Kurasawaya

Kurasawaya sits on a hillside along the old Tokaido road in Yui, part of Shizuoka City's Shimizu Ward, one of only two ports in Japan permitted to fish sakura ebi, the small translucent shrimp that surface in Suruga Bay for two brief seasons each year. The raw sakura ebi don, served over rice while the shrimp is at its sweetest and most delicate, is the dish that draws diners from across the region during the fishing windows, alongside a kakiage tempura version and a mixed bowl pairing sakura ebi with shirasu whitebait for those who want both bay specialties together. The dining room takes advantage of its hillside position with windows framing views across Suruga Bay toward the Izu Peninsula and, on clear days, Mount Fuji itself, giving the otherwise simple restaurant a dramatic backdrop; the atmosphere is casual and unhurried, built for lingering over the view as much as the food. Drinks are limited to tea, beer, and local sake rather than a wine list. Because sakura ebi is only landed during set seasonal windows, reservations are recommended specifically during peak season, when both the freshest catch and the best weather for the view draw the largest crowds.