10 Recommended Gourmet Spots in Sakuho! A Carefully Curated Selection of Locally Popular Establishments, from Traditional Japanese-Style Cafes to Ramen Shops and Bakeries

What Makes Sakuho's Cuisine So Appealing?
From traditional Japanese-style cafes to ramen and bread shops

The cuisine of Sakuho is,Traditional Japanese House Café...From artisanal ramen to down-to-earth bakeries, there's a wide variety to choose from!

In this article, we’ve compiled a list of 10 popular local spots and lunch options in and around Saku City and Koumi Town. We hope you’ll find this helpful when choosing places to eat during your drives or trips.

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Cycling Tour☆Easy to move around with electric bicycles! Double the fun with commentary by a local guide♪ (No.1)開始時間9:00-12:00 / 13:00-16:00所要時間Approx. 3 hours9,200 yen

Nagano/Azumino City/2.5 hours] Let's ride go-karts! You will be very satisfied if you drive this much♪ 《First timers and women are also welcome》（No.5)開始時間Negotiable所要時間Approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes8,500 yen

Nagano/Sakuho/1 hour] Handmade silver ring experience by tapping a ton-kan (recommended for couples, families, and rainy days) (No.12)開始時間11:00-12:00,15:00-16:00所要時間Approx. 1 hour5,500 yen

10 Recommended Gourmet Spots in Sakuho

Sakuho Town is home to a variety of shops that are loved by both locals and tourists.There are a variety of genresSo, the best part is that you can choose one to match your mood that day!

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Nagano/Lake Suwa/5 hours】Only available from March to December! Camping touring of your dreams☆with Suwaichi certificate《7 years old to join/Beginners welcome/Lunch included》（No.14)開始時間10:00~15:00所要時間5 hrs.7,500 yen

Nagano / Lake Suwa Yatsugatake / 1 day】Only from April to November! Ride an "e-bike" through the Venus Line in the sky! Participation from 9 years old/ Lunch included] (No.13)開始時間10:00~17:00所要時間1 day13,000 yen

Nagano/Omachi/2 hours】Only available from late April to early November! The most beautiful scenery in Nagano by canoe! A relaxing trip on the water in the midst of nature〈Choice of morning or afternoon〉（v-2)開始時間9:00~10:50/11:20~13:50/14:30~16:20所要時間2 hours/2.5 hours

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Jizai-do: Italian Cuisine by Wood Fire

A traditional Japanese house that’s about 150 years old and has been renovated,Wood-Fired Italian CuisineThis is the store. It's a hot new spot that opened in April 2025!

We slowly cook vegetables, mushrooms, river fish, free-range chicken, and game from the Chikuma River basin over a wood fire. With lunch sets starting at 1,100 yen, it’s a great spot to drop by for a casual meal.

During coffee time, you can enjoy gelato and brown rice chiffon cake.

Harmonize

This Western-style restaurant is located along the Märchen Road, near the Yachiho Kogen Interchange. It is known as a long-standing establishment that has been beloved by customers for many years.

The most popular is the tomato sauceHamburger Steak...paired with homemade bread. Outside the large windows, you can see the Oishikawa River and the mountains stretching out before you, and on nice days, it’s lovely to have lunch in the garden.

There are also private rooms with large tables, so it's a great choice for a meal with someone special.

Menya Tenjin

The owner, who trained at ramen and Japanese cuisine restaurants in Tokyo, runs this shop, which specializes in a dual broth made from pork bones and seafood. It opened in December 2021.

With the aroma of seafoodLight-flavoredThe chewy noodles made from Hokkaido wheat go perfectly with the soup. The “Tenjin Miso Ramen,” made with four types of Shinshu miso, is a popular choice.

Adding meatballs with yuzu kosho is another great way to switch things up!

Mt. Fuji

Opened in August 2025Neighborhood Chinese RestaurantThis is the restaurant. The owner also has experience working at “Men-shō Bunzō,” a popular ramen shop in Saku City.

You can order both Chinese food and ramen here, and it’s highly rated in reviews for its half-portion fried rice and large slices of chashu pork. The stylish interior with its high ceilings is said to be a remnant of its past as a café.

We aim to be a "neighborhood diner," so feel free to drop by anytime.

TUMMY BAKERY

We are a small, family-run bakery nestled in the natural beauty of the Northern Yatsugatake Mountains. We opened in September 2021.

Brewed with Hokkaido wheat and water from SakuhoAdditive-Free DoughThe flavors are simple and nostalgic. Our croissants—made with fermented butter over the course of three days—and our salted butter rolls filled with Shinshu miso paste are particularly popular.

Be sure to check out the breads made with local ingredients, such as Shinshu salmon!

Epilogue Bakery

This is a bakery that opened in Takano Town in August 2021 and uses locally sourced ingredients.

We handcraft about 20 varieties of bread using fruits from local farmers and bacon from “Kitayatsu Ham,” among other ingredients.

"Grown from seeds derived from the sap of white birch trees in Yachiho,"White Birch Bread" is available only on Saturdays and Sundays. It often sells out by early afternoon, so it's best to stop by a little after 10 a.m.

potta

This café, renovated from a private home built about 40 years ago, places a high value on human connections.

