View all newsletters
Latest in Luxury - Sign up to our weekly newsletter
  1. Food & Drink
  2. Finest Dining by Andy Hayler
October 22, 2014updated Dec 20, 2023

Fine Dining in Japan

By Neharika Padala

Nihonryori RyuginIn the run up to the Elite 100 Restaurants 2015, Andy Hayler looks at why Japan performs so well in the world’s leading food guides and what makes it such a superb fine dining destination.

The city with the most Michelin stars in the world is not Paris but Tokyo, and in 2011 Japan overtook France with regards to the number of restaurants granted the ultimate 3 star Michelin accolade. For those who have spent some time eating in Japan this is no mystery: the standard of food in restaurants at all levels, from neighborhood izakaya bars to the finest kaiseki dining, is remarkably high.

There are several reasons for this. Japan is blessed with ingredients of an exceptional standard, which can be seen at a glance at bustling Tsukiji market in Tokyo, which sells 700 different species of fish and employs 14,000 people. The adjacent vegetable market is less well-known but equally impressive, and the quality of the fruit in Japan is simply dazzling. The highly marbled wagyu (literally “Japanese beef”), such as that from Kobe, has spawned imitators all over the world.

Ingredient quality in Japan is not just a climatic accident. There is a deeply rooted food culture that can be seen in behavior of food shoppers. A great many people take an interest in food, insist on high quality and enough of them are prepared to pay for the very best produce. The prices at top restaurants in Kyoto and Tokyo are very high indeed, reflecting demand for the ultimate in food. Many top chefs have understood this for years. “Chef of the 20th century” Joel Robuchon modeled his highly successful Atelier Robuchon restaurants on the bar counter seating layout favored in Japan, with his top restaurant in Tokyo itself having three Michelin stars.

To sample the very best of restaurant dining in Japan, travel to Kyoto to eat the elaborate kaiseki menu at Mizai or Kitcho, or in Tokyo the modern kaiseki of Ryugin and the dazzling tempura at 7chome Kyoboshi, all of which are featured on the Elite Traveler 100 Restaurant list 2014. Try the stunning sushi at Sushi Saito in Tokyo or venture north to Sushizen in Sapporo. At Michel Bras in Toya, perched on the rim of a volcanic crater, you can eat French food that in every way matches that of its iconic sister restaurant in Laguiole in France. For more casual fare sample the okonomiyaki savoury pancakes of Hiroshima and Osaka or the ramen noodle bars dotted across the country, from Fukuoka to Fujisawa. Japan is a rewarding place to visit in many ways, and its food scene is arguably the finest on the planet.

Content from our partners
Indulge in the Summit at Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel
The Ultimate Mountain Retreat in the Heart of Telluride
Celebrate National Mezcal Day with Clase Azul México

Select and enter your email address Be the first to know about the latest in luxury lifestyle. Get the latest news on hotel openings and in-depth travel guides. Get insider access to exclusive promotions and special offers from our luxury partners.
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how Progressive Media Investments may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thank you for subscribing to Elite Traveler.

Websites in our network