About food in Japan

Jiro (次郎), Sushi restaurant at Takashimaya Nihombashi

Some of you maybe already watched the movie about Jiro, 85years old Sushi chef with Michelin 3stars. As you can imagine, due to the Michelin guide's highest evaluation and the film by an American director "Jiro Dreams of Sushi", it is not easy to make a reservation at the most famous Sushi restaurant in the world. And maybe for many people, it is not so easy to spend such big amount of money around Yen 30,000 for a Sushi dining experience.

Well, is there any alternative way to take a small part of the Sushi restaurant Jiro?

Yes, we know!  

We found an alternative choice in Tokyo still under his name brand, Sukiyabashi Jiro (すきやばし次郎) same with the original one in Ginza. 

One of his units, Sukiyabashi Jiro, is accommodated on the 4th floor of Takashimaya Nihombashi department store main building. It must be the one where we can experience the world of Jiro in more relaxed atmosphere compared with the original store where the master chef Jiro serves. Because of the location in the department store, even first comers or those who are not so familiar with Sushi are also welcomed!

The restaurant offers some Sushi course sets

described with photo and price on the menu. 

 

The price at Sukiyabashi Jiro Takashimaya Nihombashi is actually one-tenth of the original unit (Honten) in Ginza. So you do not have to worry whether you can afford or not there.  

We were warmly welcomed with Japanese hospitality which is inherited from the flagship restaurant with Michelin 3 starts. We observed not a few elderly female guests, clientele of the established department, solely enjoying a plate of Sushi after shopping. It means that the Sushi restaurant is a place where even these ladies feel much comfortable.

Of course the quality won't be exactly same with the original restaurant where the Sushi master chef serves, considering the discrepancy of the prices. But still the restaurant in Takashimaya Nihombashi is operated under Jiro's brand name.

Needless to say, the seafood ingredients are fresh.

Anago (穴子 conger) is well cooked into a soft and sweet brown piece.

Trying the Sushi plate and the restaurant, we felt that, even without Jiro's brand name, the meal at Yen 3000 has a good value and it is a good opportunity to experience an authentic Sushi restaurant.

If you like it very much, then prepare and save money for visiting Jiro's original restaurant next time!!!  

 

Restaurant name: Sukiyabashi Jiro, Takashimaya Nihombashi (すきやばし次郎　日本橋高島屋)

Address: Main building 4th floor, Takasihmaya Nihombashi, 2-4-1 Nihombashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo

Website: 

Takashimaya Nihombashi Department

http://www.takashimaya.co.jp/tokyo/store_information/index.html

Sukiyabashi Jiro Honten, original store http://www.sushi-jiro.jp

Movie "Jiro Dreams of Sushi" http://www.magpictures.com/jirodreamsofsushi/

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Kagaya(加賀屋), a fine Japanese restaurant - Tokyo Bigsight area

During the month of October 2012, we are going to feature restaurants near Tokyo Bigsight (the largest international convention center of Tokyo).

We know that some international visitors come to Japan to attend or make a presentation at a trade fair taken place at Tokyo Bigslight. Even for Tokyo locals, without any reliable information, it is not easy to find a nice cozy lunch place to enjoy a short break in a busy day at the trade fair venue. If you have enough time to get out from the convention center and to have a walk for around 5 minutes, you do not have to end up with a quick bite at a crowded cafeteria inside the convention center building.   

The first one of our recommendation, a luxury Japanese restaurant Kagaya,  gives you a slight feeling of authentic Ryokan experience in the modern developed area.

As some of you may know, Kagaya is originally Ryokan style luxury accommodation located in Noto Peninsula, Hokuriku Region. It is well-knowns as the best Ryokan in Japan by locals as well as by some international tourists. Kagaya Tokyo Ariake branch near Tokyo Bigsight functions only as a Japanese restaurant, without accommodation facility.

At the Japanese restaurant, Kagaya focuses on providing meal and atmosphere similar to the original version accommodation. It means that the restaurant’s female staff appear in Kimono and treat the restaurant’s guests in same hospitality with the Ryokan.

The plates are also enough high quality authentic Japanese cuisine, as many expect from the reputation for the best Ryokan. The restaurant provides Kaiseki course with fresh and seasonal ingredients in high quality, while it offers lunch set at around Yen 1000 to Yen 2000. Considering the quality and service catered there, it is quite reasonable price.

