Original Niboutou restaurant Kuniyoshi

about whether this niboutou had any connection to the famous Kai warlord, Takeda Shingen… Hearing that, I thought, “If I ever get the chance…” But living in Kansai, there was no chance I’d ever go to Fukaya, so the existence of niboutou got pushed deep into the recesses of my mind.

Time passed, and in 2025, I had some business take me to Gunma. I was on the JR Takasaki Line early in the morning when, around the time we passed JR Fukaya Station, I suddenly remembered the niboutou. Finishing my errands, I calculated my return time and realized I could swing by Fukaya during lunchtime… “I have to go today!” I decided, and on my way back, I got off at JR Fukaya Station to eat nibōtō. The place I went to eat was, of course, that shop I saw on TV…

Relax in the laid-back atmosphere of a rustic country house… The Original Niboutou restaurant Kuniyoshi is a place like this…

The place I visited that day to eat niboutou was the Original Niboutou restaurant Kuniyoshi featured on a TV program at the time. True to its “original” name, it seems to be the oldest niboutou specialty shop in Fukaya. Tabelog lists its opening date as January 6, 2023, but this marks its reopening after a long hiatus of about six years. The shop was started by the current owner’s father, founded in 1986, giving it nearly 40 years of history, including the hiatus period.

Now, this shop has only been open for about two years since its reopening, but the building itself is a classic old country house. It has an atmosphere that would likely evoke nostalgia for people older than me. Roughly counting, the seating inside totals 18 seats: 6 counter seats and table seating. Somewhat nostalgic, unfamiliar background music plays softly throughout the shop, creating a very relaxed atmosphere. Well, the wait for your food after ordering is also quite leisurely. Until your meal arrives, why not pass the time patiently with some complimentary persimmon seeds and tea?

I wonder why it’s not more famous… How was the Fukaya local dish, Niboutou, at the Original Niboutou restaurant Kuniyoshi?

So, let me introduce the Fukaya local dish, Niboutou, that I ordered at the Original Niboutou restaurant Kuniyoshi, on this day. After waiting about 30 minutes after ordering, the Niboutou brought before me looked like this…

The broth, cloudy white from wheat flour, contained plenty of ingredients like burdock root, carrots, cabbage, and shimeji mushrooms. With so many ingredients packed in, the price per serving (tax included) is 1000 yen. What else can you call this but a bargain?

Now, let’s dive right into the broth… It’s a lightly thickened, mild soy sauce-based broth. It’s low in salt, with a rich vegetable flavor that creates a gentle taste. There is a very slight oiliness to it, though. Perhaps it’s from the oil used when stir-frying the vegetables before simmering them. But it’s not overly noticeable; rather, that oil seems to blend harmoniously with the rest, contributing to the overall gentle flavor.

And the noodles paired with this? Super thick! Probably more than twice as thick as the hoto noodles I had at Houtou Fudo, a houtou specialty shop in Yamanashi. Being this thick and substantial, they have an incredible chewiness. The volume of noodles is also generous, so it should easily satisfy the appetite of an average adult man.

Now, let’s talk about these chopped green onions. Are these Fukaya onions grown locally? They had an incredibly strong aroma. While summer onions are generally said to have less fragrance than winter ones, these were full of flavor. There wasn’t much, but they still worked perfectly as a flavor-changing topping.

So, after thoroughly enjoying Fukaya’s specialty, nibotou, at the Original Nibotou restaurant Kuniyoshi, I left the shop. The houtou served in a gentle soy sauce-based broth was just as delicious as the miso version – it’s hard to pick a favorite. Yet, why is soy sauce-flavored nibotou so much less well-known? I truly believe it deserves to be as famous as Yamanashi’s houtou, recognized as one of the region’s signature dishes…

Other Menu Items at the Original Niboto Restaurant Kuniyoshi (Prices Include Tax)

• Cheese Curry Niboutou: ¥1,250
• Power Niboutou: ¥1,150
• Curry Niboutou: ¥1,100
• Braised Pork Bowl Set Meal: ¥1,000
• Nanban Set Meal: ¥850
• Fried Chicken Set Meal: ¥800
• Kakiage Tempura Bowl: ¥800

The only drawback is its distance from the station… Access to the Original Niboutou restaurant Kuniyoshi involves transferring to a taxi from JR Takasaki Line’s Fukaya Station, taking about 15 minutes.

That’s the situation with the Original Niboutou restaurant Kuniyoshi, but its only drawback is the distance from the station. It’s about 4 km from the nearest station, and no buses or other public transportation serve the area. So, you either have to muster the energy to walk there and back, or take a taxi. And a taxi costs about ¥2,000 one way (Note: As of September 2025, excluding pick-up/drop-off fees), so eating nibotou will set you back at least ¥5,000 round trip. That taxi fare is a real shame, but honestly, keeping this nibotou just for locals feels like such a waste.

Now, here are the shop details…