Seiji Funashima brings you the tastes of the season without affectation and uses seasonings sparingly. He says he aims for flavours that are only just flavourful enough and strives to bring out the natural flavours. Particular effort goes into the nimono soup; broth and ingredients are in harmony, and it satisfies with its seasonal fragrance. Kyoto tastes play a leading role in each season, such as Tsukahara bamboo shoots in the spring and Taiza snow crab in winter.

Shigeyuki Matsubara layers flavour upon flavour to draw out the individuality of each dish. He creates his sharply flavoursome dashi through extravagant use of dried bonito and tuna shavings. White miso is added to lightly deep-fried oysters and lotus-root dumplings are enriched with beef, creating multi-layered flavour profiles. Matsubara handled the design of the restaurant himself and the original imagination of the chef completes both the cuisine and the interior.

When the bonito flakes start being shaved is the signal to start the meal. Katsushi Yoshitake especially prizes the fragrance of his dashi. He likes to experiment, while still respecting the traditions of Japanese cuisine. The chub mackerel sushi with red-vinegar rice was created with the help of his elder brother, a sushi chef. Meat dishes such as beef from short-horned cattle and locally-raised chicken are charcoal-grilled to bring out the power of the ingredients.

The credo of the Imperial Hotel, that tradition and innovation always travel together, finds a kindred spirit in Ishikawa Group, this restaurant’s parent company. Masayuki Takami gives tangible form to this conviction in assembling his menu. Tsukuri and nimono pursue delicacy of flavour, preferring to subtract rather than add. In contrast, bolder items such as caviar and minced scallops are mated with katsuo dashi and cream, adding together to create a mousse.

Facilities & Services

• Air conditioning
• American Express credit card
• Counter dining
• Credit card / Debit card accepted
• Diners Club credit card
• JCB
• Mastercard credit card
• Visa credit card

+81 3-6809-2502

Shimbashi Sasada

• 1-23-7 Nishishimbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 105-0003, Japan
• ¥¥¥ · Japanese

MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View

Owner-chef Hidenobu Sasada prepares the same dishes year after year, with the goal of continually perfecting and advancing his craft. His cuisine is drawn from the traditions of Kyoto gastronomy, so many of his ingredients are sourced in western Japan. In spring for example, Shirako Bamboo shoots from Tsukahara are simmered in dashi; in summer, ayu from Nara are grilled to plump perfection. Each dish is prepared with restraint and is delicious to look at, manifesting an admirable humility.

Facilities & Services

• Air conditioning
• American Express credit card
• Counter dining
• Credit card / Debit card accepted
• Diners Club credit card
• JCB
• Mastercard credit card
• Visa credit card

+81 3-3507-5501

Okamoto

• B1F, 5-2-8 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 105-0001, Japan
• ¥¥¥¥ · Japanese

MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View

Enjoy Kyoto-like dishes in a space with simple furnishings and decor. The nimono soup made with white miso, yuba, tilefish and other ingredients has an unaffected elegance. Familiar offerings like sabazushi and fragrant karasumi soba have an at-home comfort food feel, but also leave an impression. Another speciality is the unagi from Okayama. A landscape painting of Kurashiki, Hidetsugu Okamoto’s hometown, hangs on the wall.

Facilities & Services

• Air conditioning
• American Express credit card
• Cash only – lunch
• Counter dining
• Diners Club credit card
• JCB
• Mastercard credit card
• Visa credit card

+81 3-6432-0414

Sorahana

• 5-3-3 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 105-0001, Japan
• ¥¥¥ · Japanese

MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View

Kanako Wakimoto became a chef after initially setting out on the path of a nutritionist. Under her mentor, she learnt to respect the ingredients and prize natural flavours. She uses seafood from Misaki fishing port, based on her experience at restaurants in Kamakura. The sazae, which is deep-fried, is caught near the Miura Peninsula and features the aroma of nori and the seashore. These are all carefully prepared dishes that warm the cockles of the heart.

