Oshinomura, Minamitsuru-gun, Yamanashi Prefecture. We drive along an unpaved road through a lush grove of trees. Eh? Do we turn here? I hesitate for a moment, but as I continue on, relying on the navigation system and feeling nervous, a black building comes into view. Yes, this is the much talked about restaurant "nôtori" that will open on August 2024, 8.

Beyond the elegant residence-style entrance is the dining area, and to the right is a reservation-only restaurant and auberge which also offers one room for lodging.

Surrounded by beautiful, lush nature, the restaurant has only nine counter seats and an open kitchen, and although it is small, it is filled with an open and relaxing atmosphere.
Both lunch and dinner meals start at the same time, but the gates open 30 minutes before, so you can enjoy a leisurely prologue on the terrace with aperitifs and finger food.

The restaurant serves French-style "Fuji Hokuroku Cuisine." The Horiuchi brothers, who grew up in this area, have their sights set on the treasures that are right there, and offer two types of course menus that use plenty of ingredients from Yamanashi, mainly from the northern foot of Fuji, such as wild herbs, nuts, mushrooms, and game meat from the mountains.
The tableware that decorates the food is made from materials made from the trees in the mountains nearby and works by local artists, and the restaurant also uses a particular focus on fabrics, allowing guests to experience the culture of Fujiyoshida, a town known for its textiles.

The seasonal course menu incorporates the climate, culture, and traditions of the region as well as the essence of the brothers' memories of growing up.
The raw eel is grilled over charcoal and then smeared with a special sauce made from Chuo Wine's "Shugoro no Vin," eel stock, and fermented blueberries to create Horiuchi-style kabayaki.
Instead of Japanese pepper, it is flavored with natural herbs and garnished with eggplant soaked in tomato water.

All courses come with an alcoholic or non-alcoholic pairing, but for those who want to drink alcohol but can't drink too much, there are also pairings that mix both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks!

This is a masterpiece created for a chef competition under the theme of "A dish for the future." The deep-fried black choux pastry represents the earth, and when it splits open, new shoots and wild grass peek out, along with roasted venison and wild boar!

The fresh, refreshingly fragrant berries of the Kuromoji tree can only be eaten raw for a few days. It truly feels like you are "eating from this land." The strength and wildness of the natural herbs, which rival those of game meat, go beyond just "delicious" and appeal to the depths of your heart.
With just one bite, a scene unfolds in each person's mind, and that image is sublimated into a memorable dish...this is a place where you can have such an experience.

The name of the shop, "Nocho" (farming bird), is said to come from the snow that melts on the mountainside from early spring to early summer on the Yamanashi side of Mt. Fuji and looks like a bird. It is called "Nocho" because it appears during the rice planting and sowing season.

"Our memories as brothers are always linked to Mount Fuji. As children, this view was a natural part of our lives, but we realised as adults that it is a view that can only be seen here in the world. Memories of our family, memories of Mt. Fuji...weave them together to create an experience that can only be found here, just like this view." (Mojo, the older brother who is a sommelier, and Kohei, the younger brother who is a chef)