MIMASU Restaurant — Restaurant in Fujiyoshida

We were in the area and decided to visit this place because of high reviews. As the other reviews have mentioned, this is not your typical restaurant, its just one elderly grandma running it from what seems to be her home. Once we entered, we noticed the full house sign, and another one that told us to expect a longer wait. Grandma took our orders, we ordered the niku (beef) udon, and proceeded into the house to find an empty table. Despite it being full house (i think the place could seat about 20 people on the first floor and seemed like there was a second floor too), we still only waited 20min for our food. Unfortunately rice was sold out when we went. The udon was delicious, though nothing extraordinary, and portion was big. As we were leaving, grandma told us to wait so that she could prepare the onigiri that was supposed to come with our meal but i guess couldnt be prepared earlier as she had run out of rice.

The onigiri was literally the best onigiri ive ever eaten in my life. It was truly life changing and i still think about it a few days later. Then finally grandma also insisted to give us a puff snack to bring along. Overall a very hearty experience. Grandma is kind and it makes you feel bad that shes still working so hard at this age. Please visit her if you have the opportunity, as she is already hunchbacked and looks quite frail and im really not sure when she can continue to work till :( But her onigiri is really out of this world. The only thing that may put some people off is the not so sterile kitchen environment, there are uncleaned bowls piling on the floor on the side of the kitchen, probably cos grandma doesnt have time to wash in between cooking meals. But my husband and i both feel completely fine after eating.

So just know what to expect before going, you will get a delicious, no frills home cooked meal if you can look past the initial appearances. And please order the onigiri, you will...

I’ll never forget how this humble little restaurant saved my life.

It was springtime in the Fuji area, yet snow was falling unexpectedly and heavily. Caught unprepared, I was cold, shivering, and desperately searching for a place to eat. Most places were closed, and nothing useful was coming up online. Wandering through a quiet residential area in the dark, I stumbled upon a small house that looked like it might be a restaurant—though from the outside, it seemed closed. The only sign of life was the faint smell of smoke drifting from the exhaust.

Curious, I peeked inside—and to my surprise, it was packed. Encouraged, I stepped in and was warmly greeted by an elderly lady who didn’t speak a word of English. Still, she welcomed me with a kind smile and guided me to a seat. She handed me a simple menu with only a handful of food options—nothing fancy, but everything looked comforting.

I ordered tonkatsu, and when the food arrived, it was exactly what I needed: warm, simple, home-cooked—like something your grandmother would make. The taste itself wasn’t extraordinary, but what truly moved me was the warmth and spirit of this old lady. Sitting in what felt like her living room, with a small heater beside me and the smell of cooking filling the air, I felt something shift. I felt safe. I felt alive.

When I finished my meal and went to pay, she smiled and handed me a small treat—an unexpected gesture that added even more warmth to an already touching experience. I stepped back into the freezing night with a full belly and a full heart.

That night, it wasn’t just food that comforted me—it was the kindness of a stranger, the warmth of a home, and the magic of finding something real when I...

The atmostsphere is warming and just like you eat at a Japanese house, and the food is like homemade and eating at home. Not so idea if you're on hurry because the entire restaurant is run by an old lady, which is truly surprising. She's done all things by herself, cooking, cleaning, take order. (i wait for 30 mins) But definitely must try because the food portion is huge, the price is good (the around shops are usually over 1,000yen). The lady is very friendly.

I order Katsudon (which is the second highest price), comes with a free noodles bowl, the foods are goods. After I pay, she gave me a small snack as gift, which is really warming.

The restaurant is a bit small, and the lady is so busy cooking that you might feel like you're being ignored and want to leave, or sometimes she might tell you that the seats are full (and not ask you if you can wait). Please be patient, approach and tell her that you can wait, or actively tell her that you want to order the foods (I dont know if she can speak English, but the menu is in english).

If I have the change to re-visit the area, I...