Joy, one slice at a time.
Sawai Hime Wagyu: heifers raised on the water and rice straw of Shiga. Each slice is cut by hand by the manager and seared over the grill in front of you. Ushidokoro Kei is a yakiniku house that lets the beef taste of itself.
The 慶 (kei) in our name means joy: the joy we hope every guest leaves with.
From the home of Omi beef
Sawai Farm in Ryuo, Shiga, has raised Kuroge Wagyu since 1975: some 2,700 head, fed on water drawn from 80 metres underground and rice straw from the prefecture. Each animal is fattened slowly for around twenty months and shipped at about thirty months of age. The farm is certified under Farm HACCP and JGAP.
- Sawai Farm founded
- 1975
- Depth of the farm's water
- 80m
- Patient fattening
- 20months
- Omi beef shipped a year
- 6,000head
Omi beef is Kuroge Wagyu raised for the longest part of its life in Shiga Prefecture. In 2017 it became the first product from Shiga to be registered as a Geographical Indication (GI). Only about 6,000 head are shipped each year.
The light, clean fat of a heifer.
Sawai Hime Wagyu is Sawai Farm's name for its heifers: hime means princess. Heifer fat has a lower melting point, so it softens the moment it meets the tongue. Sweet and never heavy, it leaves the last slice tasting as good as the first.
The meat itamae: cut in front of you, slice by slice.
At the counter, the manager cuts and plates the day's beef in front of you. There is one grill for every two guests, so each slice is cooked just as you like it. Some dishes are served only at the counter.
Select
Choosing the best cuts of the day.
Cut
Each cut sliced to its own thickness, scored where it needs to be.
Plate
Plated one dish at a time, matched to the ceramics.
Grill
The final touch is yours, over your own grill.
House signatures.
Thick-cut negi tongue
Generously filled with negi-shio.
Three raw cuts
The sweetness of Omi beef, served raw.
Omi beef yakisuki
A thin slice, briefly seared and dipped in egg.
Seared sirloin sushi
Over rice grown for us in Kobe.
Aburakasu nyumen
Fine noodles in a broth rich with aburakasu, to close the meal.
Joy, on the record.
4.7 out of 5
On Google, from 535 reviews
As of
An evening in courses.
Most popular
Omi Beef Course
The owner's own pick: nine dishes that walk you through Sawai Hime Wagyu.
¥7,700per person, incl. tax9 dishes
Tokusen Course
Thick-cut tongue sandwiched with negi, and the day's three finest cuts.
¥13,200per person, incl. tax8 dishes
29th of each month only
The 29th: 4129 "Yoi Niku" Course
In Japan the 29th is "meat day". Dishes from the Omi Beef Course, at a price for that day only.
¥4,542per person, incl. tax8 dishes
Cypress, granite and quiet.
A cypress counter, horigotatsu tables on tatami and fully enclosed private rooms. The whole restaurant is non-smoking, with smoke extraction at every seat. Slip off your shoes and take your time.
The counter
Horigotatsu tables
Private rooms
Kei at midday.
At lunch we serve seared Sawai Hime Wagyu steak over rice, yakiniku sets and more, with our own rice and free refills.
Lunch11:30–14:00Last orders 13:30
One minute from Nishi-Motomachi Station.
Right outside the west exit of Nishi-Motomachi Station: look for the breeze-block wall and the white noren.
- Hours
- Lunch 11:30–14:00 (Last orders 13:30)Dinner 17:00–23:00 (Last orders 22:00)
- Closed
- TuesdaysHoliday and New Year opening is announced on our Instagram.
- Address
- 〒650-0022 Nikko Bldg. 1F, 7-1-6 Motomachi-dori, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0022
Your seat is waiting.
Call to book
For same-day bookings, please call.
078-360-1129Lunch 11:30–14:00 (Last orders 13:30)Dinner 17:00–23:00 (Last orders 22:00)Closed Tuesdays
Book online
To book online, use whichever service you prefer.
Tabelog
For Tabelog members
Ikyu Restaurant
For Ikyu members
Japanese only
Rakuten Gurunavi
For Rakuten Gurunavi members
Menus in Japanese only