Located in an open patch of woodland, Restaurant Naz is a one-hour bullet train ride from Tokyo, and a 20-minute drive from Karuizawa’s railroad station, known as a summer resort destination, or a five-minute drive from Shinano Oiwake Station. Housed in Green Seed Karuizawa , a wellness resort with outdoor living rooms, the restaurant is characterized by its modern interior design with wood accents.
Opened in 2020, Restaurant Naz rapidly garnered acclaim, featuring in the Japanese edition of a world-renowned restaurant guide for its modern, innovative Italian-inspired dishes within the first few months of opening. Chef Natsuki Suzuki trained in Italy and honed his culinary skills while working at world-leading New Nordic restaurants, such as Noma and Kadeau in Copenhagen. The fermentation techniques he learned from New Nordic cuisine at that time laid the foundation for his cooking at Restaurant Naz.
His fermentation techniques are fully displayed in one of the restaurant’s specialties; beautifully made with aged salmon and fermented turnips and tomatoes, this dish has remained on the menu since the opening of the restaurant and now features on the prix fixe (fixed price) menu, demonstrating that the sweetness of Shinshu salmon can be highlighted by the rich flavors of fermented turnips and tomatoes.
Most of the ingredients are locally produced in Karuizawa and Shinshu. The vegetables are sourced from Karuizawa Salad Farm, which has gained great recognition in the local culinary community. Chef Suzuki visits the farm and watches the produce grow each day to purchase vegetables at the height of their respective seasons. Fish is also locally caught, including cherry salmon raised by the chef himself in a local stream, Shinshu salmon, and carp purchased from Yoshizawa Shoten, an aquaculture farm known for its Saku carp in Saku, Nagano.
The drinks menu features Italian natural wines as well as locally produced Japanese wines. Drinks pairings offer both alcoholic and non-alcoholic options by the glass, each paired to a course. Non-alcoholic options are original creations, developed through trial and error by the chef – for example, a dish of Shinshu salmon is paired with a cocktail made with fermented strawberries, Earl Grey tea, and shiso juice.
The warm, modern dining space has two tables and a counter with four seats (which cannot be reserved separately). The restaurant is the perfect place not only for date nights and gatherings with friends, but also for gatherings with likeminded epicures. In principle, children are welcome to dine at the restaurant provided they order from the same menu. International guests are served by the chef, who speaks English and Italian.
Guests are invited to enjoy the unique culinary world of chef Suzuki, along with beautiful views of the surrounding woods, at this memorable, special restaurant.
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* The availability of this webpage does not guarantee that the restaurant presented provides services in English, unless otherwise stated. Please be aware that English services may also depend on staff availability at the restaurant.
Access
A 5-minutes by car from Shinano Oiwake Station on the Shinano Railway
A 20-minutes by car from Karuizawa on the Hokuriku Shinkansen and Shinano Railway
