Cotohi

Many guests may never have heard of Oki cattle, the small herd of cattle that freely graze the Oki Islands Geopark off the coast of Shimane Prefecture. With only 120 cattle sold publicly every year, this makes every service at Ginza Oki beef specialist Cotohi an extremely special occasion. Cotohi’s name is borrowed from old Japanese that celebrates the special, long-lived relationship between humans and beef. This ancient tradition is felt in the restaurant’s adoption of bizen pottery, washi paper accents, and classical lacquerware in its decor. The intense umami of island-born, island-raised wagyu is incorporated into dishes that celebrate its uniqueness. Cotohi specializes in three unique cooking methods: hoshoyaki (paper-wrapped and baked over low heat), ibushiyaki (smoking over hot coals), and kuwayaki (grilling with sweet and spicy sauce). Before making a reservation, guests are encouraged to check the current menu rotation on the store homepage, to see what seasonal flavors are currently featured by the restaurant. In the spirit of nihon-ryori, Cotohi’s menu changes extremely quickly; each is crafted specially to match the current Japanese micro-season, or ko, of which there are 72 within a single year.