Shunsai Hayato

Restaurant Details

Unexpectedly, Chef Henmi Akihiro’s culinary journey started with his dog.

When he was just four or five, he would cut slivers of meat from his dinner and feed them to the pup, pretending he was a master chef. Seeing his dog happily wolfing down the scraps sparked something in him: a desire to make people happy through cooking.

The journey may have started as make-believe, but Chef Henmi’s road to culinary success is very much real. After graduating high school, he moved from his native Okayama to Kyoto’s Gion district to learn the ins and outs of Japanese cuisine for seven years. He then returned to Okayama to train at a ryotei (traditional Japanese restaurant) for another decade, before fulfilling his childhood dream of starting his own restaurant: Shunsai Hayato.

Located near Korakuen, one of the Three Great Gardens of Japan, Shunsai Hayato continues the local culinary tradition of what is known as “otonosama-ryori”: the traditional fine cuisine of the feudal lords. But though Chef Henmi may preserve the trademark fine quality and impeccable skill of otonosama-ryori, he does away with one thing in particular: its exclusivity. Chef Henmi welcomes all to his restaurant, from infants to the elderly. “Everyone deserves to enjoy their time with food,” he says.

And enjoy it they certainly will. Chef Henmi’s take on otonosama-ryori is certainly fit for a lord: he puts even the most dedicated sushi chefs to shame by having fresh fish delivered four times a day to his restaurant, choosing only the freshest from two separate fish suppliers. It makes for fantastic sashimi, but can also be put atop the finest Hinohikari rice — continuously supplied by his middle school classmate for the past 16 years — to be enjoyed as nigiri sushi.

And when it comes to beef, only Chiya wagyu is fit for a lord. Just like Chef Henmi, Chiya cattle are native to Okayama, and are directly descended from the tsuru-ushi: the ancient predecessor to the modern Japanese black kuroge wagyu cattle. Virtually impossible to find outside of Okayama Prefecture, the highly marbled Chiya beef is so rare it has been bestowed the title of “phantom wagyu”.

Shunsai Hayato Remarks

• Guests with dietary restrictions and/or food allergies should inform the restaurant beforehand. The restaurant might not be able to accommodate guests who make same-day requests.

• The restaurant reserves the right to refuse reservations to guests who have excessive dietary restrictions, particularly those of fish or vegetables.

• The course menu content listed below is an example, and is subject to change based on seasonal availability.

• The restaurant cannot always guarantee that it can provide guests with their preferred seating options after a reservation due to availability.

• The pictures provided are for illustrative purposes.

Shunsai Hayato Business Days

Shunsai Hayato Address

3-8-60 Hama, Naka-ku, Okayama 703-8256

Shunsai Hayato Access Info

• Shunsai Hayato is about a 5-minute taxi ride or 15-minute walk from the Shiroshita tram stop.

Shunsai Hayato Phone Number

Shunsai Hayato Cancellation Policy

Cancel your reservation at least 2 days before the dining start time to receive a full refund minus a 3.2% transaction fee.