Facilities & Services

• Air conditioning
• American Express credit card
• Counter dining
• Credit card / Debit card accepted
• Diners Club credit card
• JCB
• Mastercard credit card
• Visa credit card

+81 80-4071-0555

Oryori Tsuji

• B1F, 3-3-9 Higashiazabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 106-0044, Japan
• ¥¥¥ · Japanese

MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View

Yoshiaki Tsuji’s guiding principle is respect for the ingredients and keeping things as close to their natural state as possible. In spring, he makes a hot pot of Shirako bamboo shoots from Kyoto paired with wakame. In summer, he salt-grills Gujo Hachiman ayu. Fragrant katsuo-bushi and flavoursome dried tuna are added to kombu dashi prepared with cold water for a balanced soup. Handmade soba and meat dishes make an appearance at various points to keep things interesting.

Facilities & Services

• Air conditioning
• American Express credit card
• Counter dining
• Credit card / Debit card accepted
• Diners Club credit card
• JCB
• Mastercard credit card
• Visa credit card

+81 50-3145-9475

https://oryouritsuji.jp/

Azabujuban Fukuda

• 3-7-5 Azabujuban, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 106-0045, Japan
• ¥¥¥¥ · Japanese

MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View

A menu redolent with seasonal aromas and the kind hospitality of the couple in charge are the true charms of Azabujuban Fukuda. Katsuo-bushi (dried bonito flakes) is shredded, dashi drawn and seafood chopped in front of customers. Kazuto Fukuda uses ingredients from every corner of Japan. In spring, hatsu gatsuo (first bonito of the season) is grilled wrapped in straw. Unagi is smothered in mizansho (green peppercorn). Seasonal clay-pot rice dishes bring the meal to a close.

Facilities & Services

• Air conditioning
• Counter dining
• Credit card / Debit card accepted
• Mastercard credit card
• Visa credit card

+81 3-6453-7256

 

Akanezaka Onuma

• 3F, 3-12-2 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 107-0052, Japan
• ¥¥¥ · Japanese

MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View

Working at a company did not suit Mitsuharu Onuma, so he set out to become a chef with a dream of someday having his own restaurant. The menu is based on classic dishes, and the hassun is an essential part of it. He adds an extra touch to the tsukuri, such as kombu and soy sauce or seasonal soba in hot broth. His father finds the wild vegetables and matsutake in Yamagata. The use of Tsuyahime rice is also from his love of his hometown.

Facilities & Services

• Air conditioning
• American Express credit card
• Counter dining
• Credit card / Debit card accepted
• Diners Club credit card
• JCB
• Mastercard credit card
• Visa credit card

+81 3-5797-8798

https://akanezakaonuma.jp/

Sumibikappo SHIROSAKA

• 6-3-9 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 107-0052, Japan
• ¥¥¥ · Japanese

MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View

When overseas to sharpen his culinary senses, char-grilling caught owner-chef Hideki Ii’s attention. He cooks seasonal ingredients on low heat, using bincho charcoal for fragrance. He mixes modern culinary theory with traditional techniques, with flexible combinations of ingredients that show off his experience. A fine example is the Cold Tuna and Uni, served with gelatinised dashi and caviar. Ii’s deportment and style in the kitchen inspire confidence.

Facilities & Services

• Air conditioning
• American Express credit card
• Counter dining
• Credit card / Debit card accepted
• Diners Club credit card
• JCB
• Mastercard credit card
• Visa credit card

+81 3-5797-7066

Akasaka Ogino

• 6-3-13 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 107-0052, Japan
• ¥¥¥¥ · Japanese

MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View

The owner-chef absorbed the spirit of the tea ceremony while at a ryotei in Kyoto and learnt the art of hospitality at a kappo in Tokyo. He prepares tofu topped with roasted sesame seed in front of the guests. The stars are those hassun dishes that reflect the seasons. He prepares two rice dishes out of recognition of rice being at the heart of what it means to be Japanese and incorporates seasonal celebrations and events into his cooking to convey Japanese culture.

