Tresonnier (River Retreat Garaku)

One of two restaurants in the five-star River Retreat Garaku, one of Toyama’s most famous luxury hotels, Tresonnier offers French cuisine in contrast to the traditional Japanese kaiseki of its counterpart Rakumi. The word Tresonnier is a portmanteau, coming from the French words for treasure (tresor) and season (saisonnier). Fittingly, the restaurant offers what it calls “seasonal treasures:” choosing Toyama’s seasonal ingredients at their peak from local producers, and putting them together to offer a culinary picture that represents the region at a specific point in time. No one does this as adroitly as Chef Tanaka Ippei. One of the nation’s up-and-coming experts in French cuisine, he was instrumental to the launch of Tresonnier’s predecessor at River Retreat Garaku in 2010. His career then led him across various French restaurants across Japan, eventually landing him a position as sous chef in the legendary Cuisine Regionale L’evo in 2019 — formerly one of Japan’s Top 50 Best Restaurants and holder of two Michelin stars in the special edition of the Michelin Guide Hokuriku 2021. Having taken the reins at Tresonnier in 2020, Chef Tanaka has since spent his time crafting dishes that balance the flavors of the region’s mountains, seas and rivers. His menus make particularly heavy use of mountain vegetables and wild game meat. The entirety of River Retreat Garaku is a beautiful synthesis of modern architecture with nature, and Tresonnier is no exception. The main dining space, with 14 tables, is vast and airy, with an abundant use of natural wood that puts diners fully in the embrace of nature. Tresonnier’s position on the banks of the Jinzu River affords a beautiful view of the rushing waters and seemingly endless cedar forests of the Japanese Alps.