Available for a limited time through December 20! Enjoy a special lunch made with local ingredients at “2022 Autumn Lunch, Here We Come”

When you think of autumn, there are all kinds of things, like the arts, sports, and reading—but above all, it’s the season for good food.

“I’d love to eat something delicious.”

“If I’m going to eat out, I wonder if there’s somewhere I can get a good deal.”

The “2022 Autumn Lunch Itadakimasu Stamp Rally,” an event that makes these wishes come true, is being held through December 20, 2022.

• Special lunches created for the event
• Carefully prepared lunches available for a limited time
• Some restaurants have a set number of servings, such as 10 or 20 per day
• Collect stamps and you might even get a prize!?

Curious, I first looked into what kinds of restaurants were participating.

What is the “2022 Autumn Lunch Itadakimasu Stamp Rally”?

“Lunch Itadakimasu” was held through 2017.

The event had ended, but in response to the spread of COVID-19, the Kurashiki Tourism and Convention Bureau brought it back in 2020, hoping to “breathe new life into Kurashiki’s businesses.”

It has been held as the “Autumn Lunch Itadakimasu Stamp Rally” since 2020, and 2022 marks its third year.

The event runs from October 1 (Sat) to December 20 (Tue), 2022, with 48 businesses from Kurashiki City taking part this time.

For participating businesses, see the flyer images below or check the official website.

Lunches are priced at either 1,650 yen (tax included) or 2,200 yen (tax included).

Autumn is the season for fall foliage, and the comfortable temperatures make it perfect for going out.

I took part in the event

You can download the event pamphlet from the official website.

However, pamphlets are also available at participating businesses, so you can pick one up at the first place you visit.

After your meal, ask a staff member to stamp your pamphlet.

From your second visit onward, don’t forget to bring your pamphlet with you.

Get two stamps, fill in the required information, and enter to receive a participation prize (masking tape).

The raffle prizes are as follows:

• Four or more stamps: a Kurashiki specialty-products set for four winners
• Two or more stamps: meal vouchers usable at participating businesses for 60 winners

Many people were ordering the dishes, perhaps because the restaurants serve seasonal dishes made with local ingredients especially for “Autumn Lunch Itadakimasu.”

I’d had fewer chances to go out for lunch during the pandemic, but it’s easy to invite friends or family by saying, “There’s this event going on. Want to check it out?”

So, using that very invitation, I went to two restaurants with a close friend.

Premier

The first place I visited was “Premier,” a popular French restaurant in the Bikan Historical Area.

There is parking for four cars in front of the restaurant.

It fills up quickly, so it’s best to check whether there’s a space available.

“Premier” serves only 20 lunches a day, so you need to make a reservation by the day before.

The stylish counter is the first thing you notice when you enter.

In the kitchen at the back, the chef is hard at work.

The seats have acrylic partitions and are well prepared for COVID-19 prevention.

First, choose bread or rice, then order a drink.

A little while later, the salad, hors d’oeuvres, and soup arrived.

Colorful vegetables and seasonal ingredients were beautifully arranged on a large plate, making the dish a treat not only for the taste buds but also for the eyes.

The staff explained each dish and were very kind.

Everything was carefully prepared, with flavors and textures I don’t usually get to experience.

The chef brought out the main dish himself.

Fricassee is a dish in which meat is sauteed and then simmered.

The cream sauce was delicious and went well with the vegetables, such as burdock root and okra.

Lunch at “Premier” costs “2,200 yen (tax included).”

It’s amazing that you can enjoy a full-course meal for this price.

Uo Shogun

November came around, and this time I was in the mood for Japanese food.

There are so many Japanese restaurants that it’s hard to choose.

“Since we’re going out, let’s try somewhere we haven’t been before,” my friend and I decided, and we came to “Uo Shogun” in Kojima.

“Uo Shogun” also serves only 20 lunches a day, so you need to make a reservation by the day before.

There are several parking spaces on the gravel area at the back.

The first floor of the restaurant is a fish shop.

Small fish such as octopuses and shrimp were kept in baskets in the tanks, while the larger fish swam freely below.

The dining area is on the second floor.

After climbing a staircase like an emergency exit stairway, we were greeted by a staff member with a wonderful smile.

The restaurant has counter seating and private rooms that can seat four to six people, making it a relaxing place to unwind.

The room we were shown to had a superb view of the sea from the window.

The food soon arrived.

The table was filled with dishes made generously with seafood.

“You can eat the octopus raw, briefly swish it in the hot broth for a rare finish, or cook it through. Try it all three ways.”

The proprietress explained.

She told us that live octopus is prepared on the first floor.

It was fresh and springy, and the ponzu sauce was a perfect match for the octopus.

There was also mantis shrimp dressed with spicy miso, simmered Pacific saury, sashimi, tempura, and clam soup.

We savored dishes made with fresh, seasonal fish caught locally.

From the Writer

I often found myself wondering and struggling to decide with friends or family, “Where should we go for lunch? What do you feel like eating?”

With restaurants listed in a brochure like this one, you can compare them, making it easier to choose.

Another appealing feature is that it gives you a chance to casually visit restaurants you wouldn’t normally go to.

And with this event, if you collect two or more stamps, you’ll receive a participation prize (a roll of masking tape).

The entry postcard is attached to the back of the “Lunch Itadakimasu” brochure.

To enter, either affix a stamp and mail it, or drop it in an entry box at any tourist information center in Kurashiki City.

Take this opportunity to enjoy some delicious food, get a gift, and treat yourself to a great-value experience.

Get handpicked articles from Kurashiki Tocotoco on LINE