Mikadoya

Located in Nichihara, Tsuwano Town, Shimane Prefecture, Mikadoya is known nationwide as a celebrated restaurant specializing in ayu (sweetfish). From the end of May, when the ayu season opens, through the end of September, it serves a summer ayu course, and from October through the end of November, an autumn roe-bearing ayu course, showcasing the diverse flavors the Takatsu River's ayu are known for. Shunsuke, who now stands in the kitchen alongside his father, Ichiro, says, 'Being able to learn my father's outstanding skill up close is a joy, and I'm studying every day.'
Guided by the spirit of 'fueki-ryūkō' (unchanging principles, ever-changing forms), they hone their craft daily, determined to preserve traditional technique while building a new Mikadoya shaped by modern sensibility, for the next generation to carry forward.
Mikadoya, founded in 1934, is now carried forward through its history by father and son: third-generation owner Ichiro Yamane, and his son Shunsuke, who returned last year after eight years of training in Kyoto. The restaurant's many dishes made with ayu from the clear Takatsu River — raised on clean water and quality algae, rich in flavor in both flesh and innards, and richly aromatic — continue to draw many visitors from far away every year.