE: We believe their dinner courses are worth much more than the prices they set: without the sake pairing, the course we had is ¥16,500, while the one that includes the sake pairing is ¥23,100. For the quality, quantity, and overall experience, it’s a great deal!

Make sure to save this spot for your next visit to Kamakura and you won’t regret it!

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We got the 8-course Japanese black wagyu beef course and each dish was amazing!

💡Course Notes: 🥩The black wagyu beef was so tasty, it melted in my mouth and was so tender. 🍶There were several rounds of sake served, each paired with the dish at hand and with an explanation from the staff. The a la carte drink menu is extensive. 🧑‍🍳The staff cooks the shabu-shabu and sukiyaki at your table for you. This was nice!! Most places you have to cook it yourself and it's kind of a pain, but not here!

🍽️ Course Dishes of Note: 🐟The mackerel sushi was really nice! A refreshing and dense fish without being too fishy. 🥓🥚The sukiyaki was so flavorful! Perfect when mixed with egg and eaten atop rice. Sukiyaki is usually eaten with raw egg, which makes it juicier, but it's optional if you don't like it. 🥓🍲The shabu-shabu was also great! You get to choose from various dipping sauces, then eat it atop rice. 🍚🍜"Shime"- finishing carb. You can choose rice or various noodles to finish up the meal. We chose udon noodles to be cooked in the remaining broth. They were so chewy and fresh! 🍨🍵Dessert was lovely! We chose an ice cream and a sorbet. You can also choose matcha for the drink if you want the full Japanese experience!

💡General: 🇯🇵🇺🇸Bilingual menu and servers 💁‍♀️Our server was lovely! She was bilingual, and she explained all our dishes in great detail. 🪴The atmosphere is so lovely! Most shabu-shabu places are kind of dingy or boisterous, but this renovated traditional home has such a nice feel! Wooden and bright, with a gorgeous garden. 📍The location is a bit off the main road, which is really nice. It's quiet, and you can see a real local neighborhood along the way. It's easy to get to.

📷Follow me @stephysays.japan on Instagram for more! *Disclaimer: I received my meal for free, but everything I wrote are my...

Exceptional omotenashi and rare authentic dining experience that embodies Japanese hospitality. 10 min walk from Kamakura Station.

A must-visit for anyone seeking an authentic experience with rare, locally sourced beef and the opportunity to enjoy all three Japanese cuisines — Shabu-Shabu, Sukiyaki, and Kaiseki-style dish — in one beautifully curated course.

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We had the Hayama Beef Omakase Suki/Shabu dinner course, and it was exceptional! The softly lit Japanese garden, attentive Japanese hospitality, and locally sourced Hayama Beef (only about 10 cows imported monthly from two local farms, with no mass distribution) created an authentic and elegant Japanese dining experience. Truly under-hyped and a rare find — I’ll be recommending it to all my friends visiting Japan!

As a small, independent restaurant, the owner and his team clearly take great pride in their cuisine and in every guest’s experience — something rare and deeply admirable.

Backstory: After an initially disappointing visit (delayed food, mistaken order, and poor service), the owner personally investigated the matter, reached out with a heartfelt apology, offered a full refund, and invited us back for a complimentary redemption meal. His sincerity and integrity in making things right left a lasting impression. Genuine care for every customer’s experience, professionalism, and hospitality like this are extremely rare today, and I wholeheartedly believe they deserve recognition for their integrity and vision. This restaurant is the...