01 / ABOUT THE PLACE
About this place
There are two ways to enjoy botan nabe: first, taste it with the white-miso broth as it is, then add ponzu for a brighter, lighter flavour. Hatakaku serves its hot pot in white miso and suggests trying both. One visitor also remarked that adding ponzu to the broth made the meal feel even lighter. This way of eating brings a change of flavour to the same pot as you savour the wild boar and vegetables.
Reviews describe tender wild boar served with vegetables such as burdock root and Japanese parsley. Another visitor praised the vegetables’ texture, cooked over charcoal without letting the broth boil too vigorously, and the stock enriched with the flavour of the boar. One account mentions adding mochi towards the end, then choosing between pouring the broth over plain rice or making rice porridge. For a final bowl full of the miso and boar’s savoury depth, choose porridge; for something lighter, opt for rice with broth. The finishing course can be tailored to taste.
Some diners have enjoyed moroko tsukudani—small fish simmered in a sweet-savoury sauce—as a starter while waiting for the hot pot to come to the boil. The meal’s rhythm centres on the nabe, from the opening dish through to the final course. One account also describes a nakai, a dining attendant, preparing the pot and serving the first portion, leaving guests to enjoy their time around the table.
Hatakaku describes its botan nabe as a traditional dish served in white miso. The menu also lists courses from 11/15; it is best to confirm the serving period and course details when booking.
For a different seasonal hot pot, there is a hamo shabu course. Hamo, or pike conger, is served with broth made from its bones, cooked over the irori hearth in each private room. The meal ends with rice porridge enriched by the flavourful stock. It is a broth-led hot pot, distinct from the wild-boar nabe.
Private-room dining and reservations are available, and booking is recommended for both lunch and dinner. If you are planning a meal around a seasonal hot pot, ask about your preferred dish and when it is served.
