【Restaurant Information】
When registering for the waiting list, please apply for your preferred time of arrival at 18:00.
Situated in Karuizawa, Nagano, Makiyaki Kakehashi, which is a five-minute drive from Karuizawa Station, was opened by Owner-Chef Daisuke Maruyama to bring his culinary flair to this famous highland resort town.
When working at a Japanese restaurant in Tokyo, Chef Maruyama came to Nagano and gathered edible wild plants and mushrooms from time to time. In 2019, when the region was hit by Typhoon No. 19, he also participated in volunteer relief work. At that time, hearing about the clearance of all damaged apple trees, he came up with an idea to use the specialty trees as firewood. He then taught himself how to cook with firewood and opened his own restaurant, Makiyaki Kakehashi, in the popular resort town of Karuizawa, Nagano, in 2021.
The massive typhoon he witnessed in Nagano Prefecture, usually blessed with mild weather, drew his attention to climate change. “We need to return to the basics,” he said. “Enjoy simply cooked, local food. That is the ideal way to eat.” The restaurant’s name, which means “bridge” in Japanese, reflects his commitment to building a bridge to a better future through food.
Makiyaki Kakehashi offers a Japanese-inspired, prix-fixe menu consisting of 10 to 12 courses, from appetizers to desserts, All of the dishes incorporate elements of wood-fired cooking, but the advantages of the technique are most prominent in the beef entrée, which features Tankuro wagyu beef produced by Takashi Ito at Davos Farm in the Sugadaira Highlands, Nagano. At this farm, Tankuro wagyu cattle, a hybrid breed that combines the best of shorthorn cattle, which are known for their tasty, lean meat, and Kuroge wagyu cattle, which are famous for their marbled fat that melts in the mouth, is raised on a 100% chemical-free pasture and fermented feed made of apple and grape lees and tofu refuse to keep their intestines healthy. At Makiyaki Kakehashi, this carefully grown organic meat is placed in the firewood oven while the first course is prepared and cooked slowly on low heat for two hours to make the meat absorb the fragrant scent of burning wood. The restaurant’s specialty, Grilled Turtle, features softshell turtles from Tsumagoi, Gunma. They are kept in spring water from Mt. Asama for two weeks to get rid of mud, grilled over a wood fire, and simply seasoned with salt to bring out their natural flavor.
Stating that the Grilled Turtle pairs well with Pinot Noir wines, Chef Maruyama always stocks 40 to 50 varieties of wines, mainly from Bourgogne but also from Funky Chateau in Nagano, which is known for its full-bodied wines that go well with wood-fired dishes. In addition, he has curated a sake list that only consists of local names, such as Shinshu Kirei, Kawanakajima Genbu, and Obuse Winery’s sake. And lest we forget, the apple juice is also popular among diners.
In keeping with the concept of returning to the basics, the restaurant’s interior is simple, with plastered walls and a bamboo countertop (seating up to seven guests, or up to eight if fully booked for private dining). Behind the counter, the firewood stove has a strong presence. Located in one of the most popular resorts towns in Japan, Makiyaki Kakehashi is definitely worth visiting. Enjoy tasty dishes there with your friends in a relaxing atmosphere with a crackling fire and fragrant smoke.
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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.
15-minute walk from Karuizawa Station on the Hokuriku Shinkansen and Shinano Railway.
