Akayu, Yamagata (山形県南陽市赤湯) – Osteria Sincerita dinner at Stanza della Sincerita 2026 Jun. 16
We were treated to a spectacular Italian-inspired dinner during our stay at Osteria Sincerita, a 3-room gourmet auberge onsen ryokan that opened in Spring 2023. Meals take place in the ryokan’s restaurant, Stanza della Sincerita, although we managed to secure a private room for this occasion. This luxury property is located in Akayu, Nanyo, Yamagata (山形県南陽市赤湯) in the Tohoku region of Japan, and is owned by the same family that manages the nearby Yamagata The Takinami (山形座滝波).
Chef Makoto Harada had been earning accolades as owner-chef of the Italian restaurant Il Riposo in the Niigata Prefecture city of Sanjo before agreeing to lead the culinary experience at Osteria Sincerita. He draws inspiration from the flavors of Italy as well as the bounty and dishes from the Okitama basin, of which Akayu is a part of.
There really wasn’t a menu per se, but I’ve tried my best to summarize everything in both languages below. They are:
COURSE 1 – AMUSE BOUCHE:
* Tsubugai to Kushinsai no tart (つぶ貝と空芯菜のタルト – Whelk and Water Spinach tart)
COURSE 2:
* Sobako galette, Sakura niku (Baniku) aburi (蕎麦粉ガレット, 桜肉(馬肉)炙り – Buckwheat flour galette, lightly-seared horse meat)
– Shiso to Komatsuna no sprout (紫蘇と小松菜のスプラウト – Shiso and Japanese Mustard Spinach sprouts)
– Aspara fritto (アスパラフリット – Asparagus fritto)
– Nemagaridake (根曲がり竹 – Nemagaridake are slim, wild bamboo shoots native to snowy regions in northern Japan)
COURSE 3:
* Snap Endo (スナップエンドウ – Snap endo peas)
– Aka Ika (アカイカ – Neon flying squid)
– Green pea puree (グリーンピーズピューレ)
– Pentas no ohana (ペンタスの花 – Egyptian starcluster flower)
COURSE 4:
* Taiyo Noen Hana Zucchini (たいよう農園花ズッキーニ – Hana Zucchini from Taiyo farms)
– Zucchini cream (ズッキーニクリーム)
* Nodoguro (のどぐろ – Blackthroat Seaperch / Rosy Seabass)
– Nodoguro atama no hone no bouillon sauce (のどぐろ頭の骨のブイヨンソース – Bouillon sauce made from the head of the Blackthroat Seaperch / Rosy Seabass))
BREAD:
* Focaccia
COURSE 5:
* Funagata mushroom (舟形マッシュルーム)
– Mushroom consomme (マッシュルームコンソメ)
– Tortellini to Tomato (トマト入りトルテリーニ – Tortellini stuffed with tomatoes)
COURSE 6:
* Capelli D’Angelo reisei pasta (カッペリ・ダンジェロ – Cold Angel hair pasta)
– Benio Sakuranbo (紅王さくらんぼ – Benio cherries from Yamagata Prefecture)
– Gasuebi (ガスエビ – Mosa shrimp)
COURSE 7:
* Koi from Okitama (置賜産鯉 – Carp from the Okitama region):
– Koi carpaccio (鯉カルパッチョ – Carp carpaccio))
– Koi filet yaki (鯉フィレ焼き – Grilled Carp filet)
– Koi kawa fritto (鯉皮フリット – Carp skin fritto)
– Yamagata no dashi gohan (山形のだしご飯 – “Yamagata’s Dashi” over rice. Yamagata no dashi is a specialty from the Murayama area of Yamagata, made by finely chopping summer vegetables and aromatic vegetbles, and mixing them with soy sauce and dashi stock)
– Wasabi (山葵)
COURSE 8:
FOR HER:
* Yonezawa Jidori momo niku (米沢地鶏モモ肉 – Grilled Yonezawa chicken thigh)
FOR HIM:
* Yonezawa gyu filet niku (米沢牛フィエレ肉 – Grilled Yonezawa beef filet)
– Shin tamanegi (新玉葱 – Newly-harvested Onion)
– Tamanegi puree (玉葱ピューレ – Onion puree)
– Herb oil sauce (ハーブオイルソース)
– Alyssum no hana (アリッサムの花 – Alyssum flowers)
COURSE 9:
FOR HER:
* Yonezawa buta (米沢豚 – Yonezawa pork)
FOR HIM:
* Yonezawa gyu hoho niku nikomi (米沢牛ほほ肉煮込み – Simmered Yonezawa beef cheek)
* Yonezawa gyu sirloin shabu shabu (米沢牛サーロインしゃぶしゃぶ – Yonezawa beef sirloin shabu shabu)
– Tomato espuma (トマトエスプーマ – Tomato foam)
COURSE 10:
* Sansai gohan (山菜ご飯 – Steamed rice mixed with mountain vegetables)
– Warabi (わらび – Bracken)
– Mousoudake (モウソウチク – Moso bamboo / mao zhu)
– Aspara Sobage (アスパラソバージュ – Asperge des bois (Pyrenees star-of-Bethlehem or wild France asparagus))
COURSE 11 – KUCHI NAOSHI (口直し – Palate cleanser):
* Fuji ringo mohito granita (ふじりんごモヒートグラニタ – Fuji apple mohito sorbet)
COURSE 12:
* Bonet (ボネ – Bonet is an Italian dessert)
* Caramel gelato (キャラメルジェラート)
* Sato Nishiki sakuranbo (佐藤錦さくらんぼ – Sato Nishiki cherries)
* Crumble (クランブル)
* Rose petals (ローズペタル)
COURSE 13:
* Kabocha pudding tart; Kaminoyama edible flowers (南瓜プリンタルト; 上山エディブルフラワー – Kabocha pudding tart with edible flowers from Kaminoyama)
* Brutti ma Buoni (ブルッティ マ ブォーニ – Traditional Italian hazelnut & almond cookie)
* Selamlique chocolate; hoshi ringo, hoshi budo, hoshi gaki, natsu lemon, grappa awase (セラムリクチョコレート; 干しリンゴ, 干し葡萄, 干し柿, 夏レモン & グラッパ合わせ)
* Cantucci to Pistachio (カントゥッチとピスタチオ – Cantucci with Pistachios)