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Tokyo: Mt Fuji & Oishi Park & Lake Kawaguchi & Oshino Hakkai
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Hoto noodles in Kawaguchiko: where to eat and what it costs
Day tour
Tokyo: Mt Fuji & Oishi Park & Lake Kawaguchi & Oshino Hakkai
From US$49
4.8 (6,332 reviews) on GetYourGuide, checked October 2026
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See dates on GetYourGuideYou’ll find hoto in traditional restaurants, local eateries and ryokan1 across the prefecture. The Yamanashi tourism site calls it a simple, flavourful taste of the mountain villages2, and Kosaku describes it as a regional dish of Yamanashi, raised at the foot of Mt Fuji6.
A hot pot of noodles makes a lot of sense here. Kawaguchiko gets extremely cold in winter7, with a January daily mean of −0.4 °C8.
Restaurants around the lake
Where to eat hoto in Kawaguchiko
The easiest bets are three specialist restaurants: Kosaku and Funari on the Funatsu side of town, and Houtou Fudou in Kawaguchi. For the rest of the town’s eating options, see the Kawaguchiko restaurants guide.
Kosaku: no regular closing day9
Show places in
| Place | Area | Type | Hours and season | Google rating | Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Hotou Fudo Kawaguchiko StationPhoto: Google Maps | Kawaguchiko Station | Hoto noodle restaurant | Mon–Sun 11:00–19:00 | 3.8 (2,834 reviews) on Google Maps, checked October 2026 | |
 Fuji Tempura IDATEN KAWAGUCHIKOPhoto: Google Maps | Kawaguchiko Station | Tempura restaurant | Mon–Sun 10:00–22:00 | 4.2 (4,757 reviews) on Google Maps, checked October 2026 | |
 HOUTO LABO KAWAGUCHIKOPhoto: Google Maps | Kawaguchiko Station | Hoto noodle restaurant | Mon–Fri 11:00–18:00; Sat–Sun 11:00–19:00 | 4.1 (1,538 reviews) on Google Maps, checked October 2026 | |
 Kosaku Kawaguchiko Hoto NoodlesPhoto: Google Maps | Kawaguchiko Station | Japanese regional restaurant | Mon–Sun 11:00–19:30 | 4.2 (6,942 reviews) on Google Maps, checked October 2026 | |
 Hotokura Funari KawaguchikoPhoto: Google Maps | Kawaguchiko Station | Hoto noodle restaurant | Mon–Sun 11:00–20:30 | 4.2 (3,649 reviews) on Google Maps, checked October 2026 | |
 APPLE PIE labPhoto: Google Maps | Kawaguchiko Station | Dessert shop | Mon–Sun 09:00–17:00 | 4.2 (1,659 reviews) on Google Maps, checked October 2026 | |
 IDATEN BETTEI HontenPhoto: Google Maps | Kawaguchiko Station | Halal restaurant | Mon–Sun 11:00–22:00 | 4.9 (3,033 reviews) on Google Maps, checked October 2026 | |
 Restaurant KonamiPhoto: Google Maps | Kawaguchiko Station | Japanese restaurant | Mon–Sun 11:00–15:00, 17:30–19:30 | 4.2 (1,176 reviews) on Google Maps, checked October 2026 | |
 Ramen KaneyukiPhoto: Google Maps | Kawaguchiko Station | Ramen restaurant | Mon–Sun 11:30–19:30 | 4.4 (990 reviews) on Google Maps, checked October 2026 | |
 Houtou Fudou Kawaguchiko North Main ShopPhoto: Google Maps | Oishi Park (north shore) | Hoto noodle restaurant | Mon–Sun 11:00–20:00 | 4 (4,694 reviews) on Google Maps, checked October 2026 | |
 Lake Kawaguchi Sweets GardenPhoto: Google Maps | Oishi Park (north shore) | Cafe | Mon–Sun 09:00–17:00 | 4 (361 reviews) on Google Maps, checked October 2026 | |
 Oishi Park CafePhoto: Google Maps | Oishi Park (north shore) | Ice cream shop | Mon–Sun 09:15–16:45 | 4.3 (350 reviews) on Google Maps, checked October 2026 | |
 Cafe mimiPhoto: Google Maps | Oishi Park (north shore) | Cafe | Mon–Sun 09:00–17:30 | 2.9 (518 reviews) on Google Maps, checked October 2026 | |
 CISCO CoffeePhoto: Google Maps | Oishi Park (north shore) | Cafe | Mon–Tue 09:00–17:00; Wed closed; Thu–Sun 09:00–17:00 | 4.5 (982 reviews) on Google Maps, checked October 2026 | |
 Lake Bake CafePhoto: Google Maps | Oishi Park (north shore) | Bakery | Mon–Tue 10:00–16:00; Wed–Thu closed; Fri–Sun 10:00–16:00 | 4.2 (1,185 reviews) on Google Maps, checked October 2026 |
Data from Google Maps listings (via DataForSEO), checked October 2026; the list isn’t ordered or ranked by rating, and no place paid to be listed.
Koshu Hoto Kosaku, Kawaguchiko branch
Kosaku is the big one, with 250 seats and parking for 70 cars9, so it suits groups and anyone driving.
