I have tried to get reservations at at least a dozen restaurants for the middle of November. I am going through the concierge at my hotel, The Palace. I keep getting rejections with various explanations such as; "they only take people who speak Japanese" or "they only accept reservations from friends". Has anyone else had this problem?I am so insulted at this point that my husband and I are thinking of canceling our trip.

You're thinking of canceling your trip to a really wonderful country, but over not being able to get restaurant reservations at desired restaurants? I have heard that there are restaurants that only take Japanese-speaking customers as there is no one at the restaurant who speaks a language other than Japanese and the menus are in kanji. And since the Japanese like to really provide top service, how can they provide such if there is a major language barrier and in restaurants that I assume might be small ones. Plus, I can't even imagine what chaos it would bring to a restaurant if a lot of time has to be spent trying to figure out what the non-Japanese-speaking customer wants.

I just got back from Japan, again, last month. I was also there in summer 2017 and on Friday already bought my flight to Japan for summer 2019.

As for eating, I had no problem eating and didn't make any restaurant reservations. There were plenty restaurants that I popped into in Tokyo, in summer 2017, and there was no one who spoke English and I neither speak Japanese nor read Kanji of which the menus were in, so I just went on to another restaurant. No big deal. I didn't expect anyone to try to find someone to translate it all for me. And there were plenty of restaurants with menus with pictures, but that didn't help out a lot as I have 3, major food allergies and couldn't ask what was in the various dishes, but I still ate very well and gained too many pounds that have taken me 3 weeks to take off here at home.

After my days were over in Japan, I came home and wished that I had gone to Japanese-weekend school, like one of my siblings did here in L.A. area, way back during our childhood and also during that sibling's university years, although we're not even Japanese. When that sibling and I were in Europe, way back in the day, I took care of speaking/understanding at least 5 languages of the countries/areas that we were in where there was hardly any English spoken and we were able to easily go anywhere and eat anywhere. Maybe I either need to start learning Japanese or take my sibling with me to Japan to translate in situations where I need a translator.

Happy Travels!

Yes, this is very common in Tokyo. For many top spots you need an introduction, or a supremely connected concierge with pull. (Currently Tokyo Station Hotel concierge is well regarded but all top hotels have their own connections)

Do not despair. Go with the flow. there are thousands of good eating spots; I would NOT rely on the concierge for advice but rather do lots of research on Tablelog and other sites, including Chowhound. Was Jiro on your list? Cause I've heard from several persons who have eaten t here that the welcome is not the warmest for foreigners. That's the way it is..take it or leave it.

I have been to Japan a couple of times for weeks at a stretch, including on assignment for name magazines. And honestly, some of the subllties about the food were lost on me (do you know the difference between uni from Hokkaido in summer and in fall? Stuff like that!!) and might be on you as well.

I am certain you can put together a great dining itinerary. Just go with local custom. Tokyo in particular does not need outsiders to fill their tiny top-rank sushi bars. Think 8-12 seats. Read, read and read again... You will find some great spots, as I plan to do. Do you really want to spend $400US-plus per person for top-rank sushi? Or Matsusaka beef? (Yeah, I am nutty enough to think about taking train to visit Wadakin in Matsusaka! (Hey, we just drove three hours each way to go to el Capricho in Jimenez de Jamuz in Spain so call me crazy as a food-loving bat!!)

I hope to go in May and will mark down my preferred places but with alternatives and hope for the best. Hey, it's all good! I get it as far as the bookings go, as I am not one who is going to grab ramen in the train station! (Jiro sushi, maybe!) Or a set in a department store! Not that those are bad but look--there once,, love food, go for the top!!

Again, go to Tablelog. And there are a few posters on CH who live and work in the capital and know the food scene very well.

Good luck and please, please, please report back!!

You are a shining example of the reason why those restaurants are not giving out a reservation to you. Relax and enjoy your trip. You are traveling to a different country with a whole different culture than your own. Please enjoy and as the Japanese say "gambatte"
Aloha!

