Kaiseki Restaurants in Japan(557)
Ukihashi (Hotel Granvia Osaka)
Inspired by the Japanese literary classic the Tale of Genji, the Hotel Granvia Osaka’s Ukihashi provides an unforgettable dining experience with seasonal ingredients and beautiful decor.
Kitashinchi Okurano
Recommended by the Michelin Guide, Kitashinchi Okurano brings kaiseki cuisine to life by merging tradition with playfulness. Learn precisely what the philosophy of “wakei seijaku” means while experiencing culinary excellence in Osaka's heart.
Rokujo Kawarain San
Storytelling, tradition, and artistry underpin meals at Rokujo Kawarain San, a top-tier kaiseki venue with reasonable prices and seasonal menus.
Shirayuki
One of Fukuoka’s most celebrated kappo restaurants, Shirayuki’s chef is dedicated to helping guests discover the beauty of Kyushu seafood by through seasonal fish dishes. Sake and wine pairings are abundant.
Yugyoan Tankuma Kitamise (Hotel New Grand Yokohama)
Located inside the Hotel New Grand Yokohama, famed Kyoto restaurant Yugyoan brings its brand of Kyoto-style cuisine to Kanto. Here, guests can enjoy both sushi and kappo-style cuisine that’s a treat for both the eyes and taste buds.
Azabu Amishiro
Kyoto-style home-cooking comes to fashionable Azabu-Juban. Daily-changing menus feature seasonal vegetables, as well as meat and fish grilled over kishu-binchotan charcoal. Enjoy your meal with your pick from a wide range of sake.
Gion Nanba
Tradition at its finest. Secreted within Kyoto’s traditional district, Gion Nanba offers Michelin-quality kaiseki courses, featuring the best quality produce from all over Japan.
Kitashinchi Mitsutoki
A splendid interior, creative presentation, and thoughtful customization set this Osaka restaurant apart from the highly competitive Kitashinchi eatery scene.
Nihonryori Byakuya
Nihonryori Byakuya isn’t content to stick with old ways of thinking and cooking. Set on the trendy Kagurazaka Street in Tokyo, this restaurant creates invigorating dishes based on the foundations of traditional Japanese cuisine.
G -WA Selection- (Tokyo Marriott Hotel)
Billed as authentic Japanese cuisine with a French twist, the Tokyo Marriott Hotel’s G ~WA Selection~ feels just as sophisticated as its name thanks to its stylish treatment of Japanese classics in a luxurious space.
Iharada
This Kyoto restaurant adds a modern twist to traditional Japanese kaiseki cuisine, sourcing high-quality ingredients from their own farm and the local seafood market.
Nihonbashi Asada (Mitsui Garden Hotel Nihonbashi Premier)
Situated on the ninth floor of the Mitsui Garden Hotel Nihonbashi Premier, this restaurant is a true gem that seamlessly blends traditional Kaga cuisine with modern culinary artistry for a truly unforgettable dining experience.
Chakaiseki Zushi
Inspired by both daily and ceremonial meals of old, the chef of this chakaiseki restaurant manifests pre-Edo period dining philosophies to serve his guests a traditional culinary experience steeped in tea and tradition.
Kyoto Tsuruya (Nagoya Marriott Associa Hotel)
A dedicated sushi counter promises authentic dining, while course menus and celebratory meals bring people together from across the country and world to delight in historic Japanese traditions of hospitality.
Shion
Even before moving to its current Akasaka location, a philosophy of reverence for Japan’s natural beauty has always driven the traditional kaiseki cuisine at Shion. Private rooms provide a much-needed respite from the Tokyo rush.
Shunsai Hayato
Cuisine fit for a king. Near the Korakuen Gardens, this Okayama restaurant keeps the cuisine of the feudal lords of fine otonosama-ryori alive. Feast on fresh sashimi and Chiya beef, a wagyu cattle so rare it bears the title of “phantom wagyu”.
Minokichi Shinsaibashi Midosuji
The best of seasonal Kyoto-style cuisine rightfully enjoyed in traditional, folk-craft-filled dining rooms.
WARAYAKI funsista
Tradition meets change at this Gotanda restaurant, where seasonal fish, meats and vegetables are grilled over straw in traditional Kochi style. Ingredients are seared with intense but carefully controlled heat to bring out a delightful, smoky aroma.
Sagaya Ginza
Saga beef is renowned for its distinctive tsuya-sashi marbling, said to give it a characteristic glossy appearance that tastes even better than it looks. This Ginza specialty niku-kappo restaurant brings this luxurious meat to the heart of Tokyo.
Sawaichi Roppongi
A traditional Japanese restaurant in Roppongi, the seafood at Sawaichi is immaculate, whether grilled over binchotan charcoal, simmered or served as sashimi. Fine traditional joinery reinforces the sense of atmosphere.
Ginza Hakobune Daiginjyo SHIZUKU
The reputation of this Ginza venue primarily rests on its impressive 500-plus sake library, enhanced by the allure of a private dining experience and teamed with Hokuriku-Shinetsu-inspired seasonal kaiseki that stands on its own merits.
Kani Kani Land Kyoto Gion
Originally from Niigata, this restaurant brings the famed snow crab and king crab from off the Sea of Japan's frigid waters to the historic geisha district of Gion in Kyoto.
Minokichi Takeshigero Hotel Granvia Kyoto
The Hotel Granvia Kyoto plays host to one of Kyoto’s most historic kyo-kaiseki restaurants, with over 300 years of history serving freshwater fish and other traditional dishes.
Ono
After years of operating his elusive traveling restaurant, the Michelin-starred chef Ono Koto has finally settled into a permanent home in the Kitashinchi district to deliver kaiseki using Awajishima-sourced items.
Koikiryori Aji Manso
Some restaurants stand against the test of time — Koikiryori Aji Manso thrives with it, so head here for a historic meal led by one of Japan’s most acclaimed chefs.
Ginza Shinohara
Leaving his life in Shiga behind, Chef Shinohara Takemasa moved to Tokyo to bring the taste of the Kansai country to Tokyo, and ended up winning two Michelin stars for his efforts.
Ogata
Kimono-shop-turned-restaurant serving an enticing blend of old and new, with two Michelin stars.
Soujiki Nakahigashi
Enjoy wild food gathered by the chef in a seasonal set course to be remembered.
Kaiseki Restaurants in Tokyo
There is no more authentic Japanese dining experience than kaiseki. This iconic cuisine is the pinnacle of refinement, in which culinary auteurs present the best ingredients of the season in a series of small dishes for an exclusive audience of diners.
Since kaiseki is based so much on the seasons and the individual chef’s inspiration, you’ll never know exactly what to expect. One dish could be a grilled sweet-fish treat cooked over a burning pit of coals, the next a platter of wild vegetable tempura harvested just that very morning. One thing you can always expect, however, is gorgeous presentation. Inspired by traditional Japanese tea ceremony, kaiseki was developed in old Kyoto as a feast for each and every one of the senses.
If that all sounds very fancy, that’s because it kind of is! The very best kaiseki restaurants in Japan have three Michelin stars and waiting lists up to two years long, meaning kaiseki can often seem sealed off inside highly exclusive circles. But don’t despair — with plenty of top kaiseki restaurants to choose from, our English-language restaurant reservation service gives you the inside track to access this fascinating world of tantalizing tradition. What are you waiting for?