Top Restaurants in Nagano
Top Things to do in Nagano
Top 10 restaurants in Nagano, Japan
One of the main attractions in Nagano is Zenkō-ji, a colorful 7th-century Buddhist temple with proud architecture and a humbling presence. The compound contains lovely gardens, a treasure house, sacred statues and a massive incense burner. Kids will love the “ancient” appeal of the Chausuyama Dinosaur Park, adjacent to the Nagano Chausuyama Zoo. Test your stealth skills at the Chibikko Ninja Village, then reward your hard work with a tasting tour at the Nishi-no-Mon sake brewery.
Things to do in Nagano
1. The Main Dining Wisteria
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 77 reviews
The Fujiya Gohonjin (since 1648) A historic hotel originally built in 1648 and located at the base of Zenkoji temple. Updated in 2006, Fujiya has since been turned into a restaurant and reception hall. Redesigned to reflect the Japanese colonial period of the early 1900s, Fujiya exhibits a characteristic interior with exposed dark wooden beams and Japanese courtyard gardents. Fujiya preserves an authentic feel of old traditional Japan.
Reviewed By Janine003 - Brisbane, Australia
Sticking to a Gluten Free diet in Japan is hard, a lot of food is gf but finding out what is is difficult , they don't seem to have much knowledge of Coeliac Disease. We chose this restaurant as it is "Italian" in Japan and Italians are usually very good with gluten free. I had a translation and with the help of the staff was served a beautiful meal in a beautiful setting. The dessert was a standout "semi-freddo", the best I have had. The service was impeccable and the dining room overlooked a Japanese Garden.
2. Uzuraya
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 168 reviews
Reviewed By Kev&Family - Singapore, Singapore
We were visiting the Togakushi-Chusha shrine (the middle shrine) and were looking for a place for lunch.
We were fortunate that Uzuraya was just across the road from the shrine and it was open!
We ordered two bowls of soba since this was their speciality.
From the moment we entered the restaurant, there was great service. They first asked us where we were from (knowing that we were not Japanese); and this we guess was so that they could give us the menu of the appropriate language.
The soba was great tasting; and so was the tempura that came with one of our bowls.
The portion size was very large, and two bowls was sufficient for the three of us (me, wife + son)
After we had finished our soba, we were given a pot of soba water (called "soba-yu" which I think was used to boil the soba noodle). We were instructed to pour the soba-yu into the remnant of the broth and to drink it up. It was the first time we had tried this even though we had eaten soba noodles numerous times before; and it was delicious!
After our meal when we were paying up, the proprietor of the restaurant came up to chat with us and to get our feedback on the soba. It was just great service!
If you are visiting the Togakushi shrines, do drop by for a meal!
3. Irohado
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 61 reviews
Reviewed By SHIN1015 - Nagano, Japan
長野市街地から国道４０６号線でおよそ４５分。鬼無里の中心部にあるおやきの名店です。かぼちゃ、切り干し大根、野沢菜、つぶあんなど様々な具がありました。個人的にはかぼちゃが好き。甘くておいしい。それに生地ももっちもちで、とても食べごたえがあります。長野土産にもオススメです。
4. Misoya
Overall Ratings
4 based on 74 reviews
Reviewed By KC930 - Hong Kong, null, Hong Kong
I didn't want to wander too far from Nagano Station on a cold windy evening. There were only a few people when I went (7 something pm), but as I ate more people came in and they had to wait for seats. It was the typical bar seats in an L shape with the kitchen in the middle. They have an English menu. Not sure if it's because I usually prefer shoyu/tonkotsu ramen over miso, I thought it was just okay. They also add a lot of bean sprouts and chopped onion (which I don't think is typical of ramen?) - it's nice to have some veggies but I didnt quite like it in my ramen. The pork was nice but a bit too salty. All in all okay for a quick dinner if you are nearby but can't say it's amazing.
5. Bocchi
Overall Ratings
4 based on 40 reviews
Reviewed By 伸輔 今
i visited this restaurant on 31th December.There was a long line in front of the restaurant .I ordered set menu of soba and Tendon.It cost 1200 yen.It is rather cheap.Soba was descent one.I like it. 大晦日の日に行きました。店の前に行列ができていました。そばと天丼のセットを注文しました。1200円だったので、リーズナブルでした。上品な味で気に入りました。
6. Shokurakusaisai Sobadokoro Miyota
Overall Ratings
4 based on 39 reviews
Reviewed By HoneyRoasted - Tokyo, Japan
This was the second time I've eaten at this soba shop and I'm positive it will not be my last. This place is always busy for a reason---excellent taste and great service.
This time I had the ju-wari soba which (of course) has a high proportion of buckwheat flour compared to wheat flour. This makes for a thicker and more chewy soba noodle and is also more filling. The thing I like about ju-wari soba is that you can really taste the buckwheat. Be forewarned that (like most soba shops) at Miyota they have a set number of the ju-wari soba that they serve per day and when they they run out you just have to order something else.
In addition to the excellent soba, the waiters are constantly coming by and saying "would you like me to fill your glass with more soba-cha?" Their soba tea is quite nice and they are constantly filling everyone's glasses. After you've finished, they bring around containers of soba yu (water from the boiled soba noodles) and place them on your table (you don't even have to ask).
If you are coming from Nagano Station, and have walked out the exit and are at ground level, in front of you you'll see the glass doors to "MI DO RI" shopping center. To the left of these doors you'll see stairs leading down to an underground shopping area and also to a private rail line. To the left of this, you will see a very narrow alleyway. Take this alley, and walk all the way to the other side. Don't turn right or left. Keep walking straight for about two blocks. It's on the right-hand side. The first floor of Nagano Dai-ichi Hotel.
They are closed on Sunday.
7. Sobatei Aburaya
Overall Ratings
4 based on 123 reviews
Reviewed By amitbansalite - Bengaluru, India
We stopped at Nagano to change our train on our way to Matsumoto from Tokyo. We only had 40 mins in between and decided to go to this place after Reading the reviews here. Its right across the signal outside the station, about 2-3 mins walk from the platform. Very friendly and helpful staff, they gave us the English menu and also suggested what I could eat being a vegetarian. Food was decent and arrived fast, we tried the cold soba and a hot soup.
8. Sobanomi
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 60 reviews
Reviewed By TravelingTraveler333 - Beverly Hills, CA
This is the best soba in Japan. We come here every year. It's worth the drive if you are in the area.
9. Kadono Daimaru
Overall Ratings
4 based on 55 reviews
Reviewed By MarcinDrP - Warsaw, Poland
If you are in the area and get hungry... go there and you will get very simple food. Noodles or rice with very few other ingredients. However, this food is made there, made fast and it is good.
Once more, this is not exquisite Japanese food of the top line.. This is the homemade fast food... simple, good, and... fast!
Highly recommended if you are in the mood / need for this.
10. Fujikian
Overall Ratings
4 based on 30 reviews
Reviewed By Eunice C
Fujikian is very popular with the locals, so it's authentic and also quite reasonably priced.
We ordered a 3-item appetiser platter of grilled buckwheat and miso, a dumpling and a vegetable topped with katsuobushi/bonito flakes; a small platter of tempura; two bowls of tempura soba; and an elaborate ごくらく(gokuraku) soba set with three different dips, including a delicious walnut dip.
The restaurant is open from 11am to 2.30pm. Go early to beat the crowd - a sizable queue had formed by the time we left the place.