And yes I do know the difference eks. Summer is Uni(sea urchin) season on Hokkaido and all of Japan when the most flavorful Uni is harvested. The red orange or Ezo Bafun Uni is the stronger tasting and the Kitamurasaki (yellow) is the mellower of the two. Most good sushi places will give you a mix of the two so you can decide for yourself. Enjoy Japan!

Aloha!

I got the names of the dozen restaurants from tablelog after extensive reading. I didn't go for the top because I didn't want to pay those prices. I certainly wouldn't try Jiro. Did you make reservations through tablelog? Maybe I should use them instead of the concierge.

Wait a minute. Hawaiian Traveller: Who is the "shining example??" Me. the OP, or Guenmai? I've never tried to book anything yet as I will not travel until May! Are Cannon and I both in the doghouse? (Or the cat cafe??) Or are we speaking of Guenmai who likes picture menus, or plastic models? But we know she often eats in hotels (I ssay that only cause of her mention of some high-end hotel BBQ in Kyoto) so that makes it easier for her, and for the serving people.

I have no idea of the difference in the uni seasons and I don't care all that much..but no doubt will feel differently after my next visit.

Any Hokkaido uni is at the top of the table for me, regardless of season....they are all good to me....that was the point I was making to the OP. Yeah, go on CH and read some of the sushi-mavens who have lived in Japan for years..for them it makes a difference. For me, and I hope for the OP, we can find great places to eat without going to the top tier. For example, I do not have to eat at EMP or Can Roca to have a great meal. I will have one tonight, pretty certain, with some clam pizza at at Pasquale Jones and, later this week, at Atomix!

Cannon, take a look at Chowhound..lots of people there are very willing to help, including with info on the various hotel concierges and where they are connected. List the places you wanted to eat and have them verify and guide you as to how to get in, or which substitute to seek out.

And please please, report back. And if I learn anything between now and your visit, I will post the links....and maybe Hawaiian TRaveller can share some of her favorite places for us....

no eks not lashing out at you lol. Just trying to tell the OP that they have to have patience. There are so many dining options in Tokyo that I never go with any pre-made reservations.

Aloha!

Cannon- If you must make a reservation ahead of time you can go to Gonpachi in Nishi Azabu. We have been there several times and also had a couple of Fodors GTG there and always have a good time and most importantly the food is great!

??? ?? Gonpachi

Aloha!

What the heck???? What is this comment about PICTURE MENUS? There are picture menus in Japan as it's part of the culture and SOMETIMES they are a help to me, but most of the time they aren't, due to my 3 food allergies. And when did I ever say anything about PLASTIC MODELS? And saying that I often eat in hotels because ONE time in Summer 2017 and ONE time in Summer 2018, I ate at the special, summer barbecue dinner that the Hyatt Regency Kyoto offers. However, I DO try to eat BREAKFAST at hotels as I'm there and it's available and usually included in the room rate and a few times I have had room service late at night. The rest of the meals of the day are whatever I happen to come upon as when I'm out and about in Kyoto and area, I'm usually eating at either a cafe, small restaurant, or from the food delis. As for Tokyo, it's TOKYO with thousands of restaurants and PLENTY where one can get a meal and without a reservation or language problems as I ate at plenty.

And I TOTALLY understood what HT was trying to point out and that I was also trying to point out and I found it quite strange to comment that one is "INSULTED" and is planning to possibly, "CANCEL" a trip due to not being able to get into some desired restaurants.

So, excuse me for commenting and sorry to have upset you Ekscrunchy, but it won't happen again as I'm done. However, I do sincerely hope that you have a lovely trip to Japan.

Maybe there's a full-moon out today.

Happy Travels!

Thanks, HT for posting that restaurant recommendation. I have bookmarked it.

Happy Travels!

This is not unique to Japan. I've run into this reluctance to accept foreigners in other countries. Small restaurants and inns are focused on their food and service, and sometimes the commentary on the meal is an important part of their service. (Another fear can be that you will be the stereotypical loud, pushy foreigner, they do not want to have to deal with this in front of their other guests.) Much of Asian interaction involves nuances and that's difficult if you can't communicate at all.

