Kuramoto Saryo

As the last remaining brewery in Hakata, Ishikura Shuzo has thrived for over 400 years since the Edo period, becoming so interwoven with the town's spirit that its second flagship, Hakata Hyakunen-gura, is registered as a “yukei bunzakai” — Japan’s tangible cultural property. Constructed in 1870, the landmark features massive wooden beams, a black wooden gate and a towering red-bricked chimney that remains emblematic even after a century. Passing along the sake-making legacy is Kuramoto Saryo, a restaurant occupying the former residence of the Hakata Hyakunen-gura’s owner, bearing the same iconic white walls, traditional roof tiles and latticed facade of its next-door brewery. Painstakingly designed for groups, the sequestered dining space reveals itself through a lantern-lit, stone-paved garden path. Here, the walls have heard countless stories and welcomed thousands of visitors, with the impeccably executed traditional kaiseki meal serving as a vehicle for conversation, featuring fish sourced from the Genkai Sea, a vast body of water bordering Fukuoka, alongside exquisite wagyu. The menu follows a traditional Japanese multicourse progression, starting with seasonal appetizers, served in a stunning jubako bento box, and sashimi, followed by an assortment of dishes and soup. True to tradition, the meal concludes with the season’s rice dish. A private room overlooking the garden is available for exclusive use, creating an atmosphere that feels worlds away from the city center.