THE FUJIYA GOHONJIN — Restaurant in Nagano

Ambience impeccably setup. Also the fragrance in the hall, with the fireplace gently warming the waiting area was pleasant.

Awesome garden in the backyard. Staff welcoming, friendly, willing to help you in any way possible Food is fresh and well cooked. I had the chef signature dish, spaghetti with bottarga. I am Italian and I can say that it’s not easy to find in Italy, pasta of that quality and so well made. Apple tarte, prepared on the fly. Delicious. Coffee, well, I love Japanese taste for coffe.

Overall, I came out with empty stomach and got out full and with a smile. Which means that not only my mood was pleasant but also my body would digest and absorb well the meal afterwards.

I wish all the best to the people working there, each one contributing to the overall flow.

Practical tip : as the staff will explain , many of the items on the menu a la carte, are made for two/three people But if you don’t want to eat so much, you can choose appetisers or some specific meat dishes that are also available in half portion.

There’s also a course menu, but I don’t know the size of it.

Of course such a display of elegance is not coming for free, but after the dinner, I can say it is not an empty exercise of style. In my travelling in Japan, I found again that appearance is paired with substance. Maybe it’s sheer luck? I don’t know…

If life will guide me here again, I’ll come back to this place.

Side notes:

We know that the tour of the food across our bodies is Eatprocessabsorbdiscard Some wrongly simplify by saying we are what we eat, but not all we eat becomes part of the body😅 So it is very important that what is absorbed come from a good process which comes from good food, prepared with love and respect, entering with a good mood, attention and appreciation.

If you eat near Zenkoji temple, it’s easier to remind to ourselves that energy flows well when sprits of living things get along well

So, since Food taken fresh has still some aliveness in it, it’s important to welcome it like a friend in our house

There’s always some disk in eating non-Local cousine, but in Japan, quality is important and some restaurants, by working with quality and passion, inevitably offer you delicious food , whatever cooking style they choose.

So, How I chose to try this restaurant? Having lived in Italy long enough, I simply looked at the photo of the spaghetti in the website and understood that it was well made 😆 If they make one dish like that, it’s likely they will put the same care on the rest. This concept doesn’t always work out well, but in this case it did.

(So focused on the food, I forgot to take pictures of it… but I had time to get a glimpse of...

2025.1.29

I was led to my seat by a server, with the golden lounge to the left and the dining room to the right. Walking through a quiet corridor, I entered the bustling main dining area. Here, you can enjoy your meal while gazing out at a snow-covered Japanese garden. The appetizer, baked oysters with cheese , was a delightful surprise, even for someone who doesn't usually like dairy. The buckwheat pasta and various vegetable dishes, though I couldn't identify them all, were all delicious. The main course, Shinshu premium beef , was good, but not quite as exceptional as Manpei's. However, at a price of 3500-4500 JPY per person, I was more than satisfied. I paired my meal with two glasses of local wine , its light and refreshing taste perfect for a snowy midday. Finally, the anticipated apple pie arrived, boasting a flaky crust and crisp, sweet apples, a stark contrast to Manpei's softer, sweeter version. As lunch came to an end, the garden had turned into a snowy white wonderland. Guests were fully immersed in their meals, conversations, or simply lost in thought while gazing at the...

Without knowing any history you can tell you have entered somewhere special as soon as you enter the front hall from the street. We were warmly greeting by the 2 ladies in reception and we were asked to take a seat next to a beautiful warm fire. Our coats were taken and we were soon lead through and incredible walkway passing the lounge area, the bar area and into the restaurant. The quality of the furnishings shows what a fine dining experience laid in front of us and the open kitchen bustling with the chefs was a pleasant surprise. We were offered either a set menu which looked incredible or the a le carte which we opted for. Its fair to say from the 2 starters, the main course, the bread and olive oil, the wine and the desert were all incredible with impeccable service from all the perfectly English speaking staff. We were given a tour of the outside gardens as requested and it is as beautiful on the outside as it is on the inside. I applaud the management for creating a fine dinning experience with wonderful chefs and delightful staff. Thank you for an amazing night we...