Eating at Your Vacation Home
Meal options at
Kiyomizu House and
Mitsuba House
Self-catering
Guests can enjoy the use of the kitchen, dining room, living rooms and terrace for preparation and eating.
Free outdoor gas BBQ and indoor Japanese nabe cookware available.
Microwave, toaster oven and water kettle for reheating take out. As our vacation homes are set up for large groups to enjoy social time, no stovetop cooking and cookware are in the kitchen.
There is plenty of tableware, flatware for ease of eating at your vacation home.
The owners have spent years collecting beautiful Japanese and American tableware from the Showa era (1926~1989). With the comfortable atmosphere they have crafted, they hope their guests feel more like family than guests.
Gas BBQ & Nabe
Dinner
Kitchenware
Appliances
Large refrigerator & freezer, gas range, microwave oven, toaster oven, rice cookers, kettle, and more.
Enjoy an indoor nabe hot pot meal, or gas BBQ on the covered terrace.
Cutlery
Dinner forks, dinner knives, butter knives, chopsticks, chopstick rests, curry spoons, Chinese spoons, dessert forks, coffee spoons, children's forks, children's spoons
Tableware
Large collection of tableware, for both Japanese and Western meal styles: Large and small plates, bowls, partitioned plated for BBQing and more
Drink supplies & Glassware
Kettle, tea pots, iced tea containers, water purifiers, mugs, coffee cups and saucers, teapots, teacups and saucers, plastic children's cups, outdoor plastic mugs, glasses, beer glasses, wine glasses, ice buckets and tongs, and more
Cookware
Pots, lid, mixing bowls, strainer, kitchen knives, cutting boards, peeler, scissors, ladles, spatula, whisk, bottle opener, can opener, wine opener, measuring cups & spoons, saran wrap, aluminum foil, toothpicks and more.
As these are historic wooden homes, we ask that all frying and grilling be done outside on a gas grill that we are happy to set up for you.
Other kitchen supplies
Dining trays, luncheon mats, trivets, potholders and more
Eating at home or in the neighborhood
Gunma is known for delicious fresh fruits, vegetables, eggs, chicken, pork and noodles ~ It is a wheat-producing region, so if you love udon and soba, Gunma is the place to go for your handmade noodles fix. Gunma is also known for its fantastic pasta and pizza restaurants. So, there is a little something for everyone's tastes. Since most people work, eateries, restaurants and convenient stores abound and serve wholesome food at reasonable prices. Gunma residents often eat at the local onsen spas. Imagine ending a long workday with a rejuvenating mineral bath and steam sauna, and being served a homestyle dinner while lounging in sleepware ~ That's life in Gunma.
For casual eating at your vacation home, guests can easily have take-out, bentos, BBQ, hot clay pot, and other meals at the villa.
For guests who want a private vacation home, but do not want to prepare all their meals or eat out, the owners are happy to help guests order take out meals.
Shopping & Restaurants
Gunma's moderate climate and lush plains protected by a ring of mountains make it ideal for fruit and vegetable farming.
Gunma is best known for plums, peaches, nashi pears, persimmons,
konnyaku (konjac), leeks, cabbage and wheat.
Pork, chicken and egg farms with ethical practices abound in the foothills.
Each season provides tasty and healthy options for all.
For guests who want Costco treats, there is a store by the highway exit with easy access for our guests who are driving from the city.
If guests have a specific Costco request,
the owner can pick it up for you before your arrival.
Kiyomizu House
<Overview of the local area>
There are three supermarkets, one drug store/grocery store, a 7-Eleven and a Lawson convenience store within a 10~15 minute walk. In addition, there are two 100 yen shops (Daiso and Seria), a household goods store (Sanki) and two bento shops (Torihei Chicken and Hotto Motto Tei) within walking distance.
<Convenience Stores>
7-Eleven, Japan's iconic convenience store, located next to the neighborhood onsen. (24h) https://goo.gl/maps/qgwh8mz2H67VJCpZ6
Lawson Convenience Store, Misato-machi Kamishiba (24h)
Known for delicious sweets
https://maps.app.goo.gl/snLTvnUf6vWZG4io8
<Supermarkets>
Fressay is the closest supermarket and most popular among our guests as it has very good quality meats and vegetables. Daiso is located in the same building. (9am-10pm) https://goo.gl/maps/mGjfq3GBNUgmcGXD7
Torisen is Renée's supermarket of choice as it's prices are reasonable and she appreciates their eco practice of putting local meat in bags instead of on plastic or styrofoam trays. They also have a nice bakery, Purariné, in the store. (9am-10pm) https://goo.gl/maps/WNJepNP55LPF11t29
Coop, a large supermarket popular in Japan for its healthy foods and original products. This store is located in the Harunamo Shopping Center that includes Seria 100 yen shop, Sanki household goods and clothing shop and Torisen chicken bento shop. This new center opened in 2022 along a major road that will eventually (by 2029?) link the UNESCO World Heritage Tomioka Silk Mill and Maebashi, the capital of Gunma. (9am-10pm) https://goo.gl/maps/1m6qAHt6J8EjjV8D8
Kusuri no Aoki, although a drug store, surprisingly has a decent selection of vegetables, meat and other grocery items at the lowest prices, even for things like yakisoba, milk and yogurt. Located across the street from the neighborhood onsen. (9am-10pm) https://goo.gl/maps/AqEKSQhkDEtqFVrD8
<Restaurants>
H
<Bento Shops>
Hotto Motto, bento take out (9am-10pm) https://maps.app.goo.gl/aCFZB4Y3tRvk5TQT8
Great variety of bentos, soup and side dishes.
