What to eat in Hakuba (Nagano) now
A ski and snowboard town in winter, with mountain specialties like Shinshu soba, oyaki and horse sashimi. Go a little further for crab and monkfish in Itoigawa on the Sea of Japan.
No sea here. Char from clear Northern Alps streams and Shinshu salmon. Itoigawa on the Sea of Japan (Niigata) is about an hour away by car
Open UmamiHop →Today's picks for where you are, a help card to show the chef, and a menu translator. Free to use.In season in October
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Itoigawa red snow crab
A crab from the deep Sea of Japan that is red even before boiling. Crab shops line the streets near Itoigawa port, selling it freshly boiled at fair prices.
- Season
- Sep – May
- Best
- Oct – Nov
- Where
- Itoigawa (Niigata): about 1 hour from Hakuba by car, or about 2 hours by train with a change at Minami-Otari
Show the staff: 糸魚川の紅ズワイガニ
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Salt-grilled iwana (char)
A river fish from the cold, clear streams of the Northern Alps, skewered and grilled with salt. So crisp you can bite in from the head.
- Season
- Apr – Oct
- Best
- Jul – Aug
Show the staff: 岩魚の塩焼き
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Shinshu salmon
A large trout bred in Nagano and raised in clean river water. Rich, fatty flesh — try it as sashimi or sushi.
- Season
- All year
- Best
Show the staff: 信州サーモン
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Shinshu soba
Nagano is famous for buckwheat grown on cold highlands. Try it cold as zaru soba for the aroma. From late autumn, look for freshly harvested shin-soba.
- Season
- All year
- Best
Show the staff: 信州そば
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Oyaki (stuffed dumplings)
A traditional Nagano snack: wheat dough filled with nozawana greens, pumpkin, sweet bean paste and more, then grilled. A warm bite between ski runs.
- Season
- All year
- Best
Show the staff: おやき
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Basashi (horse sashimi)
Raw horse meat, a Nagano specialty, eaten with garlic or ginger and soy sauce. It is raw meat, so skip it if you're not sure.
- Season
- All year
- Best
Show the staff: 馬刺し
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Nozawana pickles
Pickled greens from snowy Nagano, crisp and refreshing — you'll find them at inn breakfasts and inside oyaki. The new batch pickled in winter is especially good.
- Season
- All year
- Best
Show the staff: 野沢菜漬け
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Sanzoku-yaki (garlic fried chicken)
A whole chicken thigh marinated in a garlicky sauce and deep-fried — a specialty of Matsumoto and Azumino in Nagano. Big and filling.
- Season
- All year
- Best
Show the staff: 山賊焼き
Coming in November
Nothing new starts this month.
Local specialties through the year
| 🍜 Shinshu soba | All year |
| 🥟 Oyaki (stuffed dumplings) | All year |
| 🥩 Basashi (horse sashimi) | All year |
| 🥬 Nozawana pickles | All year |
| 🍗 Sanzoku-yaki (garlic fried chicken) | All year |
| 🐟 Salt-grilled iwana (char) | Apr – Oct |
| 🐟 Shinshu salmon | All year |
| 🦀 Itoigawa red snow crab | Sep – May |
| 🍲 Itoigawa monkfish hot pot | Dec – Feb |
Other regions
Nagoya (Aichi) · Fukuoka (Hakata) · Hiroshima · Hyogo (Kobe, Akashi) · Kyoto (city, Tango coast) · Hokkaido (Sapporo, Otaru) · Seoul · Busan
Seasons shift with the weather and the catch each year. Ask the restaurant what is in today.