Matsuki Sushi is the Takayama counter that pioneered Hida beef sushi — the lightly-seared A5-wagyu nigiri format that has since spread across Japan and become a regional signature. The restaurant still serves what many critics consider the definitive Hida beef sushi set: an 8-piece course of seared sirloin, tenderloin, and rib-eye nigiri with different garnish treatments (salt, ponzu, foie gras, sea urchin, truffle), paired with hot crab miso soup and a house Hida-dairy pudding. The counter seats 14 with a small private tatami room for groups; the lunch format is the most popular booking in town.
The kitchen runs the signature 8-piece Hida beef sushi kaiseki at lunch (approximately ¥6,500-9,000) and a longer omakase at dinner (approximately ¥12,000-18,000) that combines Hida beef sushi, traditional Edo-mae nigiri, seasonal sashimi, and a Hida-regional kaiseki supporting-course structure. The rice is vinegared Gifu-grown short-grain with a lighter hand than traditional Edo-mae — it balances the richness of the A5-beef fat content and the sea-urchin and foie-gras garnishes. The sake program sources exclusively from Gifu Prefecture breweries, with 25-30 local labels and strong service from the counter team.
The occasion fit is for birthday and celebration occasions where the Hida beef sushi theatre plays as ceremony, first dates at the counter where the format naturally builds conversation, and solo dining at the counter for travellers who want the most original single-sitting format in Takayama. For impressing clients with exposure to traditional Japanese sushi culture, Matsuki offers something genuinely new — Hida beef sushi is a regional innovation that doesn't exist at traditional Tokyo or Osaka sushi counters. The format is particularly strong for guests who have exhausted conventional wagyu and sushi formats and are looking for the Japanese regional dining frontier.
Reservations via the restaurant phone, Tabelog, or via concierge at the Honjin Hiranoya or Wanosato. Book 1-2 weeks ahead for lunch on weekends; dinner bookings typically hold at 1 week notice. Counter seats (14 total) are the experience — the tatami room works for groups of 4-6 but removes the chef-counter theatre. Specify dietary preferences (particularly shellfish and raw-fish aversions) at booking; the supporting-course structure can be adjusted. Closed Tuesdays.
Best for Birthday
Matsuki Sushi is the celebration-occasion format that Takayama invented. The 8-piece Hida beef sushi course, the counter theatre, and the regional innovation of treating A5-wagyu as nigiri all combine to make birthday and milestone bookings memorable in a way that conventional Takayama Hida beef steakhouses cannot match.