Unbelievable Japanese Food!! 🏔️ STONE BBQ in Mountains Japan!!

I came to Mihashi Steakhouse specifically for the Tochigi A5 Wagyu. I chose the sirloin, which is known to be very fatty, one of the highest grades of Wagyu in Japan. The steak is served on a sizzling iron griddle, and the chef pours a special sauce (onions, garlic, soy sauce) over it, then covers it with wax paper to steam and seal in the juices. It's cooked medium-rare, incredibly oily, fatty, and juicy, but you can still taste the muscle fibers intertwined with the fat. The sauce caramelizes on the griddle, adding a delicious, slightly Worcestershire-like flavor. It's a rich, unforgettable flavor. Don't miss the hamburg steak either, which is equally delicious and melts in your mouth.

Hike up the steps and pass through the Ichino torii, a beautiful stone gate, surrounded by huge cedar trees. This entire area is in harmony with nature. I got a ticket for 1,600 yen to visit the main shrine. The Yomeimon gate is the most extravagantly decorated gate in Japan, with 508 carvings of dragons, flying horses, and mythical beasts. It's gorgeous! Inside, you'll find the famous sleeping cat guarding the door. The mausoleum, which requires an additional 550 yen ticket, is especially peaceful and quiet, surrounded by massive Japanese cedars. Nikko is an incredible place for nature, history, and walking around.

When you come to Yamanashi Prefecture, you absolutely have to eat hoto. This legendary restaurant, Kosaku Kawaguchiko, is an institution. You remove your shoes at the entrance, and the restaurant is huge, with traditional tatami mats. I ordered the spicy wild boar hoto, which came out incredibly fast in a huge, flaming hot iron kettle. The broth is thick, miso-based, and incredibly flavorful, almost like a gravy. The noodles are thick, belt-like, and made similar to a dumpling wrapper, absorbing all the rich broth. It's loaded with pumpkin, various vegetables, leeks, pickled cabbage, and thin slices of lean wild boar. It's a hearty, warming, and satisfying meal that feels like a whole stew in one bowl. Don't forget to try the horse sashimi, which is incredibly tender, buttery, and refreshing with ginger soy sauce.

Hike up about 400 steps to reach one of the most famous viewpoints of Mount Fuji. It's a good workout, but the fresh breeze and the iconic photo opportunity with Mount Fuji and the Chureito Pagoda make it worth it. Many people stop at the pagoda, but if you continue hiking past it, the views keep getting better and it becomes quieter. I hiked to the summit, which was gorgeous, quiet, and peaceful, though Mount Fuji was covered by trees at the very top during my visit. You definitely need a hearty meal like hoto to make this climb!

I stopped at Mitsumine Shrine, one of the most important things people come to Chichibu to see. It's spectacularly beautiful, green, lush, and surrounded by misty peaks and massive Japanese cedars. The torii gates are unbelievable, and the atmosphere is peaceful. The shrine is also known for its wolves. It's a nature-oriented place with great respect for the trees and mountains.

I arrived at this stunningly beautiful restaurant, Kinoko no Sato Suzukaen, which feels like an old house and a real Japanese hunting lodge. You remove your shoes and sit on tatami mats. The main attraction is the hot stone barbecue, where you cook wild game meat yourself. The staff showed me how to grease the stone with fat, then grill wild boar, deer, and chicken. The stone gives the meat a smokiness and seals in the juices, which sizzle and reabsorb as it cooks. The wild boar is chewy but natural-tasting and fresh. The deer (venison) is incredibly lean and flavorful, pairing perfectly with the salty homemade sauce. The chicken is also delicious. Beyond the meat, the mushrooms are outstanding, bursting with umami. They also serve river fish (Iwana and Ayu) grilled perfectly on skewers over charcoal, which is buttery, moist, flaky, and perfectly salted. The mushroom rice is also a must-try, with the mushrooms adding so much umami. It's a relaxing, peaceful, fun, friendly, delicious, local, and wild food experience. Finish with plum sherbet and huge blueberries for dessert.