The Natto & Bar MITO RUTSUBO will open on March 12, 2026, at Excel Minami on the 3rd floor of Mito Station Building in Ibaraki Prefecture. This unique establishment serves as both a restaurant celebrating Mito's famous natto and a community gathering space.
Store Overview
Opening Date: March 12, 2026 (Thursday)
Tagline: Delicious aftertaste, sticky connections
Location: Excel Minami 3F
Floor Space: 7.5 tsubo (approx. 25 square meters)
Seating: 10 counter seats
Operating Hours:
- Lunch: 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM (Last order 2:30 PM)
- Bar: 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM (Last order 9:30 PM)
- Holidays (Sun/Public Holidays): 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM (Last order 7:30 PM)
Lunch: Authentic Natto Set Meal
During lunchtime, visitors can enjoy the "Natto Gohan Teishoku" (Natto Rice Set Meal), featuring the authentic taste of Mito's renowned natto. The set meal showcases natto from three distinguished local producers, each offering unique flavors and textures.
All ingredients celebrate Ibaraki's regional cuisine:
Natto:
- Sasanuma Goro Shoten Co., Ltd. (Mito City, Sannomaru 3-4-30)
- Mito Natto Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (Mito City, Honcho 3-8-6)
- Daruma Foods Co., Ltd. (Mito City, Yanagi-cho 1-7-8)
Rice: Grown by students at Koibuchi Agricultural Nutrition College (Mito City, Koibuchi-cho 5965) as part of their agricultural studies
Miso Soup: Shijimi (freshwater clam) soup using miso from Tatsugo Miso Brewing Co., Ltd. (Takahagi City, Kamitezuna 75)
Side Dishes: Small portions of 3 items from the bar menu
The natto bowls are specially crafted for mixing natto by Seito Fukuda (Kasama City, Shimoichige 754). Rice bowls and chopstick rests feature Kasama-yaki pottery created by young artisans who graduated from Ibaraki Prefectural Kasama College of Ceramic Art (Kasama City, Kasama 2346-3).
Featured Kasama-yaki Artists:
Iku Noguchi (@iku_noguchi)
Beatrix Bears (@beatrix_bears)
Chihiro Shigemoto (@shigemoto.chi8)
Natsuki Toda (@moon_natsuki31)
Kazuki Hariu (@niki_hry24)
Bar: Community Gathering Space
Evening hours transform the venue into a community bar featuring Ibaraki-produced sake, shochu, wine, and beer. The food menu highlights local ingredients and locally-made products adapted into bar snacks.
Sample Food Menu:
- Hitachi beef shigure-ni (simmered beef)
- Canned mackerel from winter catches
- Shirasu (whitebait) and wood ear mushroom shigure
- Sashimi konnyaku
- Pickled lotus root
The counter-only layout encourages natural interaction among visitors to Mito and local residents. Staff facilitate conversations to create new connections. The bar will also feature rotating "One-Day Mama/Master" hosts from various fields, with schedules announced on The Natto & Bar MITO RUTSUBO's Instagram.
Additional Features
Foods and drinks enjoyed at the bar can be purchased at "Ibaraki Misen Club" (Excel Minami 3F) and "Omiyage-ya Plum Mito" (Plum Street) locations. Three 43-inch displays above the counter showcase regional products and tourism information, providing visual introductions to Ibaraki's attractions. During bar hours, these displays also serve as conversation starters.
The establishment operates as a completely cashless store to explore efficient operations.
The opening brings together Ibaraki businesses across all aspects:
Logo Design: Trunk Co., Ltd. (Kasama City, Shimoichige 1348-1)
Store Design & Construction:
- Sora Design Tech Co., Ltd. (Mito City, Kasahara-cho 1214-3)
- Marks Co., Ltd. (Mito City, Migawa 2-108-26)
Food Consulting: Rayley Food Tech Co., Ltd. (Mito City, Shiraume 1-6-22)
Official Instagram
Follow @mito_rutsubo on Instagram for updates on One-Day Mama/Master schedules and special events.
