Teppan Grill Joshu Takasaki

Teppan Grill Joshu Takasaki is a teppanyaki restaurant in the Yashima-cho district of Takasaki, Gunma, dedicated to grilling Joshu-gyu wagyu beef and seasonal produce on a flat iron hot-plate (teppan) at the counter in full view of dining guests. The restaurant operates exclusively in the evening and requires advance reservations; it is a departure from the casual daytime dining that characterises much of Takasaki's restaurant scene, positioning itself as the city's primary venue for teppanyaki-format fine dining. Joshu-gyu — the wagyu beef raised in Gunma Prefecture from Tajima-lineage black cattle — is the centrepiece of all courses; the chef slices the beef to order from cuts selected for the evening's service and positions each piece on the heated iron surface, allowing the fat to render slowly and the exterior to caramelise without the high-temperature shock of open-flame grilling. The wagyu course typically includes multiple beef cuts — fillet for its delicacy, sirloin for marbled richness — alongside seasonal vegetables from Gunma farms, sautéed in beef fat and plated beside the meat. The seafood and wagyu combination course adds scallops or prawns as a counterpoint to the beef. Foie gras, finished with a reduction of local Gunma apple juice and red wine, is the restaurant's most elaborately composed dish. Counter seating along the teppan is the standard arrangement; the theatre of watching the chef work centimetres from each diner is the defining experience. The dining room is intimate and quiet, suited to couples and small groups. Table booking must be made at least two to three days ahead; the restaurant is closed Mondays. Prices range from ¥3,000 for shorter courses to ¥8,000 for the full wagyu tasting arrangement.