Restaurants in Japan(3548)
SEAT RESERVATIONNaniwa Okina
90 years of history in a bowl of soba — the third-generation owner makes sure that the hand-kneaded soba maintains the same recipe developed since its opening in 1930.
SEAT RESERVATIONGombei
Originally a soba restaurant, Michelin-listed Gombei serves comforting flavors of noodles and donburi inside a traditional townhouse in the charming Gion District.
SEAT RESERVATIONMisono Kobe Main Store
Experience the art of teppanyaki where it originated – at Misono, the legendary Kobe restaurant that pioneered it.
SEAT RESERVATIONTeuchisoba Kanei
Along the stretch near Kenkun Shrine in Kyoto, find the self-taught owner milling his own buckwheat to make two types of soba: juwari and arabiki.
SEAT RESERVATIONEitaroya
In this kappo izakaya, savor Kyoto-style drinking snacks and traditional sake under the convivial service of the owner.
SEAT RESERVATIONMendokoro Janomeya
A gourmet stop of a lifetime — savor heavenly chicken-centric ramen in Kyoto with a seal of approval from the Michelin Guide.
SEAT RESERVATIONAkihana
Michelin-approved Akihana specializes in the type of unpretentious Sichuan cooking food that you’d find in the province itself.
SEAT RESERVATIONJukuseibuta Kawamura
The best introduction to tonkatsu in town — juicy breaded pork cutlets, double-fried with lard and oil, and served with house-special condiments.
SEAT RESERVATIONTonkatsu Katsu Hana
This family-run restaurant in Osaka focuses on one dish done exceptionally well: pork cutlets, made from up to 14 different breeds of Japan-grown pork.
COURSE MENUKyoyakiniku Hiro Yasakatei
Along the stretch of Yasaka Street, what was initially billed as wagyu yakiniku fine dining has become a far more intriguing proposition with fusions of kaiseki in Hiro’s newly renovated establishment.
SEAT RESERVATIONFuyacho 103
The name is the literal address of one of the best oden joints, hidden in plain sight behind a nondescript door in Kyoto.
SEAT RESERVATIONSoba Tajima
Tucked away behind a wall and through a small rock garden, Soba Tajima offers diners an award-winning soba course experience with noodles made using a method the chef invented himself.
SEAT RESERVATIONChoshoku Kishin
Japanese breakfast by way of Zen Buddhist teachings, this is the quintessential destination for a traditionalist "choshoku" in Kyoto.
SEAT RESERVATIONIchihana
Led by chef Kawagishi, Ichihana offers an unforgettable sanctuary for kamameshi (pot rice dish) lovers in Kyoto with options ranging from classic to seasonal variations.
SEAT RESERVATIONTaiho
Father-and-sun duo in this Kyoto locale serves Michelin-approved "Kyoto Chinese” — a fiery twist where family-down recipes meet spice and punchy Sichuan flavors.
SEAT RESERVATIONSanbongi Shoten
Preservation of the old ways is a surprising theme at this Michelin Bib Gourmand eatery, which prides itself on rustic grilled game meat and organic wines.
SEAT RESERVATIONKushi Tanaka
Recognized by its community long before being named a Bib Gourmand in the Michelin Guide, Kushi Tanaka brings kushiage, the humble fried food on sticks, into the gourmet realm.
SEAT RESERVATIONOito
Despite its Michelin Bib Gourmand award, this oden joint is still a relatively exclusive outpost burrowed deep within Kyoto’s Gion district – but guests who place their faith are rewarded with a masterful presentation of one of Japan’s oldest dishes.
SEAT RESERVATIONDeux Filles
In Kyoto, Chef Iwata's approach to modern French cuisine celebrates two things in particular: people and produce.
SEAT RESERVATIONHiiragitei
Father opens the shop, mother handles the service and son helms the yakitori — Kyoto obanzai is carried with honor and tradition in this Michelin-featured shop near Kyoto’s Chionin Temple.
SEAT RESERVATIONSushidokoro Kaihara
In Osaka’s gourmet-rich Tenma area, experience the quiet perfection of an 8-course Edomae sushi omakase crafted by a Michelin-awarded chef who prefers working in silence.
SEAT RESERVATIONSushitsune
Some restaurants follow history — Sushitsune forges it. The birthplace of pressed mackerel sushi, known as battera, was revived when the fourth owner-chef reopened the store in 2016 after a near three-decade closure.
SEAT RESERVATIONIwasa Sushi
Even Toyosu Market’s purveyors and line workers frequent this incredibly in-demand sushi joint to enjoy their own fish — which speaks volumes about the exceptional quality of sushi found here.
SEAT RESERVATIONOryori Amenimomakezu (Osaka)
The concept revolves around sake, people, and hyperlocal dishes at this six-seat Osaka restaurant, helmed by a chef who cut his teeth in traditional Japanese cuisine.
SEAT RESERVATIONNingyocho Imahan
This legendary sukiyaki restaurant relies on the steadfast, loyal formula of high-grade kuroge wagyu hotpot that began in 1895 and proves that age is no barrier to quality.
SEAT RESERVATIONTsukiji Satou
The award-winning restaurant in Tsukiji is a cross between a teppanyaki joint and a steakhouse, setting a gold standard in fine dining with its original brand of wagyu beef.
SEAT RESERVATIONIsezushi
With a Michelin-starred past, a renowned Hokkaido restaurant offers Ezo-mae-style sushi using the freshest ingredients from Tsukiji to Otaru.
SEAT RESERVATIONRakuichi
Internationally renowned soba master Rai Tatsuru hosts just 12 diners at a time for an intimate 2-hour kaiseki experience at Rakuichi, possibly Niseko’s most coveted dining destination.
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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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