If there’s one thing I learned during my Japan trip, it’s to always make sure that you’re not overtaken by hunger. With all the walking and hiking I was doing, I needed to make sure I had enough energy on a daily basis. Thankfully, Nagano, Kamakura, and Yokohama all had some amazing restaurants and food that kept me full and fueled. Today, I’m going to list out some of the standout establishments I visited and the food that I ordered.
Nice Places to Eat in Nagano, Kamakura and Yokohama: Some Amazing Restaurants to Include on Your List
Nagano-ken Choju-shokudo (Nagano)
The first restaurant on this list is Nagano-ken Choju-shokudo in Nagano. Located inside Nagano station, this restaurant was pretty close to the Hotel Metropolitan Nagano that I was staying in so it was relatively easy to get there. More importantly though, the food here was unique (relative to the kind of food you’d usually get in teishoku restaurants) on top of being delicious.
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For my order, I went with a Jingisukan meal that went for JPY1680 (not including tax). This is a meal popular in Hokkaido that mainly consists of grilled lamb, bean sprouts, cabbage, and onions (among other vegetables). My order had this as well as eggs, condiments, a bowl of rice, and some soup. What I liked about this meal was that the jingisukan was still smoking when it arrived on its hot plate and the meat was actually quite tasty.
Aside from the jingisukan, our table also ordered this Miso-simmered mackerel set meal. This was actually a really nice meal with the mackerel and tofu coming together really beautifully thanks to the miso-based sauce they were simmered in. The meal also included miso soup that didn’t skimp on the ingredients as well as a bowl of rice and some condiments. More importantly though, all this was only JPY1180!
Here’s the menu entry for the jingisukan that I ordered. One thing that’s not pictured is the unique seasonal menu offered by the restaurant. These seasonal menu items are based on the solar terms or nijushi-sekki and there are 24 of them in total.
Overall, Nagano-ken Choju-shokudo was a pretty solid restaurant with delicious food and a nice ambience. If you want to know more about the restaurant then you might want to check out my in-depth review of it.
Breakfast at Hotel Metropolitan (Nagano)
Hotel Metropolitan Nagano had a really nice breakfast buffet that was made available through Restaurant IRIS. This restaurant was located on the first floor of the hotel and they served breakfast from 6:30AM to 10:00AM. My first breakfast in Nagano was here and it was just before I visited Snow Monkey Park.
The buffet had a really nice selection of meats and proteins in the form of sausages and bacon. Take note though that the bacon here is the processed Japanese kind that some people might not be big fans of.
Other meat items here include fried fish as well as grilled chicken with miso. The latter actually looked very appetizing and based on the picture, was quite popular among the guests who were also taking their breakfast there.
Another underrated source of protein that was available for guests was the scrambled eggs. These were actually made really well with the egg perfectly seasoned and moist. If you happen to be bulking up then this would be a great addition to your breakfast.
In addition to Western-style breakfast items, the restaurant also has Japanese cuisine staples. In this picture you can see deep fried yam with nuts, water vegetables in dashi broth, tofu paste with spinach, and hijiki seaweed. These are perfect if you’re not too keen on eating overly processed meats and want more healthier options for your first meal of the day.
Adding to the healthy breakfast options are these simmered radishes and grilled salmon. Other than these, you’ll also find side dishes like Enoki mushrooms, shoyumame, umeboshi, and nozawana (a local Nagano delicacy).
If there’s one area where Hotel Metropolitan Nagano could do better it’s with their breads and pastries. The section of the restaurant I went to only had French bread, Strawberry danish, and pancakes to go along with some whipped cream and maple syrup. For a country with such a strong bread culture, this selection almost looks a little disappointing.
Thankfully, the hotel did make sure to make it up with a rather robust selection of juices and drinks. Aside from the tea, milk, and tomato juice pictured above, there is a coffee dispenser for iced coffee, cafe au lait, hot coffee, as well as matcha and even matcha au lait. For hard drinks, I saw Ima-nishiki sake (seasonal) and there was even a tap for Asahi super dry.
If you do intend to stay at Hotel Metropolitan Nagano, then you’ll find that there’s a lot to like with its Restaurant IRIS’ breakfast buffet. It has a great selection of Western and Japanese breakfast items (including some local delicacies) that are quite good. Considering this is complimentary breakfast, I don’t see any reason why you shouldn’t be checking out this breakfast buffet.
Crystal Terrace (Nagano)
Crystal Terrace was perhaps the weirdest restaurant that I visited in Japan. I would have understood if the Italian restaurant was in a city but it’s actually in one of the most rural areas I’ve ever been to. So it’s no wonder that I decided to try it out after a scenic hike in Jigokudani Yaen Koen (Snow Monkey Park) during my first whole day in Nagano.
