Tamawarai
A soba auteur: one man does it all at this noodle shop in the stylish shopping mecca of Tokyo, from farm to the kitchen.
Restaurant Details
The owner-chef at this Harajuku restaurant can tell you the story of his noodles firsthand, from seed to soba. This is because he cultivates and harvests the buckwheat with his own two hands, before transforming it into Michelin-starred soba. It’s a painstaking process. Every sheaf is harvested by hand, and ground using manual techniques which were used in the villages of centuries past.
Tamawarai, located just off the stylish Cat Street which runs up from Shibuya to Omotesando, goes largely unannounced from street level. There is no signboard, no white curtain over the entrance, no red lantern hanging outside. Instead, the primary indicator that the restaurant is even there is the long line of hungry diners gathered on the bamboo-railed staircase.
While it often takes a while to be seated, few — if any — have ever left Tamawarai feeling like the line wasn't worth the effort. The noodles here are truly world-class. They are equally delicious whether hot or cold, with a wide selection of toppings including herring, natto, radish, tempura, and raw egg. The restaurant also serves a large variety of small plates — called soba-mae — to either whet one's appetite before the soba, or to enjoy with the noodles.
Michelin Guide:
2016-2024 - 1 Michelin Star
2025 - Michelin Selected
Tamawarai Access Info
Tamawarai is located a 7-minute walk from Meiji-jingumae Station on the Tokyo Metro Line, or a 10-minute walk from both JR Harajuku and Shibuya Stations. It is diagonally across from Onden Shrine.
Tamawarai Phone Number
Tamawarai Business Days
Tamawarai Address
5-23-3 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, 150-0001, Japan
Tamawarai Cancellation Policy
Cancel your reservation at least 2 week before the dining start time to receive a full refund minus a 3.2% transaction fee.
Tamawarai Remarks
For lunch, Tamawarai charges ¥3,000 per diner.
For dinner, Tamawarai has two courses: one at ¥9,900 and one at ¥13,200, both exclusive of tax and service charge. Please inform the byFood concierge team of the desired course when making a reservation.
Guests below the age of 9 will not be allowed entry to the restaurant.
Restaurant location
Over 14 million residents call Tokyo home. Functioning as Japan's economic and cultural center, it's no surprise the metropolis often appears at the top of travelers' bucket lists. Here, you can find everything from traditional tea houses to futuristic skyscrapers.
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