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Category Archives: Eats and Drinks
Zen Soba Bar and Restaurant, Hakuba
Zen is frequently recommended by locals for its combination of traditional architecture and the diversity and locality of its menu. Local wine and sake, traditional soba with mountain vegetables, and newer variations like octopus with spicy olive oil and garlic … Continue reading
Posted in Hakuba, Japan Travel, Japanese, Nagano, Places
Tagged Hakuba, soba, zen restaurant
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Gen Macrobiotic Kitchen Matsumoto
Matsumoto finally has an organically minded, vegetarian option thanks to the two month old Gen Macrobiotic Kitchen. Not that every city mandates local and organic cuisine options (though it should) but the absence of a local vegetarian based restaurant in … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Matsumoto, Nagano, Organic, Places
Tagged farm, local, macrobiotic, Matsumoto, organic, vegetarian
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Hiyori Café, Nagano City
text and photos by Whitney Conti Hiyori Café is a literary lovers’ garage turned hip café space. Above Hiyori café’s basement location is the headquarters of Nagano magazine publishers, Country Press. Country Press’ most recognizable publication is Kura magazine, which … Continue reading
Posted in Bakeries and Cafes, Nagano, Nagano City, Places
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Tsubu Tsubu, Nagano City Peace Food
“Peace Food since 1983″ “TsubTsubu Café proudly presents creative dished made with different grains that feature the grain’s best characteristics.” (Tsubu Tsubu sweets menu) If earth tones, vegetables and soft toned conversations sound lovely to you then Tsubu Tsubu is … Continue reading
Posted in Bakeries and Cafes, Nagano, Nagano City, Nightlife, Organic, Places
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9kjikan Café, Nagano City
Straight coffee in a simple setting 9kjikan (rest time) makes simplicity stylish. Their walls are clean, white, and bare with the exception of a pinned up pocket size calendar and post card sized Abbey Road placard. Tables are simple with … Continue reading
Feisty Fish Feast Finished! Champion Crowned
By Alastair Lomas, Sports and Fisheries Correspondent Crowds waited with baited breath as the umpteenth approxi-annual All-Toyama Sushi Challenge got underway at ‘Sushi Kui, ne!’ in Takaoka on Saturday March 13th. It’s been a while since there has been one … Continue reading
Negibouzu Okonomiyaki, Nagano City
Negibouzu’s twig canopied entrance way and rock studded walls hint that it is not a normal okonomiyaki restaurant. Its more standard menu, prices, and tastes, however, indicate otherwise. But if you are looking for teppanyaki grills and okonomiyaki in Nagano … Continue reading
Eat Ramen Like a Local on Route 19
Yukio Miyazawa throws vegetables and spices by the handful into a giant frying pan, briskly mixes them with noodles and smoothly tosses it all into the air. Without looking down, he adjusts the stove heat, and the flames settle down … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Nagano City, Nightlife
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March’s artistic and edible offering, Yashouma
Yashouma is the rice flour (komenoko) Japanese sweet that is not sweet. The ornately designed, plain flavored mochi is a fascinating imbalance between decorative art and flavor. The neon picture inlaid in the center of the hockey puck shaped mochi … Continue reading
Tori Shin YakiTori, Matsumoto
If you live in Matsumoto city you’ve probably heard of the yakitori bar Tori Shin. Getting to the local favorite, however, isn’t as easy. The grilled chicken den is only a three minute walk from JR Matsumoto station but spontaneously … Continue reading
Sunny Place Café, Matsumoto
Sunny place café’s style and clientele can largely be described as a spillover from Matsumoto’s neighboring high end fashion mall PARCO. Sunny place’s owner says that his clientele is mostly women between the ages of 18 and 23 and their … Continue reading
Bakery Street Café
