7 squid ikizukuri restaurants in Yobuko
- Restaurants close Wednesday (Isaribi, Kabeshima), Monday (Genkai), Thursday (Ikadoraku), or irregularly (Kaishu); Kawataro closes at Obon and New Year.
- Squid ikizukuri sets cost ¥3,850 (Genkai, Kawataro), ¥3,900 (Kaishu), and ¥3,960 (Ikadoraku), while Isaribi serves a course for ¥4,260.
- Kawataro stays open until 19:00 on weekends and holidays, while Kaichu Restaurant Manbou plans to reopen on November 16.
This article contains advertising (affiliate links).
Yobuko in Karatsu, Saga, is known for ikizukuri, squid sliced and served still moving. The 7 restaurants here close on different days: Wednesday (Isaribi, Kabeshima), Monday (Genkai), Thursday (Ikadoraku) and irregular days (Kaishu). Kawataro is closed only at Obon and New Year. Most close between 15:00 and 17:30, and the latest is Kawataro on weekends and holidays (until 19:00). Kaichu Restaurant Manbou is closed for renovation and is planned to reopen on Monday, November 16.
In short
- Open on Wednesdays: Kawataro, Genkai (closed Mondays), Ikadoraku (closed Thursdays).
- Weekend evenings: Kawataro (until 19:00; last entry 17:30 on weekends and holidays).
- Squid ikizukuri set meals: ¥3,850 (Genkai, Kawataro), ¥3,900 (Kaishu), ¥3,960 (Ikadoraku).
- Options other than squid: Isaribi (squid bowls, sea urchin bowls, sashimi sets and more) and Kaishu (sets and bowls without squid).
- Manbou reopens on November 16 (hours and prices not yet announced).
Checked with official pages on October 18, 2026 (Japan time).
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1. How to choose: closing day, closing time and price
- Going on a Wednesday: Kawataro (closed at Obon and New Year), Genkai (closed Mondays), Ikadoraku (closed Thursdays).
- Eating on a weekend or holiday evening: Kawataro (until 19:00 on weekends and holidays; last entry 17:30).
- Choosing by the price of the ikizukuri set: Genkai (squid ikizukuri set, ¥3,850), Kawataro (ikatsukuri set, ¥3,850), Kaishu (¥3,900), Ikadoraku (¥3,960). The 4 differ by ¥110.
- Wanting something other than squid: Isaribi (squid bowls, sea urchin bowls, sashimi sets and more) and Kaishu (sets and bowls without squid).
- Eating on the water after November 16: Manbou (reopens with underwater windows about 3 times larger).
2. Comparison of 7 squid restaurants in Yobuko: closing days, closing time, price, parking
Click a name to jump to its section. Prices are the tax-included price of the squid ikizukuri set (or course) shown on each restaurant’s official website.
| Restaurant | Closed days and closing time | Ikizukuri set price | Parking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kawataro Yobuko | Closed at Obon and New Year. Until 17:00 on weekdays, 19:00 on weekends and holidays | ¥3,850 (ikatsukuri set) | 50 cars |
| Kaichu Restaurant Manbou | Planned to reopen on November 16 | — | — |
| Osakanadokoro Genkai | Closed Mondays. Until 17:00 | ¥3,850 (squid ikizukuri set) | Large lot (63 cars) |
| Katsugyo Ryori Isaribi | Closed Wednesdays. Until 15:00 | ¥4,260 (ikatsukuri course) | 50 cars |
| Ikadoraku | Closed Thursdays. Until 16:30 on weekdays, 17:30 on weekends and holidays | ¥3,960 (squid ikizukuri set) | 80 cars |
| Katsugyo Ryori Kabeshima | Closed Wednesdays. Until 17:00 | — | 60 cars |
| Genkai Ikafunedokoro Kaishu | Irregular closing days. Until 17:00 | ¥3,900 (squid ikizukuri set) | 50 cars |
Manbou has not yet announced its hours or prices after reopening.
If you cannot get to the restaurants, you can look for Yobuko squid to order at home on Rakuten Ichiba. Prices, shipping and delivery dates differ by shop. Look for Yobuko squid on Rakuten Ichiba (ad, Japanese)
3. Types of squid, their seasons, and how ikizukuri is served
The squid in Yobuko changes with the season: spear squid (yariika, also called kensaki-ika) from late March to early December, bigfin reef squid (mizuika, also called aoriika) from late November to mid-April, and cuttlefish (koika) from late January to the end of March. Kaishu says you cannot choose which squid you get.
Ikizukuri is served by weight, so each person does not always get one whole squid. If 2 or more people eat together, the squid is served together on one plate (Kaishu). Depending on the weather and the catch, ikizukuri may not be available on some days.
