Chaya Usaburo specializes in traditional Japanese countryside cuisine featuring seasonal dishes prepared with locally sourced ingredients. The restaurant is particularly known for its premium rice and authentic farm-to-table approach that reflects the agricultural heritage of the Tochigi region. The menu changes seasonally to showcase the best local produce available throughout the year.
Chaya Usaburo is located in Nasu-machi, Nasu District, Tochigi Prefecture, approximately 150 kilometers north of Tokyo. The restaurant can be reached by taking a train to nearby stations in the Nasu area, followed by local bus services or taxi transport. Due to its rural location, having transportation arrangements planned in advance is recommended.
Yes, reservations are strongly recommended, especially during peak tourist seasons when the Nasu region attracts many visitors for its hot springs and natural attractions. The restaurant's high rating and limited seating in the countryside setting make advance booking essential to ensure availability.
Chaya Usaburo ranks #6 out of 231 restaurants in Nasu-machi with a 4.3 out of 5 rating, making it one of the area's top dining destinations. The restaurant offers an authentic experience of Japanese rural dining culture in a traditional setting, maintaining the atmosphere and culinary practices that have sustained rural Japanese communities for generations.
Yes, Chaya Usaburo provides an excellent cultural dining experience for international visitors seeking authentic Japanese countryside cuisine. The restaurant operates as a non-smoking establishment, ensuring a comfortable environment for all guests. However, visitors should be prepared for traditional Japanese dining customs and may want to familiarize themselves with basic dining etiquette beforehand.
I stopped by Usaburo during my trip to Tochigi. I arrived an hour before opening and was the first one to sign in!
The restaurant has a calming Japanese atmosphere, making it a great place to take a break from sightseeing.
I had steamed rice and ohagi (rice balls) (with red bean paste and kinako).
The steamed rice was chewy and had a gentle flavor that really brought out the sweetness of the rice. It wasn't flashy, but you could tell it was made with care, and it was a delicious dish with a deep flavor.
The red bean paste in the ohagi was not too sweet and had a rich red bean flavor. The kinako was fragrant, and the aroma that spread the moment I put it in my mouth was impressive.
The overall flavor was simple and healthy, so I recommend it even for people who find sweet things too heavy.
It was a wonderful restaurant where you could leisurely enjoy Tochigi's unique Japanese flavors in a quiet space.
The restaurant opened at 11am on the middle day of a three-day weekend, but when I got there at 10:30am the parking lot was already full, so I decided to park in the second parking lot across the street. The reception table was already halfway down the second page.
I was able to enter the restaurant just after 12:30pm, and it was almost 1am before I started eating.
The restaurant is set in a quaint old thatched house, and the rice cake dishes are delicious. It was definitely worth the wait.
I pass by Usaburo every time I go to Nasu, and there's always a line! This time, at my wife's request, I went, prepared to wait in line. Since it was a holiday, we arrived at 10:30! We were 14th in line, but were among the first to enter. ☺️
As recommended, we ordered the Pokopen Set and Usaburo Set! It didn't take long to arrive!
The restaurant looked great, the atmosphere was great, and the staff were great! It was a win-win situation. The simmered dish was delicious, the rice cake was firm, and maybe my expectations were too high for that.
But it reminded me of the nostalgic flavors of my mother's cooking. It was delicious.
Thank you for the meal. ☺️
I had the Pokopen set meal. As a country bumpkin, both the kenchin and simmered dishes are commonplace for me (sorry), but they were absolutely delicious.
The kenchin was probably made in a large pot, so the vegetable flavor was plentiful and it had a taste I just can't replicate at home.
The simmered dish didn't fall apart, and not only did it look beautiful, but it was also delicious, with plenty of flavor.
The sticky rice was also packed with ingredients and didn't fall apart either. Overall, I thought the food was carefully prepared.
The mochi had a freshly skewered softness that you can't get with cut mochi.
Enjoy delicious country cuisine in a renovated old house with a nostalgic feel. The portions were generous, and for 1,500 yen, it felt like a great deal.
It was popular, so there was quite a wait. It was especially busy at the end of the year, so even when I arrived at 11:00, 30 minutes before opening, there was a wait of over 50 groups. They stopped accepting reservations for the day around noon. I was shown in after closing time, just after 2:00 PM. There was a sign warning people not to leave the parking lot, as they would not be able to get in again. I walked around the neighborhood or just waited in my car, but it's better to arrive early during busy periods and wait in line.