Facilities & Services

• Air conditioning
• American Express credit card
• Counter dining
• Credit card / Debit card accepted
• Diners Club credit card
• JCB
• Mastercard credit card
• Visa credit card

+81 3-6277-8274

Akiyama

• 6-5-3 Shirokane, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 108-0072, Japan
• ¥¥¥ · Japanese

MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View

The curiosity and inquisitiveness of owner-chef Hideto Akiyama is boundless. To acquire a thorough knowledge of fish, he took a job at a sushi restaurant; to study the true nature of Japanese cuisine, he apprenticed at a kappo. Cylindrical bozushi and round temarizushi are served in between the main items. The attention to detail in the decoratively arranged sashimi reflects the spirit of tea ceremony cuisine. To finish, rice cooked in an earthenware pot or handmade soba noodles are served.

Facilities & Services

• Air conditioning
• American Express credit card
• Counter dining
• Credit card / Debit card accepted
• Diners Club credit card
• JCB
• Mastercard credit card
• Visa credit card

+81 3-6277-0723

Kaiseki Tsujitome

• B1F, 1-5-8 Motoakasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 107-0051, Japan
• ¥¥¥¥ · Japanese

MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View

This ryotei originated in Kyoto. It was founded in 1902 when Tomejiro Tsuji learned chakaiseki from the head of the Urasenke tea ceremony school. The fare follows the principle of ‘one soup, three sides’, with several items added as a touch of friendly service. With simple beauty as its purpose, the fare is matched with serving-ware of appropriate colour and shape. The spirit of ‘comfortable, easy to eat, fun and delicious’ that embodies kaiseki shines through in Tsujitome’s seasonal offerings.

Facilities & Services

• Air conditioning
• American Express credit card
• Credit card / Debit card accepted
• Diners Club credit card
• JCB
• Mastercard credit card
• Shoes must be removed
• Visa credit card

+81 3-3403-3984

http://www.tsujitome.com/

Guchokuni

• 4F, 4-3 Kagurazaka, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-0825, Japan
• ¥¥¥ · Japanese

MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View

 The intriguing shop name is an encapsulation of the creed of chef Masato Otsuka: Guchokuni, or ‘simple honesty’. Inspired by a proverb he encountered during his apprenticeship, Otsuka devotes himself to his craft with single-minded focus. The ethos of the Ishikawa Group is woven into the menu. Soups include items such as surinagashi of turnip or burdock. Sarashina soba sourced from Otsuka’s native Nagano Prefecture is paired with items such as karasumi and young ayu.

Facilities & Services

• Air conditioning
• American Express credit card
• Counter dining
• Credit card / Debit card accepted
• Diners Club credit card
• JCB
• Mastercard credit card
• Visa credit card

+81 50-3138-5225

FUSHIKINO

• 2F, 4-3-11 Kagurazaka, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-0825, Japan
• ¥¥¥ · Japanese

MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View

The name derives from the Fushiki water jar, a tea utensil owned by tea ceremony master Sen no Rikyu (1522–1591). The trinity of food, sake and utensils is entirely in the FUSHIKINO style. It shows the joy of pairing cuisine with sake and discovering how temperature and vessel can alter flavour. The key influence is Kyoto cuisine, so flavours are quite light. Chazuke (rice with tea poured over it) or bozushi (sushi pressed in a box rather than by hand) complete the meal, appealing to the soul of the drinker.

Facilities & Services

• Air conditioning
• American Express credit card
• Counter dining
• Credit card / Debit card accepted
• Diners Club credit card
• JCB
• Mastercard credit card
• Notable sake list
• Visa credit card

+81 3-3269-4556

https://fushikino.com/

Nogizaka Shin

• 8-11-19 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 107-0052, Japan
• ¥¥¥ · Japanese

MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View

Shinji Ishida uses ‘Shin’ to express a desire to find the ‘new’ while respecting ‘core’ Japanese culinary traditions, both of which are ‘shin’ in Japanese. For example, he pairs grated pumpkin soup with steamed cod milt, while he uses legs and roe of female snow crab to make oshizushi. Sommelier Yasuhide Tobita’s pairings of wine with sake bring a ‘new’ (shin) way of thinking. Together, the two partners’ spirits (shin again) blaze a trail to the future of kappo.

