Kawaguchiko vs Yamanakako Food Guide: Best Hoto, Soba, Local Restaurants & Grocery Shopping

Food can play a big part in how you remember a trip.

Both Kawaguchiko and Yamanakako serve Yamanashi’s signature hoto and locally made soba, but the number and type of restaurants differ a great deal.

In short, choose Kawaguchiko for variety and Yamanakako for distinctive local restaurants worth making a special trip for. Below, we introduce some of the best places in each area, organized by category.

For the wider differences between the two lakes, see our comparison guide.

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Start with Hoto, Yamanashi’s Comfort Food

If there’s one local dish to try in Yamanashi, make it hoto.

Hoto is a local dish of flat, thick wheat noodles simmered with pumpkin, mountain vegetables and other produce in a miso broth. Unlike udon, the noodles go into the pot without being boiled separately, so the broth thickens as it cooks. It is especially comforting in the cool climate of the high-altitude Fuji Five Lakes area.

Kawaguchiko: Hoto-kura Funari Kawaguchiko

A well-known hoto restaurant with a strong reputation throughout Japan. Its slowly simmered, mellow miso broth is especially popular, and it is a good introduction if you have never had hoto before. It is open until 9pm, making it a convenient option for a late dinner.

Kawaguchiko: Hoto Fudo Higashi-Koiji

A hoto specialist whose menu centers on a single signature dish, “Fudo Hoto”. The branch is also known for its striking white, cloud-like curved architecture, which is also popular as a photo spot.

There are several branches around Kawaguchiko. The Higashi-Koiji branch is particularly known for its distinctive architecture. They close when the noodles run out, so arriving early is recommended.

Kawaguchiko: Hoto Kenkyujo (Seafood Hoto)

This restaurant offers an unusual take on hoto: a broth made with prawn and crab stock rather than miso. It offers a very different flavor from traditional miso-based hoto, making it an interesting option for travelers who have already tried traditional hoto.

Yamanakako: Koshu Hoto Kosaku Yamanakako

A well-known chain within Yamanashi. The restaurant uses its own hoto noodles, made without preservatives or additives, and portions are generous. In addition to the classic pumpkin hoto, the menu includes pork, mushroom and even bear-meat varieties.

Yamanakako: Shoya

A long-established local favourite. As well as hoto, you can try stone-milled soba, horse-meat sashimi (basashi) and simmered chicken giblets — a good option if you want to sample several Yamanashi specialities in one sitting.

You’ll eat well at either lake, but Kawaguchiko has more hoto restaurants to choose from.

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Hand-Cut Soba Made with Mt. Fuji Spring Water

Rain and snow that fall on Mt. Fuji are filtered through layers of volcanic rock over many years before emerging as spring water. Handmade soba prepared with this spring water is another local specialty of the Fuji Five Lakes.

Many soba restaurants in the area are open only for lunch and close when they sell out, so aim to arrive around 11am if you plan to have soba for lunch.

Kawaguchiko: Teuchi Soba Tomoka

There are just two items on the menu: soba with spicy grated daikon, and plain cold soba. Its simple, focused menu is one of the reasons it is popular with soba enthusiasts.

Kawaguchiko: Mizunokaze Sobadokoro

Known for juwari (100% buckwheat) soba topped with finely shredded daikon. It is close to Oishi Park, making it a convenient lunch stop after enjoying seasonal flowers and views of Mt. Fuji.

Yamanakako: Teuchi Soba Yamasato

Buckwheat from Ouni in Fukushima’s Urabandai region, stone-milled in house and made with Mt. Fuji spring water. The soba is aromatic, and the duck dipping soba is another popular choice.

Yamanakako: CO･SA~LA

House-made sarashina soba is served in a relaxed, café-like setting. Surrounded by peaceful woodland, it is also a pleasant place to enjoy coffee or dessert after your meal.

Unique Restaurants Worth Visiting in Yamanakako

Yamanakako has a handful of restaurants that offer experiences and flavors that are hard to find elsewhere. There may be fewer restaurants overall, but many are worth seeking out for their distinctive character.

Koshiji: A Sausage and Smokehouse in the Woods

The shop sells house-made sausages and smoked products made without artificial seasonings. The attached restaurant serves dishes featuring its sausages and ham, and sausage-making workshops are popular. It’s also a good place to pick up something to eat back at your villa.

Tacos 3Hermanos YAMANAKAKO

Authentic Mexican street-style tacos are the specialty here. Authentic tacos may seem unexpected at the foot of Mt. Fuji, but the restaurant has earned a strong local following. The restaurant also has locations in Tokyo. It is open for lunch only, so plan accordingly.

