Reporting back from about 13 days in Japan, including one of the best food weeks I’ve had! Got to take my dining companion around to some of my predictable favorites and try a few new spots. 10 pics max for each as this will already be a long post. Thanks for reading.
- Tempura: Niitome
- Sushi: Sushi Sanshin, Sushi Namba Hibiya, Kurosaki, Sushi Oga, Tenzushi Kyomachi, Funakoshi, Jinsei, Sushi Murayama, Sukiyabashi Jiro Honten
- Beef: Nikuya Tanaka Ginza
- Noodles: Next Shikau, Tai Shio Soba Touka, Kamo to Negi, Ramen Muginae at Coredo Muromachi, Namba Sennichimae Kamatake
- Italian: Tremolare, Tens.
- Pizza: La Tripletta, Savoy
- Burger: Adelbaran
- Western: Ponta Honke
- Kakigori: Kuriya Kurogi
- Izakaya: Sake to Meshi Komemaru, various others in Tokyo
Tempura:
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Niitome (Tokyo). No pictures allowed, and I didn’t take notes at the bar, so just going off memory. Kind of a ban on Tabelog reviews as well since their move to Azabudai Hills in Tokyo from Nagoya (where it was once #1 restaurant across Tabelog). So I won’t go into every dish, but we had roughly 6 otsumami or so, all excellent, though ingredients wise not quite my personal favorites that I had last time. The Pacojet ankimo was pretty incredible.
Then a lot of tempura, each with an impossibly uniform and light batter that adheres just right, encasing each ingredient and cooking it to a perfect doneness. Aoriika - medium rare in the center, but this time kind of like a millefeuille instead of a thick piece. Soramame - fragrant, and a ridiculous texture between crushed and melting. Tennen hotategai - two ways, with different “grain” - the best meaty slightly dense seafood. Garlic scapes were knockout in fragrance, then takenoko (the sweet kind not the big kind), kaki (juicy, medium center), then some superlatives - kabu, shiitake, and anago all the best versions of tempura I’ve had. The signature of sorts dessert satsumaimo cooked and rested many times throughout the meal was great against the ice cream. There were more dishes but I’m not doing a complete rundown. When it came to some ingredients like garlic scapes, I’m not sure what would be a better way of cooking them to seal in the juices than tempura.
A meal here is astounding, even if it is at least 2-3x the price than that of other good tempura restaurants. I won’t get into the idea of value…it’s an expensive meal but a great one. FWIW the sake was actually really well priced this time. 2nd visit.
Sushi:
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Sushi Sanshin (Osaka). One of my very favorite sushiyas, and well worth the morning shinkansen journey to Osaka. I’ve already written about this one previously for their setup. Ishibuchi-san had just won Tabelog Gold rating (hovering around the 4.60 score) but he’s been operating at a super high level for quite some time now (and #1 in Kansai region). My first visit in 2023 was very intriguing and I was shocked how good he could do in summer, especially with otusmami that was dialed in just right for a fresh impression. He’s always innovating and experimenting, and there are some nice surprises. About 6 otsumami and then ~23 nigiri and other servings (including extras) before dessert taken next door (I chose ichigo daifuku with amazake).
For otsumami, a cold-smoked and quickly seared kinmedai was perfect with fine horseradish and a little bit of olive oil. Fine sear, a touch of smoke, and plump proportions. Very finessed with mild piquancy of the horseradish matching the slight char (like how he did in summer with isaki with vinegared onions). Aka namako with a nice crunch, but paired with creamy, vinegary sauce of konoko (its dried ovaries) and chives. Jukusei vegetables - snow aged for 2 years - were naturally sweet. The nigiri progression was so well thought-out. This 6-item sequence flowed impressively: chiaigishi toro with salt, starting with a nice contrast to warm rice, then plump kohada as a palette reset. Then nihama with its caramelly niitsume for sweetness to round out the previous kohada (and shout out to how well it was trimmed and with a slightly rare center). Cold hojicha as a palette cleanser. Then ankimo with a very well-toasted rice cracker for sweet richness and a bit of earthiness. Then torafugu shirako, done yakibidashi (grilled, then rested in dashi), for a creamy, expansive, smooth umami burst that held surprisingly well as nigiri and wasn’t super hot (thanks to its resting, which i think also firmed it up a little bit). The sake was paired very, very smartly but this post will be too long. The sommelier is certified in sake, wine, and sherry (try the sherry next time).
