I'm tired of driving, continuously stuck in traffic or hairpins or S-turns, so stay in Nagano overnight.
Although everywhere was good, I wanted somewhere I’ve never stayed as much it’s possible.
And my loneliness was pointed me toward this place. No matter how lonely it gets, its better to avoid it altogether. Because of that you mainly give in to what’s there. Loneliness doesn’t drift through the loneliest of towns.
Asking an acquaintance from Nagano in advance, “There is nothing!”, they suggest afterwards having sushi. From the look of what’s reviewed on Tabelog, izakaya for tourists appear, and initially wonder to myself if there is sushi in a prefecture without the sea.
Well, I’m like a tourist and when looking for a place where I might get a Shinshu specialty quickly, it’s fully booked. Asking how long will I have to wait, they reply they’re full booked today. Eh … it’s that busy? Incidentally, there are many izakaya close by that mimic the look of a shop. A way of absorbing everyone stuck outside.
Although I take a walk for a while around the city, but it seems the further I go the less success I have. I check the menu of a shop that seem to be run by a restaurant chain, everything looks small and I hesitate going in. If normal looking the shop is likely to be called ‘~ bar’. Hmm? Apart from that though, there is local food so go in as I can see there are seats available.
As the name suggests, horse meat sashimi is a specialty. “Three are types of horse sashimi, but today is a good menu and it’s become five!!” I’m smacking my lips, even though I guess they say that everyday. There is also tategami (neck), which looks pretty delicious. After eating horse sashimi, it was served with salad under a layer of vegetables. This surprisingly makes it appetizer. Sanzoku-grilled deep-fried chicken karaage is not too bad either.
The last dish of soba noodles is ingenious, melting miso in clear dashi soup stock is. Well, I guess this was good with normal soba noodles (lol).
That’s better. The type of shop that I never usually go to. But also the highlight of the trip.

Banikuman
Nagano-shi Minami-Nagano Hokushikudo-cho 1380 1F
050-5571-2114