Kawaguchiko｜Must-try local cuisine

When you come to Kawaguchiko, you may want to try the famous local cuisine "Hoto". Originally, Hoto was made by kneading flour into ropes or balls, cutting them into soup and cooking them. Some say it is the prototype of udon. Legend has it that Takeda Shingen once used Hoto as military rations. During the war, soldiers would add local ingredients to the pot and cook them with Hoto. After the demise of the Takeda family, Tokugawa Ieyasu's soldiers added Owari miso to Hoto, and the miso flavor has been preserved to this day. Therefore, if a restaurant in Yamanashi Prefecture places Takeda Shingen's "Furinzan" flag at the door, it means that they sell hoto.

Hoto Fudo is a highly rated hoto restaurant in Kawaguchiko, with 4 branches in Kawaguchiko. Apart from the signature hoto, Hoto Fudo does not have many food options, and they ordered one serving of everything on the menu. The inari is the tofu sushi that we usually eat, which is larger and fuller than usual, and a small amount of brown sugar is added to highlight the sweet taste. The beef offal is cooked soft, and konjac is added to increase the taste, but the seasoning is a bit monotonous.

Horse meat sashimi, which is low in fat, calories and rich in nutrients, is very popular among Japanese people. Horse meat is also known as "sakura meat" because of its bright pink color. The meat is soft and a little elastic, and tastes slightly sweet without any strange smell. It is actually similar to raw beef, but the meat flavor is slightly lighter.

The hoto served in a big pot is quite impressive. The soup base is cooked with a lot of vegetables, and the natural sweet taste is very strong, which goes well with the miso. It is paired with chewy hand-beaten noodles. It is very enjoyable to eat a pot when the weather is cold. However, as a carnivore, I always feel that something is missing. I personally think it would be more exciting if it was paired with some beef.

💸Specialty Fudo Hofu 1210 yen / Horse meat sashimi 1210 yen
Inari sushi 520 yen / boiled beef offal 520 yen

📍ほうとう不动 Kawaguchi Hubei Main Store 食べログ 3.5
〒401-0304 707 Kawaguchi, Fujikawaguchiko-cho, Minamituri-gun, Yamanashi Prefecture

🏦Business hours 11:00-20:00

#JapanMust-visit check-in spots #JapanTravel #JapaneseFood

Post by Simon’s Trip | Dec 6, 2023