Local Guide
4 Hoto restaurants recommended in the Kawaguchiko area, Yamanashi Prefecture

Houtou is the soul food of the people of Yamanashi Prefecture, and is said to have been even eaten by Shingen Takeda, a feudal lord of Kai during the war. In the Kawaguchiko area, there are many restaurants boasting of their taste, ranging from long-established establishments to contest-winning restaurants. Here are four of the best places to stop by on your way to explore the area.

Chewy homemade noodles inherited from grandmother

Fudo Houtou
Fudo Houtou" for 1,080 yen. Only three people in the entire restaurant know the recipe for this secret noodle recipe.

This restaurant specializing in Hoto has been in business for three generations since my grandmother's generation. The only Hoto menu item is the Fudo Hoto. The restaurant boasts homemade noodles made from the finest flour, which are firm and chunky. The filling is made with sweet chestnut squash, onions, carrots, and a variety of other vegetables. The noodles are simmered for more than three hours in a special miso paste blended with Koshu miso and other ingredients, so that the flavor of the vegetables soaks into the noodles. The soup is blended with pumpkin, giving it a slightly sweet and mild flavor. The spicy condiments, which are a unique blend of spices, enhance the flavor.

Store interior in the style of an old private house where you can learn about local history

The restaurant is spacious, with seating for approximately 300 people. In addition to tatami room space, there is also table seating.
The restaurant is spacious, with seating for approximately 300 people. In addition to tatami room space, there is also table seating.

Currently, there are four Hoto Fudo restaurants. Each store has a different building design, and the Kawaguchiko Kitamoto store is decorated in a folk art style with thick beams. Inside the store, an antique wall clock and a retro-designed pay phone are still in use, creating a nostalgic atmosphere. Visitors can also learn about local history from the legends about the Sengen Shrine on Lake Kawaguchi and the pictures of Shingen Takeda and his 24 generals. At the souvenir corner, you can get take-out Hoto and local specialties.

Hoto Fudo Kawaguchiko Kita Honten
  • Address YamanashiFujikawaguchiko Town, Minamitsuru-gunKawaguchi707 MAP
  • Bus Direction From Kawaguchiko Station (Fuji Kyuko Bus), take the Red Line bus bound for Kawaguchiko Shizen Seikatsukan (Lake Kawaguchiko Museum of Natural History). 18 minutes by bus from Kawaguchiko Station, 8 minutes walk from Kawaguchiko Museum of Art Bus Stop.
  • Hours of Operation 11:00-19:30 (Noodles close when they run out; after 17:00, please inquire)
  • Closed No holidays
  • TEL 0555-76-7800
  • Parking Free of charge

Enjoy a wide variety of houtou dishes

The
The "2,100 yen set" includes "Kabocha Hoto" with horse sashimi, a small bowl of cooked food, and pickles.

The Yamanashi local cuisine restaurant offers about 10 different kinds of hoto, ranging from the deeply flavorful "wild boar meat hoto" and "mushroom hoto" to the "adzuki-bean paste hoto" that can be enjoyed just like a snack. The most popular is the "Kabocha Hoto," which features a sweet soup. The homemade noodles are also very thick and satisfying. The homemade noodles are also very thick and satisfying. The soup, made with a secret miso paste, is a perfect match. A special set meal that includes Koshu specialties such as horse sashimi and cooked abalone is also available.

Enjoy your meal in a spacious and relaxing atmosphere

The interior of the restaurant is decorated in the style of an old private house. Seats with sunken kotatsu are also available.
The interior of the restaurant is decorated in the style of an old private house. Seats with sunken kotatsu are also available.

Koshu Hoto Kosaku has been in business for more than 40 years. The restaurant is so famous that customers line up even before the restaurant opens to get their hoto. The interior of the restaurant is a large hall with tatami mats. It is a spacious space with approximately 200 seats, where not only group customers but also families with small children can dine comfortably. The restaurant also sells "hoto sets" so that you can enjoy the popular hoto at home, and you can also find famous Yamanashi sweets such as "Shingenmochi" (rice cake). Local agricultural products are sold at the storefront.

Koshu Hoto Kosaku Kawaguchiko Branch
  • Address YamanashiFujikawaguchiko Town, Minamitsuru-gunFunatsu1638-1 MAP
  • Direction Approximately 5 minutes from Kawaguchiko Station on the Fuji Kyuko Line by car.
  • Bus Direction From Fujikyuko Kawaguchiko Station, take the Fuji Kyuko Bus for Kawaguchiko Shizen Seikatsukan (Red Line) or Nishiko Shizen Seikatsukan (Green Line) and get off at Yakuban Iriguchi (Town Hall Entrance). 6 min. walk from Yakuban Iriguchi (Town Hall Entrance) bus stop.
  • Hours of Operation 11:00-21:00 (L.O. 20:20)
  • Closed No holidays
  • TEL 0555-72-1181
  • Parking Free of charge

Taste of Hoto, inducted into the Hall of Fame in a Hoto contest

Premium Golden Hoto
Premium Golden Hoto" for 1,800 yen (tax not included). You can choose from pork or chicken meat.

