Mûrir

The story

Mûrir: Rice-Centric French Cooking in Itoigawa's Rice Fields

The Chef and the Kitchen

Chef Watanabe Mitsunori anchors his Niigata kitchen in a family tradition of rice cultivation that spans seventy years. After training in French main dining rooms and running an Italian restaurant back home, he returned to Itoigawa to build mûrir around the grain that defines the region. The open kitchen centers on a wood-fired hearstone where Watanabe roasts ingredients sourced from the adjacent farm and the nearby Sea of Japan.

Seasonal Courses and Local Ingredients

The dinner menu presents a thirteen-course tasting called Miri, which highlights the versatility of rice through modern French techniques. Guests encountering game meat can substitute niigata wagyu for a set surcharge. This option aligns protein choices with personal preference while preserving the meal's regional focus. The lunch offering includes a shorter seven-dish Denain course alongside the full tasting, allowing visitors to sample the rice-focused French cooking during daylight hours.

Dining Among the Seasons

Mûrir occupies a solitary house surrounded by vast paddies, positioned between the Japan Sea to the north and the active volcano Mount Yakeyama to the south. The team integrates the changing landscape into the dining concept. Dishes shift to reflect details like sprouting spring leaves or golden autumn rice. Beverage selections pair natural wines with house-made infusions using cultivated fruits and herbs. The We're Smart Green Guide accolade recognizes the direct link between the farm and the table.