 

Even though the view from the window is not equally nice to Kagaya Ryokan in Wakura Hot Spring resort near Japan Sea, for those who do not have enough time to enjoy fine Japanese cuisine because of tight schedule in Tokyo, the restaurant will give you a chance to feel such Japanese essence for a moment on lunch time near the trade fair venue.

         
Tokyo Bigsight location is also very close to Panasonic Center, which presents Japan's latest technology, and Venus Fort shopping mall in Odaiba. This information may be useful to know for those who plant to visit these sites.

 One point to note is that the restaurant is sometimes charted by a large group. In that case, on the same floor, you will also find alternative Japanese restaurant such as izakaya providing seafood bowl (海鮮丼), although they are not as much sophisticated as Kagaya. 

 

Restaurant name: Kagaya Tokyo Ariake Branch

Address: 2nd floor, Wanza Ariake Bay Mall East Wing, 3-1 Ariake, Koto-ku, Tokyo

*5 minutes walk from Tokyo Bigsight

Official site in Japanese: http://www.kagaya.co.jp/shoku/shop/shop.php?shop=ariake

Website in English : http://r.gnavi.co.jp/a618101/lang/en/ 

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Shari The Tokyo Sushi Bar, Ginza (銀座)

Do you know what "shari" means in Japanese?

"Shari"(シャリ) is cooked and vinegared rice which is used for Sushi. It is said that superior skill of Sushi cook masters appears as good quality of shari that supports main actors, seafood on top of it. Good shari is made by delicate adjustment of heating and cooking rice, mixing a certain amount of vineger with rice etc. The work is too skilled and delicate to be ignored when you have sushi at nice and traditional sushi restaurants.    

So Shari The Tokyo Sushi Bar, the modern Japanese restaurant featuring colorful sushi rolls took its name from one of the most important parts of Sushi cooking, implying something new through the logo spelled in alphabet as "Shari" not in Japanese characters. 

The space on the 8th floor of a modern building in Ginza, just a block away from both Printemps Ginza department store and Ginza 1-chome subway station. It might not be looked as sushi restaurant from the chic interior with dark brown wooden tables, open-kitchen counter and yellow-green back chairs on gray carpet floor. Waiters of sophisticated appearance may be better matched with a posh French or Italian restaurant.

Yes, the sushi served at Shari The Tokyo Sushi Bar is also never what we expect for an ordinary sushi restaurant. It is modern and polished Sushi. Their rolled sushi plates delight diners more by the colorful looks and variety of ingredients unusual for traditional sushi; avocado, mango fruit, squid ink, fried shrimp etc. 

The lunch rolled-sushi set includes several different kinds (and colors) of sushi rolls as well as a choice of "side dish" such as fried chicken (tatsutaage 竜田揚げ), tempura, fried tuna (kajiki maguro fry, カジキ鮪フライ) or grilled fish (yaki-zakana 焼き魚). The price, a bit over Yen 1000, has very good value. 

 

Restaurant name: Shari The Tokyo Sushi Bar

Address: Albore Ginza, 2-4-18 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo

Website:  http://www.shari-ginza.com

Information in English: http://r.gnavi.co.jp/a727903/lang/en/

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Zagat Tokyo & Kyoto special "Japan Travel Aid" Edition published

Zagat restaurant guide has had a great collaboration with Japanese public sectors, Japan Tourism Agency, JNTO (Japan National Tourist Organization) and other local organizations, all of which are eager to promote Japan as gastronomic destionation globaly.

"Zagat Tokyo & Kyoto Restaurants 2012 Japan Travel Aid Edition" includes selected restaurant reviews for these two cities as well as introduction of Japan's food culture and destination information.

The special edition restaurant guide is also named "Thank You Edition" because the collaborative work by private-public parties is expression of Japan's gratitude to the warmest support of many people around the world for the natural disaster in Japan last year. Its 50,000 copies will be distributed at free of charge through JNTO tourist informaiton center, JNTO offshore offices (New York, Los Angels, Toront, Singapore, Sydney, London, Hong Kong), Japan Embassy etc. 

