Ginza Hakobune Daiginjyo SHIZUKU

A team of top-recruit chefs and loyally Hokuriku-Shinetsu flavors have helped Ginza Hakobune Daiginjyo SHIZUKU deftly parry some great expectations, but its main drawcard is still its sake collection. Perched on the sixth floor of the 888 Building in Ginza, the kaiseki-focused establishment has dedicated its space to temperature-controlled sake storage. And the numbers don’t lie: the restaurant has amassed over 500 bottles of 60 varieties of sake, scored from 250 breweries in Niigata, Toyama, Ishikawa, Fukui and Nagano Prefectures. Not all sake, as it should be, is treated equally: the Daiginjo sake is kept at a near-freezing temperature, while most are stored in chill climates. Menu changes weekly, designed to complement sommelier-picked drops served in traditional hammered copperware and tin sake cups. Food-wise, the restaurant brings in excellent chefs with an artist’s eye for traditional multicourse meal. The seasonal menu mirrors “ichi-go, ichi-e” — the art of cherishing a fleeting moment as it is. The sakura sea bream dish is the busiest on the menu during spring; summer brings Kuzuryu sweetfish from Fukui’s Kuzuryu River; autumn highlights Matsutake mushrooms; and winter showcases snow crabs. There is a strong emphasis on local producers, too. Blackthroat seaperch are sourced from Kanazawa Port’s sole fishing company that uses net fishing and bottom trawls. Elsewhere, freshwater Echigo and Miyuki trout swim in the cold waters pumped from the sacred Hakkaisan mountain and raised in the harsh, snow-heavy region of Niigata. The philosophy continues into its fit-out. Dining is primarily private, in tatami-matted rooms to convey the same slowed pace of a hot spring inn. For a blend of meal and cityscape, the counter seats offer views of the vibrant streetscape of Chuo-dori.