Facilities & Services

• Air conditioning
• American Express credit card
• Counter dining
• Credit card / Debit card accepted
• Diners Club credit card
• JCB
• Mastercard credit card
• Particularly interesting wine list
• Visa credit card

+81 3-6721-0086

https://www.nogi-s.com/

Kagurazaka Marutomi

• 3-4 Fukuromachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-0828, Japan
• ¥¥¥ · Japanese

MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View

Kenichi Onodera, a native of Iwate Prefecture, showcases the attractions of his birthplace by weaving beef into kaiseki. He favours wagyu beef fattened in Hiraizumi, which comes from his parents, who run a butcher shop. Hanasansho (pepper flower) and shabu-shabu are served in spring; sukiyaki with matsutake mushrooms in autumn. He shows his ingenuity with combinations like char-grilled tenderloin and uni. Like its kimono-clad proprietress, the restaurant exudes Japanese grace and charm.

Facilities & Services

• Air conditioning
• American Express credit card
• Counter dining
• Credit card / Debit card accepted
• Diners Club credit card
• JCB
• Mastercard credit card
• Visa credit card

+81 3-6273-1003

Waketokuyama

• 5-1-5 Minamiazabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 106-0047, Japan
• ¥¥¥ · Japanese

MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View

The spirit of hospitality in Japanese cuisine is in having the customer fully savour the delights of the season, so explains chef Hiromitsu Nozaki. He decorates the dinner trays with seasonal flowers as a gesture of welcome for guests and for them to feel the season. The ‘Seasoned Grilled Awabi’ speciality was inspired by the sight of seaweed-clad awabi being hauled out of the ocean. It smells of the ocean and brims with the vitality of its ingredients.

Facilities & Services

• Air conditioning
• American Express credit card
• Counter dining
• Credit card / Debit card accepted
• Diners Club credit card
• JCB
• Mastercard credit card
• Visa credit card
• Wheelchair access

+81 3-5789-3838

https://waketoku.com/

Kasumicho Yamagami

• 3F, 4-2-13 Nishiazabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 106-0031, Japan
• ¥¥¥ · Japanese

MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View

Tomoaki Yamagami trained in this restaurant then took it over from the former owner, his mentor. True to what he was taught, he takes the drawing out of the natural flavours as his credo. The menu is true to the basics, but there’s plenty of variation with the shuko and items served in between. The earthenware pot rice at the end is a highlight; it’s cooked with water and soy sauce rather than dashi to take advantage of the fragrance of the ingredients.

Facilities & Services

• Air conditioning
• American Express credit card
• Counter dining
• Credit card / Debit card accepted
• Diners Club credit card
• JCB
• Mastercard credit card
• Visa credit card

+81 3-5466-1270

Nishiazabu Otake

• 1-4-23 Nishiazabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 106-0031, Japan
• ¥¥¥ · Japanese

MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View

Chef Tatsuya Otake takes Japanese cuisine a step outside its comfort zone, determined to find flavours his customers will find delicious. Croquettes prepared with edamame and porcini mushrooms are his masterpiece. Inaniwa udon with firefly squid, and plum and abalone risotto suggest inspiration from Italian cuisine. Edible wild plants and game meats arrive from Gifu, the prefecture of Otake’s apprenticeship. In a lesson learned from his mentor, he treasures his relationships with producers.