It's only 50,000 copies around the world. If you have a chance, don't miss to get a copy

Link to the publisher's site (Japanese): http://zagat.jugem.jp/?eid=95

Link to information by Japan Tourism Agency: 

http://www.mlit.go.jp/kankocho/news08_000109.html

          

Instant Ryokan-like experience at Yagenbori Akasaka (やげんぼり 赤坂)

You do not have time to travel to a Ryokan (Japanese traditional inn) in country side? For those people, lunch at Yagenbori Akasaka will be a good alternative experience in central Tokyo. You will feel as if you were in a typical traditional Ryokan for a moment, while the cost is less than one-tenth of it.

 

Yagenbori is situated on a narrow path between two busy streets in central Akasaka district where many restaurants and bars are scattered. Finding the restaurant's gate nicely decorated in Japanese traditional style with a lantern-like sign, stones and green plants, you will be in the ancient Japanese atomosphere. Here you must be requested to remove your shoes off at the entrance by the restaurant's smiling staff in kimono. 

 

For dinner time, Yagenbori, a traditional Japanese restaurant originally based in Kyoto, provides Kaiseki style courses at around Yen 10000 per person, while its lunch sets are quite reasonable. 

Our recommendation for lunch is "Kamogawa" (鴨川, named after the river runing through central Kyoto) set with "tororo" (とろろ) rice.　Grazed Japanese yam potato or "tororo" is served with rice and pickles as Japanese traditional set meal. Some delicacies such as Ikura (salmon roe), tuna and seaweed paste are in the bowl of tororo. That is the original style of serving grazed "tororo", while usually no topping food is provided for tororo with rice. 

 

Tororo bowl

 

Mix up all ingredient in the tororo bowl.

Then it was put on top of rice.

This is the traditional "tororo gohan " or Yam with rice.

 

The way of providing rice is also unique at the Japanese restaurant. It brings rice in "Ohitsu" (おひつ, special wooden box to keep cooked rice warm on guest table) which is rarely found in modern days even even in this country. Take Japanese rice on your rice-bowl with "shamoji" (しゃもじ, big spoon specialized for rice) from Ohitsu. That must become a good souvernir experience of traditional Japanese dining scene.

 

 

Enjoying traditional Japanese meal surrounded by Japanese folk ojects and interior decoration, we, even Japanese, almost forget that we are in the heart of the busy metropolitan city.

 

Restaurant name: Yagenbori Akasaka

Address: 3-19-5 Akasaka Minato-ku Tokyo 

Website: http://www.yagenbori.co.jp/english/tenpo/akasaka/index.html

大きな地図で見る

****** Our recommendable accommodation around this restaurant *******

ANA InterContinental Hotel

Hotel New Otani Tokyo

The Capitol Hotel Tokyu

the b Akasaka

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Sukiyaki (すき焼, beef pot) - Imaasa (今朝), Shimbashi (新橋)

Sukiyaki (すき焼き) is one of major Japanese menus that may be suitable for entertaining important guests. As a typical Sukiyaki dish, beef, tofu and vegetables are cooked in a shallow pot which can be shared by around 2 to 6 people. For pot soup, soya sauce (shoyu 醤油) and sugar are used as ingredients and it tastes a bit sweet. Sukiyaki is likely to be served by pot or cooked in front of guests on a table. 

 After it is cooked, broken raw eggs are used as dip sauce for Sukiyaki. Don't worry, in Japan all eggs distributed in markets meet enough high sanitary standards that allow consumers to have them fresh and without cooked.  

Imaasa (今朝) is a Sukiyaki restaurant which is proud of its over a century history since 1880. The luxury restaurant have been patronized by celebrities and have been mentioned on some literary works.

Nowadays the restaurant, which is just five minutes walk from Shimbashi station, is filled with business people during lunch time and is used even for business entertaining. On dinner time, it requires around Yen 10000 or more amount of budget per person to dine there, while on lunch time, the high quality beef menu is available at much reasonable prices from Yen 1000-2000.

Do not miss a chance to enjoy traditional Sukiyaki menu with Japanese beef.   

It is situated on the east of JR Shimbashi station, it is rather a short distance walk from Tsukiji Market and Ginza shopping district.