Bakery Street is Nagano cities’ only café to spoon ice cream from coke floats, sink into red velvet couches, and perch on 1950s chairs over espresso or sweet potato pastries. The coffees are freshly brewed, but not exceptional. The atmosphere … Continue reading
Posted in Bakeries and Cafes, Nagano, Nagano City, Nightlife
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The Grains and Greens of Roots Cafe, Happo One
By Whitney Conti Roots is the ski in ski out vegan café for non-vegans. Vegans and veg-heads of course also frequent the brown rice and falafel focused lunch spot, but Roots clientele resembles any average ski hill lunch crowd. Children … Continue reading
Posted in Bakeries and Cafes, Hakuba, Nightlife, Organic, Snow and Ice
Tagged organic, Ski Food, Vegan
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Matsumoto City’s Gourmet Cheese Shop & Restaurant
by Whitney Conti Gellee Blanche cheese shop and restaurant displays Camembert boxes like most restaurants would show off wine bottles. Dozens of Camembert wheels line the walls above European trinkets and the French certificates of cheese connoisseur and owner Shomoda … Continue reading
Posted in Beer and Wine, Gourmet, Matsumoto, Nightlife
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5 Foodie Musts in Hakuba
by Linda Monique 1. The Donburi at Kikyouya highlights owner and chef, Masuo Ohta’s 27 years of mastering the art of sushi. 1. Experience the freshest and most mouth-watering sashimi at Kikyouya You only need to look at the decade … Continue reading
Slow Cafe: Nagano’s inner city escape
Slow Café is as close as you can get to dining in a tree house in the middle of Nagano city. Wood paneled floors and wicker chairs are tempered by fair trade crafts, coffees, spices, and Tibetan prayer flags surrounding … Continue reading
Posted in Bakeries and Cafes, Nagano City, Organic
Tagged cafes, Nagano City, organic, slow food movement
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Bakeries and Cafes
Matsumoto Sweets. Since 1913. Matsumoto. Hours: 9:00-18:00. Everyday. Tel. 0263-32-5300. Above and beyond the standard array of delicious baked goods, sweets uniquely offers hot pressed reuben sandwiches, bread bowl soups, and a 1930s wood polished indoor seating and outdoor patio … Continue reading
Posted in Azumino, Bakeries and Cafes, Hakuba, Matsumoto, Nagano City
Tagged bakeries, cafes
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Going organic in Nagano
Nagano prefecture may be considered the “inaka” which literally translates as rural but it’s mountains and quiet attract the hip and trendy of the young organic, local movement bustling in Tokyo and thriving in our ken. A lot of the … Continue reading
Posted in Azumino, Hakuba, Matsumoto, Nagano City, Nightlife, Organic
Tagged Azumino, Matsumoto, Nagano, ooka, organic, veggie burger
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Yama Picks: Best Burgers in Nagano
Burgers U2 Burger. Matsumoto City. Double stacked, chicken pattied, spam packed, avocado topped, teriyaki sauced, bacon layered… U2 burger features 24 different burger variations/toppings. For the adventurous and triple stomached, you can even get the preposterously large “big monster” burger. … Continue reading
Posted in 2 Food. Dec. Jan. 09-10, Azumino, Burgers, Matsumoto
Tagged Azumino, Burgers, Matsumoto, veggie burgers, yama recs
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Yama Picks: Best Pizza in Nagano
Pizza: Best Thin Crust, American style, and Organic Pizza in Nagano La Foret. Chikuma City. If you are ready to splurge on taste and money, La Foret combines chalet styled décor, kiln ovens, and international ingredients for imaginative gourmet thin … Continue reading
Posted in 2 Food. Dec. Jan. 09-10, Nightlife, Pizza
Tagged Azumino, Chikuma, Iida, Nagano, Pizza, Yama Picks
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Shinano Brewery: Local Brewery Nails It
Shinano Brewery: By Derek Hurst I’d heard about it since I got here—the local microbrewery that apparently had a brew master who apprenticed in Boston. Famous for miles around, I saw the signs everywhere: the train station, the tourist centers, … Continue reading
Posted in 2 Food. Dec. Jan. 09-10, Beer and Wine, Nightlife, Shinano
Tagged brewery, Nagano, Shinano
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