Discovering Japan’s finest dining establishments may not always be straightforward, but it is achievable. Local foodies use Tabelog to demonstrate their expertise by posting meticulous, carefully considered reviews.
Foodies keep tabs on Tabelog’s annual rankings of top 100 restaurants by style (known as “hyakumeiten”), often embarking on culinary pilgrimages to experience each one.
Yonpachi Gyojou
This izakaya recreates the bustling seafood culture of traditional fisherman’s towns, earning it a Michelin Bib Gourmand and serving dishes prepared using seasonal ingredients. Their sashimi platters are expertly made using techniques such as “Shinkei-jime” (destroying spinal cord for maximum freshness) and “Ikekoshi” (resting fish in tanks to enhance flavor). Pair your meal with sake for an unforgettable dining experience!
Golden Gai’s bustling street life makes this izakaya ideal for serving Japanese cuisine and fish dishes – especially the popular sashimi platter and 7 kinds of tuna plate, known for their incredible umami flavour. Additionally, you can order grilled fish and chicken dishes to complete your meal.
This bustling basement izakaya serves excellent seafood at reasonable izakaya prices, alongside an extensive selection of sake and other drinks. Their menu offers grilled meats and seafood cooked over premium binchotan charcoal in an inviting atmosphere; their Robatayaki Course with All-You-Can-Drink can provide an immersive dining experience while creamy cheeses and nori seaweed wrapped fried rice balls pair perfectly with sake.
Kikunoi
Kikunoi Honten was established in 1912 on a hilltop in Kyoto that features Kodai-ji Temple and Yasaka-jinja Shrine, receiving three stars from Michelin Guide. As a family restaurant focusing on seasonal ingredients and local Kyoto produce, this dining destination elevates classic dishes by using seasonal produce as its inspiration – for instance futamono is an award-winning lidded dish containing clam dumplings, young sansho leaves, bamboo shoots, water dropwort served alongside Kyoto rice and ginger broth
Interior features of this restaurant include tatami mat rooms, sliding paper screen doors and beautifully painted scrolls adorned with flowers and scroll designs that change seasonally. Decor plays an integral role in the dining experience here!
Owner-chef Yoshihiro Murata considers it his mission to share Japanese cuisine with the world. To do this, he has expanded the restaurant group with numerous additional eateries and travels extensively abroad in order to meet customers and share his love of this cuisine with them. Furthermore, his innovative thinking and new techniques bring fresh perspectives into traditional cooking techniques.
Hanayama
Hanayama stands out as being an approachable yet fierce Yakuza leader. He often serves as an influential father figure to young charges under his care, as well as being an accomplished fighter who rarely misses with his attacks; however, he often overcommits against higher-ranked adversaries and gets too comfortable when fighting them.
Hanayama is known for his astounding grip strength, capable of crushing an individual’s skull or shattering glass bottles with just a touch of his fingertip. Additionally, he can open doors using just one hand and has enough force to break their frames apart entirely.
He is known for being unwavering when fighting, never dodging or blocking attacks but instead facing them head-on – often being likened to the Triceratops dinosaur in terms of power and physique.
Hanayama serves as an outstanding example of effective leadership to his followers. When Chiharu Shiba asks Hanayama if he is training, Hanayama replies that today is “Sports Day” and starts running around wearing gym clothing. Hanayama was also extremely generous, giving money to several high school punks arrested after causing an accident.
Isetan
Shinjuku Department Store is an absolute must for fashion fans. Showcasing local Japanese designers alongside international labels, it specializes in clothing and accessories and features homewares (F) floor with fun fabrics for interior items and beauty (B2) which showcases wonderful Japanese skincare brands.
Popular with Tokyoites who are both wealthy and stylish as well as tourists searching for unique Japanese products, this department store hosts various events and pop-ups from designers throughout the year.
This popular mall features restaurants and shops showcasing traditional Japanese products. Eat Paradise on the 7th floor offers mainstream kaiseki cuisine using only carefully chosen ingredients; dishes include Unaju with lightly charred plump eel and Tenseiro which features firm homemade noodles.
Kozue
Kozue is an authentic Japanese restaurant offering exquisite sushi and ramen dishes, renowned for their fresh ingredients and attentive service. Their enchanting atmosphere beckons customers from Montgomery. Kozue has received many positive reviews.
At Kozue, our exquisite kaiseki dinner provides guests with an insight into Japan’s rich culinary culture. Local produce will be presented on earthenware hand-crafted by expert artisans – providing guests with an opportunity to celebrate both cuisine and culture!
Kozue Restaurant at Park Hyatt Tokyo may be more famous, but Kozue makes for an exceptional dining experience with its traditional Japanese kaiseki dining in an impressive venue. Open for both lunch and dinner service with amazing city views from their 40th-floor observation deck, Kozue offers signature cocktails that made their debut appearance in Sofia Coppola’s film Lost in Translation as well as excellent service that make their menu worth every cent spent.
