OAD's 2023 Highly Recommended Restaurants in Japan — Page 2

Yakiniku Shimizu is an OAD-ranked dinner counter in Nishigotanda, Shinagawa, that has climbed from Highly Recommended in 2023 to #317 in 2024 on the Opinionated About Dining Japan list. It is easier to book than Ginza's headline yakiniku names and better suited to two to four guests who want an attentive, grill-focused evening. Open Tuesday through Sunday from 5 pm; Monday closed.

Kinryuzan is a reservation-only yakiniku room in Shirokane where guests grill their own beef over binchotan on tatami. A Tabelog Bronze winner since 2017, it charges JPY 20,000–29,999 for fixed-course dinners in a smoke-friendly, cash-only setting. Book if you want hands-on charcoal grilling without tableside polish; or pick Ushimatsu for more service.

Yuji is a nine-seat kappo counter in Japantown running a 12-course seasonal menu under chef Takayuki Hagiwara. Recognised by a Michelin Plate in 2025 and consistently listed by Opinionated About Dining, it is one of San Francisco's strongest choices for an intimate special-occasion dinner; but seats are hard to secure and the format suits parties of one or two far better than larger groups.

Imahan in Nihonbashi is Tokyo's most accessible entry point for serious sukiyaki, with OAD recognition three years running and easy booking relative to the city's competitive dining market. The sukiyaki format delivers a genuine flavour progression at the table, the Takashimaya S.C. location keeps logistics simple. A strong choice for a first-timer who wants credibility without the booking difficulty of Tokyo's harder reservations.

A 9-seat teppanyaki counter in Azabujuban with a Tabelog 4.11 score and Bronze Award recognition from 2017 through 2026. Dinner runs JPY 20,000–39,999 per person. More intimate and fish-focused than Ukai-tei; reservations are available and booking is straightforward. The right choice if you want close-proximity counter cooking over a larger theatrical room.

Two Michelin stars and eight consecutive Tabelog Bronze Awards make ZURRIOLA the benchmark for modern Spanish cooking in Tokyo. Chef Seiichi Honda's tasting menu draws structural parallels between Basque and Japanese culinary logic, at a dinner price of ¥40,000–¥59,999 in practice. Book it for a special occasion; secure a table at least 4–6 weeks ahead.

Crony is a restaurant in Higashiazabu, Tokyo.

Makinonci is Kanazawa's most consistently awarded French restaurant, holding Tabelog Bronze every year from 2023 through 2026 and a score of 4.30. A 9-seat counter led by Chef Kouji Makino, with a resident sommelier and a focus on Ishikawa's exceptional seafood, it prices at JPY 20,000 to JPY 39,999 per head. Reservations are easy to secure via Pocket Concierge.

Nikuya Tanaka is Tokyo's most decorated beef kaiseki counter, holding six consecutive Tabelog Silver Awards (2021–2026) with a score of 4.44 and an Opinionated About Dining ranking of #52 in Japan. At JPY 60,000–80,000 per head, the nine-seat Ginza counter delivers a focused wagyu kaiseki progression. Book if singular beef expertise matters more than menu variety.

A consistently OAD-recognised kaiseki counter in Gion, Chihana is one of the more accessible serious kaiseki bookings in Kyoto without sacrificing quality. Chef Katsuyoshi Nagata's counter format rewards diners who want proximity to the kitchen and a personal pace. Ranked #240 in Japan by OAD in 2025, it is a clear yes for a special occasion or a first serious kaiseki meal in the city.

Le Musee IDEA is Sapporo's most decorated French restaurant; a 12-seat, reservation-only counter by Chef Makoto Ishii with Tabelog Bronze Awards in 2024, 2025, 2026, an OAD Japan ranking of #225 in 2025. Dinner runs JPY 40,000–49,999 per head; lunch is JPY 30,000–39,999. A serious wine-and-sake program and a kitchen focused on fish make it the right choice for food-driven visitors to Hokkaido.

A Michelin Plate, OAD Asia-ranked omakase counter on Beach Road run by chef Masaaki Sakashita. Hard to book; reserve at least 4–6 weeks ahead. The right choice for food-focused diners who want a serious counter experience without paying Shoukouwa prices.

Nawaya is a fish-forward kaiseki counter in rural Tango, two-plus hours from Kyoto city, with ten consecutive Tabelog Bronze Awards and a score of 4.27. At JPY 15,000–29,999 per head, it delivers serious ingredient-driven cooking at a lower price than most Kyoto kaiseki equivalents. The remote location demands planning, but for a special-occasion meal with real culinary depth, it makes a compelling case.

