Committed to using the best produce of Nagano, the cuisine at Mumyo tells the story of the region. From matsutake mushroom in the fall to wild boar stew in the winter, the seasonal omakase menu takes you through about a dozen of unique recipes.

“In my cuisine, I care greatly about the aroma,” Karaki explains. “Through the aroma, you can savor the four seasons of Nagano. That is why I avoid any excessive flavoring.”

The meal often begins with a warm appetizer. Today’s dish is deep fried sweetfish, coated with buckwheat flour and served on a few spoonfuls of rice porridge, made with local Koshihikari grains and snap peas in a flavorful clam broth. The chef loves to pair this dish with a fizzy drink such as a glass of crisp Champagne or local beer.

Guests eat family style at Mumyo, sharing and enjoying the dishes together around a large dining table. Cooked and served on the main counter, the hot pot uses a variety of seasonal ingredients such as bears, wild boars, mushrooms and wild plants. All the flavors melt together as guests enjoy the flavors from the same pot.

A unique Nagano tradition, soba noodles and rice are served together at the end of the meal. Sun dried using a traditional method, the Koshihikari grains are soft and flavorful. "We want our guests to enjoy the meal all the way until the end,” the chef says. “We’re careful not to overdo the seasoning or the portions. That’s the style of Mumyo.”

INGREDIENTS
The mission of Mumyo will always be to convey the charm of the Nagano region. Almost all ingredients are sourced locally, with many vegetables and herbs picked the morning of the meal by the chef himself. “Freshness matters greatly for vegetables, even more so than for fish,” the chef says. “Once it’s picked, they will start losing the aroma and turn bitter.”

He begins with fetching the soft freshwater from the local Kokuyo fountain that he uses for the dashi broth. On the premise of the restaurant, he grows herbs such as sansho for its aromatic seeds and flowers. He also likes to go looking for wild vegetables in the mountains. Mumyo’s cuisine sheds a spotlight on the best local produce such as Tenryu sweetfish that are raised in underground water and beef from Davos Ranch located 1,700m above sea level.

In particular, Karaki’s favorite is Gitaro shamo chicken. "It has such a rich flavor that once you use it, you can't use any other chicken,” he raves. “I like it so much that I want to open a restaurant dedicated just to Gitaro shamo." Inspired by Cantonese crispy chicken, his signature dish is the fried shamo chicken, cooked by pouring hot oil to make the skin crispy and the meat moist, and broiled over charcoal to finish.

A wine lover as well, Karaki stocks a lovely selection of wine, mostly made up of Champagne, French white wine and local Nagano vintages. Non-alcoholic drinks such as organic Chinese tea and non-alcoholic gin infused with local rose petals are also available.