Yamanakako Washoku Nagomi

Japanese cuisine featuring ingredients from Yamanashi — “Fujisan Maboroshi no Buta” pork raised on Mt. Fuji spring water, A5-grade wagyu and more, which pair particularly well with local sake. Dinner is reservation-only, so book ahead.

Taiho

Known for Fuji cherry trout sushi and an original “salt hoto” seasoned with salt instead of miso. Both are unique to this restaurant, making it an interesting choice for those who want to try a different style of hoto.

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Dessert and Pizza

Yamanakako: PAPER MOON

Open since 1985, set in around 2,600 tsubo of woodland, with pumpkin pudding as the signature. It attracts visitors from beyond the immediate Yamanakako area, and it is one of Yamanakako’s best-known cafés.

From April to October it opens at 8am on weekends and holidays, and daily throughout August, making it convenient for visitors enjoying an early morning around Lake Yamanakako.

Kawaguchiko: IL BACCO bis

An Italian restaurant run by a chef from Kawaguchiko, serving dishes made with local ingredients alongside a selection of Italian wines. They also do takeaway pizza, making it a convenient option for dinner at a villa or glamping accommodation. The restaurant is also a good choice for a special-occasion dinner.

Yamanakako: PIZZA NEW MID

This converted trailer serves authentic wood-fired pizza. They stop when the dough runs out, so arriving early is recommended.

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Breakfast Is Part of the Appeal Here

Mt. Fuji is often easier to see clearly in the early morning, so heading to the lakeshore at dawn and having breakfast afterwards is a wonderful way to start the day in the Fuji Five Lakes area.

Around Kawaguchiko there are cafés with a view; around Oshino Hakkai there are several good options for a casual breakfast or snacks while exploring the area.

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Staying in a Villa or Glamping? Know Where to Shop

If your accommodation has a kitchen, knowing where to shop for ingredients can make your stay much more convenient.

Supermarket: OGINO Kawaguchiko

OGINO is a Yamanashi-based supermarket chain, and the Kawaguchiko store is well stocked — locally grown fruit, Koshu wine, prepared foods, sashimi and wagyu are all there.

Local supermarkets are a great place to discover the food culture of the area. Yamanashi-grown fruit and Koshu wine are often available at reasonable prices, making the store useful for souvenir shopping as well. Prepared foods may also be discounted later in the day, so visiting later can be a good option if you are shopping for dinner.

Buying meat for a barbecue

On the Kawaguchiko side, Takadaya (Barbecue nara Omakaseya) sells barbecue ingredients and delivers. Let them know the number of people and your preferred delivery time, and they can deliver the ingredients to your accommodation or barbecue site (reservation required).

On the Yamanakako side, try Maruichi Takamura (Yamanakako Ham). In business for over 60 years and involved in every stage from pig farming to processing and retail, they are best known for ham and sausages that have won gold awards at an international meat competition in Germany. They also stock vegetables and barbecue supplies.

Convenience stores

For late-night or early-morning supplies, 24-hour convenience stores are especially useful. The Lawson in front of Kawaguchiko Station became internationally famous as a popular photo spot where Mt. Fuji appears behind the store.

If you go, please avoid stepping into the road or engaging in any unsafe behavior while taking photos, and be considerate of the residents and businesses nearby.

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Where to Stay if You Want to Cook What You Buy

If you want to enjoy the ingredients you buy locally, accommodation with a kitchen is especially convenient.

GLAMPING VILLAGE Fuji Kawaguchiko

One of the largest luxury glamping resorts in the Kanto region. Every accommodation unit has a kitchen, cookware, tableware and even seasonings, so guests can easily cook ingredients purchased locally without bringing their own cookware or tableware.

Guests can also enjoy complimentary drinks at the exclusive “Nature Bar,” including a selection of wines from Yamanashi Prefecture — which can be enjoyed alongside locally purchased ingredients.

Private Villa Glamping Fuji Yamanakako

Every villa has its own hot spring, private pool and fire pit. Guests can enjoy a barbecue with meat purchased from Maruichi Takamura while taking in views of Mt. Fuji.

Afterwards, guests can unwind in their private hot spring and relax by the fire under a star-filled sky.

In Summary

Kawaguchiko offers more restaurants and a wider range of choices, while Yamanakako stands out for the appeal of seeking out distinctive local restaurants. Whichever area you choose, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to enjoy flavors unique to Yamanashi.

Be sure to try both hoto and soba as you explore the food culture of the Fuji Five Lakes.

Please note: opening hours and regular closing days are subject to change. Check each restaurant’s official site before you go.

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