Restaurant search site for food minorities

Supervisor / Recommender

Takako Doki

General Incorporated Association Japan Halal Business Association Secretariat Public Relations / Director

Click here for introduction

I am currently working as an editor. However, I experienced working as a cook in restrunts, hospitals, and catering industry. Looking back now, I was connected to the Idea of Hala, since then.
At one point, few decades ago, I worked in a cafeteria at an auction site. More than 60% of the visitors to the venue were foreigners, including many Muslims (There were mosque in the venue as well). I remember many people asked me about the food we serve, the types of meat and whether they are Hala qualified.
At a certain time, the cafeteria becomes lively like a festival. Because the Indian restaurant next door to the venue served food for free. Indian dish, such as biryani, curry and sweet drinks were served to the visitors. Over 100 foreigners dressed in red turbans, garabayas and folk costumes gathered in the cafeteria, and everyone had a great time surrounding the same table. Now I learned about Muslim culture, it was a fast-starting Iftar.
Also, I remember that many participants were only eating curry from the Indian restrunt, eventhough there were choices of other food. As I study about Halal, I learned that they did not chose to eat curry, but they did not have a choise. I personally think that they wanted to try some of the Japanese food, if they had a chose. I still regret that moment, when I could not do anything because of the lack of information. “Inconvenience” of food is quite different based on their cultural background, and therefore, I understand now, that it is crucial to create an environment where all people can enjoy delicious meal, regardless of their backgrounds.

In Japan, Halal food is still a minority. Many people from Muslim background visit Japan, but they fell enconvininet about it. Japan Halal Business Association advocates in the halal business: HAVO (Halal, Organic, Vegetarian, Allergy).
The idea is to aim to create products and services that many people can eat and use, regardless of their religion and various backgrounds.
Seeking for delicious, safe and secure meal is commonly shared through the nations. The time demand us to find new ways of living that transcend borders and religions. We hope that Halal will help eliminate food inconvenience and contribute to the harmony of the world where you can respect, coexist, and co-prosper with a more liberal idea to eating and enjoying food.

Located right in the heart of Nagano’s popular tourist area at an altitude of 1230 metres! Recharge your body and mind with wholesome Indian food at Mela Nataraj Tateshina by the lake.

Nataraj is an Indian vegetarian restaurant that has branches mainly across Tokyo. They offer beautiful dishes created with a wisdom of Ayurveda with an abundant of fresh vegetables grown on their own farm. The wholesome dishes are very delicious and healthy. Nataraj also attracts non-vegetarian customers as their delightful food can restore the balance of body and mind. Nataraj Tateshina branch is located next to the tourist information center alongside the famous Venus Line. There is Tateshina lake nearby and the restaurant is surrounded by the majestic nature.

Mela Nataraj Tateshina branch

Mela Nataraj is a lodge-style restaurant with high ceilings. They are usually open from April through the end of November and are closed during winter due to snow.

Mela Nataraj Tateshina branch

There are beautiful pet-friendly terrace seats available in the green garden surrounded by birch trees. It is such a perfect place to rejuvenate yourself with fresh air at an altitude of 1230 meters and healthy Indian food prepared with only the best ingredients.

Pet-friendly garden terrace

Nataraj accomodates a variety of needs for vegans, oriental vegans, and lacto-vegetarians avoiding meat yet consuming dairy products which are quite common in India. They also highly value the customer’s health and wellness, therefore do not use any artificial seasonings, preservatives, artificial colorings, and genetically modified food. There are a wide selection of beautiful vegetarian curries that are made with plant-based ingredients such as beans, soymeat combined with spices and organic vegetables. As they are very particular about the quality of sugars and oils, you will notice the detoxifying effects that make your body feel healthier and lighter, instead of feeling heavy and greasy in your stomach that can be caused by typical Indian food.

Meal set

Nataraj offers delicious dishes created harmoniously with beautiful spices and you will want to eat them everyday. Vegetarian curries are very tasty without meat and there is a wide variety of curries that come with different levels of how hot it is and flavors. The “Nataraj curry” is a very satisfying curry cooked with soy meat and different types of beautiful spices.

Nataraj curry

This “Baigan Bhata (vegan)“ is a rich spicy curry with tandoori-grilled eggplants, which make great match with fresh tomatoes.

Baigan bhata（vegan）

This is the most popular dish “Palak Paneer,” which has been featured on tv.

Palak panner

It is a very nutritious curry with plenty of spinach and cottage cheese. The paneer, cottage cheese in Hindu, is created in the kitchen contributes to bring out the rich flavors along with creamy spinach sauce.

Nataraj menu is written in English and Japanese with detailed information of specific dietary needs such as vegan and allergies, so they create an atmosphere that many people can enjoy their food feeling at ease.

Enjoy the Indian terracotta art after eating! The restaurant adjacent to the gallery where you can purchase miscellaneous goods from Asia.

Mela Nataraj Tateshina branch is adjacent to the Mano Kala art museum which is the only museum in Japan exhibiting Indian terracotta art. It is worth a visit to see the beautiful terracotta art which express the sacred world of the Indian mythology. They also exhibit rare ethnic art. The entrance fee is free if you dine at Nataraj and it is highly recommend to check them out. By the way, the restaurant name Mela means festival and Nataraj means dancing god.

You will feel healthier after eating! Beautiful organic & additive-free dishes prepared with fresh vegetables from thier own farm that are great for your body and mind.

Nataraj has an unwavering concept of “ to create healthy vegetable dishes that make your body happy and leave you feeling comfortable after eating, fulfilling body and mind.” Unlike the restaurants simply offering vegetalian menu, it’s their hospitality that makes Nataraj so special, being very particular about the ingredients such as natural yeast nann made from domestically-grown wheat, fresh vegetables grown on thier own farm, and additive-free oil, wishing customer’s health and wellness.

Take-out

As the concept suggests, there are certain people that feel the detoxifying effects such as feeling the comfortable warmth afterwards. I was one of them. I am not stoic vegetarian, but I have been choosing vegetarian/vegan options as I have not been founding meat as delicious for a while. I feel that vegetarian dishes are beneficial for my body, making me feel better. Although there is much smaller population of vegetarian in Japan compared to the Western countries, I think there might be quite a few people like me who notice the benefits of plant-based diet.

Mela Nataraj is a restaurant near Tateshina lake surrounded by majestic nature. Please come by to enjoy the wholesome Indian food and beautiful Indian art!

「 Mela Nataraj Tateshina」Basic information

Store name	Mela Nataraj Tateshina
Tel	0266-67-2762
Address	4035-13, Tateshina, Kitayama, Chino-shi, Nagano prefecture
Business hours	11:00～21:00（LO20:30）
Holiday	Closed during winter from December to mid April
Budget	Lunch1,500yen-2,000yen　Dinner 2,500yen～3,000yen
Payment method	Card accepted：JCB、AMEX、Diners、VISA、MASTER
Parking Lot	Available
Language	Japanese, English
Advance reservation
Cooking description	Vegetarian Indian restaurant
Note	Number of seats：80 Private：Terrace seats available at garden, pet-friendly Located across from the car park of Tateshina lake along Venus line and next to the Tateshina tourism center
Store HP