Facilities & Services

• Air conditioning
• American Express credit card
• Counter dining
• Credit card / Debit card accepted
• Diners Club credit card
• JCB
• Mastercard credit card
• Visa credit card

+81 3-6459-2833

https://www.nishiazabu-otake.com/

Towa

• 2F, 4-11-25 Nishiazabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 106-0031, Japan
• ¥¥¥¥ · Japanese

MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View

The key ingredient is wagyu, the pride of Japan. Takaaki Tsuneyasu starts with the flow of kaiseki, with beef dishes mixed in. For example, oxtail is simmered and made into spring rolls. The juices from the meat are used in the seasonal vegetable takiawase to give it flavour complexity. He is picky about everything, including the way the cattle are raised, selecting mostly kuroge wagyu from Hyogo, whose flavour he fell in love with.

Facilities & Services

• Air conditioning
• American Express credit card
• Counter dining
• Credit card / Debit card accepted
• Diners Club credit card
• JCB
• Mastercard credit card
• Visa credit card

+81 3-6433-5680

Tenoshima

• 2F, 1-3-21 Minamiaoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 107-0062, Japan
• ¥¥¥ · Japanese

MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View

Ryohei Hayashi’s slogan is ‘Washoku for all’. He serves free-spirited Japanese cuisine not bound by the conventions of kaiseki. At the heart of the menu are regional dishes and local dashi that he learned while traveling in and outside of Japan. For example, there is a soup inspired by Saga squid shumai steamed dumpling, and the inari-zushi and bozushi come from Kyoto where he trained. The nyumen is made with dried sardine dashi from the Setouchi area.

Facilities & Services

• Air conditioning
• American Express credit card
• Counter dining
• Credit card / Debit card accepted
• Diners Club credit card
• JCB
• Mastercard credit card
• Visa credit card

+81 3-6316-2150

https://www.tenoshima.com/

Azabu Wakei

• 2-7-9 Nishiazabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 106-0031, Japan
• ¥¥¥ · Japanese

MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View

The name derives from wakei seijaku, ‘harmony, respect, purity and tranquillity’, key tenets of the wabicha style of tea ceremony. Chef Ryuji Takemura interprets this as ‘respect for harmony’, as he values the rules of decorum between host and guest. A believer in the principles of fluidity, he is moving Japanese cuisine forwards without forgetting its essence. Served between main items, iimushi, mochi rice steamed with topping, is faithful to the basics. The interior exhibits a modern sensibility.

Facilities & Services

• Air conditioning
• American Express credit card
• Counter dining
• Credit card / Debit card accepted
• Diners Club credit card
• JCB
• Mastercard credit card
• Visa credit card

+81 3-3486-0149

https://wakei.tokyo/

Jushu

• 2-16-1 Nishiazabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 106-0031, Japan
• ¥¥¥ · Japanese

MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View

Born in Karatsu, Masaaki Senzaki conveys the wonders of his native Saga through cuisine. As if to epitomize this desire, the shop curtain greets patrons with an image of a Eurasian magpie, the official bird of Saga Prefecture. Vegetables and seafood as well as Imari beef come from his homeland. Drawing on his experience at a kappo, Senzaki applies minimal food preparation, prizing the natural flavour of the fresh-cooked ingredients. A selection of sake from Saga is available.

Facilities & Services

• Air conditioning
• American Express credit card
• Counter dining
• Credit card / Debit card accepted
• Diners Club credit card
• JCB
• Mastercard credit card
• Visa credit card

+81 3-6427-5167

Hakuun

• 4-11-2 Minamiaoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 107-0062, Japan
• ¥¥¥¥ · Japanese

MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View

Shingo Sakamoto’s dishes constantly change like drifting cloud. He learned to be flexible and unbound by preconceived notions at the famous RyuGin restaurant. He prepares the dashi for the soup in front of the customer. He also serves meat dishes such as beef, deer and duck that are not among the classics. The Zen phrase ‘ryu ginzureba kumo okori’ means that when a dragon sings it makes a cloud, and the character for ‘cloud’ is included in the name of the restaurant.