 

Restaurant name: Imaasa (今朝)

Address: 2nd floor Imaasa building, 1-1-21 Higashi-Shimbashi,

Minato-ku, Tokyo

Website: http://www.imaasa.com  

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High cost performance Sushi restaurant - Manten Sushi (まんてん鮨)

We really wonder whether this post should be for "casual Japanese restaurant" or "luxury" one. Finally it is categorized for both, as this information must be worthwhile for those

who looks for casual Japanese dining

as well as 

who seeks for upscale dining.

 

Manten Sushi (まんてん鮨) provides sushi menu made with fresh high quality seafood sent from Tsukiji fish market, as Sushi Ten (すし天) the luxury Sushi restaurant under the same operator does. High quality sushi does never mean that they are just pieces of raw seafood on top of rice. Each piece of sushi and side dishes are well and carefully prepared in each different way by professional chef who knows the best way to enjoy each of those seafood. The Sushi course by Manten Sushi must be enough high standard to satisfy those who expect the best sushi dishes in Tokyo, while the price Yen 5250 for chef's recommendation dinner course is nothing more than ones for casual sushi dining.The cost performance level is amazing even for us, Tokyo residents... 

The high-cost-performance sushi restaurant is situated on the underground floor of Marunouchi Brick Square that is 5-minute walk from JR Tokyo station. Like other typical sushi restaurants, seats of Manten Sushi are placed around the wooden counter behind which sushi cooks are working for your fantastic dishes. The space is not so big and never be spacious but is comfortable because of attentive staff, lively atomosphere and wooden interior decoration.

 

 

 For dinner and lunch, the restaurant provides "chef's recommendation course" only, which consists of some side dishes and sushi plates with carefully selected seasonal ingredients. As long you secure seat at the small capacity restaurant, you do not have to hover around sushi ingredient list. Trust the chef's choice and enjoy the great sushi menu    

 

 

Restaurant name: Manten Sushi (まんてん鮨)

Address: B1 floor Marunouchi Brick Square, 2-6-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

Website: http://www.manten-sushi.com

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Would you like to make a booking for Manten Sushi?

Dining Experience Planner service helps you with making advance reservation for restaurants in Japan. For more information, please visit the site:

http://www.food-tourism-japan.com/dining-experience-planner---restaurant-proposal-service.html

 

 

Our new service, Dining Experience Planner, launched!

Food Tourism Japan Consulting who organizes English blog "about food in Japan" (http://aboutfoodinjapan.weblogs.jp) just launched new innovative service called "Dining Experience Planner".  

Dining Experience Planner is newly developed service for non-Japanese people who wish to enjoy having nice meal at nice restaurant(s) in Japan, even if they do not understand Japanese language and if they have no local friend who can give tips to him/her. 

 Especially in Tokyo, there are 98000 restaurants including 240 Michelin star-awarded, with various menu just for "Japanese cuisine" from Sushi or Kaiseki at upscale restaurants to Okonomiyaki, casual Japanese pancake etc etc. 

 Even with guide books and travel related websites, it is not easy to identify an ideal restaurant for your request and requirement.

 

Would it be great if you could get restaurant recommendation personally from a local person who is a professional on the field?

 

Dining Experience Planner will search restaurants as per your requests, on behalf of you book the most suitable one for your situation, and propose it with useful information.

In exchange for small amount of financial cost, Dining Experience Planner by Food Tourism Japan Consulting will help you in following ways.

To make your dining experience in Japan be fantastic and comfortable.

To release you from anxious that you might feel because of language barrier.

To save your time for restaurant searching and booking.

 

For more detail about Dining Experience Planner service, please visit Food Tourism Japan Consulting website.

http://www.food-tourism-japan.com/dining-experience-planner---restaurant-proposal-service.html 

 

We are looking forward to serving you for making your dream come true, fantastic dining experience in Japan

 

Food Tourism Japan Consulting

http://www.food-tourism-japan.com 

Umaya (うまや), Kabuki actor produced restaurant, Akasaka Tokyo

Akasaka Umaya (赤坂 うまや) is located in the two lowest floors of a Kabuki performance school's training centre. The restaurant is produced by Ennosuke Ichikawa who acquired international reputation as Kabuki actor. It is just off from Hitotsugi dori (一ツ木通り), one of major busy street of Akasaka (赤坂) night spot, while the entrance of the restaurant and surrounding environment with Akasaka Fudoson shrine is unexpectedly calm.

