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Japan's 30 Best Restaurants in 2024
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Here are the 30 Best Restaurants in Japan, as rated by locals. Enjoy Kappou / Small dishes, Kaiseki, Tempura, French, Sushi, Italian and more!
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This is the official account of MATCHA's editorial department. Our articles feature useful travel information for visitors to Japan, from how-to guides to recommended places to visit.
We have prepared a list of 30 of the most popular and recommended restaurants in Japan for you. From sushi to ramen, check out some of the best restaurants Japan has to offer.
Disclaimer: This article is an automatic translation and may contain typos.
1. Sottaku Tsukamoto
Kappou / Small dishes
570-120 South side of Gion-cho, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto
Courtesy of Autoreserve
Located just off Gion Shijo Station, this extremely difficult to reserve kappo restaurant has a luxurious L-shaped counter with eight seats. The simple and delicate dishes that make the most of seasonal ingredients have become so popular that it is almost impossible to make reservations at first glance.
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2. Honkogetsu
Kaiseki and kaiseki cuisine
1-7-11 Dotonbori, Chuo-ku, Osaka City, Osaka
Courtesy of Autoreserve
Honkogetsu is a luxurious sukiya-style Japanese restaurant quietly located in the elegant stone-paved Hozenji Yokocho. The restaurant, which has been awarded two Michelin stars every year, is particular not only about its cuisine, but also about the tableware it uses, including Rosanjin and Baccarat. Enjoy the profound flavors created by rich sensitivity and reliable techniques, and the world of historic Japanese cuisine.
3. Niidome
Tempura
2F Cast Building Izumi, 2-19-11 Izumi, Higashi-ku, Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture
Courtesy of Autoreserve
In recent years, Nagoya Takadake has been crowded with delicious restaurants. Our restaurant also moved to a new location 5 minutes walk from Takatake station in May 2017. In order to let customers enjoy the taste of seasonal ingredients, they are constantly pursuing how to express the charm of the ingredients through the technique of "tempura. This is a restaurant where you can savor new sensations while cherishing the old and fine spirit of Japan.
4. La Vagabond
French cuisine
1F Canon Pier Tsurumai, 2-14-24 Chiyoda, Naka-ku, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
Courtesy of Autoreserve
A famous French restaurant that has been awarded two stars in the Michelin Tokai edition. The cost performance is very high.
5. Robatayaki Yamaroku
Bird dishes
3264 Shiimochi, Shikoku-cho, Yamaga City, Kumamoto Prefecture
Courtesy of Autoreserve
A chicken robatayaki restaurant where you can enjoy the brand-name local chicken, "Beniudori". Although it is located in a village deep in the mountains of Yamaga, it is so good that people stand in line. Be sure to visit to taste the fresh chicken that is cooked every morning.
6. Kataori
Kaiseki and kaiseki cuisine
3-36 Namiki-cho, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture
Courtesy of Autoreserve
Takuya Kataori, who served as the head chef at the Kaiseki Tsuruyuki restaurant in Kanazawa, became independent in May 2018 and opened the Japanese restaurant Kataori. He personally travels to distant places every day to procure the best ingredients, and this is the only restaurant in Kanazawa where you can taste matsutake mushrooms picked in the morning. This is the only restaurant in Kanazawa where you can taste the morning-picked matsutake mushrooms, and I highly recommend a visit to taste the powerful flavor of the original ingredients.
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7. Sawada
Sushi
MC Building 3F, 5-9-19 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Courtesy of Autoreserve
Located in a prime location in Ginza, Sawada has two Michelin stars. In a small restaurant with only six seats at the counter, you can enjoy the unique taste of Edo-mae-zushi, such as kohada and conger eel, with an extra touch.
8. Aoki Tenjinbashi
Kaiseki and kaiseki cuisine
1F Gracie Tenjinbashi Building, 7-12-14 Tenjinbashi, Kita-ku, Osaka City, Osaka
Courtesy of Autoreserve
Tenjinbashi Aoki is a two-star Michelin restaurant located in Tenjinbashi 7-chome. Mr. Aoki trained for 15 years at Honkogetsu, another famous restaurant in Osaka, before going independent and running this authentic Japanese restaurant with his wife. Aoki is not only particular about his dishes, but also about the utensils he uses to serve them, so you can enjoy them with your eyes even after you have eaten them.
9. Matsukawa
Kappou / Small dishes
Akasaka Terrace House 1F, 1-11-6 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Courtesy of Autoreserve
Matsukawa is a kappo restaurant located in Tameike-sanno, Akasaka, a district lined with embassies and offices of foreign companies. The owner is a talented chef who trained at the well-known Shiga restaurant Shofukuro. The delicate and elegant taste of the food is highly praised by gourmets and chefs alike. This is the pinnacle of Japanese cuisine, and we hope you will experience it for yourself.