Torihei, chicken bentos. Gunma is known for farm-fresh chicken, and this shop is the largest and most popular in the region. Take out only, but their restaurant is located in the nearby Aeon Shopping Mall. 10am-8pm https://goo.gl/maps/1m6qAHt6J8EjjV8D8
<Pizza>
Pizza-La Gunma-machi
Pick up or delivery pizza and side dishes
https://maps.app.goo.gl/JVVRB2JADh4UDoV1A
<Shopping within a short drive>
Aeon Shopping Mall, 2-level indoor mall with a department store, lots of shops, restaurants, a food court and arcade. （17min drive, 10am~9pm） https://goo.gl/maps/ThGZxaaREWkiZJ8S8
＜Coin Laundry＞
If you need to do your laundry during your stay, we recommend “Laundry Casa”, a 5-minute drive from Kiyomizu House and open 24 hours. Large machines and gas dryers so you can do your laundry quickly!
Note: The laundry machines at Kiyomizu House are used exclusively for guest linens. So, unfortunately, we cannot let guests use them for private use. Thank you for your understanding.
Laundry Casa ランドリーカーサ 生原店
Open 24 hours. Free parking lot.
1.7 km from Kiyomizu House, 5-min by car
Gunma-ken Takasaki-shi Misato-machi Oibara 1172-1
Google Maps:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/BrHXUwDPRvzAo8et8
Web Site:
https://coinlaundry-casa.com/%E7%94%9F%E5%8E%9F%E5%BA%97/
Mitsuba House
<Overview of the local area>
There are two supermarkets, two produce markets, one drug store/grocery store, three 7-Elevens (one in each direction) and a Lawson convenience store all within a 10 minute drive.
<Supermarkets>
① Yaoko is the fanciest supermarket, and a little more pricey for Gunma, but our guests love it because it's still a lot cheaper than Tokyo! Very nice selection of everything, and has a bakery too. Route 18. About 10 min
https://goo.gl/maps/AcffU8NZoZyPiPux9
② Beisia Mart is smallish, has all the basics, and is the closest supermarket. On Route 18. About 5 min
https://goo.gl/maps/37UdyXch9rBVFMYD6
③ Kusuri no Aoki, although a drug store, surprisingly has a decent selection of vegetables, meat and other grocery items at the lowest prices, even for things like yakisoba, milk and yogurt. On the road heading out from Megumi-no-Yu onsen. Next to a 7-Eleven. About 5 min
https://goo.gl/maps/NiPHhEUpJknFtorNA
<Japanese Restaurants>
大吉｜Daikichi
https://maps.app.goo.gl/gs9saApKgC9SDn8g8
2.2km towards Mt Myogi, on the same road as Mitsuba House. Pretty good Japanese set meals (teishoku) and sashimi. Locals like to go there for a drink, so the atmosphere is friendly and fun. Family-run.
If you plan to go, I can call in advance and try to reserve one of their tatami rooms for your group.
ますや食堂｜Masuya Shokudo
https://maps.app.goo.gl/STJEt7EmLvqVH48d9
1.8km towards Mt. Myogi, on the same road as Mitsuba House. It's what Japanese call "Showa-Retro"....like walking into the Showa Era....Run by a lovely elderly couple with good portions of traditional, homestyle meals at a reasonable price. It does have a older, hole-in-the floor WC though...
うどん山口 | Udon Yamaguchi
https://maps.app.goo.gl/Wh5i1AvEijyncpZY6
As our region is known for silk production and all the women generally work, we grow wheat and make udon noodles as it is quick and delicious. There's a really fun udon restaurant open from 7am that locals love. If you don't have time in the morning and come to our area early enough, it's open until 3pm.
<Onsen Day Spa>
恵みの湯｜Megumi no Yu
https://maps.app.goo.gl/KvrWYgvzD2WQyFfu5
Open until 9pm
You can eat in the big tatami room until 8pm - standard hot springs food menu - nothing fancy, but typical Japanese. You can see the photos of the menu here:
https://www.megumi-spa.com/room/food/
Our region is known for the super health food "konnyaku" - non-caloric gelatinous yam root. Scroll to "味噌おでん｜miso oden" in the "おつまみ｜otsumami" section to see. You might want to buy "磯部せんべい｜isobe sembei" in the gift shop. They are sweet waffers made from the essence of the hot springs and super good for digestion.
Locals hang out, and we basically raised our kids there. You'll see families resting and kids playing. Nice atmosphere.
<Bento Shops>
Hotto Motto, bento take out (9am-10pm) https://maps.app.goo.gl/aCFZB4Y3tRvk5TQT8
Great variety of bentos, soup and side dishes.
Happy shopping and meal time!
Next....to explore the region of Gunma, known by Japanese as the retreat area outside of Tokyo laden with onsen resorts and surrounded by a ring of mountain ranges, the Jomo Sanzan ~ three mountains of Myogi, Haruna and Akagi.
Not only is Gunma at the geographical center of Japan, but it also at the economic heart of Japan, with headquarters and manufacturing plants of major corporations. Being masterfully interwoven in the pristine nature of this region, a visitor would never guess what a robust economy Gunma has and what a key role it has played in the Japanese and international economy for hundreds and thousands of years.
Gunma is also known as region where almost all women work. Being key to the success of the silk and textile industries, women are respected and can be seen in all industries today.
The history of Kiyomizu House and Mitsuba House reflect the hard working and humble affluence of the region. Both were created by prominent families who played key roles in major Gunma industries. It is our pleasure as the current owners to continue the legacies of these two lineages and offer these estates for guests of all walks of life and interests to enjoy.