When you go through the traditional style gate from which the restaurant's sign on cloth (called のれん, noren) is hung, all you can find will be Japanese folk interior, traidional or Kabuki related objects.

Can't believe that we had been on the bustling modern night spot until just five minutes before

The plates offered there are variety of Japanese dishes from tofu, seafood, nabe hot-pot, to fried noodle or small bowl of ramen noodle(ラーメン). Many of them are either creative arrangement or local specialty (郷土料理, kyodo ryori) made with fresh high quality ingredients delivered mainly from Kyushu(九州) region. 

Nicely presented dessert assotment plate also can't be missed.

 

During lunch time, the restaurant offers intersting lunch box, whose menu is inspired and arranged from "catering lunch for Kabuki actors". Imagine you can share same taste with them. Other lunch menu are also available at reasonable price from around Yen1000.

 

Restaurant name: Akasaka Umaya (赤坂　うまや)

Address: 4-2-32 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo

Website: http://www.jrfs.co.jp/umayahome/akasaka/

大きな地図で見る

 

****** Our recommendable accommodation around this restaurant *******

ANA InterContinental Hotel

Hotel New Otani Tokyo

The Capitol Hotel Tokyu

the b Akasaka

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Mt. Takao (高尾山), what to eat there? - Fantastic dining experience in ancient Japan, Ukai Toriyama (うかい鳥山)

After mount hike in Takao (高尾), to make the most use of travelling far from central Tokyo, whether it is lunch or dinner time, we suggest a fantastic dining experience in Takao.

The experience is even for us, Japanese, something special and unforgettable. 

The luxury restaurant, Ukai Toriyama (うかい鳥山）is 10 minutes car ride from Mt. Takao's (高尾山) gateway rail station, Takaosanguchi (高尾山口). The restaurant provides complimentary shuttle bus service for their diners to/from Takaosanguchi railway station every 20 minutes. The 10-minute bus journey took us into unfamiliar area deeper woods and less residence houses.

As soon as we arrived and after we were checked in with table reservation, we waited for a few minutes at a cozy waiting space with folk decorations and "irori" (いろり) fireplace. 

The restaurant seats are not accommodated in a single modern building but are scattered in Japanese traditional garden and in traditional style small or middle-sized buildings.  While a lady in Kimono took us to our table in a dining hall, we were admired by the beautiful and romantic scenes of large Japanese garden with red painted bridge on creek, thatch roofing bower and wooden water wheels.

WOW, it is "time trip" to ancient Japan which we imagined as "old tale". 

Our table was ready and facing to the lovely Japanese garden with a pond. 

Whatever we have, it must be nice experience already with the Japanese garden and folk room decoration.

Anyway, here chicken or beef barbecue is the restaurant's speciality. After some starter dishes and/or soup bowl, let's enjoy self-BBQ in ancient style, meal cut in large size and skewered. 

At the end of the course meal, rice with tororo (とろろ, Japanese yam potate) and miso soup are served.

Our dreamy experience was continued to a seasonal special event there.

From the beginning of June to Mid-July, the restaurant offers "firefly show" (hotaru gari, ホタル狩り) at the garden on evening.

After the BBQ dinner, we had been fully fascinated for about 20 minutes with subtle lights by fireflies drifting in the dark. Really sorry for you, it is not technically possible to picture the scene. It is available only when you visit there in real. 

I could never imagine that I was able to see a dream, such many of fireflies in the dark as real-life experience. As you know, Tokyo surroundings where the land is totally developed everywhere, it is rarely found a place which is completely dark without light. The experience was even for Japanese, beyond our expectation. 

Don't miss the chance after you visit Mt. Takao

The restaurant offers different attractions season by season.

Reservation is of course essential for the restaurant.

 

Related link: 

Mt. Takao (高尾山), what to eat there? - Tororo Soba (とろろそば)

Mt. Takao (高尾山), what to eat there? - Japanese traditional sweets at Yukido (有喜堂)

 

Restaurant name:  Ukai Toriyama (うかい鳥山)

Address: 3426 Minamiasakawa, Hachioji-city, Tokyo

Website: http://www.ukai.co.jp/toriyama/

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Accommodation in the area

八王子プラザホテル

京王プラザホテル八王子

八王子スカイホテル