Many of our listeners have asked, “Where should I eat in Japan?” So, here is the list! This list is a collection of recommendations by Japan Eats listeners, my friends, and myself. In other words, it is totally subjective. If you would like to add your recommendation, please e-mail us at .
Itadakimasu!!!
Hokkaido Region
Hakata
- KAKU UCHI – Sake bar
Otaru
- SUSHI KODAI – Standing sushi bar
Kanto Region
Tokyo
- Aoyama
- MAISEN – Tonkatsu
- Akasaka
- ANDO – Kaiseki
- Daikanyama
- TABLEAUX LOUNGE – Cocktail & cigar bar
- TATEMICHIYA – Izakaya
- Ebisu
- ARITSUKI – Motsunabe
- BAR TRENCH – Cocktails
- Ginza
- SUSHI DAIZEN – Mackerel and other shiny-fish only
- DAZZLE – Contemporary Japanese
- SHOU TAI EN – Yakiniku
- Jiyugaoka
- KOSOAN – Japanese tea
- Kagurazaka
- KAGURAZAKA ISHIKAWA – Kaiseki
- KOHAKU – Kaiseki
- Kamata
- HATSUNE ZUSHI – Michelin-Starred sushi
- Mita
- SEIZAN – Kaiseki
- Monzen Nakacho
- BENKEI – Ramen
- Nakameguro
- KUSHIWAKAMARU – Yakitori
- TORIGOYA –Motsunabe
- Shiba Daimon
- SHOU TAI EN – Yakiniku
- Omotesando
- SAKURAI TEA – Japanese tea
- Shibamata
- KAWACHIYA – Unagi
- Shibuya
- FUGULEN – Cocktails
- SANTOUKA –Ramen
- UOSHIN – Fish only Izakaya & sushi
- Toritsu Daigaku
- YAKUMO SARYO – Japanese tea
- Tsukiji Fish Market
- DAIWA SUSHI – Sushi for breakfast!
- SUSHI ZANMAI – Sushi
- Yotsuya
- OKAGESAN – Omakase only Michelin-starred izakaya
Kanagawa Prefecture
Chigasaki
- TENSEI at Kumazawa Brewing Company – Japanese & sake
Hakone
- HATSUHANA – Soba
Chubu Region
Kanazawa
- FUWARI – Izakaya
- KOURIN – Sushi
- UOTSUNE – Kaiseki
- YAMASHITA – Seafood
Nagano
- CHIKUFUDO – Chestnut rice
Shirakawago
- NOMURA – Soba
Takayama
- GINPUTEI – Local cuisine including Hida Wagyu Beef
- SUMIKYU – Soba
- KYOYA – Local cuisine
- SANSHA – Izakaya. The owner/chef used to be a pizzaiolo
Kansai Region
Kyoto
- SHIGETU at Tenryuji Temple – Shojin ryori
- SOUJIKI NAKAHIGASHI – Kaiseki featuring hand-harvested local vegetables
Nara
- GYOKURO – sushi
- WA YAMAMURA – Kaiseki
Osaka
- HARIJU – Japanese curry by the 100+ year old meat shop next door
- OHANA – Okonomiyaki
- STYLISH GRILL TYU – 8-seat Japanese-style classic French bistro
Shikoku Region
Takamatsu
- WARAYA – Udon
Kyushu Region
Beppu
- KAKUREGA DINING – Izakaya with local ingredients
Karatsu
- SUIKO ZUSHI – Edomae sushi
Miyazaki
- OGURA HONTEN – Chicken nanban (fried chicken)
… And don’t forget to try:
- Japanese convenience stores (Seven Eleven, Lawson, Family Mart, Mini Stop, Yamazaki, etc.)
- “DepaChika” (the basement floor of department stores in Japan)
Thank you for your contributions to the list!
Aki Ogata, Amy Hau, David Kinch, Joe Capolarello, June Fujise Shimura, LaMonte Heflick, Masa Urushido, Peter D’Aquino, Stephen Lyman, Trevor Blyth