Tempura Kuruma Tatebayashi

I visited a limited-time event held in Tokyo, where I had the chance to enjoy a tempura rice bowl prepared by the owner himself, rather than at the main store.The batter was light, enhancing the aroma of the ingredients rather than overpowering them with oil. The sweet shrimp was perfectly roasted, and the cooking of the whiting and squid was spot on, allowing me to appreciate the different textures of each. The signature anago (conger eel) met my expectations, with its fluffy, tender flesh and light batter creating a memorable balance. When I broke the soft-boiled egg tempura, the yolk mixed beautifully with the rice, and the additional sauce provided midway added a delightful twist to the flavor.The rice was cooked to perfection, and even the miso soup, which contained clams instead of the usual shijimi, and the pickles were prepared with care. Rather than having one standout dish, the overall quality of the meal was impressively high. Considering the price of around JPY 6,000, I left feeling very satisfied and eager to visit the main store. Less

If you're looking to enjoy tempura in Gunma, you can't miss the renowned restaurant "Tempura Kuruma." This time, I indulged in the omakase course.The tempura, expertly fried right in front of me by the chef, is truly a work of art.The batter is incredibly thin, allowing the natural flavors and sweetness of the ingredients to shine through.One standout was the tempura of the head of the kuruma shrimp, which was fragrant and had an irresistible crunch. Additionally, the tempura wrapped in shiso with uni was a luxurious treat that melted in my mouth, bringing a smile to my face. The seasonal vegetables also retained their unique freshness and character.From sashimi to simmered dishes, freshly fried tempura, and finishing with kakiage rice, each dish was a delightful surprise and an emotional experience.This is a hidden gem where you can truly appreciate the beauty of subtractive cooking that highlights the ingredients. I wholeheartedly recommend this place, and I look forward to visiting again with each season. Less

【Zucchini and Lotus Root Stand Out: The Power of Vegetable Tempura】I visited Tempura Kuruma for a dinner gathering (4 people) at 12:00 PM on the weekend.Since I had a reservation, we were smoothly guided to our seats.★Course: Kou - 幸 - / JPY 10,000- Appetizer: Junsei from Akita, Mozuku from Akita- Sashimi: Fresh Katsuo from Toyosu, Aori Ika- Live Shrimp (2 pieces): Rare-fried, Well-done fried- Fish (5 types): Tachiuo, Mehikari with Shiso, Shiro-uo, White Shrimp from Toyama, Live Scallop- Vegetables (4 types): Zucchini, Corn, Lotus Root, Red Eggplant- Tamagoshime: Chawanmushi with Shiitake and Shrimp Shinjo- Shrimp and Small Scallop Tempura Chazuke- Pickles- Dessert★■ AppetizerThe first bite of Mozuku was a shocking experience with its delightful crunch.■ SashimiThe chewy Katsuo was recommended by the chef to be enjoyed with mustard, enhancing the fish's umami flavor.■ TempuraEach item was perfectly fried, bringing out the aroma of the ingredients and concentrating their flavors, making them incredibly delicious.- Live Shrimp: First, the head is fried, then rare-fried, and finally well-done, showcasing the skill in cooking that changes the flavor.- Fish: The umami of the white fish and the perfect doneness of the scallop were outstanding.- Vegetables: Local vegetables were cooked fresh, highlighting their sweetness without any bitterness!■ TamagoshimeThe aroma of the sea from the shrimp shinjo and Aosa, combined with the delicious dashi, was delightful.■ Shrimp and Small Scallop Tempura ChazukeYou can choose between Tempura Donburi or Tempura Chazuke. I ordered the Chazuke, pouring warm tea over the crispy tempura, which was perfectly seasoned for a satisfying finish.■ DessertSweet Umeboshi■ Drinks- Bunpuku Special Honjozo Karakuchi, Bunpuku Brewery (Gunma Prefecture, Tatebayashi City)- Houou Bida Karakuchi Junmai Tsurugi, Bottled and Pasteurized, Kobayashi Brewery (Tochigi Prefecture, Oyama City)The meal lasted for 2 hours, allowing us to enjoy a very relaxed time.I had a wonderful meal.It was a great meal! Less