Koan is a restaurant on Langeliniekaj in Copenhagen.

Chef Yoshinori Sano's reservation-only kaiseki in Kuwana focuses on regional seafood, anchored by the city's famous clam dishes. Tabelog Bronze Award winner (2026) with private rooms for two to twenty guests. Dinner JPY 10,000–14,999 plus 20% service charge; lottery system for peak-season bookings April–August. Book weeks ahead outside lottery window.

Shohei Shimano is a small, peer-endorsed French restaurant in Tokyo's Hiroo neighbourhood, ranked on Opinionated About Dining's Japan list for three consecutive years. It is easier to book than most of its OAD-ranked peers, suits solo diners and intimate occasions well, rewards returning guests who engage with the kitchen's pace and the wine programme.

A Michelin-starred sushi counter in Tsukiji where chef Keita Aoyama's sourcing philosophy shows up directly in the nigiri; large-formed, generously proportioned, built around the fish rather than the performance. Ranked on Opinionated About Dining's Top Restaurants in Japan for three consecutive years and priced a tier below Tokyo's most famous counters, this is a serious booking for serious sushi visitors.

A dinner-only sushi counter in central Sapporo with three consecutive Opinionated About Dining recognitions, Takuzushi is one of the city's most consistent addresses for serious sushi. Chef Masaya Miyashita's kitchen runs seven nights a week, making it easier to book than most at this level. Worth reserving before you arrive in Hokkaido.

It books more easily than most counters at this recognition level and suits explorers who want to return across lunch and dinner to track how the seasonal progression develops under Chef Takao Ishiyama.

Chez Inno is a restaurant in Kyobashi, Tokyo.

Niku Kappō JŌ applies kappo-style Japanese precision to wagyu omakase, treating beef with the same seasonal care usually reserved for top-tier sushi. Ranked #251 on OAD's Top Restaurants in Japan (2025), this Nishiazabu counter is the right call for serious first-timers to the beef kaiseki format; and easier to book than most Tokyo restaurants at this level.

Yamazaki is a 10-seat kaiseki counter in Nishiazabu with a Tabelog score of 4.46 and Tabelog Silver Awards every year from 2020 to 2026. Dinner runs JPY 60,000–79,999 per head across two seatings Tuesday through Saturday. Book via Instagram and read the cancellation policy carefully; this is a serious commitment at every level.

Ranked #72 on Opinionated About Dining's Top Restaurants in Japan for 2025; a significant jump from #229 the year before; Sushi Obana in Tatebayashi is a serious omakase counter that rewards the detour from Tokyo. Chef Terukuni Obana runs an intimate, focused room that is easier to book than comparable Tokyo counters. Build a trip around it.

Ajiro is a Michelin Plate-recognised shojin-ryori restaurant beside Myoshinji temple in Kyoto's Ukyo Ward, serving vegetarian Buddhist cuisine at a ¥¥ price point. With easy booking and a tasting progression built on ceremonial lacquerware and house specialities like soy-flour udon and fresh soybean curd, it is the clearest entry point to Kyoto's Zen culinary tradition.

Hashiguchi is one of Akasaka's most consistently decorated sushi counters: eight seats, dinner only, a Tabelog Award track record running from 2017 to 2026. At JPY 50,000–59,999 per head, it delivers focused edomae sushi in a phone-free, chef-facing format that suits serious diners over casual groups. Book by phone well in advance.

Tempura Kondo is a restaurant in Ginza, Tokyo.

PRISMA is a ten-seat, two-Michelin-star Italian in Minami-Aoyama run solo by chef Tomofumi Saito. It holds a Tabelog Silver 4.36 for 2026 and has earned Tabelog Bronze every year since 2017. Dinner runs JPY 40,000–49,999 per person before wine; book exactly two months out or you will not get in.

Azabu Kadowaki is a restaurant in Azabujuban, Tokyo.

Gion Nishikawa is a restaurant in Kyoto's Higashiyama Ward.

A kaiseki room in Nishiazabu with three consecutive years of Opinionated About Dining recognition; #164 in Japan in 2024; Goryukubu delivers serious seasonal cooking in a low-ceremony setting. Chef Takeshi Kubo runs a single dinner service six nights a week. Booking is easier than most at this OAD tier, the quiet third-floor room suits both solo diners and couples looking for focused, unhurried kaiseki.

