Tabelog ratingChatora Hanten (茶虎飯店) applies Chinese technique to the produce of the Nagano mountains. The chef trained in Tokyo before moving to Fujimi. The menu runs on wild boar, venison, mountain vegetables and house fermentation, and no MSG is used. The room is small and stylish, with records playing. The restaurant was selected for Tabelog's Chinese EAST "Tabelog 100" in 2023, 2024 and 2026.
The signature is mapo tofu made with diced venison in place of minced pork. Nearly every reviewer praises it as lean and fragrant rather than oily, with no gamey taste and a clear Sichuan-pepper tingle. It is gentle enough for people who avoid chilli heat. Regulars also single out the small daily side dishes, especially the chilli dried sardines (麻辣煮干し), and the venison liver with chives or mint. The fluffy fried rice and a light egg soup come up again and again. Both English-language reviewers called every dish superb.
The recurring complaint is speed. One cook works mostly alone, and one group waited 100 minutes without receiving all their dishes. Some diners found the food too mild, the portions small or the chef curt. A 2026 visitor left early after being seated at a cramped shared table beside loud regulars.
Reviewers in 2025–2026 paid:
- around ¥1,500 for the mapo tofu set with rice and soup
- ¥400 per small side dish
- ¥1,100 for fried rice
- ¥1,900 for pastured pork with green beans
- ¥3,000 for the booked course
Typical spend is ¥1,000–2,000 at lunch and ¥4,000–5,000 at dinner. Most reviewers consider it fair value for the craft involved. The ¥400 sides are small, so bigger eaters should order extra.
- Getting there: about 170 m from Fujimi Station, a few minutes on foot.
- Parking: a small car park beside the shop.
- Payment: cash only. Credit cards, electronic money and QR payments are not accepted.
- Booking: reserve by phone on 080-4343-6769. Walk-ins are often turned away. Courses must be booked by the day before.
- Closures: unplanned closures are frequent, so call before travelling. Lunch last order is 13:00, and dishes can sell out.
- Time: allow 1.5–2 hours or more.
- Seating: ask for counter seats to avoid the shared table. There are no private rooms, but the whole restaurant can be hired.
- Smoking: non-smoking.