Tempura Koizumi Takano
Fresh seafood from Toyama Bay is battered lightly in Kansai style and expertly fried at this former Michelin star restaurant.
Restaurant Details
It’s fairly common for the most delicious foods to be the best hidden, and Tempura Koizumi Takano is no exception. Also called Tempura Takano or simply Takano, it was awarded a Michelin star in the 2016 special edition of the Michelin Guide Toyama-Ishikawa.
Hidden in an unassuming office building, the restaurant is headed by Chef Takano Tomoyuki, who trained in the art of tempura for almost two decades in his hometown of Osaka, before opening his own restaurant in Toyama based on recommendation of a fellow chef — a certain Koizumi whom Chef Takano respected so deeply, that he even added said colleague's name to the name of his restaurant.
Interestingly, Chef Takano uses 100% safflower oil to fry his ingredients, a marked departure from the white sesame oil that is gaining popularity in high-end tempura restaurants. Naturally, as an Osakan both by birth and by training, Chef Takano batters his tempura in Kansai-style, coating each piece light and thin for maximum crunch and letting them sit lighter in the stomach.
Diners can expect different menus for different seasons, but the presence of firefly squid (hotaru-ika) and shiro-ebi white shrimp in spring menus — both foods that Toyama Bay is renowned for — mean that the restaurant sees a deluge of reservations from as early as late February to May.
Attention to detail persists throughout the entire course — rice is of the highest grade possible, using Toyama-grown grains which are then cooked in a donabe earthenware pot, giving it an unmatched aroma and flavor. Pairings come in the form of over a dozen local sakes, as well as wines that come from local Toyama wineries, as well as from renowned overseas vineyards like the Kenzo Estate in California.
Tempura Koizumi Takano Phone Number
Tempura Koizumi Takano Business Days
Tempura Koizumi Takano Address
Urban place B1F, 18-7 Ushijimacho, Toyama, 930-0858, Japan
Tempura Koizumi Takano Cancellation Policy
Cancel your reservation at least 1 week before the dining start time to receive a full refund minus a 3.2% transaction fee.
Restaurant location
A haven for budding mountaineers and amateur anthropologists — the mountains of Toyama have kept the beautiful villages between them frozen in time.
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10 meals
COURSE MENUTempura Ten Soso Roppongi Hills
Tempura Ten Soso offers a premium tempura experience featuring fresh seasonal ingredients sourced within and outside Japan. The restaurant is headed by Chef Keita Sato, a famous name in the tempura scene.
COURSE MENUNishiazabu Tempura Uoshin
Starting out as a fish supplier to restaurants in the Akasaka area over 130 years ago, Uoshin’s tempura restaurant offshoot has since made a name for itself with its astonishingly fresh seafood, fried to perfection by a Japanese culinary legend.
COURSE MENUDaikanyama Rokkakutei
This kushikatsu restaurant just off Shibuya has been serving high-quality ingredients like kuroge wagyu black beef and Japanese tiger prawn for over 40 years.
SEAT RESERVATIONTenkane
Tenkane has been Shinjuku's edible time capsule since 1903. The nostalgic Meiji-era vibe meets modern sizzle, serving light, crispy tempura crafted from Toyosu’s freshest finds. Every bite echoes the essence of Japan's rich heritage.