Family Lodge Miyamotoya

It was packed when we visited on the day of the smelt fishing tournament, but the place still felt homey. The coffee was delicious, and so was the smelt tempura. We also tried butterbur, wild burrs, pickled flowers, and horsetail pickled in soy sauce. They all had a vivid spring flavor and felt like a real treat. The staff were so kind, and the food made me feel like I was back home. They showed us a lovely album about the nature around Koumi Town, including mushrooms and wild flowers, along with ways to cook them. I’d buy it in a heartbeat if it were published as a book. Next time I’d like to bring my mom and show my appreciation to my parents. Thank you so much!

For my first ice-fishing trip for smelt, I rented gear here. The owner was kind and took the time to teach me how to fish. The shop had a warm feel, and they even fried the smelt I caught into tempura for free. I’d brought ingredients to cook with, but didn’t need them. There was even more smelt in the tempura than I expected!

The owner and his wife were friendly, the food was delicious, and they treated us very well. When we went foraging for wild vegetables, they took us to spots that even children could enjoy, which was great. The place really felt like a family lodge. The owner and family live in the same space, so it felt more like staying at the owner’s home than being in a public place. The building dates to the Meiji era and is quite old, which gave me the feeling of being at a student camp from long ago. The previous owner’s handwritten, dictionary-like collection of research on mountains, stars, wild vegetables, and mushrooms is wonderful and well worth seeing.

I went for a day of Japanese smelt fishing. They open at 6:30 in the morning. I didn’t catch much, but the complimentary Japanese smelt tempura was so delicious I’ll never forget it. Everyone at the restaurant was really kind. Thank you very much.