【Course】☆ Monkfish Liver☆ Sliced Ara Hokki Clam☆ Head of Kuruma Ebi | Kuruma Ebi (Tempura | Rare → Well-fried)☆ Hamo (Tempura)☆ Shiitake Mushroom with Kuruma Ebi Tartare (Tempura)☆ Ayu (Tempura)☆ Tomato Puree☆ Green Asparagus (Tempura)☆ Ainame (Tempura)☆ Zucchini (Tempura)☆ Lotus Root (Tempura)☆ Chawanmushi with Aonori Sauce and Clam Fish Cake☆ Clam (Tempura)☆ Red Eggplant (Tempura)☆ Anago (Tempura)☆ Corn (Tempura | Additional)☆ Tempura Bara☆ Sweetened Green Plums【Total Payment】For 2 people: JPY 41,000* Includes half a bottle of wine, 1 alcoholic drink, and 3 non-alcoholic drinks.【Review】This was my second visit. Although it’s quite a distance from Tokyo, I still find myself wanting to come back regularly.The restaurant is run by a couple, and the atmosphere is calm and comfortable. The service is attentive, allowing you to enjoy your meal at a leisurely pace.The tempura is light overall, with excellent oil drainage. The anago (conger eel) is particularly noteworthy, with a fluffy texture and a perfectly balanced crispy coating. It consistently impresses me every time I eat it, showcasing its reliability.This time, they also served seasonal ingredients like the Kankobako crab, which was memorable.While the location may be a bit challenging to reach, the experience more than compensates for it. This is a tempura restaurant worth visiting, even from afar.－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－Thank you for always reading my reviews. I would greatly appreciate any "likes," "follows," or "saves" for the restaurant.Camera: RICHO GRⅢxInstagram: xxtaimuxx* Please feel free to follow me on Instagram as well. Less

This restaurant offers delicious seasonal tempura. You can enjoy your meal while watching the meticulous preparation and high-quality ingredients from the counter. They also share interesting stories about the ingredients and tempura itself. The tempura is light and elegantly delicious, with each ingredient providing surprising textures and flavors. At the end of your meal, you can order additional tempura, and you can also choose from three types of rice to finish off your meal, allowing you to savor every bite. The affordable prices are another great aspect of this restaurant. Even if it's far away, I would love to visit again. Less

Tempura Series Gunma Edition: Visiting Tempura Kuruma in Tatebayashi City The day has finally come to enjoy the tempura at Kuruma, and I couldn't be happier! I was eagerly looking forward to this since making the reservation.The restaurant has 8 counter seats (with private table seating available), and once everyone arrived, we were ready to start.It would be a challenge to review everything, so I’ll share just a few highlights.From the very beginning, I was continuously surprised and impressed. The combination of octopus and fuki (butterbur) was intriguing. I never expected to eat bonito with mustard, but it paired perfectly with the completely fresh and non-fishy bonito.Then we began with the tempura of kuruma ebi (Japanese tiger prawn). We compared two types: one lightly fried and the other fully cooked. Even though they were the same shrimp, the flavors were different, and the sweetness varied.Next was the king of squid, aori ika, perfectly cooked. The asparagus from Yamagata was hot, tender, and delicious.Now we have hamo (pike eel), which is delicious at this time of year. I enjoyed it with a touch of plum, and it was wonderfully fluffy without any grittiness.The koshiabura from Hokkaido had a refreshing bitterness that was superb. And then there was ayu (sweetfish), which had just been swimming moments ago, now beautifully presented on the plate—delicious!I savored the umami of the clam, wanting to keep chewing on it forever.As for the anago (conger eel), they filleted a live one right in front of us and immediately fried it, replacing the oil and using fresh tempura batter. This dedication to quality resulted in an anago tempura that was incredibly tender and simply astonishingly delicious—something you won’t find anywhere else.For the final dish, I chose tempura rice tea, which I enjoyed smoothly.For dessert, we had Hyuganatsu (a type of citrus). I learned that you eat the fluffy white skin along with it, which adds a nice balance of acidity.There’s so much more I could write, but you absolutely must try this place. The quality for the price is truly exceptional! (I can’t eat here frequently, but I definitely want to return for this amazing tempura.)It was a great meal! Less