For my order, I just went with basil pasta with oysters which cost me around JPY1100. The order looked simple enough and it ended up tasting okay. I wouldn’t say this was a life-changing order of pasta but it was tasty and filling and more importantly, it did a great job of re-energizing me after what seemed like a long (albeit enjoyable) hike through Snow Monkey Park.
What I also appreciated from Crystal Terrace was their relatively simple menu. Every item is literally on this signboard and once you’ve decided on a meal, you can then just order through the machine on the right (which has an option for English if your Japanese is not up to snuff just yet).
Fan Fahr Chinese Restaurant (Nagano)
Back in Nagano, I decided to end the day with a meal at another of the restaurants in Hotel Metropolitan Nagano. This time I went with Chinese Restaurant FANFAHR and was surprised that I got in without a reservation. That might have been a one-time thing though so if you do plan to get dinner here make sure you reserve your seats at least two business days in advance (per the hotel’s website).
This might seem like a noodle dish but it’s actually Stir Fried Beef with Green Pepper. The beef was just really nice as it was cut thinly and velveted. Its texture wasn’t chewy at all and I loved how the green and yellow peppers added some crunch and a little sweetness to the dish. At JPY2700 for an order, I think that this was actually reasonably priced.
Other than the beef, I also decided to get a green vegetable stir-fry. Now this ended up costing JPY1800 but I think it was worth it considering how fresh the vegetables were. As a complement to the beef, this actually worked really well and the umami from the mushrooms really made this stand out.
While the beef and vegetables were stellar on their own, I think the star of that dinner was probably the shark’s fin soup. This wasn’t your run of the mill shark’s fin as it had crab meat added in to give the broth even more umami. Thanks to the crab meat, it ended up being one of the tasties and richest meal items I had that night. As for how much it cost, I ended up paying JPY3200 for just this order.
To then round out the meal for that night, I ended up getting an order of soup dumplings. This was probably the most affordable order that night at just JPY840 for the three. Still, these ended up being rather tasty and the soup did a great job of cleansing my palate after all the other rich-tasting orders I had that night.
If you’re looking for a good Chinese restaurant and you’re checked in at Hotel Metropolitan Nagano then you really don’t need to look far.
Onari Yokocho (Kamakura)
Onari Yokocho was the only restaurant I managed to go to during my Kamakura day trip. That said, the restaurant did leave a lasting impression and I would say that the dining experience there was more than adequate. If you’re vegan or vegetarian then you might also want to check them out as they have quite a selection of plant-based dishes for you to choose from.
Now, I’m somebody who enjoys eating meat dishes so I decided to skip on the vegetarian options. Instead I got the Nigiri Sushi set and an order of eel sushi for JPY2900 and JPY800 respectively. The Nigiri Sushi set was composed of tuna rib, salmon, and medium fatty tuna sushi. As far as I could tell, the fish used here all seemed and tasted quite fresh. I learned later on that to ensure this freshness, the restaurant actually sources their fish and other seafood from the Yokohama market on a daily basis.
Breakfast at Hyatt Regency Hotel (Yokohoma)
As befitting a luxury hotel, Hyatt Regency Yokohama’s Harbor Kitchen had one of the more impressive breakfast buffets that I came across here in Japan. On my first day there, I got to see a wide selection of Japanese and International breakfast items featured during their service. Pictured above is scrambled eggs and some vegetables that while I personally didn’t eat, sure looked appetizing.
Other than the scrambled eggs, other protein sources were also on display. One of these was this grilled salmon that was actually quite popular for the breakfast goers that morning. For those who like deli meats, there’s a section that features shoulder ham, Italian sausages, smoked salmon, and prosciutto.
In case you’re not too keen on scrambled eggs, Harbor Kitchen has some tamagoyaki and Inari sushi that you’re probably going to enjoy. For more Japanese fare, you could check out other sections for yakisoba, as well as natto (which you can mix with raw egg, rice, and soy sauce for a uniquely Japanese breakfast).
Now if you just want to load up on carbs, this section of the breakfast buffet has you covered. Start your morning with baked potato with butter, bistro potatoes, potato gratin, and some sesame dumplings.
If you want your carbs a little healthier, these steamed veggies just might be what you’re looking for. These or you could just go to the salad section and whip up your own.
When it comes to breads and pastries, you can expect a wide selection of freshly baked items here on display. These bear claws and pink frosted donuts were surprisingly still warm when I took these pictures. Aside from the freshness of the bread, I also appreciated their bite-sized servings.
Yodare-dori (Japan’s version of a Sichuan dish called mouth watering chicken) and char siu pork are items that you don’t typically see on breakfast menus and yet they’re here. Judging by what’s left of their plates they’re served in though, it does seem like they’re at least popular with the guests.
