Talk about timing being everything - when you're still running on Spanish meal times in Japan, finding open restaurants can be tricky. Ajikura Tengoku turned out to be our savior at 2:30 PM when most places in Takayama were in that awkward between-lunch-and-dinner closed period.

The fact that they serve some of the best Hida beef in town was just a bonus! For anyone not familiar, Hida beef is basically Takayama's answer to Kobe beef, and this place lets you grill it yourself yakiniku-style. They've got different grades of beef to fit various budgets (that premium 10,000 yen platter is definitely a splurge), but even their more modest options are pretty spectacular.