Mitaki-en — Restaurant in Chizu

To call this place a hidden jem is an understatement. This is the epitome of hipsters and uniqueness. Nested amongst the forest by a waterfall, this lovely restaurant houses the most organic ingredients used in the dishes.

Run by a 72 year old lady who is ever-welcoming, this place shouts HOME more than any other restaurants I've been to. She was so hospitable, and her English is fluent because of her university experience. She is extremely mobile too considering the age!

What I heard was that she will head out to the forest every morning to search for greens, which the greens that you will see in your dishes. I'm not sure about the legitimacy of this story, and I never got to ask her. However, she did share how she got into this business.

This place itself is 'up in the mountains'. You will have to pay it a visit if you want to experience an otherworldly service and restaurant location. Take your time to explore the premises when you're here too! You'd probably been taken aback while being transported to the 50s,...

We had a wonderful experience at Mitaki-en today. All the staffs were friendly and serves you with much warmth. It was snowing when we came and they welcomed guest with lovely firewood near the entrace. The whole scenery, ambience and atmosphere surrounding the restaurant makes our trip there worthwhile. Really lovely and surrounded by sound of water from nearby river and nature. Food are traditional, organic, homemade and of course delicious. Reservation are required and we were pleased that they were able to accede to our request of no alcohol or meat in the food prep due to religious requirement. Im really thankful to the kind owner of mitaki-en. She is such a warm lady and very hospitable. Do visit there, i highly recommend this wonderful experience. The feeling we get leaving that place is as if we just left the home of a...

Nestled deep in the forest and tucked into majestic mountains the one of a kind Mitaki-en should be on any travel itinerary. It combines the best Japan has to offer---tradition, great food, attention to detail, charm and some local roosters who delight all. I am a repeater and found the second visit as good as the first. Fall magic paired with a memorable seasonal lunch enjoyed with friends in a wooden farmhouse with the shoji screens looking out on drying persimmons and fall foliage = pure pleasure. Beyond the extraordinary service, food, and setting, the best part was sharing tea (for the second time) with the delightful and elegant owner who has run the Mitaki-en for decades. It's a must do, especially for those traveling in the...