Most visitors to Kurokawa Onsen in rural Kumamoto book into ryokan that include dinner in the room charge. But for the few travelers who choose the half-board option at their accommodation, Ajisho Naka provides one of the only options for an evening meal. Luckily, it's a tasty and affordable choice.
Ajisho Naka is open for both lunch and dinner and offers cheap and cheerful service no matter the hour. We stopped in for dinner and were immediately shown to an individual booth. Seating options range from separate dining rooms to a bar with about a half dozen seats in the middle of the room. The only downside to the eatery was their smoking policy but admittedly, their ventilation system does a decent job of dispelling the worst of the cigarette smoke.
While the menu posted outside featured both pictures and Japanese descriptions, we were offered an English menu by our server. The food selection is fairly typical, with things like oyakodon (chicken and egg over rice) and udon topped with tempura shrimp. However, some menu items highlight local specialties - the tonkatsu (fried pork) is made from local Oguni pigs and basashi (raw horse meat) is a popular option.
I opted for the dangojiru, a specialty of central Kyushu that features thick wheat noodles and fresh vegetables in a savory broth. The soup was a generous size and came with a few extra dishes on the side as well. My husband chose the tonkatsu and, although the waiter cautioned that it would be about a half hour wait, the meal arrived in twenty minutes and featured a portion of pork that was bigger than either of our heads. It is a shockingly good deal at ¥1200. Most of the meals on the menu come in at under ¥1000.
Ajisho Naka is located in what some might consider the center of Kurokawa Onsen, right by the village's main bridge. Parking near the restaurant is rather limited but you can always park in the lot up by the town's main visitor center and walk down the path next to the bamboo forest. As the restaurant's sign is only in Japanese, look for the green curtain over the door.
