mûrir

The story

mûrir in Itoigawa: Farm-to-Table Kitchen Rated 14.5 by Gault&Millau (2026)

mûrir sits at 79-1 Higashiumi in Itoigawa, Japan, where chef Watanabe Mitsunori runs a farm-to-table kitchen built on French technique. Gault&Millau awarded it 14.5 for 2026, and the menu follows what the adjacent farm harvests.

Cooking over the hearth

Dishes are finished over a wood fire in the hearth. The ingredients come from the neighboring farm, from the Sea of Japan, and from local game. The family has grown rice here for 70 years, and the kitchen serves it in new forms shaped by French methods.

Seasonal courses and drinks

Dinner is a 13-course seasonal menu, and lunch offers a 7-course version. Diners who prefer not to eat game can switch to Niigata wagyu for an added fee. The wine list leans toward natural wines chosen to pair with the food. The house also makes non-alcoholic drinks and alcoholic ones from fruit and flowers grown on the property.