In the quaint shopping area of Naruko Onsen village, you’ll find a soba shop with faded photographs of its dishes plastered to the front window. Those who stop by are in for a pleasant surprise: though not advertised anywhere, the sansai (wild mountain vegetables) and mushrooms served here are foraged from the surrounding mountains by the little old ladies who run the shop, their friends, and family. Sansai and mushrooms not used fresh are preserved using traditional pickling methods. All are unusually delicious and accompany many of the restaurant’s noodle dishes.

Their hand-picked sansai and wild mushrooms can also be bought by the jar in their humble adjoining shop.