WHERE TO EAT

Christmas Dinner in Tokyo: Where to Dine on Christmas Eve

By Camilla Chandra
Updated: December 5, 2024

We’d argue the most important part of Christmas is the food. But while some might opt for a night in with KFC drumsticks and Mariah Carey’s cult-classic hits on repeat, there’s something appealing about skipping the hosting duties, the endless dishwashing and the pressure of socializing with a company you’d rather not. 

If you need to give yourself a break this year (don’t we all?) but still want a delicious Christmas dinner in Tokyo, we have an answer: book a table at one of the metropolis’ best restaurants. 

Whether you’re looking for a more traditional feast, an interesting truffle-laden French alternative or something completely different, these are our picks for the best restaurants where you can book for Christmas in Tokyo.

1. Makiyaki Ginza Onodera

A Basque cheesecake being prepared at Makiyaki Ginza Onodera.

Maiyaki Ginza Onodera is turning up the heat this Christmas with a spectacular six-course menu rooted in the rustic soul of Basque cuisine.

Fire, flavor and French finesse define this restaurant. At the center of the kitchen is head chef Keiichi Terada, who is relying on the techniques he learned directly in the western Pyrenees to embrace the philosophy of primitive cooking. 

The crackling firewood and glowing hearth in the center of the restaurant’s open kitchen fuel the flames. Highlights may include wood-fired A5-grade kuroge wagyu steak and the restaurant’s signature Basque burnt cheesecake.

※ From Dec 21 to Dec 25, 2024, only the Limited-Time Christmas Makiyaki Course will be available for reservation.

2. Hommage

A Michelin-worthy serving at Hommage.

Over the past decade, Tokyo's dining scene has undergone a seismic transformation, ushering in avant-garde restaurants that merge genres. Rising among this culinary shake-up, this two-Michelin-starred Hommage in Asakusa has become a revered temple of haute French cuisine.

Helmed by Chef Arai Noboru, Hommage’s special Christmas and New Year course showcases his Michelin pedigree. His Japanese-influenced, no-frills approach to French cuisine distills dishes to their purest essence, revealing what he calls the "true beauty of flavor." 

Admittedly, expect smartly plated haute cuisine and generous uses of truffle. Christmas and New Year’s courses are available for dinner and lunch. 

※ From Dec 18 to 28 and Jan 2 to 6, the regular menus at HOMMAGE will not be available. For these time periods, please make a reservation for the time-limited Christmas and New Year course menus. 

Find out more: Best Michelin Star Restaurants in Tokyo

3. Noura

A carefully coiled slice of salmon with garlic butter resting on top at Noura.

Sister restaurant to the Michelin-celebrated Hommage, the endearing bistro Noura is turning up its festive trance with a Christmas lunch and dinner course paired with champagne.

If Hommage is the polished sibling in tailored suits, Noura is the effortlessly chic counterpart in jeans and a crisp white t-shirt. While its Christmas special doesn’t come with the steep price tag of Tokyo’s priciest prix fixe menus, Noura’s offerings are a touch more indulgent than your neighborhood deli. 

The details of the holiday menu remain a surprise, written by Maison Decoret apprentice Yoshio Matsumoto, but you can count on a hearty Christmas roast and other festive delights to bring the Yuletide spirit to life.

※ During the end-of-year holiday season, only the Christmas and New Year menus will be available. Please make reservations for the correct course menus during that period.

4. Sushi Mitsuyoshi 

Two small, delicate servings at Sushi Mitsuyoshi.

Secreted away in a narrow alley by Shinjuku-gyoemmae Station, Sushi Mitsuyoshi is hosting a December-only winter omakase menu that celebrates seafood harvested from Japan’s cold waters during the season. 

The sushi counter is a relative newcomer to the city’s Edomae ushi scene but doesn’t feel fresh-faced. This winter degustation brings a new level of celebration with abalone, sashimi, temaki and a medley of nigiri options. 

For those in the know, the "hidden menu" offers an exclusive selection of rare domestic sakes. As the year-end approaches, Sushi Mitsuyoshi becomes especially sought-after, so secure your reservation early.

※ Sushi Mitsuyoshi’s winter course will be available on December, including Christmas and New Year’s Eve. 

5. Nishiazabu Sushi Shin

A slice of premium nigiri sushi at Nishiazabu Sushi Shin.

Why not switch out traditional KFC drumsticks for an omakase at Nishi Azabu’s landmark restaurant? This year, Chef Shintaro Suzuki invites you to celebrate Christmas with a bold sushi experience that features a well-drawn selection of seasonal nigiri and refined small plates.

He was among the first generation of sushi chefs to receive a Michelin star when the guide first expanded in Japan, thanks to his lofty standards. Each morning, he personally inspects the day’s catch by hand, rejecting anything that doesn’t meet his exacting standards. 

“Only fish that have been treated with care are flavorful enough,” he explains.

Nishiazabu Sushi Shin’s special omakase course is available from December 26 to January 5 for both lunch and dinner.

6. The Grill on 30th

The spacious, warmly lit dining space of The Grill on 30th.

Celebrate Christmas Eve in Tokyo from dazzling heights at The Grill on 30th, the atmospheric, top-floor destination located at the Grand Nikko Tokyo Daiba. 

This grill-specialty venue will be open on December 25 with a course showcasing their signature wagyu grills, classic strawberry shortcakes and other indulgent holiday delights.

It’s one of the more romantic venues in Odaiba. The dimly lit, seductive space opens up to panoramic views of Tokyo Bay, but it’s the glass-enclosed cellar that often steals the spotlight — a showcase of wines ranging from French Merlots to the pride of Niigata’s vineyards.