- Address: 1638-1 Funatsu9, Fujikawaguchiko
- Hours: 11:00–20:009 (checked October 2026)
- Closing days: no regular closing day; any closures go up on its website9
- Menu: a long hoto list, from sweet red-bean hoto to bear meat and soft-shell turtle (prices in the table below)
Hotokura Funari, Kawaguchiko branch
Funari is the late option: its Kawaguchiko branch at 6931 Funatsu opens 11:00–21:00, with last orders at 20:3010. The Yamanashi tourism site says its signature Golden Hoto uses a golden miso blended with pumpkin paste11, an additive-free stock and fresh vegetables.
Funari’s menu also has local side dishes to share. Prices include tax:
- Horse sashimi (basashi): ¥1,21012 (about US$8)
- Simmered chicken giblets (tori motsu-ni): ¥72612 (about US$5)
Houtou Fudou
Houtou Fudou keeps things short. The Yamanashi tourism site lists it at 707 Kawaguchi, Fujikawaguchiko, with Fudou hoto at ¥1,2102 (about US$8) (checked October 2026). The menu has just seven items2:
- hoto
- motsu-ni (simmered offal)
- horse sashimi
- inari sushi
- assorted pickles
- kimchi
- rice
Opening hours differ by source. The Yamanashi tourism site gives 11:00–19:002, while Gurunavi lists the Kawaguchiko North Main Shop at 11:00–20:0013.
Want to cook it yourself back home? Houtou Fudou sells hoto to take away as a souvenir from ¥3702 (about US$2).
Hoto Laboratory: a vegan and halal-friendly bowl
Time Out, writing in partnership with Yamanashi Prefecture, says Hoto Laboratory Kawaguchiko Main Store14 serves a vegetable hoto that is both Muslim- and vegan-friendly. It’s the one to look for if you don’t eat meat.
What a bowl costs
Hoto prices compared
An everyday bowl of hoto costs from ¥1,2102 (about US$8) at Houtou Fudou to ¥1,8504 (about US$12) for Kosaku’s pork hoto. Kosaku’s game and seafood specialities cost far more. The table runs from cheapest to dearest.
Houtou Fudou hoto: ¥1,2102
| Restaurant | Dish | Price | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kosaku | Ozara (chilled hoto) | ¥1,000 | Kosaku (operator) |
| Houtou Fudou | Fudou hoto | ¥1,210 | yamanashi-kankou.jp (official) |
| Kosaku | Sweet red-bean hoto (azuki hoto) | ¥1,400 | Kosaku (operator) |
| Kosaku | Pumpkin hoto (kabocha hoto) | ¥1,450 | Kosaku (operator) |
| Funari | Golden Hoto, tax included | ¥1,815 | Hotokura Funari (operator) |
| Kosaku | Pork hoto | ¥1,850 | Kosaku (operator) |
| Kosaku | Oyster hoto (November to March) | ¥2,400 | Kosaku (operator) |
| Kosaku | Bear-meat hoto | ¥4,200 | Kosaku (operator) |
| Kosaku | Soft-shell turtle hoto (suppon hoto) | ¥6,500 | Kosaku (operator) |
Kosaku (operator); Hotokura Funari (operator); yamanashi-kankou.jp (official)
Bowls for the weather
Oyster season and chilled hoto
Oyster hoto: November to March4
Kosaku’s menu changes with the weather. Kosaku serves oyster hoto only from November to March4, which covers the coldest months.
- Oyster hoto served November to March
- No oyster hoto April to October
On a warm day, look for ozara, Kosaku’s chilled hoto4. August is Kawaguchiko’s warmest month, with a daily mean of 22.5 °C8, and a steaming iron pot is less appealing then.
Fitting a hoto stop into your day
Hoto is filling, so it works best as the main meal between sights. A few pairings:
- Heading to Fujiyoshida? Pair lunch with things to do in Oshino Hakkai and Fujiyoshida.
- Heading for the quieter lakes? Lake Sai is one of the Fuji Five Lakes inside Fujikawaguchiko15; read the Lake Saiko guide before you go.
- Late return? Funari takes orders latest of the three, as listed above.
Coming from Tokyo without a car? A guided day tour takes care of the transport to the lake shore. Check where the lunch stop is before you book if a bowl of hoto is the point of your trip.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons. Authors and licences: image credits
Checked against 16 sources · last checked October 2026
- japan.travel (official) · checked October 2026
- yamanashi-kankou.jp (official) · checked October 2026
- European Central Bank (official) · checked October 2026
- Kosaku (operator) · checked October 2026
- Wikipedia · checked October 2026
- Kosaku (operator) · checked October 2026
- yamanashi-kankou.jp (official) · checked October 2026
- data.jma.go.jp (official) · checked October 2026
- Kosaku (operator) · checked October 2026
- Hotokura Funari (operator) · checked October 2026
- yamanashi-kankou.jp (official) · checked October 2026
- Hotokura Funari (operator) · checked October 2026
- r.gnavi.co.jp · checked October 2026
- Time Out (news) · checked October 2026
- Wikipedia · checked October 2026
- Google Maps listings via DataForSEO · checked October 2026
Page history · last changed 20 October 2026
- Updated: new sections: What is hoto noodle soup?; Hoto restaurants on Google Maps; Oyster hoto: a winter-only bowl; …, 4 sections removed, 4 sourced facts added, 5 removed; Updated: new sections: What is hoto noodle?; Hoto prices compared; Oyster season and chilled hoto; …, 6 sections removed, 10 sourced facts added, 8 removed.
- First written