Choyo is the most credible Chinese restaurant in Ginza's competitive fine dining corridor, earning back-to-back Opinionated About Dining recognition in 2023 and 2024 and. Chef Zhao Yang's kitchen operates at a level that competes with Tokyo's top Japanese formats. Book here if you want ambitious Chinese cooking in a city where the cuisine rarely gets this kind of treatment.

Lurra is London's most focused Basque asador at the ££££ tier; built around a charcoal grill, 14-year-old Galician beef, produce that shifts with the seasons. Michelin Plate recognition in both 2024 and 2025 backs up the price. Book three to four weeks ahead for dinner; the table is genuinely hard to get, worth the effort if fire-cooked meat and whole grilled fish are what you are after.

Appia is a dinner-only Italian restaurant in Minamiazabu, Tokyo, with three consecutive years of Opinionated About Dining recognition and. Open nightly from 5 pm to midnight, it suits a special occasion dinner or an unhurried evening meal. Booking is currently easy, making it one of the more accessible award-tracked Italian options in the city.

Book Kabi for a serious, fermentation-led Tokyo dinner where the appeal is technique, acidity, Japanese tradition filtered through an innovative lens. It is a better fit for couples or small special-occasion tables than broad group dining, with a ¥¥¥ price tier and credible recognition including a 2024 Michelin star and 2026 OAD Recommended placement.

Fukamachi is Kyobashi's most consistent tempura counter; ten straight years of Tabelog award recognition, Edomae technique honed across five decades, a 14-seat room that keeps the focus on the frying. Lunch courses (JPY 10,000–14,999) offer the strongest value; dinner (JPY 20,000–29,999+) suits a special occasion. Book two to four weeks ahead by phone or Auto Reserve.

Kyoboshi is an eight-seat tempura counter in Gion with Tabelog Bronze recognition every year from 2017 to 2026 and three appearances on the Tabelog Tempura Top 100. Dinner runs JPY 15,000–19,999 per head. Reservation-only by phone, evenings only, with a strict cancellation policy; book four to six weeks out and confirm only when your dates are fixed.

Shokudou Ogawa delivers counter-seat kaiseki at JPY 10,000–14,999 per head; roughly a third of what Kyoto's top-tier kaiseki houses charge; with a Tabelog Silver award and Top 100 recognition backing the quality claim. The 12-seat counter is almost always fully booked, reservations currently require an in-person visit. Cash only, no phone bookings, closed Mondays.

Ristorante Aso is a tasting-menu Italian restaurant in Shibuya, Tokyo, ranked on the Opinionated About Dining Top Restaurants in Japan list every year from 2023 to 2025. Booking is Easy and one to two weeks ahead is typically sufficient. The right choice for a focused, course-driven Italian dinner in a calm Shibuya setting.

A Michelin Plate collaboration between Den and Florilège, DEN KUSHI FLORI serves Japanese-Western fusion in Tokyo's Aoyama at the ¥¥¥ tier. The kitchen never repeats a dish, OAD has ranked it in Japan's top 130 for two consecutive years, booking is easier than most addresses at this level. Go for experimental food with genuine credentials.

Umi in Minami-Aoyama is a credentialed Tokyo sushi counter with OAD Top Restaurants recognition in 2023, 2024, 2025, plus a Tabelog Bronze Award (score 3.89). It offers lunch and dinner daily, books more easily than Ginza's trophy counters, suits serious sushi eaters who want quality without a six-month wait. Book by phone or Tabelog; smart casual dress expected.

A weekday-only sushi lunch counter in Nihonbashi with Opinionated About Dining recognition; ranked #393 in Japan in 2025 and holding. Best suited to solo diners or pairs who can fit a Monday-to-Friday, 11am–2pm window into their Tokyo itinerary. Easier to book than the top omakase circuit, a credible option for food-focused travellers who want tracked quality without the evening price pressure.

Ginza Kojyu is a restaurant in Ginza, Tokyo.

A recognised steak restaurant on the seventh floor of a Ginza building, Idea Ginza holds OAD Top Restaurants in Japan status for three consecutive years (2023–2025) and keeps its kitchen open until 11 pm; rare for this part of Tokyo. It is a credible pick for a late dinner or special occasion meal. Book with ease; confirm pricing directly before you go.