Try using tablelog or one of the other online reservations sites. You might try again with the concierge when you are there, if you seem to get along well with them. Don't take it personally. There are thousands of great restaurants that like foreigners and/or don't require reservations.

I have a Japanese surname and used to be fairly conversant in Japanese, but in the days before internet reservations, I used to have a Tokyo friend call in to request reservations for us when we wanted to stay in well known ryokans. I knew that my childish language skills might lead them to think I didn't know proper onsen etiquette.

Also Gonpacji nishi azabu has hosted the likes of we fodorites to presidents of nations including the USA. The movie Kill Bill was filmed there.

If anyone needs my restaurant recos just click on my screen name and read one of my Japan trip reports. All info given there is still relevant though I don't do reports on this site anymore...

Hi Guenmai I well email you with ideas and recos in and about Fukuoka...smiles

Aloha!

Don't overlook the Michelin Guide - the Bib Gourmand restaurants offer "good quality, good value cooking'. And the one stars while offering 'high quality cooking' can also be modestly priced. Many of these don't accept reservations but there may be a queue. We walked right into Hosokawa, a one-star soba restaurant, earlier this year. (Very handy for the Hokusai museum -but we would not even have tried during a sumo tournament - the stadium is just down the road.) The place is exquisite - my Japanese friend confessed she'd taken photos of the flowers in the loo. The point is, there's no need to base a trip around restaurant reservations

HT: Many thanks and I await whatever info that you send my way as I have valued your suggestions for many years. If you have anymore Tokyo restaurant recommendations and especially for Unagi, you can e-mail them over to me. Maybe I need to zip back over to Hawaii for the weekend so that we can GTG it again and talk food in Japan. You too Lcuy. Take care.

Happy Travels!

I rarely make reservations for restaurants when I travel to Japan as the quality of food is extremely high and I do not have much of a problem finding a place to eat. I have eaten at a number of hard to get a reservation type of restaurants and this has been either arranged by my Concierge or by one of my friends or because I am being taken out. Often I eat out of department store food halls or places around train stations. The food hall at Isetan in Shinjuku for example is a wonderful place to pick up food on the go. I think I prefer it to Harrods or Bon Marche. I find myself eating less and less at Michelin 3 star restaurants and more and more at simple establishments. The Palace hotel is near Tokyo station and there are a number of simple restaurants underground around the station. Ramen alley is famous for its food. I do not think there are many interesting restaurants near the Palace hotel although there are some on the Ginza and towards Shimbashi.

Geez, Guenmai, don't take it personally. My point was, as you said,, you sometimes eat at places with pictures, or in train stations. From your reports, I don't see so many places at the top end (And I happen to love the plastic models and bought a bunch home fromm my first trip! No big deal. I might like star-laden Mich places or smoky izakayas. The next person might only want to eat steak. Or kaiseki. There are so many restaurants that it is silly to cancel a trip if one can'
t get into a few places. I was not making a personal attack at you, or at anyone else.

Just making a comment on food which, if you ever had a look at one of the dozens (or so it sometimes seems) reports I've written here in theh past, is clearly a personal obsession! I have my concierge in Rome working on places now for a November visit, and yet I am NOT going to be obsessing over getting into the famous spots in Japan cause no doubt the differences in the uni, or the unagi, or the Matsasuka steak, might be lost on me.

And Hawaiian Traveller: All good on this end. I really could not imagine you would be lashingn ouot at me as your manners have been pretty impeccable here over the years, from the comments I've read. Been reading your reports for years and years and found them most informative. Many thanks! If I could say that in JApanese, I would, but alas!!


Oh, comment which miay or not be relative to anyone pposting here: The Japan Society near the Un in NYC gives pretty reasonable JApanese lessons for various levels including beginners. I suspect there are other institutions in other cities that offer similar.



https://www.japansociety.org/page/pr...anguage_center

A full moon is obviously still out.

Happy Travels!

No, actually is it a waning Crescent here. Are you still worked up, and now about what, Guenmai??? I am not a Michelin star-collector. If you are, sorry. Did not get the impression that food was paramount for you.

We here’s always Lawson’s