363 Best Restaurants in Japan

As you approach the restaurant's entrance, look for the displays of seasonal vegetables and local sake, so you know you're in the right place. Delicious, unique regional dishes such as the highly recommended pickle selection served on antique plates by friendly staff. "All of Akita in one building" is promised (and delivered). There is something for everyone. Look for the statue of the namahage (a fearsome monster from Akita's mountains) outside the entrance.

Also known as "Andy's," this izakaya is directly under the tracks of the Yamanote Line, making the wooden interior shudder each time a train passes overhead. It's a favorite with local and foreign journalists and is actually run by a Brit, Andy, who travels to the seafood market every morning to buy ingredients for not-to-miss dishes such as sashimi or buttered scallops. It fills up very quickly, so it's best to call at least a day in advance to make a reservation.

Japan's first steak house is famed for its superb, hand-fed Kobe beef from a single farm in the nearby city of Sanda. The melt-in-your-mouth sumiyaki (charcoal-broiled) steak is worth its weight in yen and is served with only mustard and pepper (don't even think about asking for other condiments). The dining room's dark-wood paneling and lovely chandelier give it a European air. Be prepared to spend some yen; main courses are phenomenally expensive.

Hearty soba is made from buckwheat, and Azuma-ya is easily Morioka's most famous place to eat these healthy noodles. The second level is devoted to the courageous with an appetite, where wanko soba courses—all you could possibly want to eat—are served. The ground floor is for a more casual (and less competitive) dining experience. If you don't want the eating challenge, order from their many other dishes. Keep in mind that they close for a two-hour break at 3 pm and stop taking orders by 8 pm.

Founded by American Bryan Baird in 2000, Baird Brewing has become one of the leaders in Japan's booming craft-beer movement, with a range of creative seasonal beers as well as such year-round brews as the hop-heavy Suruga Bay IPA. The Taproom combines Baird's excellent lineup of microbrews with Japanese izakaya (pub) fare like yakitori (grilled chicken skewers). There are other branches in Naka Meguro, Takadanobaba, Kichijoji, and Yokohama.

With an outdoor patio dining area and bar—the perfect place to relax with a nightcap—Cicada has a resortlike atmosphere that makes it feel a world away from Aoyama's busy shopping streets. Craft beers and wine from the extensive list complement dishes that range from Spanish tapas and Middle Eastern mezze to hearty grilled meats and seafood. Though spacious, this popular restaurant fills up quickly, so dinner reservations are recommended.

Popular Giro Giro has a lively atmosphere, excellent food, and a great Takase-gawa River location. Sit at the counter to watch the busy chefs, many of whom have studied at the owner's Paris location, or grab a table upstairs. The set menu changes monthly to showcase seasonal ingredients. The chef's style has been described as "punk kaiseki ryori" cuisine; what this means is that you can have a multicourse, kaiseki-style menu without the strict convention. Expect an elaborate hassun (appetizer) tray followed by seven more courses. You will be hard-pressed to find a better high-end value than these meals. Giro Giro is easiest to find by walking the narrow lane along the Takase-gawa; look for the glow of the massive window a few blocks north of Gojo-dori.

This restaurant is famous for its vegetarian shojin ryori (temple food), which it serves up in a 200-year-old building south of the Higashiyama temple area. Set menus change with the seasons and aren't always fully vegetarian; they can include salt-grilled river fish, crispy tempura, handmade soba noodles, or tofu chilled in ice-cold Takayama water. The 12th-generation owner, the English-speaking Sumitake-san, can explain what all the dishes are. You need to book in advance and might want to dress up a bit.

Imagine a kappo (fine dining) course that includes squid and scallops cooked before you with butter on a sizzling-hot river stone and such goodies as fugu—served as sashimi or cooked tempura-style—stuffed with foie gras. Zingy homemade pickles reset your palate for each successive treat. Women beautifully dressed in formal wear serve you in a classically elegant manner, and off to the right of the intimate 10-seat counter are views of a mossy green and flowery window garden. All seating is Japanese style, and no English menu is available. Cheaper lunch options are also available. 

This intimate, counter-only restaurant is the best place to try local sake and a set meal, including the seven famous delicacies from Shinji-ko and Matsue's coast. The staff are outgoing, as are the regular crowd. Try to make reservations at least a few days in advance. The "special full course" set menu option with local dishes is the best bet.

One of the culinary specialties of the Narita area is freshwater eel (unagi)—indeed, on the short stroll along Naritasan Omotesando, you'll see a number of places offering it. This one, close to Naritsan Shinsho-ji, is known for its chargrilled eel, slathered in a savory soy-based sauce and served over rice. Tradition says the dish is good at fighting fatigue, hence, it's particularly popular during the humid summer months. If you are a truly adventurous eater, try the eel-liver soup or the deep-fried eel bones. Takeout orders are an option.