The signature dish is made with buckwheat flour from Sakuho Town,Galette. It’s loaded with plenty of seasonal vegetables and fruits.

There's a kids' play area inside the store, so you can relax here with your children without any worries! In the summer, our shaved ice made with homemade syrup is also very popular.

mikko DOUGHNUTS CAFE

This café, which opened in 2018, is famous for its perfectly round donuts. The donuts—made with organic wheat and lightly fried in canola oil—are a big hit.

You can get takeout, but if you have time, it’s great to relax inside the shop. The donuts sometimes sell out early, soBy 5:00 p.m. the day beforeBe sure to take advantage of the reservation system, too.

Roadside Station Yachiho Kogen (Yachi Cafe)

Opened in September 2024, this is the first roadside station in Minami-Saku District. At the Yachi Café inside the facility, you can enjoy “Yachi Coffee,” brewed with water from the Yatsugatake Mountains, and “Coffee Soft Serve" is my top recommendation.

Since it's integrated with the tourist information center, it's a convenient place to gather travel information.

BISTRO 8

At the restaurant located at the Yachiho Kogen Roadside Station, you can enjoy plenty of local ingredients. Here, you can savor sashimi made from Shinshu salmon and Daio iwana raised in the waters of the Oishikawa River. “Oishikawa Rice Bowl" is our signature dish.

You can also enjoy Sakuho pork and Hisui buckwheat noodles from Sakuho. Since you can add a small side dish of vegetables to your main course, it’s a great way to ensure a balanced meal.

Local Delicacies to Try in Sakuho Town

In addition to visiting the shops, you can also enjoy ingredients unique to Sakuho andLocal SpecialtiesBe sure to check those out, too. The flavors you can only find here will make your trip even more enjoyable.

Plans that include lunch are also available! Nagano Sightseeing Bus Tours
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Rice Flour Noodles "Sakuho-men"

Sakuho-men are rice flour noodles made from locally grown rice, and they were commercialized as part of the town’s specialty product development project.

No salt, no additivesOne of its distinctive features is that it doesn't use wheat flour. It also has a history of being adapted into pasta and ramen at local restaurants.

The stores that carry this product may change, so if you're interested, be sure to check in advance before heading out.

Shinshu salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutsh)

Shinshu Salmon is a signature product of Nagano PrefecturePremium FishIt is.

In Sakuho Town, efforts have been underway to encourage restaurants to include it as a staple item on their menus.

You can enjoy it as sashimi at BISTRO 8 at the roadside station, or as a filling for bread at TUMMY BAKERY. We recommend trying both to see how they compare!

Places to Stop By Around Saku City and Koumi Town
Lunch & Fine Dining

There are also popular shops in the area around Sakuho Town that are worth a visit.

Cafes in old traditional houses, and,With an on-site farm standWe'll introduce a variety of unique shops, such as cafes.

↓Click here for articles on Nagano's culinary scene↓

Gourmet specialties that can only be tasted in Nagano! Introducing local cuisine from Shinshu soba to oyaki!Attractiveness and Characteristics of Specialty Gourmet Foods You Can Only Taste in Nagano Nagano Nagano Prefecture is a rich natural area surrounded by mountains on all sides, making the most of the ingredients of each season [...].

YUSHI CAFE

This is a café located in Kyōwa, in the former town of Mochizuki, that was renovated from a traditional Japanese house. I hear it was converted into a café from the house that once housed the antique shop run by the owner’s grandfather.

With the partitions removed, the interior feels open and airy, andHouse-Roasted Coffee...is what we're proud of.

Scones and custard pudding are also popular. If you're taking a drive toward Saku, be sure to stop by.

Hirao Cafe

This retro café is housed in a 120-year-old traditional Japanese house that the family spent a year and a half renovating. It features dishes that recreate the flavors from the owner’s childhood memories,NapolitanTheir lunch set is very popular.

We also sell retro Showa-era tableware and kitchen items. Lunch service ends at 2:00 p.m., so it’s best to come early.

Koumi Town, Mame Cafe

This is a café located inside “Petit Marché Koumi,” a direct-sales shop for processed agricultural products in Koumi Town.

We pride ourselves on our dishes and desserts made with locally sourced produce, and our coffee is an original blend roasted in Koumi Town.

For lunch, Shinshu Taro Pork andSoy-Based Meat AlternativeDishes like meat patty curry have also made an appearance. Lunch service is closed on Wednesdays, but the café remains open.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About Sakuho Cuisine

summary

Sakuho’s culinary scene features a diverse array of unique establishments, ranging from cafes in traditional Japanese houses to ramen shops, bakeries, and restaurants at roadside stations.

Such as Sakuhōmen and Shinshu Salmon,Local CuisineYou won't want to miss these either. If you venture out to Saku City or Koumi Town, you'll find even more options.

Business hours and days off are subject to change, so please check before you go. We hope you find your favorite spot and enjoy your culinary adventure in Sakuho!

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