Facilities & Services

• Air conditioning
• American Express credit card
• Counter dining
• Credit card / Debit card accepted
• Diners Club credit card
• JCB
• Mastercard credit card
• Particularly interesting wine list
• Visa credit card

+81 3-6812-9613

https://nihonryori-hakuun.com/

Tanimoto

• 2F, 3-21 Arakicho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-0007, Japan
• ¥¥¥ · Japanese

MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View

With the countertop as his stage, Seiji Tanimoto serves up the gracious service he learned at a ryotei. Patrons feel that spirit from the simmered bowl of nimono he serves them by hand. The preparations take time and trouble, he says, but then he imagines the smiles of joy he’ll see on diners’ faces and the time flies by. The motto he learned as an apprentice guides him every day: ‘The sign of a person’s sincerity, kindness and perspicacity is in his cooking’.

Facilities & Services

• Air conditioning
• American Express credit card
• Counter dining
• Credit card / Debit card accepted
• Diners Club credit card
• JCB
• Mastercard credit card
• Visa credit card

+81 3-6380-5797

Sharikimon Onozawa

• 6-39 Arakicho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-0007, Japan
• ¥¥¥ · Japanese

MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View

The chef takes an unconventional and versatile approach to the ingredients. For example, he slices the hamo thin by removing the bones. He also removes the bones from sanma before grilling so that you can dig in without hesitation. He has much experience of working at soba kappo restaurants, so serves handmade soba at the end of the meal. Choose from several seasonal tastes depending on the season, such as sakura ebi, water shield and oysters.

Facilities & Services

• Air conditioning
• American Express credit card
• Counter dining
• Credit card / Debit card accepted
• Diners Club credit card
• JCB
• Mastercard credit card
• Visa credit card

+81 3-6457-8550

 

Arakicho Tatsuya

• 10 Arakicho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-0007, Japan
• ¥¥¥ · Japanese

MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View

Owner-chef Tatsuya Ishiyama handles everything from serving customers to preparing the food, devoting himself to entertaining his guests. The menu is crafted with an eye to the human connection, from ingredients and sakes to the selection of servings dishes. Meals conclude with zosui (risotto-like rice soup) made with broth from the takiawase, so that none of the flavour is wasted. His explanations of the fare, bringing producer and diner together, leave a deep impression.

Facilities & Services

• Air conditioning
• Counter dining
• Notable sake list

+81 3-6709-8087

Seika Kobayashi

• 10-17 Arakicho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-0007, Japan
• ¥¥¥¥ · Japanese

MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View

Owner-chef Yuji Kobayashi has a passion for the works of Seika Suda, a Kutani porcelain potter. Kobayashi, who began collecting pottery as a teenager, pairs each dish with just the right vessel to accentuate the flavour. To bring the flavour of each ingredient, seasoning is restrained, consisting of salt and the umami of dashi. Kobayashi’s charcoal grilling technique brings forth a smoky aroma. Items are plated without unnecessary artifice, enhancing the ingredients’ bold presentation.

Facilities & Services

• Air conditioning
• American Express credit card
• Counter dining
• Credit card / Debit card accepted
• Diners Club credit card
• JCB
• Mastercard credit card
• Visa credit card

+81 3-6380-0978

Kaiseki Ohara

• 2F, 1 Arakicho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-0007, Japan
• ¥¥¥ · Japanese

MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View

The calligraphy on the wall says ‘Flavour, Soul, Beauty’. Written by Makoto Ohara’s mentor, its presence underscores his dedication to cuisine. Colours are bright and service is gracious; flavours range from light to rich, in a menu that includes tsukuri of white-fleshed fish, nimono and hassun. Dishes served in bowls are noteworthy for the harmony between broth and main ingredient and paint a picture of each season. The calm demeanour of the couple makes the service relaxing.