Chef Hideto Tashiro's eight-seat counter in Nishiazabu delivers fermentation-focused kaiseki with wood-fired techniques. At JPY 60,000–79,999, it competes directly with established Tokyo kaiseki; Tabelog Bronze 2025/2026 and OAD recognition validate the price. Book for seasonal rotation and sake-pairing depth; skip if you want lighter, cleaner format or lower spend.

Koryu holds two Michelin stars and an 86-point La Liste score, making it one of Osaka's strongest cases for Naniwa kappo; the city's own tradition of ingredient-driven counter cooking. Chef Shintaro Matsuo's riverbank restaurant is a near-impossible booking, closed Sundays with no weekday lunch. Plan two to three months ahead, go through a concierge if you can't read Japanese.

Innovative Italian in Kyoto's western Ukyo Ward, run by chef Takayoshi Shiozawa. Ranked by Opinionated About Dining three years running and easy to book by Kyoto standards, Cainoya is the right choice if you want Italian technique applied through a Japanese ingredient lens; not another kaiseki room. Worth a return visit as the menu shifts across seasons.

Jumbo Yakiniku Shirokane is a Pearl Recommended yakiniku restaurant in Minato City's Shirokane neighbourhood, ranked #245 on Opinionated About Dining's Japan list for 2025; up from #204 in 2024. Reservations are easy to secure, the format rewards groups and returning guests, the consistent OAD trajectory makes it one of Tokyo's more reliable bookings in the category.

Tatsumi is a chef-led Italian restaurant in Tokyo's Kamimeguro neighbourhood, recognised by Opinionated About Dining's Top Restaurants in Japan list for three consecutive years (2023–2025). It's the right call for food-focused travellers who want credible Italian cooking in a neighbourhood setting, with easy bookings and a consistent kitchen record.

Six-seat omakase counter in residential Kitakyushu, earning Tabelog Silver 2026 and scoring 4.47 for seasonal fish-focused Japanese cuisine. Chef Kenichi Matsuyama's ichigo ichie approach delivers technically accomplished courses at JPY 30,000–39,999, with OMAKASE-only reservations and a house-restaurant setting five minutes from JR Kurosaki Station.

Gion Sasaki is a restaurant in Kyoto's Higashiyama Ward.

A dinner-only steak specialist in Nihonbashi, Shima has earned Opinionated About Dining recognition three consecutive years (peaking at #176 in Japan in 2024) and. Booking is straightforward by Tokyo's high-end standards. Best for a quiet special-occasion dinner with a clear focus on chef-driven beef cookery.

Tout La Joie is a reservation-only French-innovative restaurant in Nagoya's Naka Ward with four consecutive Tabelog Bronze awards (2023–2026), a score of 4.37, a place on the Tabelog Innovative Top 100 for 2025. Budget JPY 30,000 to JPY 39,999 per person. Payment by QR code only; confirm before you arrive.

SHÓKUDŌ YArn is a 14-seat innovative restaurant in Komatsu, Ishikawa, with continuous Tabelog Award recognition from 2017 through 2026 and a spot in Japan's Opinionated About Dining top 225. Dinner runs JPY 20,000–29,999; lunch from JPY 15,000. Reservation-only, no solo bookings as a rule. If you are travelling to the Hokuriku region, this is the meal worth building your itinerary around.

A Tabelog Bronze Award-winning tempura counter in Taito City, Makino earns OAD Highly Recommended status. It is one of Tokyo's most accessible credentialed tempura options; dinner-only, easy to book, worth multiple visits to track how the seasonal menu develops under chef Toshiyuki Suzuki.

Haruka Katayanagi's kaiseki-trained omakase applies traditional Japanese technique; nigiri, char-grilled, shabu-shabu; to wagyu beef across a ¥33,000–¥38,000 course menu. The 20-seat Ginza room (counter and private) enforces a no-perfume policy to protect the beef's aroma. Book well ahead; the one-star Michelin and Tabelog Bronze recognition (2024–2026) signal precision, though the format is too beef-centric for diners who prize variety.

Fujiya 1935 holds two Michelin stars and eight consecutive years of Tabelog recognition in Osaka, making it a serious option for any considered Japan food itinerary. Chef Tetsuya Fujiwara runs an innovative, Spanish-influenced tasting menu across just ten seats. Lunch at ¥15,000–¥19,999 is the sharper value play; dinner averages closer to ¥50,000 with wine. Booking is extremely difficult; plan well ahead.