4. Kawataro Yobuko: ikatsukuri set ¥3,850, open until 19:00 on weekends and holidays
The ikatsukuri set at Kawataro Yobuko is ¥3,850 (tax included), and the legs come as tempura. The squid sashimi alone is ¥2,420, the squid and sea urchin bowl ¥5,800 and the squid bowl ¥1,500. It is closed at Obon and New Year, and reservations are basically not accepted. Payment is cash only; credit cards cannot be used. Squid swim in a large tank inside the restaurant. The car park has 50 spaces for cars and 3 for buses, there are 2 wheelchair-accessible seats, and a wheelchair-accessible toilet on the 1st floor. Pets are not allowed.
Kawataro Yobuko official menu page (Japanese) / Karatsu Tourism Association page for Kawataro Yobuko: parking and accessibility (Japanese)
| Name | Kawataro Yobuko |
|---|---|
| Address | 1744-17 Yobuko, Yobukocho, Karatsu-shi, Saga |
| Hours / Closed | Mon–Fri 11:00–17:00 (last order 16:00, last entry 15:30), Sat, Sun & holidays 10:00–19:00 (last order 18:00, last entry 17:30). Closed during Obon and New Year holidays |
| Phone | 0955-82-3208 |
| Map | Open in Google Maps ↗ |
| Official site | Open the official site ↗ |
↑ Back to the comparison table
5. Kaichu Restaurant Manbou: reopening on November 16
Kaichu Restaurant Manbou is planned to reopen on Monday, November 16, 2026, on a new restaurant ship (announced October 15, 2026). The underwater windows will be about 3 times larger than before, and the fish tank stays. Seating is mostly at tables, with 56 seats on the upper deck and 88 on the underwater deck, plus private rooms for families and groups.
You can reserve in advance on the website. The reservation site, the start date for reservations and the opening hours will be announced later on Manbou’s official website. Until then, contact the General Affairs and Accounting Department of Manbou Co., Ltd. (weekdays 9:00–17:00). Manbou announcement of the November 16, 2026 reopening (October 15, 2026, PDF, Japanese)
Photo source: Manbou press release, October 15, 2026 (Japanese)
| Name | Kaichu Restaurant Manbou |
|---|---|
| Address | 1946-1 Tononoura, Yobukocho, Karatsu-shi, Saga |
| Hours / Closed | Scheduled to reopen on Monday, November 16, 2026 (opening hours to be announced later) |
| Phone | 0955-82-5333 |
| Map | Open in Google Maps ↗ |
| Official site | Open the official site ↗ |
↑ Back to the comparison table
6. Osakanadokoro Genkai: the birthplace of squid ikizukuri, set is ¥3,850
At Osakanadokoro Genkai, the squid ikizukuri set is ¥3,850, the Koshio kaiseki (live squid) is ¥4,300, and the squid ikizukuri alone is ¥3,200 (tax included). These are the prices after the price revision on September 10. The set has ikizukuri, squid shumai, your choice of the legs (tempura, salt-grilled, simmered or sashimi), a small side dish, soup, rice, pickles and dessert.
The restaurant has more than 10 tanks of various sizes. The large car park can hold buses. The official website has a printable 8% discount coupon (some items are excluded). Genkai official menu page (Japanese) / Genkai official shop information page (Japanese)
| Name | Osakanadokoro Genkai |
|---|---|
| Address | 508-3 Tononoura, Yobukocho, Karatsu-shi, Saga |
| Hours / Closed | 11:00–17:00 (last entry for reservations 16:30; Tue 11:00–15:30). Closed Mon (the following Tue if a holiday) |
| Phone | 0955-82-3913 |
| Map | Open in Google Maps ↗ |
| Official site | Open the official site ↗ |
↑ Back to the comparison table
7. Katsugyo Ryori Isaribi: on a hill with a view of Yobuko Bridge, with squid and sea urchin bowls
The ikatsukuri course at Katsugyo Ryori Isaribi is ¥4,260 and comes with ikizukuri, tempura of the legs, squid shumai, soup, a small side dish, chawanmushi (steamed egg custard), rice and dessert. The Oiso course (ikizukuri plus seasonal sashimi) is ¥5,600, the Kamishio course with a sea urchin bowl is ¥5,700, the set with 5 pieces of squid sushi is ¥5,600 and the Isaribi course is ¥7,700 (tax included). The squid sashimi alone is ¥3,850.