Facilities & Services

• Air conditioning
• American Express credit card
• Counter dining
• Credit card / Debit card accepted
• Diners Club credit card
• JCB
• Mastercard credit card
• Visa credit card

+81 3-6380-5223

 

Ensui

• 1-5-12 Nakameguro, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 153-0061, Japan
• ¥¥¥¥ · Japanese

MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View

Ryosuke Ito chose ‘Ensui’ as the name, ‘en’ symbolising the charcoal flame and ‘sui’ symbolising the water used for the dashi. Both are the starting points for his cuisine, and his approach is to develop new ideas based on study of the past. He captures the moment when ingredients are most flavourful by shaving the katsuo-bushi in front of the customer to make the ichiban-dashi and ingredients such as kinmedai, unagi and duck are grilled over a charcoal flame.

Facilities & Services

• Air conditioning
• American Express credit card
• Counter dining
• Credit card / Debit card accepted
• Diners Club credit card
• JCB
• Mastercard credit card
• Visa credit card

+81 3-5860-7530

https://nihonryori-ensui.com/

TEN-MASA

• B1F, 3-16-13 Kamimeguro, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 153-0051, Japan
• ¥¥¥ · Japanese

MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View

Owner-chef Masahiko Ashiki first learned cooking from his father, a tempura chef, and then trained in general Japanese cuisine to further improve his skills. He brings a creative touch to the soup and tsukuri and puts to work the natural flavours of the tempura ingredients. He uses many ingredients from Aichi out of love for his home prefecture. The menu is self-styled ‘Tenmasa kaiseki’—rather than ‘tempura kaiseki’—setting claim to being a style quite its own.

Facilities & Services

• Air conditioning
• American Express credit card
• Counter dining
• Credit card / Debit card accepted
• Diners Club credit card
• JCB
• Mastercard credit card
• Visa credit card

+81 3-6303-4005

Yakumo Uezu

• 1-3-9 Yakumo, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 152-0023, Japan
• ¥¥¥ · Japanese

MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View

Delightful surprises are the focus for owner-chef Naoki Uezu’s cuisine. Thinking outside the box is a habit he inherited from his mentor. In his tsukuri, for example, rather than rely on soy sauce, he flavours pairing tora fugu with caviar, or tilefish with karasumi, for their saltiness. White asparagus served in spring is used in takikomi-gohan or surinagashi, which are served at the end of the meal. From appetiser to dessert, the breadth of Uezu’s gastronomic vision is abundantly evident.

Facilities & Services

• Air conditioning
• American Express credit card
• Counter dining
• Credit card / Debit card accepted
• Diners Club credit card
• JCB
• Mastercard credit card
• Visa credit card

+81 3-5726-9359

Nanakusa

• 2-22-5 Tomigaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, 151-0063, Japan
• ¥¥ · Japanese

MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View

Rika Maezawa grew up as the 3rd daughter of an unagi restaurant owner. She deliberately chose another path but was drawn to cooking as if by destiny. The restaurant’s name means ‘Seven Grasses’ and reflects Maezawa’s reverence for the Saijiki almanac of seasonal words for haiku poets. Vegetables, beans and dried foods are her star ingredients. Though based on home cooking, her work does venture from the confines of Japanese cuisine; for example, using Western seasonings to add subtle flavours.

Facilities & Services

• Air conditioning
• American Express credit card
• Credit card / Debit card accepted
• Mastercard credit card
• Visa credit card

+81 3-3460-7793

https://www.nana-kusa.net/

Shigeyuki

• 2-17-3 Nishihara, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, 151-0066, Japan
• ¥¥¥ · Japanese

MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View

Owner-chef Shigeo Kanno refurbished a house in a residential part of Yoyogi-Uehara where he was born and raised to create this restaurant. Its appeal is a menu that is creative yet respectful of the basics. Fried seafood is dressed in tartar of hanasansho (pepper flowers). Borrowing a page from Buddhist vegetarian dishes, the hassun is packed into a jubako food box. In summer the celebrated dish is awabi with somen noodles kneaded with ume. The atmosphere is homely, the service friendly.

Facilities & Services

• Air conditioning
• American Express credit card
• Counter dining
• Credit card / Debit card accepted
• Diners Club credit card
• JCB
• Mastercard credit card
• Visa credit card

+81 70-1372-0319