The care lavished on every aspect of dining is unparalleled here, thanks to the conscientious attention of Kikunoi's owner, Yoshihiro Murata, a world-renowned chef and authority on Kyoto cuisine. A lifetime study of French and Japanese cooking, a commitment to using the finest local ingredients, and a playful creative sense make every meal hum with flavor. Once seated in a private dining room, you are brought a small sakizuke, or appetizer, the first of a multicourse meal, all of whose selections are seasonal and decided by the chef. Each is exquisitely presented and unfailingly delicious. Dishes like cedar-smoked barracuda fillets, citrus-infused matsutake mushroom soup, or sashimi served on chrysanthemum petals keenly accord to the nuances of each new season. This restaurant is on the northern edge of Kodai-ji Temple. Lunch is about a third the cost of dinner.

Smoky, noisy, and cluttered, Ganchan is exactly what the Japanese expect of their yakitori joints—restaurants that specialize in bits of charcoal-broiled chicken and vegetables. The counter here seats barely 15 (you have to squeeze to get to the chairs in back), and festival masks, paper kites, lanterns, and greeting cards from celebrity patrons adorn the walls. The cooks yell at each other, fan the grill, and serve up enormous schooners of beer. Try the tsukune (balls of minced chicken) and the fresh asparagus wrapped in bacon. Otherwise opt for a mixed eight-skewer set that comes with several small side dishes. 

The city's premier hotel restaurant serves extremely good French food. The elegant yet relaxed atmosphere, seasonal menus, and extensive wine list make La Baie an excellent choice when you're in the mood for European-style fare. With its high ceiling, 18th-century paintings, and dark-wood accents, the interior is impressive and the service is impeccable. The weekday lunch courses are a good way to sample some of the best French cuisine in Osaka.

Since 1722 Mankamero's specialty has been yusoku ryori, cuisine intended for members of the Imperial Court. Every step of the meal is incredibly elaborate, down to the ceremonially dressed chef who prepares your dishes using specially made utensils. A dramatic if oddly named course is the "dismembered fish," in which each part of a single fish is prepared and served on pedestal trays. Prices reflect the aristocratic experience. However, a wonderful take-kago (bamboo box) lunch set contains a series of steamed surprises and is much cheaper than the full dinner. Mankamero is on the west side of Inokuma-dori north of Demizu-dori. Look for the white noren (short curtain) hanging in the doorway.

If there is one food Osaka is known for, it is okonomiyaki, a savory pancake that can be filled with vegetables, meat, or seafood. Mizuno, opened in 1945, is one of the city's best and oldest places to try this hearty specialty. Mizuno's okonomiyaki are light and fluffy, using a variety of ingredients delivered from Osaka's Kuromon Market. Sitting at the long teppan counter grill you can watch as the chef whips up a hearty taste of Osaka before your eyes. Long lines form around lunch and dinnertime but move rather quickly.

To enjoy Japanese haute cuisine served in a relaxed atmosphere look to this kappo-ryori restaurant, where diners traditionally eat at counters while the chef works in front of them (though Yukari also offers tables and private rooms). Third-generation chef—and 2002 Iron Chef champion—Kimio Nonaga displays his artistry in dishes that showcase the freshness and quality of the seasonal ingredients. To witness him at work, and get the full kappo dining experience, request a counter seat when making reservations. Nihonbashi Yukari also offers a lunch setting for a fraction of the price of dinner, which is unusual for this kind of restaurant. Also unusual is that kids are welcome, too.

You'll enjoy pâtisserie perfection at this tiny traditional Okinawan house on Sesoko Island. Relax with a delicious coffee, a macaron, or chou à la crème as you listen to the cicadas. Vincent, the maître pâtissier, worked in France and then Tokyo, but chose to raise a family in Okinawa. The locals now enjoy the gastronomic finery of Paris from the tropics!

Old, funky, and more than a little cramped, Robata is a bit daunting at first, but fourth-generation chef-owner Takao Inoue holds forth here with an inspired version of Japanese home cooking. He's also a connoisseur of pottery and serves his food on pieces acquired at famous kilns all over the country. A meal at Robata—like the pottery—is simple to the eye but subtle and fulfilling. Typical dishes include steamed fish with vegetables, stews of beef or pork, and seafood salads. If you don't feel like navigating the Japanese menu, opt for the ¥4,950 course.

The style here is robatayaki, a dining experience that segues into pure theater. Seated on cushions behind a grill, traditionally attired cooks prepare fresh vegetables, seafood, and skewers of beef and chicken. You point to what you want; your server shouts out the order; and a cook in back plucks up your selection, readies it, and hands it across on an 8-foot wooden paddle. Inakaya is open from 5 pm and fills up fast after 7.