Restaurant Ararat is a French kitchen in Toranomon, Tokyo, led by chef Genta Matsumoto and ranked on the Opinionated About Dining Japan list in 2023, 2024, 2025. Booking is relatively accessible compared to Tokyo's most competitive French tables. A smart choice for food-focused visitors who want OAD-credentialed French dining without the months-ahead reservation scramble.

2-star Ginza sushi counter with an 8-seat format and strict concierge-only booking for foreign guests. Lunch (JPY 30,000-39,999) offers better value than dinner (JPY 60,000-79,999) for Shinji Kanesaka's technically precise edomae execution. Multiple Tabelog Bronze awards and tight availability make this a high-commitment reservation worth securing weeks ahead if you have hotel concierge access.

Sushi Imamura in Tokyo's Shirokane neighbourhood is an OAD-recognised counter run by Chef Kentarou Imamura, ranked among Japan's top restaurants in both 2024 and 2025. Booking is relatively accessible by Tokyo standards; plan one to two weeks ahead. The Sunday lunch sitting is the smartest entry point for a first visit, with evening sessions Thursday through Saturday for a return.

A focused sushi counter in Meguro City run by chef Ikuya Kobayashi, 3110 has earned three consecutive years of Opinionated About Dining recognition in Japan; reaching the top 300 in 2024. Booking is straightforward compared to Ginza's most-discussed counters, the residential Aobadai address keeps the room quiet and serious. A strong choice for food-focused travellers who want OAD-level quality without the advance planning.

Sublime on Rue Bannelier brings an unusual axis to Dijon's modern cuisine scene: a Japanese chef working in the Burgundy capital, recognised with a Michelin Plate in both 2024 and 2025 and climbing the Opinionated About Dining rankings for three consecutive years. At the €€ price tier, it occupies a different bracket from most of the city's award-recognised contemporary tables, making it one of the more accessible entry points into Dijon's evolving restaurant circuit.

Wasa is an eight-seat omakase restaurant in Ebisu that has earned consecutive Tabelog Silver Awards since 2024, with a score of 4.36. Dinner runs JPY 60,000–79,999 plus 10% service. Book via the OMAKASE platform four to six weeks out; the format is fixed omakase only, with no à la carte or walk-in option. Worth it if ingredient-focused modern Chinese at this commitment level is genuinely your target.

Unis is an 8-seat French counter in Toranomon Hills run by chef Riku Yakushijin, with consecutive Tabelog Bronze Awards (2025–2026) and a score of 4.19. At JPY 50,000–59,999 per head, it delivers a focused chef's table experience built around seasonal Japanese fish and produce. Book online 3–4 weeks ahead; no phone reservations accepted.

FARO sits on the 10th floor of the Shiseido Ginza building and ranks on Opinionated About Dining's Top Restaurants in Japan list three years running. The kitchen runs Italian technique through Japanese farm-sourced produce, with a dedicated vegan menu that earned We're Smart Green Guide recognition. At ¥¥¥ with easy booking, it delivers serious credentials at a price tier below most of Tokyo's top rooms.

A nine-seat counter kaiseki in Gion serving fish-forward seasonal courses for ¥20,000–29,999. Hirokazu Sakagawa has held Tabelog Bronze since 2019; the format is intimate, the execution precise, the booking window opens roughly three weeks out. Private rooms available for groups up to eight.

Ankyu is a reliable choice for a serious kaiseki dinner in Kyoto's Higashiyama Ward. Chef Hiromi Ueda's kitchen ranked #171 on the 2025 OAD Japan list; up two years running; and holds a Tabelog Bronze Award. Evening-only sittings, easy booking by Kyoto standards, an atmosphere suited to special occasions make it one of the more accessible high-quality kaiseki options in the city.

A Tabelog Silver Award sushi counter in Tatebayashi, Gunma; roughly 50 minutes from central Tokyo; Obana prices its full course at JPY 35,000–43,000, well below comparable Ginza counters. With just 8 seats, a serious sake list, BYO permitted at JPY 3,300 corkage, it rewards food-focused travellers willing to make the journey.

Sushi Tokami is a Ginza basement counter with back-to-back Opinionated About Dining recognition in 2023 and 2024, run by Chef Shota Oda in omakase format. Easier to book than most counters at this level, it suits food-focused travellers who want a quiet, deliberate sushi meal in central Tokyo without the extreme lead times of the city's hardest tables.