This time, I brought my junior colleague to Tempura Kuruma in Tatebayashi (June 13, 2026).We made a reservation for a course that includes anago (conger eel).I've only been here for lunch before.The reason is simple: it's a bit far, and you can enjoy the same dishes at lunch as you would at dinner.Additionally, they are open on Sundays, making it very convenient.Of course, both the food and drinks are excellent.They use seasonal ingredients well, and the regular menu items are not always the same, which adds to the fun.Moreover, it's very reasonably priced.There’s no reason not to visit this renowned restaurant.Every time, there’s a memorable dish, and this time it was the clams and anago.The thickness of the clam meat and the juicy burst of umami were outstanding.The aroma of the anago, its fluffy texture, and sweetness were exceptional.It was fantastic.On my way out, I had a lovely chat with a wonderful family who watches my videos.It was a delightful day! (^ー^) Less

A JPY 12,000 course.The tempura had a light batter and wasn't heavy at all.The whitebait and swordfish were fluffy and quite delicious.I used a private room, but I would prefer the counter if I were visiting with just one other person, as there wasn't much detailed explanation about the dishes.I appreciated that there were no additional service charges.Appetizers:- Simmered octopus and butterbur- Sashimi (sea bream, squid)- Chawanmushi (savory egg custard)Tempura:- Kuruma shrimp (from Kagoshima) ×2- Squid- Asparagus (from Yamagata, Amaenbou variety)- Swordfish (from Kanagawa)- Shiitake mushrooms stuffed with shrimp- Fuki (butterbur shoots)- Whitebait (from Hokkaido)- Broad beans (from Isesaki City)- Cherry salmon- Koshiabura (Japanese mountain plant)- Young sweetfish from Lake Biwa- Tempura rice bowl, pickles, and red miso soup- Hyuganatsu (a type of citrus)Visit rating: ☆4.14, Bronze in the Tempura Hundred Famous Restaurants. Less

