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Japan is renowned for its abundance of kawaii (cute) themed cafes and restaurants that cater to every whimsical taste. Located right in the heart of Shibuya, our stay presented the ideal opportunity to indulge in the charming ambiance of Kumachan Onsen for an adorable lunch experience.

Kumachan Onsen combines the Japanese words for bear and hot springs. The restaurant's bear-themed decor adds a whimsical touch to the traditional shabu shabu dining experience, making it a must-visit destination for those seeking a fun and memorable meal in Japan.

RESERVATIONS

It is highly unlikely that you can snag a table without a reservation, so definitely plan ahead of time. We made sure to book our reservation about a week in advance and secured a time right when they opened for business at 11 AM.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

We arrived a little bit early, so the doors weren’t open yet. We noticed that a line was forming and were glad we showed up early to be first in line. When the doors opened for business, the host asked us for our email’s reservation number and were seated upstairs in their two-story restaurant.

The space was bright with sunlight streaming through the windows, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. You can't help but feel like you've been transported to a serene forest with their subtly wooded decor, which adds a touch of nature to the surroundings.

SEATING

It’s a fairly small dining establishment as only the upstairs is available for dine-in. We managed to secure a comfy booth for the two of us, avoiding the communal table with benches. The booth, was a cozy setup that allowed us to enjoy our meal comfortably, and we were lucky enough to sit next to a cute, giant teddy bear which Crystal was super excited about.

We wanted to note that we weren't able to choose our table and simply sat where the hostess seated us. Given that we were the first customers, it seemed like they had the space and time to seat us at a four-person table for just the two of us. Also, there is a 90-minute dining time limit so that is something to keep in mind.

SHABU-SHABU EXPERIENCE (JAPANESE HOT POT)

If you’re not familiar with shabu-shabu, it’s a popular dish featuring paper-thin slices of meat and fresh vegetables cooked together in a large open pot. Unlike other types of hot pots where the ingredients are brought to the table already in the hot pot, shabu-shabu ingredients are served raw and cooked table side during the meal, similar to fondue.

They provide an English menu or you can order from their QR code. Our server was friendly and was happy to answer any questions we had.

Step 1

Choosing a dish can be a bit overwhelming if it's your first time trying shabu-shabu, but don’t worry, they have prepared an English menu. The menu simplifies the process by providing vivid pictures and a delightful step-by-step guide to help you navigate through your options. Each meal comes with an assorted plate of vegetables and you’ll further customize your meal by selecting from three categories:

Main Ingredient - Beef Tongue, Beef, Japanese Black Beef, Pork, Lamb, Chicken & Fish Ball, Meatless, Special Hokkaido Set (variety of meat)

Bear Broth - Soy Milk, Chicken Collagen, Korean Gochujang, Bonito (dashi seafood), White Sesame, Miso, Seasonal Flavor

Choose an Ending - Dumplings, Ramen Noodles, Simmered Rice Cake

The traditional broth for shabu-shabu is a simple kombu dashi, but at Kumachan Onsen you’ll have an array of broth options so we went with Miso and Chicken Collagen.

Step 2

One thing which sets shabu-shabu apart from other kinds of Japanese hot pot meals is that it involves dipping meat and vegetables into a large variety of assorted sauces. You’ll grab your dipping sauces, oils, and other condiments (grated daikon radish, sliced green onions, shichimi peppers, etc.) from the buffet style counter to customize your shabu shabu flavor.

Step 3

When the server brings your broth, meat, and veggies to the table, don’t turn on your mini portable hot plate (burner) just yet. The bear broth will melt and start to boil pretty fast, so if you want to take some pics, you’ll want to do that before turning it on.

When you are finished snagging photos, allow the broth to come to a boil, then reduce it to a simmer and start cooking away.

Step 4

The veggies can be added first to the boiling hot pot, allowing them to simmer and soak up the flavors of the broth. When it comes time to cook the meat, simply swish the thinly sliced pieces through the broth or dip them briefly for a flash of heat. Since the meat is sliced paper thin, it cooks in mere seconds.

The last step is to dip the cooked meat and vegetables in the sauce and eat them together with rice.

Step 5

After enjoying our slices of meat and fresh veggies, we were left with a flavorful broth. This is where you add the ending ingredient. We were pretty full by this point, but Crystal tossed in her ramen noodles and I added my bite-size dumplings.

DESSERT & GIFT SHOP

If you have room for dessert or want to buy some adorable bear gifts, you can do that on your way out on the first floor. All of their desserts were bear themed, like shaved ice or mini parfaits.

FINAL THOUGHTS

We thought the bear-themed concept was adorable and we both enjoyed the experience. Believe it or not, this was actually Crystal’s first time trying shabu-shabu. Growing up in Japan, our parents never took us out to shabu-shabu but Candy has been with friends when she was a teenager.

As far as the quality of the food it was pretty average. It wasn’t terrible by any means, but it also wasn’t spectacular. We were definitely paying more for the unique experience with Kumachan.

KUMACHAN ONSEN
ADDRESS: 1-8-10 2F, Shibuya 150-0002 Tokyo Prefecture (MAP)
PHONE: +81 3-6427-1613

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