Restaurants in Japan(3809)
SEAT RESERVATIONLa Bonne Tache
Between perfecting his lobster mouse and serving upscale French cuisine over good wine, Chef Tamura’s cooking is technical, so mark this restaurant for a date meant to impress.
SEAT RESERVATIONUnagino Toyokawa
If the saying holds true: three years to master the art of skewering the unagi, eight for the splitting and a lifetime for the grilling — then the chef of this restaurant is a true devotee.
SEAT RESERVATIONStanding Sushi Jinjin
Sake is Toyama, champagne is Krug and sushi is Tokyo — chef-owner Izumi Kimura’s upscale standing sushi bar packs a punch in the coastal city.
SEAT RESERVATIONAka to Shiro
The name ‘Aka to Shiro’ translates to ‘red and white’ — a clever nod to the chef’s deliberate use of both red and white vinegar for the shop’s sushi rice.
SEAT RESERVATIONMaison Kei
Breathtaking views of Mount Fuji make for a stunning backdrop to this Gotemba restaurant’s cuisine, a collaboration between a legendary Japanese sweetmaker and one of Japan’s most famous Michelin-starred chefs.
SEAT RESERVATIONSushi Renma
One of Okinawa’s finest sushi restaurants, Sushi Kawagoe, starts a sister branch in this all-wood space of Renma. Experience the flavor of Tokyo in the south.
SEAT RESERVATIONKei Collection Paris
Make sure to dress to impress here — half swanky bar, half gourmet grill haven, Kobayashi Kei teams up with Masatsugu Kubo to introduce Tokyo's latest high-luxe hotspot in gleaming Toranomon.
SEAT RESERVATIONPizzeria Luna Nuova
Just a brisk walk from Nara Station is this Bib Gourmand award-winning pizzeria by Akai Kenji, who continues to use Italian wheat for his dough and makes good use of his wood-fired oven.
SEAT RESERVATIONVia Del Emme
When it comes to cities with the best Italian food, Osaka doesn't always come to mind — but Michelin-approved Via Del Emme changed that with its Italy-trained chef, Marche-style recipes and hearty homemade pasta.
SEAT RESERVATIONKiminami
Indulge in the soulful artistry of Nara soba at this charming joint, where even dishes beyond noodles celebrate the pure harmony of buckwheat and water.
SEAT RESERVATIONKamigata Rainbow
Michelin-approved ramen made by ex-rocker-turned-chef Okumura Genki.
SEAT RESERVATIONIl Luogo Di Takuechi
The main branch of local-favorite trattoria Takeuchi has become a neighborhood gem with its daily seasonal pasta sets at lunchtime.
SEAT RESERVATIONChukasoba Mugen
The secret to this Michelin-approved, flavor-packed ramen is in its soup, made with seafood and four types of chicken.
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 RESERVATIONOudon Yomogi
The sister branch of the famed Oryori Miyamoto in Osaka approaches her udon-making process with gentle kaiseki sensibilities and a tender love for dashi.
SEAT RESERVATIONKushizukushi
The simple joy of savoring Osaka’s beloved deep-fried skewers made exciting with a medley of regional Japanese ingredients in this beloved kushikatsu joint.
SEAT RESERVATIONNoodle Shop Rennosuke
More of a zen sanctuary than a chirpy joint, Rennosuke is known for its innovative, seafood-based ramen.
SEAT RESERVATIONOmino Kamiyacho
Yakitori skewers and seasonal Japanese delicacies by the master chef behind Michelin-starred Yakitori Omino.
SEAT RESERVATIONTonkatsu Fujii
In Osaka, a French chef-turned-tonkatsu master coats pork cutlets like a Parisian baker and fries them with the precision of a haute cuisine expert.
SEAT RESERVATIONBistro Yanagihara
Near Kyoto’s Kamo River, savor French dishes infused with rustic flavors of the Alsace recipe — a harmonious marriage of French and German.
SEAT RESERVATIONChinese Noodles Roku
Chinese-inspired ramen built on a foundation of duck, venison bones, and dried longan — something you'd expect from the Michelin-starred chef of Velrosier.
SEAT RESERVATIONMenya Inoichi
Ramen at this Michelin-featured shop centers around the root of Kyoto's culinary soul: dashi.
SEAT RESERVATIONKobushi Ramen
Local Kyoto flavors in a bowl of ramen — the owner-chef creates one-of-a-kind broth made with Kyoto duck, blackthroat seaperch and dried sardines.
SEAT RESERVATIONRamen Kuon
Ramen-making process taken to the next level with a triple broth of chicken, shellfish and fish, and noodles made from three types of flour.
SEAT RESERVATIONHachidori
Impressive lineup of sake from small breweries, paired with dishes featuring Shonai-grown vegetables, makes this couple-run izakaya a darling locale in Osaka.
SEAT RESERVATIONIkkon Uehara
A tiny but mighty kappo restaurant in Kyoto that serves true-to-tradition fares in tune with Japan’s micro-seasons.
SEAT RESERVATIONSobakiri Imose
The generous lineup of rustic soba at this charming joint transports you to an idyllic Japanese countryside akin to the owner's hometown in Wakayama.
SEAT RESERVATIONIzugen
Near Nishiki Market, third-generation owner Ishida Yasuyuki serves Kyoto-style sushi to decade-old regulars from behind the scenes.
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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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