Sanshin rice with a great shape - not rustic, not dainty. Excellent feel, held together well though it sinks when served. Excellent control of moisture and temperature. Medium-sized grains with good tsubudachi, notable vinegar persence but not sharp. Gentle sweetness, good umami, smooth grains, and with medium pressure the shari breaks apart nicely in the mouth. Well proportioned.
Also, this place displays genuine hospitality, from the timing and coordination to the handwritten seasonal note, cheerful staff, and various options (like 20 available extras and 3 dessert options). Ishibuchi-san is a genuinely skilled artisan and it’s great to see him get all the recognition and his flowers (literally, there were many celebratory bouquets from other chefs). 4th visit.
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Sushi Namba Hibiya (Tokyo). Still doing great. He just released a book and oversaw the opening of a casual offshoot as well. I always go back and forth on whether I prefer the nigiri or otsumami. A couple of updates to the otusmami - tako was sliced thinly this time and was much preferable, with a juicy, rare center. The ebi was better proportioned with accoutrements (I previously thought its shell-innards compote was a bit strong) and this time it was the phantom budoebi (“grape shrimp”), perhaps a bit slicker and less sticky than previous botanebi. Karasumi was the best I’ve had - simply perfect. And his maguro tossaki temaki with takama and unagi with bitter greens are masterfully proportioned with great texture.
Highlight nigiri of the trip might’ve been his iwashi. His tuna is also excellent, jabara was particularly memorable with the warm akashari. 5th visit.
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Kurosaki (Tokyo). The main counter is one of my favorite places in Tokyo. There are lots of dishes I’ve come to love at Kurosaki with predictable repetition - from his chawanmushi (some variation of shrimp or crab), aka namako with insane texture (somewhere between mushroom, jellyfish, and abalone), shabu shabu (recently kinmedai), magurozuke flight with warmed sake, warm kanpyo temaki, etc. But the opening serving of shirako and kai soup (asari, hamaguri, shijimi, with sake, and no salt) was one of those stop you in your tracks kind of dishes.
Kurumaebi, medium-rare, with a bouncy texture is a great combo to bring a complementary sweetness to the sour palette cleansing kohada right before. It was also a great lead in to Echizen crab chawanmushi, with its plump texture. The kurumaebi prep is also a great example of how well considered the servings are - the shucking is super clean (the shells were arranged in a row almost like an effigy?) with the board cleanly organized with the veins on one corner. They also shuck the shrimp on the opposite side of the counter being served, and switched sides as Kurosaki-san made his way around the counter.
about 25 servings, including 5 extras. Akagai, with its himo tucked underneath, very high quality. Kawahagi zuke with rice dipped in chives, its liver packed underneath, very well proportioned. Steamed nodoguro with salt and chive paste. Anago, then a fat himokyu maki before the ending bruleed tamagoyaki. 8th visit, at main counter.
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Sushi Oga (Osaka). Loved this meal and I’ll be back for sure. Beautiful setting, luxurious with some teahouse architecture elements, maybe a bit reminiscent of Kojimachi Nihee. A focus on great tuna from Yamayuki, but there are great settings in this luxurious edomae meal by a young chef who’s shop is calm, well-run, sophisticated, and refined.
6 otsumami, including a nabe of whale and its tongue with Japanse parsley! Tako was from Akashi, excellent texture medium rare with a dense bounciness. Top end fish - shiroamadai, Akashi tako, buri, kue, etc. About 10 nigiri, a negitoro temaki, an excellent futomaki, and a very nice souffle style atsuyaki tamago. The tuna is great indeed, starting off with akamizuke, then chuturo senaka later compared to chutoro belly and otoro belly. I also loved the sawara, with a nice amount of drape and fat. I would’ve loved a few more clams or hikariono.
