Kumachan Onsen – Taste Tokyo’s Viral Teddy Bear Hotpot (Review)!

If you’re looking for kawaii dining experiences in Tokyo, then you must visit Kumachan Onsen.

It’s also known as the Teddy Bear Hotpot, as it serves up a bear-shaped broth stock to cook your meal.

These enchanting shabu-shabu dishes often go viral on social media, and it’s important to book your table in advance. But, is it worth the hype? 

Here is a complete Kumachan Onsen review and whether the viral teddy bear hotpot is worth it. 

What is Kumachan Onsen?

Kumachan Onsen is an adorable dining experience that has an enchanting theme and serves up bear-licious meals.

The story follows a family of kumachans (bears in Japanese) who visit an onsen (hot baths) on their holiday.

The chain originated in Sapporo, Hokkaido, but now has branches in Tokyo and even Singapore. 

It’s a whimsical escape into their ‘Kuma-chan world’ where you can step into a storybook and dine on delectable dishes.

The reason why it’s famous and known as the teddy bear hotpot is that you cook your very own bear that has a healing hot bath! 

Do you need to make a reservation?

It’s highly recommended that you make a reservation to visit Kumachan Onsen. Especially in busy cities like Tokyo. 

The experience is very popular as it often goes viral on social media. So, it’s best to book ahead to avoid disappointment. 

Another important reason is that they have recently moved locations in Tokyo, and their new eatery is much smaller.

They do allow walk-ins on the day, but it’s never a guarantee that a table will be available if you don’t book. 

I booked through Google via Toreta and had no issues. It’s open from 11 am – 10.30 pm daily.

How to find Kumachan Onsen in Tokyo 

Kumachan Onsen in Tokyo has recently relocated. The establishment is now smaller and only has one floor as opposed to two.

The new restaurant can be found on the 3rd floor of the Assorti Building in Shibuya on Udagawacho Street.

The nearest metro station is Shibuya Station, and it’s only a 6-minute walk from there.

We used Google Maps to guide us, but navigation in Tokyo can be a bit of a minefield with all the buildings having so many floors.

There is a sign for the teddy bear hotpot outside Assorti. It’s not in English, but there’s a picture. You can then take their handy elevator to floor 3.

Arriving at Kumachan Onsen

Once you exit the elevator, you’ll arrive at the reception area and gift shop.

A friendly member of staff will greet you and ask if you have a reservation. 

You’ll also be handed a sign that explains that once you pass through the curtains, you’ll enter Kuma-chan world. 

So, you’ll need to choose a pair of bear ears to camouflage and blend in!

Choose your bear ears

To eat in Kumachan Onsen, you will need to wear a pair of bear ears. 

The restaurant has an ample supply of sterilised options in a box at reception, so you can pick a pear that suits your style.

I went for a Winnie the Pooh theme on my visit with my red dress, so I picked some cute caramel bear ears to match!

They also had yellow, pink, purple, white and green. You can be any bear you like. 

What’s it like inside?

Kumachan Onsen is the definition of whimsical. As soon as you step inside, it feels like entering the pages of a storybook.

When you walk through the curtain and enter Kumachan-world, every wall has colourful artwork of bears, honey, flowers and bees. 

It’s light and airy and has wooden tones which are reminiscent of traditional onsens in Japan. 

They have some cute mascots peppered throughout, and the sauce and spice station was vibrant. 

I also loved all the cute music they were playing inside, which reminded me of ‘Teddy Bear’s Picnic’. 

Everything was so enchanting, and I couldn’t wait to order my teddy bear hotpot.

The staff will show you to your table, and you don’t get to choose where you’re seated. 

Luckily, our seats had some beautiful artwork on the wall, which was great for photos! 

How does the Teddy Bear Hotpot work? 

The Teddy Bear hotpot is a ‘shabu-shabu’ style dish, which means that you boil ingredients yourself in a sauce.

Each diner gets their own pot, and all the tables have heat stoves that you switch on to cook your meal. 

What makes Kumachan Onsen special is that their hotpot comes with teddy bears. Here’s how it all works; 

1. Order your Kumachan / Bear 

Firstly, you need to pick your Kumachan or teddy bear for your pot, which is either made of a flavourful stock or tasteless collagen. 

In line with the onsen theme, these stocks are called baths, and you can order from a long list.

There’s the Beautiful Skin Bath (chicken broth), Healing Bath (soy milk broth), Health Bath (miso broth), etc.

We decided to go for the pink and purple teddy bears for our meal as they were super cute!

It’s good to note that these are made of tasteless collagen, and you’ll need to add flavour through sauces and toppings. 