Seating also accommodates groups, with wrapped-around sofa booths large enough to house you and a half-dozen or so friends for grown-up celebratory dinners. And if you’re lucky, you might even spot Santa’s sleigh gliding by.

7. Blue Lily Steak House & Chinese Restaurant

A table filled with wagyu and more at Blue Lily Steak House & Chinese Restaurant.

Though not offering a Christmas special menu, this striking Ginza chop house will remain open through the season and into the New Year, serving its East-meets-West fusion. 

The food at Blue Lily is all about fun and flavor. At neighboring tables, you’ll find steaming pork shumai alongside plates of perfectly grilled steaks, like Kobe beef and premium Matsusaka beef. 

Servers weave through the room bearing trays of Peking duck and shark fin soup. In the kitchen, a dedicated dim sum chef crafts classics like leek pancakes, radish cakes and har gow.

When the server approaches, be sure to take note of the chef’s personal recommendation: the kuroge wagyu steak, a premium cut from Japan’s prized black cattle.

8. Crony 

The romantic, moody interiors of Crony.

Duo Michihiro Haruta and Kazutaka Ozawa are joint owners of the Michelin-starred Crony — and the masterminds behind its two-day, two-person Christmas course that starts on Christmas Eve.

Sustainable, close-knit dining is the theme here, with an experience designed to foster connections — what they call becoming “cronies.” 

Both Haruta and Ozawa believe that it is their responsibility to be sustainable. They use salt sustainably farmed in Kochi, avoiding traditional kiln drying in favor of sun- and wind-drying methods to reduce carbon emissions. Additionally, juvenile and endangered fish have no place in their kitchen. 

Each ingredient is carefully selected, combining domestic Japanese produce with French and Scandinavian techniques they’ve perfected in some of the finest kitchens worldwide.

9. Dominique Bouchet Tokyo

A warmly lit dining area at Dominique Bouchet Tokyo.

The Christmas meal at the Michelin-starred Dominique Bouchet Tokyo feels like a private invitation into the French chef’s living room. The Parisian-inspired interior mirrors his residency in Paris. There are artworks by Bouchet’s mate Pierre-Marie Brisson affixed to the walls and personal items borrowed from his home. 

A Michelin-starred chef renowned as one of the best of his generation, Bouchet spent years working alongside the legendary Joel Robuchon at the Concorde Lafayette Hotel in Paris. In bringing an expectation-exceeding modern French cuisine, he surprisingly draws out flavors that are “somewhat nostalgic” to his Ginza namesake.

His tasting menu often splits into two variations: one which uses Japanese ingredients for contemporary French haute cuisine and one which is essentially a best-hits compilation from Bouchet’s illustrious career. The course includes an amuse bouche, salad, roasted protein and dessert. 

10. IL PINOLO Ginza

A tantalising tower of meats and potatoes at IL PINOLO Ginza.

After its handsome makeover in 2022, IL PINOLO Ginza feels like the newest kid on the block. The space works on a taupe-toned color palette and a seating arrangement that fits 50 people, complete velvet bench chairs and impressionistic Italian countryside paintings.

Chef Watanabe Tomotaka now leads the kitchen of this Italian emporium in Ginza, adhering to the simple yet timeless Peninsula mantra: great ingredients, simply cooked.

The menu follows a traditional structure that starts from stuzzichino (savory appetizer) to dolce. There’s an impressive antipasto of beef tartare that receives a generous treatment of truffle shaving or the fresh fish carpaccio. 

Textbook pasta might change seasonally; in the past, spaghettini was spun with uni and anchovy cream tomato, and the Milanese-style saffron risotto was used with beef ragu. 

Ideal for a romantic Christmas dinner or a special occasion, consider booking one of their private rooms for a memorable dining experience in Tokyo.

For more Christmas traditions in Japan, take a look at the most common Japanese Christmas foods or get a taste for foods you’ll find at a Japanese Christmas market.

Christmas dinner in Tokyo FAQs

A selection of elegant dishes for Christmas dinner in Tokyo.

What is the most popular Christmas dinner in Japan?

The most popular Christmas dinner in Japan is fried chicken, with many families opting for KFC, alongside Christmas cakes, typically strawberry shortcakes.

Is KFC a Christmas dinner in Japan?

Yes, KFC has become a Christmas tradition in Japan, with many people ordering from the fast food chain for a festive meal. You can even pre-order your KFC bucket weeks in advance!

What is open on Christmas Day in Tokyo?

On Christmas Day, many restaurants, shopping malls and entertainment venues in Tokyo remain open, offering special holiday menus and festive events.

How do people in Tokyo celebrate Christmas?

In Tokyo, Christmas is mainly a romantic holiday for couples, marked by illuminations, Christmas markets and fancy dinners, rather than a religious celebration.

Christmas Eve or Christmas Day in Japan?

People in Japan tend to celebrate Christmas itself on Christmas Eve, with families and couples swapping presents and treating themselves to a decadent dining experience. Christmas Day is more for getting together with friends and sharing a bucket of KFC, pizza and drinks.

We strive to be as accurate as possible and keep up with the changing landscape of Japan's food and travel industries. If you spot any inaccuracies, please send a report.
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Camilla Chandra
Originally from Indonesia, Camilla now lives and works in Tokyo. She writes about the Japanese language, food, travel — and just about anything that connects readers to Japan. On weekends, she's either running her 15k around the Imperial Palace or checking out the city's latest exhibitions.
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