If you’re looking for more Japanese/Eastern style cooking, the restaurant also offers simmered Hijiki seaweed, Pounded Burdock (Tataki Goubou), and Vegetables in Sesame Sauce.
Now in case you’re tired of eating the bland processed ham the Japanese call bacon then you’ll be glad to know that Harbor Kitchen also has regular crispy bacon on its breakfast buffet menu. Next to the crispy bacon in this picture is a Quiche Lorraine which happened to also be popular with guests when I was there.
Here’s another look at the bread and pastries section. There are Maple Pecan Danish and Cinnamon Rolls along with some waffles and even some melon pan. Again, these mostly come in bite-sized pieces and more importantly are freshly baked.
So here’s the natto that I was talking about earlier. Now I will warn you, these fermented soybeans are an acquired taste. As with most things fermented, these have a not so pleasant smell to them.
We’re finally at the salad bar and this section boasts of a wide selection of dressings and condiments that should go along well with vegetables such as cucumbers, lettuce, carrots, corn, and even cherry tomatoes.
Drinks available here at the breakfast buffet are actually as varied and as diverse as the food. The restaurant has these fridges containing non-fat and even flavored yogurt under the Danone Bio brand.
If yogurt isn’t your cup of tea, then you might want to consider fruit juices. Pictured above are dispensers for grapefruit juice, orange juice, and fruit iced tea. In my review of Hyatt Regency Yokohama’s breakfast buffet, I also included pictures of dispensers for apple juice and Kale Aojiru Green Juice.
Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum (Yokohoma)
If I had to choose, the Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum was probably the most memorable food experience I had in my recent Japan trip. Ironically, it wasn’t the ramen that made it memorable but rather the museum itself. While it does have the word museum in its name, the Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum is actually more of an amusement park. On its lower levels, is a reenactment of 1950s Tokyo that also houses a number of ramen shops/establishments. And while these establishments offer great food, it’s likely that it’s the reenactment itself that you’ll find more interesting.
After an enjoyable afternoon admiring the sights and sounds of the Tokyo reenactment, I decided to get a bowl at Rokkakuya 1994+. The shop specializes in Iekei ramen and my order showed the hallmarks of this style. It had a thick and flavorful tonkotsu soup and the noodles were straight and had a slight chew to them. A bowl of ramen starts at JPY950 (regular) and can go up to JPY1250. For an additional JPY150-JPY200, you can then get toppings such as a boiled egg, cabbage, and seaweed to your order .
Shatenki Chinese Porridge (Yokohoma)
Shatenki is a restaurant specializing in Chinese porridge that might be worth checking out if you happen to be in Yokohama’s Chinatown district. The restaurant is relatively popular thanks to a congee or Chinese porridge recipe that is said to have remained unchanged since it started operations sometime in the 1950s.
While there were a lot of congee options to choose from, I ended up getting the Shrimp Porridge paired with a century egg. The meal was definitely tasty and for just JPY960 it was actually quite affordable. Despite its simplicity, this actually ended up being a notable meal as it came directly after my visit to Sankeien Garden.
JAL Sakura Lounge (Narita Airport)
My last meal in Japan was inside Japan Airlines’ First Class and Sakura Lounges at Narita Airport. Now there are a number of ways to get access to these lounges but the simplest is probably just booking at least a business class international flight on JAL. Other options include paying outright for lounge access or getting membership to the JAL Mileage Bank (JMB).
Once you’re inside the First Class Lounge, you’ll get access to its Bar and Beverages section’s wide selection of spirits and liquors. In this picture you’ll find hard drinks like sake, Bowmore and Royal Brackla Scotch Whiskies, and even Gin (Bombay Sapphire).
While it’s not the case for all, I’ve noticed that a lot of establishments here in Japan are now putting up caloric information on their menu items and/or displays. Case in point, here at JAL’s First Class or even in its Sakura Lounge, menu items typically show the amount of calories they contain per piece much like with the meatloaf pie wrapped in mustard pictured on this image.
Other food items that are available here include these horse caramel flavored marinades and yuzu flavored beef aspic.
If you want a full meal though, you’re going to want to sit down at one of the tables and scan the QR codes there. Doing so, you’ll get access to the JAL Lounge+ app. From here, you can order from a reasonably varied selection of meals that would then be delivered straight to your table.
In my case, I decided to order Japanese beef curry with rice. This ended up being just the right combination of sweetness and spiciness which I really enjoyed. A word on Japanese curries though. They’re typically on the sweeter side so they might not be for everyone.
To complement my Japanese beef curry with rice, I also ended up ordering some mushroom and lotus root soup as well as a slice of strawberry shortcake with roasted pistachios for dessert. Overall, this meal was nice. It was as filling as it was tasty and I think I ended up enjoying it (while also feeling sad that it was my last meal in the country at that time).
