Ajigen — Restaurant in Nagano

When visiting Nagano, my partner and I were on the lookout for a yakiniku restaurant, fearing that we might face the same reservation challenges as in Tokyo and Osaka. However, we were pleasantly surprised to find that this was not the case in Nagano. The city offers a wide variety of dining options, and many restaurants do not require reservations or long waits, making it easy to find a place to eat. We decided to try a yakiniku restaurant that specializes in Shinshu beef, which is known for its unique flavor profile. The beef is raised on a diet that includes apples, which gives it a distinct sweetness that sets it apart from other varieties like Hida beef. This sweetness was quite noticeable and added a delightful twist to the traditional yakiniku experience. The restaurant offered two cuts of wagyu beef for $2500, which were absolutely worth the price. Each cut was tender, flavorful, and cooked to perfection on the grill. The beef’s quality was evident in every bite, and the restaurant’s presentation and service added to the overall enjoyment of the meal. While the beef tongue was of average quality, the beef intestines were a pleasant surprise. They were rich in flavor and had a satisfying texture, making them a must-try for anyone who enjoys offal. Overall, our yakiniku experience in Nagano was excellent. The combination of high-quality Shinshu beef, a relaxed dining atmosphere, and attentive service made for a memorable meal. I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking to indulge in the local culinary...

お肉はとても美味しかったですが、外国人客はあまり歓迎されていないように感じました。 事前の告知なしに茶代を請求された件 ドリンク1杯400円、小さなグラスのお冷（水）でさえ500円請求されました。東京に6年近く住み、40以上の都道府県を訪れましたが、焼肉店で水に料金がかかるのは初めての経験です。しかも、スムーズに日本語でやり取りしていたにもかかわらず、事前の説明は一切ありませんでした。 座席の配慮に関する問題 店内の座席は、たたみ席、こたつ席（足を下ろせる）、テーブル席の3種類に分かれています。前日に予約したとはいえ、最も不便なたたみ席に案内されました。足腰の不自由な高齢者を連れていたため、たたみ席は座りにくく、店内の席が半分以上空いていたにもかかわらず、2回にわたって席の変更をお願いしましたが、拒否されました。たたみ席は全部で3つ、その時の5組の客のうち2つのたたみ席に中国人客が座っていました。調べてみると、この店は基本的に予約制であることが多いようですが、高齢者に対する配慮がまったく感じられませんでした。最終的には、店員の女性がたたみの上に置ける小さな椅子を持ってきて対応してくれました。外国人客に意図的にたたみ席を割り当てているかどうかは疑問が残ります。 責任者の対応について 店員の多くは若いアルバイトで、感じの良い対応でしたが、席替えのお願いについては毎回「担当者（おそらく店主）」の判断を仰いでいました。Googleマップのレビューと照らし合わせても、総じてこの店は外国人客に対してあまり歓迎していない印象を受けました。同じ価格帯で、もっと良いサービスを受けられる店は他にもあります。

The meat was very delicious, but I felt that foreign customers were not very welcome.

Charging a seating fee without any notice A drink cost 400 yen, and even a small glass of regular water was charged at 500 yen. Having lived in Tokyo for nearly six years and traveled to over 40 prefectures, I have never encountered a yakiniku restaurant that charges for water. There was no prior explanation at all, even though we were communicating fluently in Japanese. Seat allocation issues The restaurant has three types of seating: tatami seats, kotatsu seats (with leg space), and regular table seats. I understand that we were assigned to the least convenient tatami seats despite making a reservation a day in advance. However, we were accompanied by an elderly person who has difficulty sitting on tatami, and even though more than half of the seats in the restaurant were unoccupied, our two requests to change seats were denied. There are only three tatami seats in total, and at the time, out of the five groups of customers, two of the tatami seats were assigned to Chinese guests — the only Chinese groups in the restaurant. Upon checking, I found that this restaurant operates mainly on a reservation basis. While other customers may understand this system, there was a complete lack of consideration for the elderly. In the end, a kind waitress brought a small stool that could be used on the tatami, which resolved the issue. Whether the restaurant intentionally assigns tatami seats to foreign guests remains questionable. Attitude of the person in charge Most of the staff were young part-timers and very polite. However, each time we requested a seat change, they had to check with the “person in charge” (possibly the owner). Based on reviews on Google Maps, it seems that this restaurant is generally not very welcoming to foreign customers. There are other restaurants at the same price range that offer better...

Excellent quality Shinshu Beef!!

This restaurant was recommended by the Dormy Inn staff, but it was a bit hard to find since the English name is “ajisen” but I couldn’t find it on google.

The staff at the restaurant spoke very little English and their English menu provided little information regarding the cuts of the beef, but we used google translate and it all worked out!!

I ordered the Kaguri (boneless beef ribs), shinshu pork, and rouse (loin), which were all so tender no matter how you cook it so I was forced to order another plate 🤣 compared to many countries, the price of wagyu beef here is very low!!

Highly recommended this restaurant to people...