Southern Higashiyama
Take an old Kyoto house, make it comfortable for modern diners, serve excellent, reasonably priced kaiseki and you have Karyō’s recipe for success. The…
Must-see restaurants in Japan
Ehime Prefecture
This is a new concept taking into consideration that Ehime Prefecture is well known for its tai (snapper). Agetai offers up tasty dishes such as deep…
Ginza & Tsukiji
Paradise for food lovers, indeed. This charming, aqua-painted trattoria serves seafood pasta dishes that will make you want to lick the plate clean. Its…
Kōrakuen & Akihabara
Proof you don't need to shell out a small fortune to eat well in Tokyo is this humble restaurant specialising in Sanuki-udon, wheat noodles from Kagawa in…
Southern Higashiyama
Family owned Chidoritei is a snug little sushi restaurant tucked away in the backstreets of Gion away from the bustle. It's a great place to try delicious…
Niseko
Down the road from the Annupuri slopes, Loft Club glitters with fairy lights and the warm, glowing promise of a filling meal washed down with beer and…
Matsumoto
If you're into tonkatsu (deep-fried pork cutlet), try to find this place a block south of the southeastern corner of Matsumoto Castle park. There's a…
Southern Higashiyama
Housed in a remodelled Japanese building with a light, airy feeling, this branch of Kyoto’s famed Omen noodle chain is the best place to stop while…
Nagoya
You can soak up the atmosphere of this gorgeous, woody Taishō-era building with its tranquil garden and pond over a glass of pinot: try not to spill a…
Nagoya
The Nagoya branch of this globally acclaimed Taiwanese chain, located in the Takashimaya department store at Nagoya Station, is likely to please with its…
Ginza & Tsukiji
A speciality of Akita Prefecture, inaniwa wheat noodles have been made by seven generations of the Sato family. As you'll be able to tell from the glossy,…
Downtown Kyoto
Roan Kikunoi is a fantastic place to experience the wonders of kaiseki. It's a lovely intimate space located right downtown. The chef takes an…
Nagano Region
This cafe is festooned with every kind of wall clock imaginable, and it specialises in variations on the theme of curry; lunch set menus include omu-karē …
Izu Peninsula
This roadstop chain restaurant opposite the beach has zero character, but who cares when it's this cheap, tasty and fun? Choose from bargain-priced bites…
Tokushima & the Anan Coast
This slick little izakaya is well worth the adventure of having to battle Japanese-only menus. Just past the northeast corner of the park, Ikiiki has…
Asakusa & Sumida River
A blast of Antipodean sunshine in the midst of Tokyo, Iki is a relaxed all-day Aussie cafe complete with avo on toast, ricotta hotcakes and long blacks…
Ginza & Tsukiji
Nobody in Tokyo does tempura vegetables like chef Kondō Fumio. The carrots are julienned to a fine floss; the corn is pert and juicy; and the sweet potato…
Ueno & Yanesen
The family who run this charming little restaurant source many of their organic ingredients, including the rice, pickles and vegetables for side dishes,…
Kanazawa
One of Kanazawa's favourite seafood izakaya (pub-restaurants) is as popular with locals as it is with international visitors, so you may have to queue for…
Tokyo
Indian meals in Tokyo don't come much better than those served at this long-established restaurant with deep-indigo plaster walls. The food is very…
Takayama
Atmospheric, inexpensive, welcoming and delicious are all words that spring to mind when describing this wonderful second-generation eatery serving up…
Hakone
The 'Hakone lava' chicken over rice looks burnt to a crisp at this casual joint, but actually it's a juicy, tasty treat and simply a bit of gastronomic…
Ehime Prefecture
With a traditional shopfront along the Dōgo arcade, this former teahouse now serves as a bakery-cafe offering burgers, sandwiches and soul-satisfying…
Kanazawa & the Hokuriku Coast
Umi-tei Notokichi has been a popular local haunt for generations – it's a quintessential Japanese seafood experience. Purists should keep it simple and go…
Takayama
Experience the unique Japanese art of shōjin-ryōri, holistic vegetarian kaiseki dining in an atmospheric building and garden that's almost 200 years old,…
Kanazawa
This trendy spot in the Kanazawa Miyako Hotel building has a comprehensive Japanese menu and a limited English one with all the Western favourites and…
Nagano Region
Revered in Japan by those who value soba (as many do), this wonderful noodle shop claims that Togakushi is the home of soba – and it may just be right. It…
Tokushima & the Anan Coast
This small roadside cafe is a locals' favourite, particularly for the impressive Japanese/Western breakfast that will keep everyone satisfied. Expect a…
Niseko
This authentic family-run pizzeria headed by the affable Cezar does thin-crust, wood-fired pizzas with a mouth-watering variety of toppings (plus pastas…
Nagano Region
This extremely cute little cafe is up at the top of town where the locals boil eggs in the onsen water. Set-menu lunches (¥780) and light meals are the go…
Shikoku
This tiny, lovingly run place serves tasty set meals at lunchtime, then morphs into a jazz and wine bar serving top-quality otsumami (snacks) in the…
Downtown Kyoto
This popular restaurant is a good place to try unagi (eel). You can choose to either sit downstairs with a nice view of the waterfall, or upstairs on the…
Kanazawa
Kanazawa institution Janome-sushi Honten has been known for sashimi and Kaga cuisine since 1931. Dinner omakase (chef's choice) menus start at ¥3000.
Shibuya & Shimo-Kitazawa
Out serves only one dish – tagliolini al tartufo (egg noodles with truffles) – take it or leave it (we'll take it). The noodles are made from scratch in…
Tokyo
This is a classic Japanese-style steak house, where the meat is cooked at the counter on a teppan (iron hotplate), diced, then paired with rice, miso soup…
Sapporo
This famous alleyway in the Susukino entertainment district is crammed with ramen shops, including branches of several venerable Hokkaidō shops. It's been…
Harajuku & Aoyama
Commune is a food and event space, with a daily farmers market plus vendors selling fresh bread, curry, cold-pressed juice and herbal teas to eat and…
Asakusa & Sumida River
Chef Hosokawa Takashi grinds buckwheat fresh daily for the soba he kneads and cuts by hand. Get them in hot broth (kake-soba) or at room temperature on a…
Harajuku & Aoyama
Gyōza (dumplings) are the only thing on the menu here, but you won’t hear any complaints from the regulars who queue up to get their fix. Have them sui …
Tokyo
Those who subscribe to the Muji lifestyle will be delighted to know that the 'no name brand' experience goes beyond neutral-toned notebooks and linens…