10. Japanese Cuisine Takamura
Kaiseki and kaiseki cuisine
1-7-31 Omachi, Akita City, Akita Prefecture
Courtesy of Autoreserve
This restaurant is quietly tucked away in a quiet residential area of Akita City, Akita Prefecture. Hiroki Takamura, the owner of the restaurant, is a valuable inheritor of Edo cuisine, having trained at the famous Taikohachi restaurant in Mejiro. The restaurant is popular for its time-consuming and careful preparation, meticulous attention to detail, and dishes that bring out the true flavor of the ingredients.
11. Tomikoji Yamagishi
Kaiseki and kaiseki cuisine
560 Konyanomachi, Rokkaku-shitaaru, Tominokoji-dori, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto
Courtesy of Autoreserve
Based on the spirit of tea ceremony kaiseki hospitality, while preserving the tradition of Kyoto cuisine, we offer dishes that allow you to experience the changes of the four seasons. Using Kyoto ingredients such as Kyoto vegetables and river fish, we hope that you will be able to enjoy the culture of Kyoto's seasonal season that comes around every month through our dishes.
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12. Aduepassi
Italian Restaurant
214-1 Futatsugi, Sumimata-cho, Ogaki City, Gifu Prefecture
Courtesy of Autoreserve
Adue Passi is an authentic Italian restaurant located in Ogaki City, Gifu Prefecture. The owner, who was trained in Italy, uses carefully selected ingredients from Gifu's rich natural environment to create local dishes from various regions of Italy.
13. Installation Table ENSO L'asymetrie du calme
Modern French cuisine
33, Ikeda-cho 4-chome, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan
Courtesy of Autoreserve
Installation Table ENSO L'asymetrie du calme is a French restaurant located in a house about a 15-minute walk from Nomachi Station. The owner, who has trained in various European countries, offers French cuisine that makes the most of Hokuriku ingredients.
14. Casent
Innovative Fusion
4-16-14 Nakayamate-dori, Chuo-ku, Kobe-shi, Hyogo
Courtesy of Autoreserve
A restaurant that has been awarded three Michelin stars in a row for the past few years. The simple and delicate dishes, which are modern classic Spanish cuisine adapted to the Japanese palate and sensibilities, are very well balanced and delicious.
15. Sugita, Nihonbashi Kakigaracho
Sushi
B1F View Heights Nihonbashi, 1-33-6 Nihonbashi-Kaigaracho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Courtesy of Autoreserve
The first restaurant to be awarded one star by Michelin Tokyo in 2017, Sugita Nihonbashi-Kaigaracho is known as one of the most difficult restaurants to book in Tokyo. Mr. Takaaki Sugita, who was trained at Miyako Sushi, a long-established sushi restaurant in Nihonbashi, is a connoisseur who goes to the market every day to select high-quality ingredients regardless of their origin. In addition to careful preparation and ingenious cutting, he also uses red vinegar and boiled soy sauce to keep the tradition alive. Many connoisseurs come to this famous restaurant to enjoy the unforgettable taste.
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16. Ushimaru
Italian Restaurant
1307-2 Kito, Matsuo-cho, Yamatake-shi, Chiba
Provided by Autoreserve
A house restaurant in Matsuo, Chiba Prefecture. The lovely exterior looks like it could be found in the Italian countryside, like a stylish mansion. The cuisine is Italian with an abundance of seafood. Recently, it has become one of the most popular restaurants among gourmets. More and more customers are coming from outside the prefecture.
17. Pellegrino
Italian food
2-3-4 Ebisu, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Courtesy of Autoreserve
Nestled in a quiet residential area of Ebisu 2-chome, Pellegrino is a theater-style restaurant with only six seats per day. The menu consists of only one omakase course. The restaurant uses carefully selected ingredients from all over the world to serve the local cuisine of Parma, the capital of food, and is called the most difficult Italian restaurant in Japan to get a reservation for because of its deliciousness. If you have the chance, please come and experience it for yourself.
18. Foliolina della Porta Fortuna
Italian Restaurant
2147-689 Nagakura, Karuizawa-machi, Kitasaku-gun, Nagano, Japan
Courtesy of Autoreserve
Located deep in Karuizawa, this Italian restaurant accepts only one reservation per day. The owner and chef, Koji Kobayashi, decided to close his Tokyo restaurant and move to Karuizawa, a place rich in nature, because he felt that no matter how much he focused on the atmosphere and creating an extraordinary space, he would be disturbed by the hustle and bustle of the city. Kobayashi has appeared on many TV programs, including Jounetsu Tairiku (Passion Continent), and many genuine food connoisseurs travel by bullet train and cab to enjoy his cuisine. Here is a dish that will surprise and delight these gourmets.
19. Sushi Yasukichi
Sushi
4-3-11, Hakata Ekimae, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture
Courtesy of Autoreserve
A short walk from Hakata Station, Sushi Yasukichi is a house nestled between buildings. The restaurant has been awarded two Michelin stars, and even Mr. Nakazawa of Sushi Takumi praised it as "my favorite sushi restaurant in the world. From the first snack to the last piece of nigiri, the overall balance is very well calculated.