All the teddies have a towel in their head made of daikon. It’s almost too cute to consume.

2. Choose your meat & noodles

Once you’ve chosen your bear, you’ll need to choose your meat set. 

The options are chicken, pork, wagyu beef and lamb. Or, you can order the Special Menkoi Set, which comes with a variety.  

This is what we ordered as it was good value and a chance to try a variety of flavours.

They also have a no-meat set if you’re vegetarian or just prefer something lighter.

You will then need to pick your noodles. We went for ramen, which is a thin wheat noodle. But, there is also udon and harusame if you prefer.

3. Visit the sauce & spice station

After you’ve ordered your dish, you can then visit the colourful sauce and spice station.

Here, you can pick the base sauce for your broth and some extra spices if you want to heat things up.

They also had a good selection of seasonings to choose from, like green onions, garlic, radish, chilli, sesame oil etc.

I loved the fact that all the little dishes and plates were bear-themed.

4. Let’s cook!

When your hot pot is ready, it will be served to you with your teddy bear inside, plus some dishes of meat, noodles and vegetables to mix in. 

Once everything is prepared, it’s now time to cook your teddy bear.

It may be obvious, but make sure to take all of your photos and videos of your bear before you turn the heat on. They melt very quickly! 

The empath in me hated melting my teddy bear, but I knew that it needed to be done *sniff*.

Once the bear has melted into his onsen and ‘laid down’, you can then add the dishes into the ‘bath’ for a fun and tasty meal.

It was honestly such a fun and wholesome experience. I loved it!

Captain obvious here again, but I feel compelled to say that you will be cooking raw meat in the pot. So, ensure the meat is cooked thoroughly before consuming. 

How much is the Teddy Bear hotpot? 

As Kumachan Onsen is a viral restaurant, I was a little worried that the food would be style over substance and overpriced.

But I’m pleased to say that it was good value and the meal was incredibly tasty. 

The Special Menkoi Set was ¥3,800 (£24), and we also got soft drinks on the side. So, our meals came to around £27 each. 

Compared to a regular hotpot restaurant, this is pretty pricey for Japan. But you’re really paying for the magical teddy experience.

Is Kumachan Onsen worth visiting? 

Yes, I thought that the viral teddy bear hotpot was definitely worth the hype. 

When it comes to kawaii dining experiences in Tokyo, this has to be up there as one of the best.

Not only was the hotpot delicious, but watching your stock teddy enjoy its own bath was utterly magical.

From the vibrant interiors, the fun bear ears, the incredible food and storytelling. It was an experience I won’t forget.

You must visit Kumachan Onsen in Tokyo. So, make sure to reserve your spot.

Don’t forget to visit the gift shop

After your Bear-licious meal, don’t forget to take a browse through the  Kumachan Onsen gift shop.

They sell the sweetest bear-themed souvenirs to remember your visit, such as plushies, tote bags, t-shirts and keyrings.

You can use their claw machines, a bear-themed photobooth, and they even have their own Gachapon with capsule toys of their Teddy Bear Hotpot.

I just had to play and was so excited to get the purple one that we ate. It’s a great souvenir and a lovely way to remember your visit. 

By the end of my trip to Japan, I had an entire collection of my cute meals and snacks immortalised as keyrings, plushies or cute models.

Things to do nearby in Shibuya

Shibuya is a major tourist hotspot in Tokyo, and somewhere you cannot skip during a visit.

It’s home to the famous Scramble Square Crossing, the busiest street crossing in the entire world and a definition of organised chaos.

Just nearby, you can get a photo with Shibuya’s mascot, the famous loyal Akita dog Hachikō. His story will bring a tear to your eyes. 

There are plenty of flagship stores found around this area, and I particularly loved the Disney Store that is shaped like a castle.

If you love Pokémon, then I definitely recommend visiting the Pokémon Center Shibuya in the PARCO mall.

In here, you’ll also find many other incredible shops like the Godzilla store, Nintendo store and One Piece shop.

Miyashita Park is a luxury shopping centre and a haven to escape the crowds. You can also visit Doraemon’s F Kitchen here.

If you’re looking for spectacular views, then look no further than Shibuya Sky. It’s a viewpoint that also goes viral and for good reason.

Their open-air Sky Deck has spectacular views over Tokyo, and you can even see Mount Fuji on a clear day. It’s best paired with a sunset.

Read more of my Japan travel guides

Pokémon Café in Japan – how to reserve

Pikachu Sweets Café – a Poké Paradise in Tokyo

Save Tokyo’s Teddy Bear Hotpot for later!