Cuisine worthy of
dressing up for

Skills that captured the world's imagination

There seems no limit to Okuda's talents. His restaurant, Kojyu, has won 3 Michelin stars for 7 years in a row. His other restaurant in the same building, named Okuda, is receiving praise as one of Japan's premier restaurants. And a restaurant he launched in Paris in 2013 has earned him worldwide acclaim. Okuda has become an international icon representing Japan's culinary culture and his every action is followed by gourmets around the world.

"I bring out the flavor of the ingredients. And if that pleases my customers, I consider it a great joy," says the smiling Okuda. Of course, he knows it's not that simple. He insists on serving only naturally harvested eel over 1kg, for example, even though finding natural catch in a country where 99% of the eels are raised in farms can be a challenge.

He grills the eel with charcoal and finishes it simply, creating an astonishingly vigorous flavor only found in nature's bounty at its best. All dishes at Kojyu are prepared with the same thoroughness and philosophy. For connoisseurs seeking the forefront of Japanese cuisine, there is no better choice than dishes prepared by the phenomenally talented Okuda.

Ginza’s unpretentious kappo-style restaurant

Conversation becomes lively as all eyes turn to the bonito being grilled over flaming straw at the counter. A kappo restaurant in Ginza might sound intimidating, but Ginza Ibuki welcomes guests with a down-to-earth atmosphere and enthusiasm for Japanese cuisine.
Owner-chef Sadahisa Yoshizawa says, "I enjoy explaining our food to curious guests so they understand our philosophy." Such passion has contributed to the success of his shop, which has earned Michelin stars for 3 consecutive years since opening in 2010.
From 9,450 yen, the Chef’s Choice course is affordable enough for many guests to enjoy once a month. Yoshizawa accentuates the course with various dishes that exemplify his skill at presenting the finest seasonal foods and Japanese décor. Connoisseurs as well as those unfamiliar with Japanese cuisine are sure to enjoy the experience at Ginza Ibuki.

Cooking up fresh approaches to Japanese cuisine

"As with ramen, you can tell if the broth is good from your first sip," says Junya Kudo of his stock's deep flavor which blends intricately with the other ingredients. The owner and chef of Tokuuchiyama limits the restaurant's menu in order to consistently maintain the strong initial impact and quality of his cooking. Serving as few dishes as possible, he likes to assemble fine ingredients with consummate care and consideration on a single plate. His sashimi, for example, is distinctive, but served without a customary dish of soy sauce. "I would not be doing my duty as a chef if I just put grilled or sliced fish on a plate," he explains.
Chef Kudo prepares sashimi flounder topped with a sauce of grated ponzu, vinegar and cod milt. The plain, pure taste of the flounder is enriched by the milky cod milt, yet enlivened with the touch of citrus ponzu. Even simple ingredients in this chef's hands make for memorable results.
Although it was launched as a branch of the elegant renowned Ginza Uchiyama restaurant, Tokuuchiyama is more relaxed than you might think. Mr. Kudo's diverse experience, including frying tempura at a Japanese restaurant in Germany and working as a chef at French and Italian restaurants, generates fresh ideas that continue to evolve contemporary Japanese cuisine.

The essence of omotenashi in free-spirited Japanese food

Sauteed foie gras dressed with thick mushroom sauce and truffles. Koubakogani (female snow crab), Sotoko (eggs) and Uchiko (livers) cooked with rice vermicelli. Diners moan with satisfaction at such wildly creative cooking, as one surprise follows another.
Along with the traditional Japanese ingredients, cooking and presentation that Shin Okamoto learned to use at Fukudaya, Japan’s top ryotei restaurant in Kioicho, each dish he creates also reflects the tastes of a new generation. As owner and chef of La BOMBANCE for over a decade, he has been integrating the culinary ideals that he believes in.
As Mr. Okamoto says, "Fukudaya is absolutely first-class. Of course, everything there is ideal, from facilities to the spirit of omotenashi. I strove for perfection there, as I do in my own restaurant, according to my philosophy." Eventually, he achieved his own original style of Japanese cuisine. The design of La BOMBANCE is modern, from the face-to-face counter to the imaginative oshinagaki (menu) composed as a riddle. "I love to surprise and satisfy customers," he adds. It is this fresh spirit of omotenashi that raises this ryotei to the upper ranks.

Bountiful ingredients bring a table to brilliant life

Plain, simple bowls and plates and an absence of ostentation make it clear that Shunso does not overindulge in decorating its dishes. But once served, the beautiful food is naturally the star, as perfectly composed and lit as floral arrangements. The versatile qualities of excellent ingredients come together in brilliant, nutritionally balanced combinations.
About 15 ingredients are used to make the 7 items that go into the appetizer Hassun. Likewise, this restaurant's simmered Nimono and flame-grilled Yakimono are prepared with unusual measures of precision and patience. "We offer only a course menu, as we wouldn't be able to offer such great varieties of beautiful, colorful food à la carte," explains the master chef.
What makes Shunso supreme is the distinctively calibrated harmony of tastes and textures in each dish. The flavor of konbu (kelp) distinguishes its soup stock, for example. The essence of Shunso's cuisine is as vividly memorable to the eye as to the taste buds.