The restaurant was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014 after winning the "Shosenkyo Hoto Aji Kurabe Serious Match," an event to determine the best Hoto in Yamanashi Prefecture, for three consecutive years. The famous "Golden Hoto" is made with a combination of rice malt miso, pumpkin paste, shiitake mushrooms, and kelp, and the "Golden Miso" is the key to its flavor. The miso is added with dashi (Japanese soup stock) and abalone liver paste to create a flavorful soup, which is perfectly mixed with the special noodle soup. The "Premium Kogane Hoto" is a luxurious dish topped with abalone shellfish, a traditional food of Yamanashi Prefecture. It is richly flavored with vegetables and mushrooms that are carefully selected for their seasonality and freshness.

A great location with a spectacular view of Mt.

Fuji with its sloping aisle.
Fuji with its sloping aisle.

The Kawaguchiko store is the flagship store among the three "Houtou Kura Busei" stores in the prefecture. The stylish building in the motif of a warehouse is eye-catching. The interior of the store has a unique design with a gradual uphill slope from the entrance to the back of the store. Box seats line both sides of the aisle, and at the end of the aisle is a display of armor bearing the Takeda water chestnut, the family crest of the Takeda family, the warlord of the Kai Warring States. Behind the armor is a glass window with a large view of Mt. Fuji, creating a picture-perfect view of the lake.

Houtou Kura Fuminari Kawaguchiko Branch
  • Address YamanashiFujikawaguchiko Town, Minamitsuru-gunFunatsu6931 MAP
  • Direction Approximately 6 minutes from Kawaguchiko Station of Fuji Kyuko Line by car.
  • Bus Direction From Kawaguchiko Station (Fuji Kyuko Bus), take Blue Line bus bound for Motosu-ko Tourist Information Center (Motosu-ko Rest House), and get off at Kawaguchiko Shopping Center BELL (approx. 4 min. walk).
  • Business Hours 11:00-21:00 (L.O.20:30)
  • Closed Year-end and New Year's holidays
  • Admission fee 0555-25-6180
  • Parking Free of charge

Western-style hoto with potato as the main ingredient, popularized by the Queen of France

The
The "Queen's Favorite Western Hoto" is 1,500 yen with coffee or tea.

Restaurant located in "Kawaguchiko Music Box Museum." The specialty, "The Queen's Beloved Western Hoto" is made with tomato sauce. It is characterized by the use of potatoes, which are said to have been introduced to France by Queen Marie Antoinette, instead of pumpkin for the filling. In addition to western vegetables such as zucchini and bell peppers, sausage is also used to add color. Melted cheese adds richness to the dish. The sauce is made with Japanese ingredients such as Koshu miso and bonito broth. The special noodle has a firm texture, and you can enjoy the hoto-like taste.

Enjoy an elegant lunch while listening to a concert

Lunch concerts are held from 11:45am and 1:00pm. The concert lasts about 30 minutes and is free of charge.
Lunch concerts are held from 11:45am and 1:00pm. The concert lasts about 30 minutes and is free of charge.

Kawaguchiko Music Box Museum is a music theme park with one of the world's largest dance organs and automatic musical instruments made more than 100 years ago. The park features a European-style townscape, and visitors can enjoy live music and entertainment shows.
The Restaurant is also popular for its lunch concerts, which are held twice daily. First-rate musicians show off their skills on saxophone, flute, piano playing, and other daily specials. On clear days, you can even see Mt. Fuji from the window seats. A stroll after dinner is recommended.

Kawaguchiko Music Box Museum "Restaurant in the Forest
  • Address YamanashiFujikawaguchiko Town, Minamitsuru-gunKawaguchi3077-20 MAP
  • Bus Direction From Kawaguchiko Station (Fuji Kyuko Bus), take the Red Line bus bound for Kawaguchiko Shizen Seikatsukan (Lake Kawaguchi Museum of Natural History). 19 minutes from Kawaguchiko Museum of Music Box Art.
  • Hours of Operation Restaurant in the Forest 11:00-15:00 (L.O.14:30), Kawaguchiko Music Box Museum 9:30-18:00 (hours will be changed after December 2019)
  • Regular holidays Open daily *Maintenance closures are available (twice a year in late January and late February)
  • Admission fee Museum admission ¥1,500 for adults, ¥1,100 for high school and university students, ¥800 for elementary and junior high school students, free for children under elementary school age
  • TEL 0555-20-4111
  • Parking Free of charge
The information in this article is current as of the date of the update. Please check before visiting as they are subject to change.