Tabelog ratingChef Karaki cooks alone at Mumyo and builds his Japanese set menu almost entirely without fish. He has told guests he would rather serve meat than tired fish this far inland. Instead, the course draws on Shinshu: tsukinowaguma (Asiatic black bear) hotpot, wild boar wontons, Bizen shamo and Azumino jidori chicken, wild mountain vegetables and foraged mushrooms. The meal ends with a donabe (clay-pot) rice sequence. The rice comes first barely cooked, then plain, then with toppings or as a porridge in chicken broth.
Nearly every review praises the dashi and the restrained, ingredient-led seasoning. The bear hotpot comes up constantly, and one English-speaking diner called it the best they had eaten. Other repeat favourites are the thin-asparagus harumaki (spring roll), the charcoal-grilled shamo and the clay-pot rice, which several guests refilled four times. The pudding is also popular. Tea and non-alcoholic pairings earn specific praise, and autumn matsutake courses impress with their freshness and generous quantity.
The main criticism is the atmosphere. Because the chef works alone, he says little, and some solo or quiet guests felt tense. A few hesitated to order drinks, and one rated service 1/5. All guests start together and the pace is slow. A minority found the food plain or too delicate.
Lunch and dinner cost the same. Reviewers paid ¥17,600 plus service in 2022–24, ¥22,000 in 2025 and around ¥27,500 for a winter course. Matsutake courses ran ¥33,000–38,500. Alcohol pairings cost about ¥4,000 (four glasses) to ¥8,000, a non-alcoholic pairing ¥7,700, and single soft drinks ¥1,200–1,800. One reviewer's total with pairing came to ¥33,000. Typical spend is ¥20,000–29,999 for both lunch and dinner.
The value is good for this tier. Portions are generous, with large cuts of chicken and unlimited rice, and several reviewers found even the matsutake course cheaper than expected.
- Getting there: 3-minute walk from JR Chino Station, East Exit (about 2.5 hours from Tokyo); 20 minutes by car from Suwa IC or Suwa Minami IC on the Chuo Expressway.
- Booking: reservation only, so walk-ins are not possible. Book via TableCheck or OMAKASE; reviewers found tables fairly easy to get, and solo diners are accepted.
- Photography: bookings require agreeing to the restaurant's rules. Only the exterior and the food may be photographed, video is not allowed, and nothing may be posted on social media or review sites without permission.
- Payment: Visa, Mastercard, JCB, AMEX and Diners are accepted. Electronic money and QR code payments are not accepted.
- Seats: 6 seats, with no private rooms. The whole restaurant can be booked for up to 20 people.
- Smoking: non-smoking.
- Parking: available, but the entrance is narrow.
- Timing: allow 2.5–3 hours. All guests start together, so arrive at opening.
- Menu: meat-heavy, including bear, boar and horse, with almost no fish. The room is very quiet.