Hoto Tempura Wakana — Restaurant in Fujikawaguchiko

Popular Houtou Stop - Worth the Wait, Eat Quickly! We visited this restaurant on a Thursday evening in April 2025, arriving around 6:15 PM, and it was already quite busy! There were approximately eight groups ahead of us in the queue, which is always a sign of a popular spot. We ended up waiting for about 30 minutes before we were able to get inside. Thankfully, they provided seats outside the store for those waiting, which made the time pass a bit more comfortably. Once inside, the service was efficient, and our food arrived hot at the table within a quick 5 to 10 minutes of placing our order. The houtou soup was definitely the standout dish for us. It's a regional specialty that you don't often find in other parts of Japan, and we would highly recommend trying it. It was hearty and flavorful! However, being springtime, we did notice that the food cooled down relatively quickly, within about 15 minutes. This is something to keep in mind, so perhaps eat at a good pace to enjoy it while it's still warm. The food itself was tasty, and the prawn in our dish was particularly impressive – huge and juicy! The only minor downside was that the crumbs on the prawn became soggy quite quickly, likely due to the hot soup. Overall, this restaurant is clearly one of the higher-rated options in the Fujikawaguchiko area, and based on our experience, we would recommend giving it a try if you're in the vicinity and looking for a local specialty like houtou. Just be prepared for a potential wait during peak hours and be ready to enjoy your...

I recently visited a Hoto noodle restaurant near Mt. Fuji and it turned out to be the best meal of my entire trip! Even though I arrived at 1:30 pm and was told there was a long waiting list, I was lucky enough to get a spot at 2:03 pm and immediately ordered the Soba & tempura set menu instead of the Hoto noodle.

The horse sashimi was incredibly fresh and flavorful, with perfectly paired onion and garlic on the side. The addition of egg yolk to the soy sauce added an extra layer of flavor that made dipping the horse sashimi a truly delightful experience.

The tempura was cooked to perfection, with a crispy exterior and soft interior. I particularly enjoyed the beefsteak leaf tempura, which had a refreshing minty aroma and taste.

Finally, the soba was also very satisfying, with the dipping sauce adding an extra layer of flavor to the noodles. I was so glad that I decided to switch to the Soba & tempura set menu as it was truly an...

If you are visiting Kawaguchiko eat here!!!!! Food was absolutely delicious especially after a long day of exploring, and the portions were large. The staff workers are so incredibly welcoming and friendly, I felt very comfortable dining here. And they made sure to speak very clearly and with gestures to accommodate me due to my limited, awkward Japanese (I wanted to practice)!

Be warned that this is a smaller and pretty popular resturant, so arriving 20-30 minutes early could save you alot of time waiting. I came 15 minutes early, but still had to wait almost 2 hours because I was 2-3 parties short of the first seating. But the wait was absolutely worth it and I would do it again if it meant eating hot Hotou and Tenpura here again :)^

Please give this place a try, you...