Restaurant in Hiroshima, Japan
Seven straight Tabelog Bronzes. Book it.
Nakashima is Hiroshima's most consistently recognised kaiseki restaurant, holding a Tabelog Bronze Award for seven consecutive years (2020–2026) and a Tabelog score of 4.26. Dinner-only, reservation-only, and just 14 seats: budget JPY 20,000–29,999 per head with drinks and the 5% service charge. The fish-focused seasonal menu draws on Seto Inland Sea produce — book the counter for two and go with the season.
If you are planning a serious dinner in Hiroshima, Nakashima is the clearest answer in the city. Chef Tetsuo Nakashima has held a Tabelog Bronze Award every year from 2020 through 2026 — seven consecutive years , and the restaurant has been selected for the Tabelog Japanese Cuisine WEST Top 100 in 2021, 2023, and 2025. That is not luck; it is a track record. The Tabelog score sits at 4.26, and review-based spending data puts actual per-head costs at JPY 20,000–29,999, modestly above the listed range of JPY 15,000–19,999 once drinks and the 5% service charge are factored in. Budget for the higher figure and you will not be caught short.
Dinner-only, reservation-only, 14 seats. Nakashima is not difficult to book by the standards of Tokyo's most competitive kaiseki rooms , it sits in Hiroshima, not Ginza , but the small counter means seats disappear. Book as early as you can, confirm by phone at +81-82-225-3977, and note that the restaurant is closed Sundays and public holidays, including during long holiday periods. Service starts at 18:30; do not arrive expecting a late walk-in option.
Nakashima operates as a seasonal kaiseki restaurant , the name Kisetsu Ryori translates directly as "seasonal cuisine" , which means the menu rotates with what is available from the market. The kitchen has a stated focus on fish, a logical emphasis given Hiroshima's access to the Seto Inland Sea and its surrounding waters. Kaiseki at this level is structured: expect a progression of small courses built around what the season offers at its peak, not a fixed menu you can preview in advance. If you are a food-focused traveller who has eaten kaiseki at Gion Sasaki in Kyoto or Ifuki in Kyoto, Nakashima offers a regional perspective on the same tradition , grounded in what the waters and markets around Hiroshima actually produce rather than following a Kyoto template.
The room is compact: 8 counter seats and a single table for 4–6 guests, in a space described as stylish and relaxing. Private rooms were removed in a 2015 renovation and are not available. For couples or pairs, the counter is the seat you want , direct sightlines into the kitchen and a proximity to the cooking that makes the meal more coherent. Groups of 4–6 should request the table, though note that private use of the venue is not available. Drink options run to sake, shochu, and wine; credit cards are accepted (VISA, JCB, AMEX, Diners). Children below middle school age are not accommodated.
There is no dress code requirement listed, which is consistent with many Japanese kaiseki restaurants where the experience takes precedence over ceremony. That said, at JPY 20,000+ per head with a 5% service charge, smart-casual is the practical default , you will be more comfortable and the room will feel better for it.
The restaurant opened in November 2006 and has maintained consistent recognition across nearly two decades. For a kaiseki experience in western Japan outside Kyoto and Osaka, Nakashima's award consistency puts it alongside rooms like Goh in Fukuoka as a regional anchor worth travelling for. If you are already in Hiroshima and have one serious dinner to spend, this is where to spend it.
For a broader view of where to eat in the city, see our full Hiroshima restaurants guide. If you are building a longer trip, our Hiroshima hotels guide covers where to stay, and our Hiroshima bars guide has options for before or after dinner. For context on what else the region offers, see wineries and experiences.
If kaiseki is your focus and you are travelling wider in Japan, compare Nakashima against Kikunoi in Tokyo, Gion Sasaki in Kyoto, and Ifuki in Kyoto. For other strong regional Japanese dining outside the major cities, Goh in Fukuoka, akordu in Nara, and HAJIME in Osaka offer useful points of comparison. Harutaka in Tokyo and 1000 in Yokohama round out the picture for serious diners planning a Japan itinerary.
Nakashima is the default answer for a serious dinner in Hiroshima. The seven-year consecutive Tabelog Bronze run is the clearest signal available that this is not a flash-in-the-pan room. At JPY 20,000–29,999 all-in, it is not cheap , but it sits below what equivalent seasonal kaiseki costs in Kyoto or Tokyo, and the fish-forward menu draws on ingredients that are genuinely local to this part of Japan. Book the counter if there are two of you. Confirm hours before you go, and leave Sundays and public holidays for something else. Among nearby alternatives, Chiso Sottakuito, Eizan, and NAKADO are worth knowing, but none carry the same award depth. If you want one dinner that represents what Hiroshima's dining scene can do, this is it.
| Venue | Price | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nakashima | Easy | — | |
| Tenko Honten | Unknown | — | |
| Chiso Sottakuito | Unknown | — | |
| Eizan | Unknown | — | |
| MASUKI | JPY 20,000 - JPY 29,999 | Unknown | — |
| NAKADO | Unknown | — |
Key differences to consider before you reserve.
Nakashima serves dinner only — there is no lunch service. The kitchen opens at 18:30 Monday through Saturday, so dinner is your only option. Plan to arrive on time, as kaiseki meals are paced and timed from the start.
Book as early as possible — Nakashima is reservation-only with just 14 seats, and a seven-year consecutive Tabelog Bronze record keeps demand high. For weekend seatings, aim for at least three to four weeks out. The restaurant is closed Sundays and public holidays, so factor that into planning.
Nakashima operates as a seasonal kaiseki restaurant (the full name, Kisetsu Ryori Nakashima, means seasonal cuisine), so the menu changes with the season rather than being fixed. The kitchen has a particular focus on fish. Dinner runs JPY 15,000–20,000 per person at the listed price, with reviewer-reported spending closer to JPY 20,000–29,999 once drinks and the 5% service charge are included.
The venue's listed dress code is "unnecessary," meaning no formal attire is required. That said, the setting is a compact, considered counter space that has held Tabelog Bronze since 2020 — relaxed smart is a reasonable approach, even if a suit is not.
Tenko Honten and Chiso Sottakuito are the most direct comparisons for serious Japanese cuisine in Hiroshima. Eizan, MASUKI, and NAKADO offer different formats and price points for diners who want variety or are looking for something less formal than a kaiseki counter.
Yes — the combination of a seven-year Tabelog Bronze streak, a 14-seat room, and a seasonally driven kaiseki format makes it a credible choice for a milestone dinner. Note that private rooms were removed in the 2015 renovation, so expect a shared counter or the one table for four to six people rather than a secluded space.
The restaurant seats 14 in total: 8 at the counter and one table for four to six people. Groups of four to six should request the table when booking. Private use of the full venue is not available, and groups larger than six will not be accommodated together.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