If you visit Tenryu-ji at lunchtime, consider dining at Shigetsu, within the temple precinct. The tenzo, a monk trained to prepare Zen cuisine, creates a multicourse meal that achieves the harmony of the six basic flavors—bitter, sour, sweet, salty, light, and hot—attributes necessary to balance body and mind. Although you won't partake in the monk's daily helping of gruel, a salted plum, and pickled radishes, you will try vegetarian Zen cuisine at its tastiest. The price for lunch in the large dining area overlooking a garden does not include admission to the garden, however. Open from 11 am to 2 pm. Reservations are required and can be made online.

Dark-wood furnishings create a provocative and intimate environment for sampling the bountiful brews at Kyoto's top Korean teahouse. Unlike Japanese and Chinese teas, which pull flavor from leaves or powder, the house favorites here are brewed full of berries, spices, and herbs. The intense aromas are complemented by a menu of vegetable stews, stuffed fritters, and innovative versions of Korean staples like organic bibimbap (a rice bowl topped with various ingredients). Reserve ahead to sample the Gozen menu, with nine bronze pots filled with royal cuisine good enough to leave you wishing you were an ancient Seoul nobleman. Seating is in a cozy private room at the back, on cushions at floor-level tables or at the sturdy wooden counter with a better chance to chat with the convivial proprietors. The restaurant closes at 8 pm, with the last order taken at 7 pm.

This romantic restaurant on the 11th floor of the Kumamoto Hotel Castle has stunning sunset views of Kumamoto Castle. During the day the restaurant is used for wedding receptions, but at night (when there are not events) it opens to the public for dinner.

The exclusive specialty here is tofu, prepared in more ways than you can imagine—boiled, steamed, stir-fried with minced crabmeat, served in a custard, or wrapped in thin layers around a delicate whitefish paste. Tofu is touted as the perfect high-protein, low-calorie health food; at Ume no Hana it's raised to the elegance of haute cuisine. Remove your shoes when you step up to the lovely central room. Latticed wood screens separate the tables, and private dining rooms with tatami seating are available. Prix-fixe meals, from ¥5,000 to ¥8,000 at dinner, include a complimentary aperitif, while lunchtime is very budget-friendly considering the quality (courses from ¥2,100). Ume no Hana shops in Ueno and Ginza are also worth visiting.

This spot serves Ishigaki's finest example of Okinawan izakaya cooking. Be sure to try something with delicious kurumafu, a chewy wheat gluten, and if the crunchy pig's ears are too much for you, try washing it down with golden Orion beer. The food and drink here are terrific, but even better is the twice-nightly floor show (7 pm and 9 pm) where you'll hear and be encouraged to sing and dance to popular Okinawan songs. There is a ¥700 live music charge per person. Reservations advised. 

At this elegant dining room, the excellent Kobe beef is sliced thin and cooked before you on a teppanyaki grill along with fresh vegetables and served with pepper, mustard, and soy sauce for dipping. Wakkoqu uses meat from three-year-old cows that have never been bred, which is said to be the reason for its unbelievable tenderness. Lunch set menus are available until 3pm.

Unagi (freshwater eel) and delectable mountain vegetables maintain Yuki's highly venerated reputation. The kitchen also serves river smelt and other specialties, and in summer they prepare ayu (sweetfish) dishes. The dining room is chock-full of old farm implements, and there's even a stream burbling near your feet. A teishoku set meal is available for lunch (11--3) or dinner 5--10. Reservations are advised, and call the day before to confirm. 

With a relaxed atmosphere, A-1 is known for serving thick slices of Kobe beef at bargain prices. The teppanyaki steak (broiled on a hot plate) is cooked in a marinade of spices, wine, and soy, smothered in grilled onions, and served with charcoal-grilled vegetables and crisp garlic potatoes. The "small" or "regular" version is enough to fill you up if you get the full course. Four branches are scattered about town, but the main one is conveniently west of Hankyu San-no-miya Station, across from the B-Kobe hotel. There's also a tiny, six-seat branch in Osaka if you don't have time to get to Kobe or can't get a reservation there.

Ramen is the quintessential Japanese fast food—thick noodles in a bowl of savory broth topped with sliced grilled chashu (pork loin)—and each neighborhood in Tokyo has its go-to ramen restaurant. In Ebisu, near Shibuya, the hands-down favorite is this branch of Afuri, where you choose and pay for your ramen at a machine, find a seat, and hand over your payment ticket to the cooks, who prepare your ramen then and there. There's limited seating, and the a line of customers might extend down the street, but the ramen is worth it. The signature ramen here is yuzu shio (citron and salt), but there are other options, including a vegan version.

Just south of the Shinjuku station, on a basement food level of Shinjuku's Lumine I department store, this branch of a ramen-house chain serves its noodles with a broth that has hints of citrus, turning what can be a heavy dish into something more refreshing (and even free of meat if you like).