Kyūshū
Downstairs is a fish market selling colourful and bargain-priced local fish (gutted and filleted on request), while upstairs is a popular shokudō with…
Kyūshū
Downstairs is a fish market selling colourful and bargain-priced local fish (gutted and filleted on request), while upstairs is a popular shokudō with…
Kansai
Mikuni serves local speciality Tajima-gyū (a high-end brand of Japanese beef). Different cuts are served different ways, and not just as steaks: sirloin,…
Kōbe
Mikami is a beacon of good food in the otherwise forlorn zone between Shin-Kōbe Station and Sannomiya. For both lunch and dinner it does excellent…
Shibuya & Shimo-Kitazawa
You know tonkatsu, the deep-fried breaded pork cutlet that is a Japanese staple; meet gyūkatsu, the deep-fried breaded beef cutlet and currently much…
Kansai
This is an elegant sushi counter, frequented by locals, offering reasonably priced set meals. In winter you can sample local crab sourced from Tsuiyama…
Kii Peninsula
Kadohama specialises in goma-dōfu (sesame tofu) prepared several ways. The lunch sets come beautifully presented in bamboo baskets with eight small dishes…
Ginza & Tsukiji
This restaurant in the back of gourmet food store Akomeya serves great value set meals of several small dishes, including meat, fish and vegetables –…
Sapporo
This is something special: sushi for breakfast out at the fish market. It takes an effort to get here, but the sushi is excellent and you can wander…
Shinjuku & Northwest Tokyo
Donjaca, in business since 1979, has many telltale signs of a classic Shōwa-era (1926–89) izakaya (Japanese pub-eatery): red vinyl stools, lantern…
Asakusa & Sumida River
This branch of the famous Kyoto-based pickle shop provides tastings of its traditional preserves done in a variety of ways, including with salt, vinegar…
Kōrakuen & Akihabara
The karashibi (カラシビ) spicy miso-rāmen here has a cult following. Choose your level of kara (spice) and shibi (a strange mouth-numbing sensation created by…
Kyūshū
In a nation with lots of sea coast but precious little recreational beachfront, this new spot along the promenade facing Aoshima Island is a breath of…
Nara
A good place to sample local Nara specialities like kakinoha-zushi (pressed sushi wrapped in persimmon leaf – don't eat the leaf!) and chagayu (rice…
Ginza & Tsukiji
In the evenings Maru offers a contemporary take on kaiseki (Japanese haute cuisine) fine dining. The chefs are young and inventive and the appealing space…
Tokyo
Yanagi-kōji is a classic nomiyagai (eating and drinking strip) and this one is particularly beloved for its nostalgic (read: crumbling) atmosphere. It's a…
Hokkaidō
This rambling collection of tiny restaurants runs the length of an alley between 4-jō-dōri and 5-jō-dōri, about a 10-minute walk north of the train…
Takayama
Word has spread that this Japanese couple are living their dream and welcoming visitors from around the world, so you might have to wait for a table to…
Shinjuku & Northwest Tokyo
Wedged inside the fashion-forward Lumine Est department store (itself inside the frenetic Shinjuku Station), Berg stands still. The cramped, cult-status…
Asakusa & Sumida River
Centuries ago, when Fukagawa was basically a tidal flat, hungry locals would gather clams at the shore, resulting in the neighbourhood's signature dish:…
Downtown Kyoto
Across from Takashimaya department store, this long-standing Kyoto restaurant serves approachable kaiseki in a variety of rooms, both private and common…
Western Honshū
Fresh seafood and local beef sumibiyaki (charcoal grilled) are the specialities in this airy restaurant. It does shabu-shabu (thinly sliced beef or pork…
Kōbe
The most famous of Kōbe's bakeries, Isuzu is particularly famous for its crisp, fluffy 'curry pan' (¥160; カレーパン ), a deep-fried doughnut stuffed with beef…
Kōrakuen & Akihabara
This pocket of Kanda has several long-running restaurants in vintage wooden buildings. Isegen, in business since the 1830s, occupies a handsome one from…
Gyoza Chao Chao Sanjo-Kiyamachi
Downtown Kyoto
In the heart of Kyoto's bar scene, it's no wonder Chao Chao draws long queues for its crispy gyōza (dumplings) – great as a pre-drink dinner, even better…
Downtown Kyoto
This is one of the best reasonably priced sushi restaurants in Kyoto. It’s a classic: long counter, bellowing sushi chefs and great fresh fish. The lunch…
Roppongi, Akasaka & Around
Ensconce yourself in your hori-kotatsu (low table with hollowed-out space in the floor for your legs) or on a log bench, and drape a napkin made of kimono…
Northern Honshū (Tōhoku)
The best noodles in town are found in this 250-year-old Edo-era wooden schoolhouse. The house speciality is buke-soba served with takenoko (bamboo shoots)…
Downtown Kyoto
You will be amazed by the variety of dishes that can be created with tofu at this specialist tofu restaurant. It’s got traditional Japanese decor and in…
Kansai
This local institution specialises in gyū-don (sliced beef on rice). Early-morning shrine visitors can pick up menchi katsu (croquettes stuffed with…
Downtown Kyoto
Above the mumokuteki shop in the middle of the downtown area, this popular cafe is a lifesaver for many Kyoto vegetarians. The food is tasty, varied and…
Kōrakuen & Akihabara
In studenty Jimbōchō, Japanese curry cafes are everywhere and fiercely competitive. Ethiopia is a seasoned champ, offering jumbo serves and curries packed…
Kansai
This is a good place to sample kawadoko 'above-river' dining on platforms. A friendly crew of ladies run the show and the food is quite good; they are…
Downtown Kyoto
If you’ve never tried a kaiten-sushi (conveyor-belt sushi restaurant), don’t miss this place – most dishes are a mere ¥146. Not the best sushi in the…
Tokyo
Anago (seafaring eel) has long been considered a super-food, rich in vitamins A and E (and fortunately, not endangered like its freshwater cousin unagi)…
Ginza & Tsukiji
Monjayaki is a Tokyo speciality, a batter, veg, seafood and meat fry-up with a loose, scrambled-egg-like texture. This place dating back to 1950 is said…
Fugu-dashi Ushio Hachidai Keisuke
Ginza & Tsukiji
In the stylish basement-restaurant floor of Tōkyū Plaza Ginza, this standard-looking ramen stall has the usual vending machine for paying at the entrance…
Kansai
Located above a fish market, this casual restaurant is a popular local spot for kaisen-don (raw seafood on rice; ¥1400 to ¥1950), but there are also…
Odaiba & Tokyo Bay
The original Mosuke, a street vendor, began making dango (soft rice-flour balls) in 1898, back when the fish market was in Nihombashi. Now on its third…
Kyūshū
This cosy, family-style shop is credited as the inventor, in 1966, of the retasu maki (lettuce roll) sushi, in which crunchy lettuce substitutes for nori …
Kyūshū
Togakushi has no English menu, but any difficulties this may present are worth it for the delicate, thin kama-age udon (barrel-boiled wheat noodles; ¥650)…
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