20. Go Ryori Matsuyama
Kappou / Small dishes
2-1-10, Fujita, Yahatanishi-ku, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan
Provided by Autoreserve
A Japanese restaurant located in Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture. You can enjoy not only the freshest seafood, but also the unexpected combinations of ingredients and the creative presentation of all the dishes. They also have 30 to 40 kinds of Japanese sake available at all times. The carefully selected tableware is also a must-see.
21. Tenjushi Kyomachi Branch
Sushi
3-11-9 Kyomachi, Kokurakita-ku, Kitakyushu-city, Fukuoka, Japan
Courtesy of Autoreserve
This restaurant is located in Kokura, Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture, which is famous for its rich seafood. The restaurant serves only nigiri (hand-formed sushi) without any alcoholic beverages or snacks, making it a rare place where you can enjoy the original taste of sushi and seafood. The originality of the sushi, which is finished with kabosu (citrus fruit) or sudachi (citrus fruit) and as little soy sauce as possible, has influenced many restaurants.
22. Convivio
Italian Restaurant
Kamimura Building 1F, 3-17-12 Sendagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Courtesy of Autoreserve
Convivio is an Italian restaurant located in a quiet residential area of Sendagaya. You can enjoy authentic Italian cuisine based on traditional Italian dishes prepared by a chef who was trained in Milan.
23. Motonaga
Kappou / Small dishes
Asahi Plaza Akasaka 2 1F, 3-13-31 Akasaka, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka-shi, Fukuoka
Courtesy of Autoreserve
Motonaga is a kappo restaurant located in Akasaka, where many of Fukuoka's popular restaurants are located. In this luxurious space with six seats at the counter, run by a husband and wife duo, you can enjoy Japanese cuisine that uses seasonal ingredients and incorporates a modern essence.
24. Al Kecchiano
Italian Restaurant
83 Ichirizuka, Shimoyamazoe, Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture
Courtesy of Autoreserve
At Al Kecchiano, you can enjoy Italian cuisine that focuses on local production for local consumption and maximizes the flavor of the ingredients. The flavor of the ingredients and the elaborate and exquisite seasoning of each dish can only be experienced here.
25. Lautonne Akitsu Main Store
Cakes
5-13-4 Akitsu-cho, Higashimurayama-shi, Tokyo
Courtesy of Autoreserve
The patisserie Lawtonne Akitsu Honten is located about a 3-minute walk from Akitsu Station. You can enjoy artistic and varied sweets made by a patissier who has trained at famous stores in Setagaya and Paris.
26. Restaurant Uemura
Kaiseki and kaiseki cuisine
Pencil Building 4F, 1-24-14 Nakayamate-dori, Chuo-ku, Kobe-shi, Hyogo
Courtesy of Autoreserve
Restaurant Uemura is located in Kitanozaka, Kobe, and has two Michelin stars. In a limited space with only 11 seats at the counter, diners can enjoy contemporary Japanese cuisine that uses new ingredients and techniques while respecting the fundamentals of traditional Japanese cooking.
27. Ramen Bo Yatetsu
Ramen
4-4-46 Nishiwada, Higashiosaka City, Osaka Prefecture
Courtesy of Autoreserve
Ramen Boy Yatetsu is a ramen restaurant with a long line of customers located about a 10-minute walk from Wakae Iwata Station. "It is popular for its simple and orthodox ramen, based on the concept of "ramen with delicious noodles.
28. Sukiyaki Kappou Hiyama
Sukiyaki
Hiyama Bldg. 2F, 2-5-1 Nihonbashi Ningyocho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Courtesy of Autoreserve
Sukiyaki Kappo Hiyama is a long-established sukiyaki restaurant with one Michelin star in Nihonbashi Ningyocho. As a sukiyaki restaurant under the direct management of Hiyama Koukou, which wholesales meat to many popular restaurants, you can enjoy high quality meat.
29. Jack37Burger
Hamburger
16-16 Nihonbashi-Kodenmacho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Courtesy of Autoreserve
Jack37Burger is a popular hamburger store that has been featured in various magazines and media. The most popular item is the Balinese-style burger, which uses a sauce with a characteristic spicy flavor used in Indonesian and Malay cuisine.
30. Harukiya Koriyama Branch
Ramen
2-16-13 Kuwano, Koriyama City, Fukushima Prefecture
Courtesy of Autoreserve
Harukiya Koriyama Branch is a ramen restaurant located in Koriyama City, Fukushima Prefecture. It was established in 1994 as a branch of Harukiya, a famous Chinese soba restaurant in Ogikubo, Tokyo. It is loved by the locals because they can enjoy the taste of the famous restaurant in Fukushima.
Make Your Reservation with Autoreserve
If you find a restaurant that interests you, make a reservation with Autoreserve, which allows you to make a reservation without making a phone call.
Main image by PIXTA
This is the official account of MATCHA's editorial department. Our articles feature useful travel information for visitors to Japan, from how-to guides to recommended places to visit.
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