Ayu Dining Adventure by the Itadori River

Today, we set out for a little summer-flavored adventure — not just my wife and me, but also my mother-in-law and her ever-curious beagle, Chappie. We left our home around 10 a.m., heading towards the Itadori River in Gifu Prefecture for lunch at a Yana Ayu.

For those who have never heard of it, a Yana Ayu is both a place and an experience. The word yana refers to a fishing structure traditionally built diagonally across a shallow, fast-flowing river. In its original form, it was made of bamboo poles or logs fixed into the riverbed, creating a slanted barrier that guided swimming fish — in this case, ayu (sweetfish) — toward a central catching area. It was an ingenious yet simple design that relied purely on the river’s current and the fish’s instinct to swim upstream.

The yana along the Itadori River today still follows the same principle, but much of it is now part of a modernized wooden structure built along the riverbank. This updated construction blends tradition with durability, making it more stable and accessible for both workers and visitors, while still giving you a sense of how ayu were caught in the past. Standing by it, you could imagine the purely bamboo-built versions of centuries ago, standing in the clear current and capturing the season’s prized fish.

Since dogs are generally not allowed inside the Yana Ayu restaurant, the staff kindly seated us outside on the shaded terrace. Fortunately, this was perfectly fine for us — we could enjoy our meal with a beautiful view of the Itadori River. The temperature was a comfortable 32°C, not humid, with a lightly cloudy summer sky casting just the right amount of shade.

We each ordered a set with five ayu, prepared in different ways to highlight the versatility of this seasonal fish:

Grilled without anything added – letting the pure, sweet flavor of the fish speak for itself.
Grilled with salt – the classic shioyaki, perfectly crisp skin and tender meat.
Grilled with red miso marinade – rich, savory, and a little earthy from the miso.
Panko-fried – coated in breadcrumbs and fried to a golden crunch, a delightful contrast to the grilled versions.
Kanroni style – slowly simmered in a sugar and soy sauce base until the flavors soak deep into the flesh and even the bones become tender. Kanroni is a traditional Japanese preservation method, resulting in a sweet-savory balance with a glossy finish that pairs beautifully with rice.

At the Yana Ayu spot, the experience was never just about the fish. It was the sound of the river rushing past, the sight of the yana standing sturdy in the current — whether traditional or modernized — and the aroma of fresh ayu cooking in so many different ways.

Chappie had his own little tasting adventure. My mother-in-law first gave him some watermelon, which he eagerly devoured. But once she slipped him a bit of grilled ayu, his loyalties shifted completely — from that point on, the watermelon didn’t stand a chance against the sweet, savory fish.

This was a dining experience very different from what most tourists in Japan ever encounter. This is something locals look forward to each year — part tradition, part seasonal celebration, and entirely tied to the flow of the river.

We spent the afternoon enjoying the river’s bounty, soaking in the atmosphere, and capturing moments — from the shimmering fish in the water to that first bite of perfectly salted, charcoal-grilled ayu. It was a day of family, nature, and a tradition that still flows as steadily as the Itadori River itself.