Monzen Terrace Enya (エンヤ) is an Izakaya-style restaurant at the starting point of Zenkoji Temple‘s approach. Befitting the restaurant’s name, it has a large comfortable terrace at the back. When the weather is good, sit at one of the tables on the terrace for fresh air. There might even be a few adorable dogs that will come out with their owners!
Enya is housed in an elegant, traditional-style building. The dining space is spacious. It even has a second floor, where the sofa seats are. The restaurant has a bright and welcoming vibe, which will make your time there pleasant. Moreover, the terrace seats are replaced by transparent dome tents in winter. The dining experience in those tents on snowy days is fantastic and romantic.
As the restaurant opens every day, it is a great spot to dine, especially during the New Year’s period when most restaurants are closed.
What’s on Enya’s Menu
While there isn’t a vegan menu, plant-based options are available, especially in their a la carte menu. Some examples include avocado rolls and vegetable tempura. In particular, try their Nozawana tempura (野沢菜の天ぷら). The restaurant’s staff are friendly and are happy to customize some dishes without animal products.
English menu is available to make the ordering process easier too. If you find yourself running into issues when ordering the vegan options, you can use the phrases in our Essential Japanese Travel Phrases for Vegetarians and Vegans article.
If you don’t mind the non-vegan broth, the soba ramen (蕎麦ラーメン) is a special dish that can only be found here. Buckwheat noodles are used to replace the standard yellow wheat noodles. Thus, it is a fusion of soba and ramen noodle soup. After all, buckwheat is one of the top specialties in Nagano Prefecture! But please note that if you don’t eat meat, remember to ask the staff not to add the chashu (braised pork belly) to your noodles.
Enya also has a cafe menu consisting of various tasty cakes and drinks. If you are unsure what to order, get an apple puff (大きなアップルパイ). The pastry has a crispy skin and is filled with sweet apple slices. Made using the locally grown apples, the pie is amazing! Also, given that the puff is so massive, you might want to share this with someone!
We also recommend the Soba Tea Pudding (自家製そば茶プリン) which is another dessert on the menu. The pudding is full of buckwheat aroma.
MONZEN TERRACE ENYA’s Business Hours and Access Information
- Monzen Terrace Enya is open from 11:30 am to 10 pm throughout the year. It doesn’t closed during the new year period.
- The restaurant is a 20-minute walk from Nagano Station.
- If you take Nagano Dentetsu, get off at Gondō Station (権堂駅). The restaurant is then a 10-minute walk.
- If you plan to take a bus, get off at Zenkoji Daimon (善光寺大門).
Explore the Attractions Close to Nagano Station
Now you know where to dine around Nagano Station, you can start planning your visit to Nagano. There are a couple of spots close to Nagano Station that might interest you, including the shops and restaurants that lined the approach to Zenkoji Temple.
Refer to our Guide to Attractions Around Nagano Station article for more information!
Explore the Chestnuts Town – Obuse
If you aren’t in a hurry, we recommend that you stop by Obuse for the delicious chestnut desserts and the dramatic ukiyo-e that the town is famous for.
Find out more about what you can do and where to go, and of course, where to eat when you get to this gorgeous town with our Obuse article (=゚ω゚)ノ.
You can even visit someone’s backyard without notifying the owner!
Visit the Snow Monkeys in Jigokudani Monkey Park
We have all seen humans enjoying hot springs. Especially in winter, you might have indulged in the onsen to warm up and let the rich minerals moisturize your skin.
But have you ever seen monkeys doing the same?
If you are interested, follow our article on Jigokudani Monkey Park to find out the best time of the year to visit and how to get there!