Controlled, rhythmic tategaiishi with consistent movements resulting in consistent shapes. Rice felt like smaller grains, nice mix of akazu and komezu with good umami then moderate sappuri refreshing sourness at end. A touch tighter than airier (but not tight), adhering well, maintaining good shape easy to hold. Medium sized nigiri. Good temperature control - neta comes ala minute 2 at a time, and rice is refreshed after each piece. I can see the Arai influence. 1st visit.
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Tenzushi Kyomachi (Kokura). Came to Fukuoka/Kokura from Tokyo for this. Worth a journey to visit the living legend of Kyushumae. Chef Amano-san’s father invented the style in a street cart 87 years ago, and Amano-san today is pretty much synonymous with this Kyushu-mae “additive” style, which is very different than Edomae which is “subtraction” sushi. Not sure what to expect other than he’s been very highly rated for quite some time - I don’t track the awards too closely but I believe he was top 5 sushiya in Japan for quite a while.
Lots of toppings and ingredients on top the neta, or underneath. Naturally with these kinds of items, it’s made by tategaishi. The shari is small in shape and not so distinct - the focus is more on the neta combinations. Onto the great items - maguro zuke’d in maguro dashi was my favorite, incredible flavor. The famous aka ika with uni, kinome, tobiko, kabosu juice, and nishiki goma (rainbow colored) was very interesting - with layers and waves of flavor, unlike any sushi I’ve had before. The saba with pickled myoga and chives was delicious. Tai with its liver, yuzukosho and wasabi, chives, etc. etc. 7 ingredients was actually quite balanced despite it looking like a lot of citrus juice or chives were added. The nikiri sauce is light. If you come looking for very characteristic rice, particular shape, etc. in an Edomae style of preparations, this may throw you off course. I’ve seen most say it’s super delicious but some say it wasn’t really their speed. I think it’s about expectations, but there are some really interesting and delicious servings. No alcohol served. Amano-san is a super nice guy. 1st visit.
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Funakoshi (Fukuoka). This young chef from Kataori and Kikuzushi opened at a beautifully restored home a little bit over a year ago, and he’s off to a great start. When you take off your shoes and enter the dining room with its large ginko wood counter, you feel at ease, and the first half of the meal feels like kappo / kaiseki with gentle and precise flavors. Starting with an elegant seridofu (Japanse parsley “tofu”) with mild herbal bitterness and a pure sesame flavor with a nicely judged amount of kudzu starch to just keep it wobbly. A course of spinach with fresh roasted sesame and soramame and kuromame with sansho berries was very precise with clear but soft and essential tastes. Even the grilled fish, tachiuo in this case, was treated very gently. Aka namako with konoko, a single mitsuba stem, some dashi gelee and mikan zest opened the palette gently. The otsumami here are like elegant kaiseki courses, showing a bit of sophisticated restraint and focus on essence. Katsuobushi has been shaved at the counter but I think not this time (or I may have missed it). But tea is roasted at the counter, which gives a great fragrance.
Even the sake was paired well - straight, clean, transparent, unobtrusive. A really nice bottle by Shiraito (the maker of the very popular Tanaka 65), the pre-release of an opening ceremony bottle at the brewery. I think this is possible because the chef comes from Kikuzushi, and Kikuzushi is one of the Shiraito brewer’s favorites.
Then 11 nigiri plus tamago. The nigiri actually was quite Edomae in style, though the fish were basically all from Fukuoka or other parts of Kyushu. Lots of zuke and definitely akazu seasoning on the shari. Actually the first whole plate of neta came out was zuke. We really liked the houbou zuke, kohada (excellent moisture contorl, well proportioned mix of plump meat and elegant marinade, good match with the akazu fragrance), maguro, and tamagoyaki. Actually the tamagoyaki was one of the best of the trip - great balance, not too moist and not too dry, not too cakey, not too seafood flavor. Medium larger grain, medium warm shari, excellent tsubudachi, good akazu fragrance, umami not punchy even though the salt presence is there. We really liked the rice’s texture and definition. Kotegaishi, deliberate and controlled movements. We found the nigiri to be quite consistent and timing was good. Service is excellent - the feeling is serene and calm but welcoming. The chef is off to a strong start and shows sophistication and skill that bely his young appearance. This was a strong and interesting meal with delightful service. 1st visit.