Other than squid, there are the squid tempura set (¥2,980), sashimi set (¥3,720), sea urchin bowl (¥2,980), squid bowl (¥2,500) and seafood bowl (¥3,280). Reservations are requested 3 days ahead, and can also be made on the web. The car park has space for 50 cars and 5 buses. Isaribi official menu page (Japanese)
| Name | Katsugyo Ryori Isaribi |
|---|---|
| Address | 1467-1 Yobuko, Yobukocho, Karatsu-shi, Saga |
| Hours / Closed | 10:00–15:00 (last order; may close early on days without reservations). Closed Wed (except holidays) |
| Phone | 0955-82-5224 |
| Map | Open in Google Maps ↗ |
| Official site | Open the official site ↗ |
↑ Back to the comparison table
8. Ikadoraku: ikizukuri set ¥3,960, open until 17:30 on weekends
The squid ikizukuri set at Ikadoraku is ¥3,960 (tax included) and comes with ikizukuri (the legs as tempura), a small side dish, squid shumai, chawanmushi, rice, red miso soup, pickles and dessert. The ikagama ikizukuri set is ¥4,290, and the Ikadoraku set (with horse mackerel sashimi) is ¥4,400. For an ikizukuri of a whole squid on its own, the price is ¥3,410 for 200 g, ¥4,950 for 300 g and ¥5,720 for 350 g.
Other than squid, there are the Genkai sashimi set (¥3,740) and the Saga wagyu beef ceramic plate set (¥4,290). The car park has space for 80 cars and 5 buses. The website also has mail order of live squid shipped alive. Ikadoraku official restaurant menu page (Japanese)
| Name | Ikadoraku |
|---|---|
| Address | 3606 Kabeshima, Yobukocho, Karatsu-shi, Saga |
| Hours / Closed | Weekdays 10:30–16:30 (last order 15:30), Sat, Sun & holidays 10:30–17:30 (last order 16:30). Closed Thu (subject to change and additions) |
| Phone | 0955-82-5539 |
| Map | Open in Google Maps ↗ |
| Official site | Open the official site ↗ |
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9. Katsugyo Ryori Kabeshima: at the north tip of Kabeshima, reservations by phone
Katsugyo Ryori Kabeshima is at the north tip of Kabeshima, with windows facing the Genkai Sea, and reservations are by phone only. Private rooms (reservation required) and whole-restaurant bookings (reservation required) are also available.
The tank is filled with seawater pumped from 300 m offshore. The squid is served by weight, so it is not always one whole squid, and on some days squid cannot be prepared because of the weather or the catch. Ask by phone about the season. The average budget is from ¥3,000, and the car park has space for 60 cars and 5 buses.
| Name | Katsugyo Ryori Kabeshima |
|---|---|
| Address | 260-1 Kabeshima, Yobukocho, Karatsu-shi, Saga |
| Hours / Closed | 11:00–17:00 (last order 16:00). Closed Wed and New Year's Day (open when Wed is a holiday, and during Golden Week, Obon, and New Year holidays) |
| Phone | 0955-82-5187 |
| Map | Open in Google Maps ↗ |
| Official site | Open the official site ↗ |
↑ Back to the comparison table
10. Genkai Ikafunedokoro Kaishu: sets and bowls without squid, irregular closing days
The squid ikizukuri set at Genkai Ikafunedokoro Kaishu is ¥3,900 and comes with the legs (tempura or salt-grilled), chawanmushi, squid shumai, a small side dish, rice, soup, pickles and dessert. The most popular is the squid plus sashimi set (¥4,800), with a sashimi platter, and the Ikazukushi kaiseki (¥5,400) comes with a mini squid bowl (tax included). Prices were revised on October 1.
Sets and bowls without squid are also available: simmered fish scraps set (¥2,900), sashimi set (¥2,900), squid bowl set (¥3,300), squid and sea urchin bowl set (¥3,500) and others. You can also order a course without squid and order ikizukuri separately to share. The Kaishu zen (¥6,000) and the Kaishu set (¥5,000) need a reservation. Closing days each month are announced in the news section of the official website. The car park has space for 50 cars and 20 buses. Kaishu official menu page (Japanese) / Kaishu official shop page (Japanese)
Checked with official pages on October 18, 2026 (Japan time). Prices and hours may change.
| Name | Genkai Ikafunedokoro Kaishu |
|---|---|
| Address | 552-2 Tononoura, Yobukocho, Karatsu-shi, Saga |
| Hours / Closed | 11:00–17:00 (last reception 16:00). Closed irregularly |
| Phone | 0955-82-5977 |
| Map | Open in Google Maps ↗ |
| Official site | Open the official site ↗ |
↑ Back to the comparison table
Sources
10 pages we checked
- Kawataro Yobuko: Karatsu Tourism Association page
- Manbou: reopening announcement on November 16, 2026 (PDF, October 15, 2026)
- Osakanadokoro Genkai: menu
- Osakanadokoro Genkai: shop information
- Isaribi: menu
- Ikadoraku: restaurant menu
- Kabeshima: official website
- Kaishu: menu
- Kaishu: shop information
- Japanese version of this page (日本語版)
Checked with official pages on October 18, 2026 (Japan time).
