Hotei at Dotonbori, Osaka

Natural torafugu specialist in Hozenji serving year-round wild-caught fugu.

Hozenji Hotei is a natural torafugu (wild pufferfish) restaurant in the Hozenji area, distinguished by its commitment to serving natural - not farmed - fugu throughout the year. The restaurant has contracts with suppliers to ensure wild fugu is available even in summer, when many fugu shops close or switch to farmed fish. The menu centres on tessa (fugu sashimi), techiri (fugu hotpot) and fugu karaage, with a summer service course offered at a seasonal price of 7,800 yen. The restaurant's tagline emphasises that fugu is a summer fish too, and the natural variety offers a depth of flavour and texture that farmed fish cannot match. For connoisseurs who understand the difference between natural and farmed fugu, Hotei is a rare year-round destination. Its Hozenji location and decades of fugu expertise make it a quietly authoritative choice for this most specialist of Japanese cuisines.