Izakaya Raku

About

On Hokkaido, Izakaya Raku occupies premises at 3-chome-5-29 Nisekohirafu 1 Jo in Kutchan, Abuta District, Hokkaido 044-0080, Japan. The restaurant has built its name around the Niseko area, drawing diners who come for the region's seasonal produce and relaxed eating culture.

First-time visitors should expect a casual setting where small plates and drinks are shared across the table, in keeping with the izakaya tradition. The venue's website, http://www.izakaya-raku.com/, provides a point of reference before a visit. A 3.7/5 rating from 116 reviews reflects a mixed but broadly favourable reception among those who have eaten here.

Niseko sits within reach of Sapporo, Otaru and Hakodate, and the wider island is linked by trains through tunnels and bridges, with ferries and aircraft serving the smaller islands. Typhoons approach Japan mainly between August and September, most often striking the southern islands, so summer travel plans are worth timing with care.

Japanese macaques, also called snow monkeys, live in the wild on several Japanese islands, and Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples stand throughout the country, sometimes within the same grounds. A meal in Kutchan fits naturally into a Hokkaido itinerary that moves between the region's mountains and its larger cities.