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Jinsei (Osaka). A highly rated small sushiya right off a busy street in Kitashinchi, Osaka. It’s 6 seats and feels like a small hangout of local guys around an old school styled counter, cash only. 6 otsumami fairly simple, starting with a pile of long, thin slices of toro with chunks of daikon. Then 12 pieces of nigiri, plus torotaku and kanpyo maki, then kasutera tamago.
Shari is Osaka style. A bit sweeter with a little sourness up front, less umami noticable at the back end, maybe a touch gentle to me. Texture is moderately firm. The neta is nice, the shari not quite my preferred style. Packing is tall with a squeeze/drape at the top. Medium to medium plus size shape, and the nigiri feels wrapped. It’s #5 Tabelog in Osaka right now. 1st visit.
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Sushi Murayama (Tokyo). For their excellent lunch value you can book on a whim. I had planned to visit some historical sushiya myself, but instead last minute decided to host two for an early lunch that’s centrally located (right in Ginza shopping area) - Murayama came into mind for a next day visit. For about $85 you get a full meal in an hour - an appetizer (cod shirako chawanmushi with mitsuba stems and yuzu), then 10 nigiri, and maguro hosomaki - 3 pieces tekka, 3 pieces negitoro, and soup. Definitely punches beyond its price.
I really liked the sawara, aji, saba ozushi with kanpyo and myoga, and anago was quite good.
The apprentice is actually quite skilled. Thankfully he’s still running the lunch counter (I thought he might leave at the end of 2025) and he’s one to watch. Nigiri were very consistent and his kotegaishi movements are controlled. Really easy to hold in the hand, with a really nice shape, proportions, and feel. Some light pressure, a touch airy, but never falling apart. The rice is pretty good - small grains, akazu tint, seasoning pretty good though I can see some nitpicking vs. that of more expensive shops, but I can’t really complain for the price. The ceramic wares are stylish and service is good. Chef’s timing is good and you don’t feel rushed even though lunch slot is only for 1 hour. Continues to be a great lunch value indeed. 2nd visit.
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Sukiyabashi Jiro Honten (Tokyo). This is an institution that doesn’t need an introduction. Now the price is 88,000 jpy, which is quite high, and really you can only book through hotel concierge but there may be a little twist to getting in, I think. Some high end hotels kind of discourage it but we wanted to go for the experience anyway, since we had been eating at many newer style sushiyas. Jiro-san was not there, but we were served by his son Yoshikazu. As others have noted, the bar would be ideal for left-handed Jiro, but Yoshikazu is right-handed.
The rice is quite good with some air, not loose, not tight. Warm, with noticable sour and salt, but not overpowering. Grains were pearly, a bit larger and rounder, good individuality. The nigiri is moist, lots of strong niitsume and a heavy nikiri. The neta gently rests atop, even times a bit flat, and it’s not so draped. To be honest, the neta is pretty good quality, but not the top produce. The maguro from Fujita I think was noticably better at Sano Sushi. The anago was ok, probably the least good specimen of the trip. None of the neta really stood out but I did like the kurumaebi (cut in half). The shari is the focal point, and its marriage with neta was variable, but maybe that reminds me a bit of some old school shops. Gunkanmaki is slighty different with a little angled small strip of nori (a little bit of rice showing underneath each time). The toasted nori is indeed good. Their warayaki bonito - Jiro’s invention - was very smoky and quite cold. The quite moist neta with noticably strong nikiri are maybe stylistic choices. One should go to Yoshino, Kizushi, Miyako, Misuji, Matsunami, Futaba, etc. for some additional context. This place is about history, expectations, and experience, and you can’t really treat it like others…though purely on the meal, I prefer others even disregarding the price. Nonetheless, glad to visit. 2nd visit.
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Takotake (Osaka). A historic hakozushi take out shop. Many people seemed to reserve in advance for takeout or actually they do have 2 tables to eat there. Lots of options - boxed sushi options from tai, anago, saba, aji. I got a mix with futomaki. If you want to try Osaka style sushi and are on the go, this is one of the historic shops.