An Opinionated About Dining-ranked teppanyaki counter in Ginza's Jiji Press Building, Ukai-tei Ginza is worth booking for a special occasion dinner or a well-priced weekday lunch. Three consecutive OAD citations and confirm its consistency. Booking is Easy; two to three weeks out is enough for most dinner slots.

Taheizushi in Kaga, Ishikawa is a regionally credible sushi counter recognised by Opinionated About Dining in both 2023 and 2024, ranking #234 among Japan's top restaurants. Chef Koji Mukano runs a kitchen that rewards diners who prioritise craft over spectacle. A solid choice for a special occasion in Ishikawa, particularly if you are already based in or around the Kaga onsen area.

Mutsukari is a vegetable-forward kaiseki room in Ginza where Chef Yoshihisa Akiyama's shojin-ryori background drives the menu. At ¥¥¥, it sits a tier below the most expensive Ginza rooms while delivering an OAD top-400-ranked experience. Best for returning kaiseki diners who want a kitchen with a genuine point of view rather than a formal procession.

Kanda is a restaurant at Toranomon Hills Residential Tower in Tokyo.

Gyuho is Osaka's most focused beef kaiseki option, ranked in the OAD Japan Top 150 in both 2024 and 2025. Chef Matsutaro Naka runs a dinner-only format in Kitashinchi that suits food-focused diners willing to surrender the evening's pace to the kitchen. Book if the format fits; this is not a steakhouse, that distinction matters.

Signature at the Mandarin Oriental delivers classical French cooking with a modern, lighter touch at the ¥¥¥ price tier; one step below Tokyo's most expensive French restaurants and meaningfully easier to book. Holding a Michelin Plate (2025) and three consecutive Opinionated About Dining Japan rankings, it's the practical first choice for serious French dining in Nihonbashi, with a blue-toned dining room and genuine views over the city.

Imoto is Fukuoka's most consistently decorated kaiseki counter, holding the Tabelog Bronze Award every year from 2019 to 2026 and earning three separate Top 100 selections. At JPY 40,000 per person for a fixed course; lunch or dinner; across 10 counter seats in Yakuin, it is the default recommendation for serious kaiseki in the city. Book via Pocket Concierge or OMAKASE; note the 100% same-day cancellation fee.

Kikunoi - Tokyo is a restaurant in Akasaka, Tokyo.

A Ginza omakase counter that earned Tabelog Bronze and a place on the Tokyo Sushi 100 list within its first year of operation. Ten seats, lunch from JPY 20,000 and dinner from JPY 50,000, with booking rated Easy relative to the neighbourhood's more established names. The strongest case for Sushi Suzuki is the lunch sitting: Ginza-calibre sushi at a third of the dinner price.

Chef Hideaki Kawashima's innovative tasting menu restaurant in Chuo City climbed from OAD Highly Recommended to #119 in Japan in two years; a trajectory worth taking seriously. Easier to book than most Tokyo peers at this level, with a calm, conversation-friendly room in Shintomi that rewards diners who made a deliberate choice to be there. A stronger case for a return visit than a first discovery.

Sincère has held a Tabelog Bronze Award every year since 2017 and earned three Tabelog French TOKYO Top 100 selections, making it one of Tokyo's most consistent French kitchens. Chef Shinsuke Ishii's dinner menu runs JPY 20,000–29,999 per head across just 18 seats in Sendagaya. Book for a special occasion or take the full room privately for up to 20 guests.

A La Liste-recognised edomae sushi counter in Ginza. Kyubey offers serious omakase sushi at one of Tokyo's most accessible top-tier counters; no impossible booking window required. The right choice for a first omakase experience, a special occasion dinner, or a business meal where the room and the craft both need to deliver.

Yukimoto is the strongest reason to route a Nagano itinerary through Iida. Chef Takayuki Hagiwara's kaiseki restaurant holds a Tabelog score of 4.61, three consecutive Gold Awards, ranks #46 in Opinionated About Dining's Japan list for 2025. With 20 seats across four private rooms, it's a serious, seasonally-driven meal at JPY 30,000–39,999 per person; worth building a trip around.

Usukifugu Yamadaya earns seven consecutive Tabelog Bronze Awards and an OAD top-300 Japan ranking by bringing Usuki-sourced torafugu to Nishiazabu with a level of provenance and consistency that no generic Tokyo fugu restaurant matches. Dinner runs JPY 10,000–19,999; lunch is the sharper value entry at JPY 6,000–7,999. Book it for a special occasion or business dinner.