I like the tatami seats there.
Extremely popular even on weekdays (Mondays)! Make this the main stop when planning your Nasu trip!
I visited on a Monday (weekday) during my trip in the fall of 2025.
I had heard it was a very popular place, so I chose a weekday, but I was still surprised by the incredibly long wait.
The restaurant is a charming, old-fashioned house. There's a waiting board just inside the door, where you write your name and wait. They usually call you by voice or buzzer.
There's even a second parking lot, so if you have a buzzer, you can wait within range of the buzzer's signal (inside your car, etc.). However, when I went, it was extremely crowded and all the buzzers were in use, so I had to wait in the garden in front of the restaurant, within range of their voices.
There are chairs in the garden, but because it was so crowded, it was essentially a game of musical chairs. Depending on the timing, you might not be able to find a seat and have to stand. There are no places to kill time nearby, so during busy times, you'll need to be patient and wait.
The restaurant had seating around a hearth where you could share tables, and about four two-seater tables on what felt like a veranda inside. There were also several low tables on the floor, and although I couldn't see clearly, there seemed to be two or three larger tables in the back. Despite its popularity, the seating capacity isn't that large, so be prepared for a long wait if you go at the wrong time.
Finally, we were seated, and after much deliberation, my companion and I ordered the "Onago-zen (1,200 yen)" and the "Oboko-zen (1,200 yen)."
We wanted to try both the "Onago-zen," which focuses on sticky rice, and the "Oboko-zen," which focuses on mochi (rice cakes), so we shared them. The freshly made mochi was so delicious that my companion and I ended up fighting over it!
While they don't use particularly high-end or luxurious ingredients, that's precisely why the taste feels like "the ultimate luxury."
It's really frustrating that it's not within easy reach, but if it were closer, I'd love to go at least twice a month.
If a colleague or friend tells me they're going on a trip to Nasu, I always recommend it as a must-visit spot.
For those planning a trip to this restaurant, I highly recommend making it a main stop and allowing plenty of time in your itinerary!
Arrived 30 minutes after opening!
A popular restaurant! Worth the wait of over an hour!
I had the Satoyama Hyakko Udon!
The seasonal sticky rice was made with millet!
The Kenchin-jiru and Miso Dengaku I ordered separately were also excellent!
Another restaurant I want to visit again!
Delicious! Thank you for the meal!
Even though it was a weekday, we had quite a wait!
It wasn't quite an hour, but it's clearly a very popular restaurant.
The atmosphere inside was nice, and the food was delicious.
The simmered dishes, in particular, were large and satisfying, and left a lasting impression!
Personally, it felt like a "nostalgic taste and atmosphere of the countryside."
Perhaps because I'm from the countryside...
It felt somehow familiar, and I felt a similar atmosphere to Ouchi-juku, a place I visited long ago. ☺️
The mochi set was a fixed combination of kinako (roasted soybean flour) and anko (sweet red bean paste), and it was a little disappointing that we couldn't change the flavor.
If you want to eat zunda (sweet edamame paste) or natto (fermented soybeans), you have to order them separately.
My companion ordered two separate mochi and a separate pork miso soup, and it came with pickles! ✨
We were quite full and satisfied.
Also, there were high chairs for children.
The entrance requires you to duck slightly, so please be careful if you are in a wheelchair or have mobility issues.
I finally made it after trying about 10 times 😅
Even on weekdays, the parking lot is full an hour before opening. This time I was in the second parking lot, but I wrote my name on the waiting list with unwavering determination. I was in the 30s, a two-hour wait 😟
You might think, "Why not go at a different time?", but their business hours are short.
I've been on a mochi pilgrimage to Osaka, Kyoto, Zao, Yamagata, and Otaki, with only Utsunomiya and Nasu left.
For some reason, I never got to visit Mangetsu near Uguisudani Station before it closed down 😢, so I lined up this time to avoid any regrets.
The shop is a very impressive old house, and the seating is spaced far apart, making for a pleasant atmosphere.
The mochi itself is fine, and the variety of flavors is abundant and delicious. If I had to nitpick, I wish the radish in the spicy mochi was spicier.
The food is served quickly, and the prices are reasonable. It's a good shop, but its excessive popularity is a drawback.
