Restaurants in Japan(3548)
SEAT RESERVATIONFushimimachi Kakoiyama
Ezomae, not Edomae — the warm, welcoming space of Sushi Kai brings Hokkaido’s sushi to the forefront of its venue, crafted by an English-fluent sushi master.
SEAT RESERVATIONKonoha
Close to Osaka Castle, this Michelin-starred kaiseki restaurant puts tempura at the front of its traditional course.
SEAT RESERVATIONCapi
Chopped wagyu kneaded into brioche and cauliflower mousse topped with caviar — Michelin-starred chef Ogawa Daiki is ushering in a new era of sophistication in Osaka's creative cuisine scene.
SEAT RESERVATIONPresqu'ile
France and Japan are worlds apart, but Chef Sasaki Yoji of the Michelin-starred Presqu'ile finds inspiration in both the dynamic spirit of Lyon and in the minimalist beauty of haiku.
SEAT RESERVATIONKushin Garando
The one-star Michelin restaurant showcases exciting Chinese flavors using premium Japanese ingredients as the medium and beckons diners to come in with a healthy appetite.
SEAT RESERVATIONMatsuzushi
Reservation for the one-star Michelin restaurant can be tough to score, but Yohei Tanigawa’s flawlessly executed Edomae-style sushi — freshly delivered from Osaka Bay — is worth the effort.
SEAT RESERVATIONTenjaku
Every kaiseki meal at the Michelin-starred Tenjaku ends with tempura, Chef Nishioka Ryo’s way of showing respect to his grandfather. Each dish is served on beautiful porcelain fired at local kyoto kilns.
SEAT RESERVATIONDoppo
Peerless, unique, self-reliant — all of these definitions apply to the aptly named Doppo, whose unorthodox approaches to traditional Japanese cuisine have earned it a Michelin star, like Godan Miyazawa and Jiki Miyazawa before it.
SEAT RESERVATIONMashiro
Chef Koshimo Hiroyuki continues his legacy of excellence at his third Michelin-starred restaurant in Kyoto, where he creates course after course of what he calls genre-less cuisine.
SEAT RESERVATIONKashiwaya Kitashinchi
The sister branch of the Michelin-starred restaurant breaks the conventional and allows you to witness the preparation of kaiseki up close and personal.
SEAT RESERVATIONLe Pont De Ciel
The Michelin-starred restaurant reaches new heights of refinement in its newly transformed modern French sanctuary.
SEAT RESERVATIONAnpeiji
Ampeiji Masashi crafts exquisite cuisine with fresh vegetables from his father’s garden.
SEAT RESERVATIONYugen
Simply indescribable. Chef Mifune Keisuke earns his second Michelin star at his Osaka restaurant with subtle changes to kaiseki staples that are distinct and yet unable to be put into words.
SEAT RESERVATIONVelrosier
This Kawaramachi restaurant has earned itself two Michelin stars with its eclectic approach to Chinese cuisine. Chef Iwasaki Yuji rigorously experiments with ingredient combinations to produce flavor profiles like no other.
SEAT RESERVATIONJuu-go
With a Michelin Green Star, soba joint Juu-go is a lesson on sustainability: owner Akiya Ishibashi plants the buckwheat berries, harvests the grain and transforms any scraps into compost for his farm.
SEAT RESERVATIONLa Terrasse Irisee
Behind its wooden door, is a romantic French dining experience in Nara over looking the water, will satisfy guests who desire savoring carefully selected French and local ingredients.
SEAT RESERVATIONSushi Kawashima
In a region well known for being distant from the sea, Nara’s Sushi Kawashima takes creative liberties that cut a stark but celebrated line in the world of fine dining.
SEAT RESERVATIONDa Terra
After renovating part of his family’s century-old house into a dining room, Chef Nakai invites guests to sample some of the 100 vegetables from his family farm in his signature Michelin-starred omakase course.
SEAT RESERVATIONKaiseki Morimoto
In a sleepy town where Japan’s first emperor ascended the throne, a Michelin-starred chef remains rooted in simplicity and sincerity.
SEAT RESERVATIONL'Auberge de Plaisance Sakurai
A Michelin-starred stalwart, where the canon of French cuisine is reimagined with local produce in the sunlit dining room overlooking the spectacular Yamato Plains.
SEAT RESERVATIONInada
Three generations of the Inada family have guided the restaurant through changing times and an eventual path to Michelin status.
SEAT RESERVATIONAji No Kaze Nishimura
A Michelin-starred gem in ancient Sakurai, Nishimura Norihosa’s traditional cuisine is a masterclass in subtlety: intentional, sincere and pristine.
SEAT RESERVATIONAji no Tabibito Roman
The stunningly beautiful and seasonal dishes of kaiseki intersect with the owner’s deep respect for home cooking in this Michelin-starred locale brimming with a menu that evolves monthly.
SEAT RESERVATIONGokan Uogin
A dynamic, multisensory traditional Japanese cuisine dedicated to celebrating one exquisite ingredient: rice — glossy, plump, and mildly sweet, cooked under high pressure in custom-made ceramic pots.
SEAT RESERVATIONWa Yamamura
Seasonal dishes birthed from kindness and care — such is the lovingly vibrant Japanese cuisine at this Michelin-starred restaurant in Nara.
SEAT RESERVATIONMusoan
The sun-drenched, Michelin-beloved Musoan in Nara Park celebrates traditional Japanese cooking as it should be: produce-led, rich and traditional.
SEAT RESERVATIONMatsuki
In the corner of the idyllic Naramachi and within a heritage townhouse, Matsumuro Katsuya’s love for the dainty flows from his kaiseki menu, choice of crockery to effervescent hospitality.
SEAT RESERVATIONOkada
A lesson in perseverance that prevails: a Michelin-starred chef spent 16 years honing his skills at an esteemed store in Osaka before opening his own counter-style kappo in 2019, right by the banks of Sarusawa Pond.
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Best Restaurants in Japan
From fresh sushi to crispy tempura, Japan’s diverse restaurant scene excites visitors and locals alike with hundreds of thousands of high-quality Japanese restaurants. Beckoning with drool-worthy plastic replicas in their windows, both contemporary and traditional restaurants offer unique flavors and atmospheres. Enter any restaurant in Japan and immediately be welcomed with a hearty “irasshaimase!”
Many Japanese restaurants focus on one signature dish, like Japanese curry restaurants, ramen shops, or speciality restaurants selling yakitori grilled chicken skewers. Restaurants steam with DIY shabu-shabu hotpots while grill-it-yourself teppanyaki hotplate restaurants sizzle! Find tiny family-owned ramen shops hidden in the backstreets of Kyoto, and yatai street food stalls bustling in alleys of Fukuoka. And let’s not forget, Tokyo alone boasts the most Michelin-starred restaurants in the world!
Throughout the country, fine dining restaurants serving exquisite kaiseki banquets contrast cheap “shokudo” cafeterias meals for salarymen on-the-go. You can order dinner directly from a tablet or even a vending machine, or choose your own sushi pieces trundling past on the belt of a sushi train. Nibble on small plates as you drink up during an izakaya dining experience, seated on tatami flooring and cheersing “kampai!” with the locals. There are so many exciting Japan restaurant options with different foods and local cuisines to try, so don’t waste a moment of your trip looking for a restaurant! Reserve ahead of time at some of the best restaurants in Japan with byFood and secure some of the country’s best cuisine for your taste buds. Don't forget to say, “gochisosama deshita” when you leave any Japan restaurant, meaning “thank you for the meal!”
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