Is Tatebayashi surprisingly a gourmet town? I feel that way. In front of the station, there’s the main branch of Hanayama Udon, which has branches in Tokyo and always has long lines. If you walk a bit, you’ll find Sushi Obana, which won the Tabelog Award SILVER two years ago, and then there’s Tempura Kuruma, which has been awarded BONZE for two consecutive years starting in 2025. It’s amazing that such renowned restaurants exist in a city with a population of less than 100,000!So, I made a reservation through Tabelog to visit Tempura Kuruma, which I had been curious about since it appeared in the Tabelog Award last year. Recently, you can also make reservations through OMAKASE.The owner, Tomoya Kurumazaki, trained at Ginza Tenichi, and he seems to have a close relationship with Shuji Niidome from Tempura Tenpu Ryo, who moved from Nagoya to Azabudai Hills. He wanted to open a restaurant in his hometown after training at a local Japanese restaurant, and he built his shop on his family’s property.It’s said that you can only reach this place by car, so the nearest station is Kawamata Station, but I thought it would be difficult without a taxi. I headed from Tatebayashi Station, but it was quite far—about a 20-minute walk. I actually considered driving from home, but I wanted to enjoy some drinks! Wow, this place is really in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by rice fields. I passed a convenience store along the way, but it seemed like quite a trek. I’ve heard that Gunma Prefecture has the highest number of cars per person in the country, and it’s clear you can’t live here without a car.By the way, on the way back, neither Kawamata Station nor the next closest station, Morinji-mae Station, has the special express "Ryomo" stopping there, so if you want to get back quickly, it’s safer to go to Tatebayashi Station.So, what kind of tempura will I enjoy at this restaurant in the middle of the rice fields? Let’s start the omakase course.- Appetizer: Octopus and Fuki The octopus was steamed for an hour and served on fuki with fuki leaf tsukudani on top. I really like fuki; I love its aroma. This tsukudani is delicious too.- Sashimi: Natural Sea Bream and Toyama Firefly Squid The firefly squid is steamed and is said to be the last of the season. The sea bream has a rich flavor, served in two pieces, one from the back and one from the belly.Here, the day's tempura ingredients are introduced, and it’s finally time for the tempura.- Kuruma Ebi Legs x2: Enjoy them as they are or with a squeeze of lemon. Light and delicious.- Kuruma Ebi: Rare. Size of a rolled shrimp. Half-cooked and sweet!- Kuruma Ebi: The second one is well-cooked. More savory than sweet.- Shoboro Ika: From Ehime, weighing 3.5 kg. Thick! Incredible elasticity!- Asparagus: A large 3L size from Sakata City, Yamagata Prefecture, called "Amaebou." The stalk is juicy, and the tips are soft and sweet.- Shrimp-Stuffed Shiitake: Small rolled shrimp roughly chopped and stuffed into shiitake mushrooms. The aroma of shiitake combined with the flavor and texture of shrimp is delightful.- Young Sweetfish from Lake Biwa: Most young sweetfish are farmed, but those from Lake Biwa are semi-farmed, caught and raised. This is my first sweetfish of the year. The bitterness in the belly is nice.- Fukuoka’s Iwasu and Sea Jelly Vinegar Dish: Topped with egg yolk vinegar. A palate cleanser after the bitterness of the young sweetfish. The water cloud has a crunchy texture.- Bamboo Shoots from Izumi, Osaka: Fluffy and juicy, but the flavor might be a bit lacking.- Hime Kodai from Sajima, Kanagawa: Thick flesh. Hot and fluffy, so delicious!- Chawanmushi with Fresh Seaweed: Contains clams for this season, along with texture from water chestnuts and wood ear mushrooms.- Natural Tara no Me from Niigata: The king of mountain vegetables. Huge! Fluffy! The base has a slight bitterness.- Natural Koshia Bura: The queen of mountain vegetables. It has a refreshing aroma.Now, let’s change the oil.- Anago Bone Senbei: Not freshly prepared, but rolled and frozen. It’s thinner and easier to eat than eel.- Anago from Tsushima: They source 80g from Tsushima. It might be a bit small? And the anago is always prepared fresh (it’s filleted right in front of you while the oil heats up), and they change the oil to bring out a nice aroma. You can enjoy it with wasabi, anago sauce, salt, or lemon. The sauce is made by simmering the head and bones of the anago, which is then added gradually. It’s fluffy and you can really appreciate the aroma. This is delicious!- Clams from Kashima: A larger clam weighing 120g. Rich and creamy!After this, it’s time for the meal, and you can also add more tempura. The tempura ingredients not yet served include sea urchin, sweetfish, swordfish, fava beans, lotus root, and eggplant (today’s is the regular Senryo eggplant). So,- Additional: Fava Beans: Fava beans sourced directly from a farmer. Soft, juicy, and incredibly delicious!For the final meal, you can choose from tempura rice bowl, tempura tea, or tempura bara. You can order multiple, but I’m getting pretty full, so- Meal: - Small rolled kakiage tempura rice bowl - Tsukudani of shiitake stems - Red miso soup with clams The fluffy kakiage tempura with rich tempura sauce is delicious! The tsukudani of shiitake stems was taught to him during his training at Tenichi.- Dessert: Hyuga Natsu You can eat the white part too. Hyuga Natsu is a variety discovered by a farmer by chance.So, that concludes the omakase course at Tempura Kuruma. Wow, it was delicious. Thank you for the meal!The chef, Mr. Kurumazaki, has a commitment to only frying live seafood at his restaurant. While anago is often considered the finishing touch for tempura, he doesn’t serve it if he can’t get live anago. In that case, the omakase course, which is usually JPY 15,000 (excluding tax), is reduced to JPY 12,000 (same). Typically, restaurants prepare substitutes and change the menu structure, but that’s not easy to do.By the way, I heard that this summer, after over ten years of operation, the restaurant will undergo renovations and temporarily close. I want to enjoy tempura in a different season, but I’m torn between visiting again before the renovations or trying the new restaurant. Less