Kitan in - a benchmark for modern Wagyu cuisine
Tucked into Hozenji Yokocho in central Osaka, Kitan In is one of those restaurants that doesn’t need to raise its voice. In 2024, it was selected for the World’s Best Steak Restaurants ranking, and after experiencing the course, it’s easy to understand why.
The restaurant is led by owner-chef Hiroyuki Takeshita, born in 1976 in Miyazaki Prefecture. Raised in Miyakonojo, an area deeply connected to livestock farming, he grew up around cattle and pigs, with many relatives working in the industry. Rather than entering farming directly, he chose to approach the world of livestock through cooking. After six years of classical French training in Osaka hotels, he shifted his focus fully to meat, opening Yakiniku Kitan in 2019. In April 2022, he opened Kitan In, located on the ground floor beneath Yakiniku Kitan Hozenji.
Kitan In is a 10-seat, counter-only restaurant, fully reservation-based, with a single seating that starts promptly at 7:00 pm. Today, reservations are often booked out six months in advance. The space itself is calm and refined, renovated from a former Japanese restaurant with over 120 years of history. Guests sit in a U-shaped, theater-style counter, watching the entire course unfold in front of them.
There is only one menu: the Omakase course (¥19,800, tax included, service charge separate). The Wagyu is carefully selected by Takeshita himself, primarily Manyo Wagyu from pure Tajima bloodlines, alongside Matsusaka Wagyu and Miyazaki Wagyu, sourced directly from producers. The beef is broken down in front of guests, then transformed using techniques drawn from both French and Japanese cuisine.
While every dish centers on meat, the course never feels heavy. Seasonal vegetables, wild herbs, flowers, and seafood are woven throughout, creating balance and flow. It’s best described as innovative yakiniku, but without theatrics—thoughtful, personal, and very much the chef’s own style.
Highlights from the autumn course included:
Manyo Wagyu yukke with matsutake and chestnut sauce
Manyo Wagyu tartare on a potato galette with shaved truffle
Charcoal-seared Manyo Wagyu tataki layered with wild herbs, persimmon, and scallop
Aged Wagyu sushi and tuna sashimi, both matured for one month
Spring rolls filled with hamo, shirako, and slow-cooked Wagyu neck
Two styles of steak: charcoal-grilled sirloin and ribeye prepared sukiyaki-style
A final yakiniku course of Miyazaki Wagyu cuts, served with rice
Dessert and coffee close the meal gently, including a memorable foamed coffee served in a wine glass—unexpected, but fitting.
Kitan In is not about excess or spectacle. It’s a place where a chef quietly puts everything he loves into a single course, shared with just ten guests a night. For anyone interested in where modern Wagyu dining in Japan is heading, this counter in Hozenji is well worth the wait.
