Restaurant in Osaka, Japan
Three Michelin stars. Book months ahead.
HAJIME holds three Michelin stars and scores 94 points on La Liste 2026, making it one of Japan's most credentialed restaurants. Chef Hajime Yoneda's nature-philosophy tasting menus run JPY 80,000–100,000 per person before the 15% service charge. Book months ahead — this is a near-impossible reservation open Tuesday through Saturday only.
HAJIME is one of the hardest restaurant bookings in Japan and, at JPY 80,000–100,000 per head before the 15% service charge, one of the most expensive. Book it if you want a three-Michelin-star tasting experience in Osaka that sits closer to conceptual art than to classical French fine dining. If you want technical French cuisine without the philosophical framework, La Cime delivers at the same price tier with easier reservations. If you want something closer to Japanese kaiseki tradition at a lower price point, Taian is the better call.
The dining room at HAJIME seats 14 people around a space anchored by a large artwork depicting the Earth assembled from layered images of cuisine. That piece is not decorative — it is the thesis statement. Chef Hajime Yoneda built this restaurant around a single idea: that cooking is an act of dialogue with the natural world, and every plate should reflect that relationship. The room is small, quiet, and deliberately designed to hold your attention on what arrives in front of you. There is no bar counter seating; the experience is structured around the tasting menu and nothing else.
HAJIME has held three Michelin stars continuously and scored 94 points on the La Liste 2026 ranking (94.5 in 2025). Opinionated About Dining placed it at #80 in Japan in 2024 and #87 in 2025. Asia's 50 Best ranked it #83 in 2025. The Tabelog score sits at 4.33 for 2026, down from a Silver-tier 4.36 in 2025 — a shift from Silver to Bronze in the Tabelog Award cycle, though review averages based on actual guest spending push the perceived price toward JPY 100,000. Star Wine List has recognised it three times in 2025, which is relevant: the drink programme here covers sake, wine, shochu, and cocktails, with a sommelier on-site and clear editorial attention to each category.
What separates HAJIME from the other three-star addresses in the Kansai region is the degree to which the kitchen operationalises its concept. Yoneda has a background in systems engineering, and the menu reflects that: courses are documented with a precision that goes beyond standard fine-dining mise en place. The restaurant's signature vegetable dish, referenced internally as chikyu (Earth), is included in the standard tasting menu but dropped from the shorter time-limited course , which is the clearest signal that the standard menu is the one worth booking. A full vegetable-only course is also available, making HAJIME one of the few three-star restaurants in Japan with a credible plant-forward option for guests who want it.
For food-focused travellers building an Osaka itinerary, HAJIME sits at a different register than most of what the city offers. Fujiya 1935 operates in the same innovative French category at ¥¥¥¥ but with a lighter conceptual load. KAHALA is another Osaka innovative option worth comparing. If your trip extends to other cities, Narisawa in Tokyo covers adjacent philosophical territory in the nature-inspired tasting menu space, while Gion Sasaki in Kyoto and akordu in Nara are useful regional anchors for planning a broader Kansai fine-dining trip.
Practically: the restaurant is open Tuesday through Saturday, 5 PM to 11 PM, with last entry between 5 and 7 PM and food last orders at 9:30 PM. It is closed Sunday and Monday , confirm specific dates on the website calendar before planning travel around a booking. The venue is a three-minute walk from Exit 7 at Higobashi Station (Yotsubashi Line). One parking space is available in front. The space is wheelchair accessible. English menus and English-speaking staff are available. All major credit cards accepted; no electronic money or QR code payment. A 15% service charge applies on leading of the menu price. Male guests are required to wear a jacket and leather shoes; overtly casual clothing is not permitted for any guest. All guests must be 16 or older.
Reservations are by phone or online only. Phone reservations are accepted Monday through Saturday from 10 AM (06-6447-6688). Online bookings go through hajime-reservation.com. This is a near-impossible booking , plan months in advance for weekend slots, and treat any weekday opening as the opportunity it is. The restaurant can accommodate up to 20 guests for private hire, but has no private rooms within the regular dining configuration. See our full Osaka restaurants guide for context on how HAJIME fits the broader dining scene, and our Osaka hotels guide if you are planning a trip around the booking.
| Detail | HAJIME | La Cime | Fujiya 1935 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price (dinner) | JPY 80,000–100,000+ | ¥¥¥¥ | ¥¥¥¥ |
| Michelin Stars | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| Seats | 14 | N/A | N/A |
| Booking difficulty | Near impossible | Difficult | Difficult |
| Service charge | +15% | N/A | N/A |
| Dress code | Jacket + leather shoes (men) | Smart | Smart |
| English service | Yes (menu + staff) | Yes | Yes |
| Days open | Tue–Sat | Check site | Check site |
| Venue | Price | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| HAJIME | ¥¥¥¥ | Near Impossible | — |
| La Cime | ¥¥¥¥ | Unknown | — |
| Kashiwaya Osaka Senriyama | ¥¥¥ | Unknown | — |
| Taian | ¥¥¥ | Unknown | — |
| Fujiya 1935 | ¥¥¥¥ | Unknown | — |
| Sushi Harasho | ¥¥¥ | Unknown | — |
Key differences to consider before you reserve.
No. HAJIME operates as a reservation-only tasting menu restaurant with 14 seats in the main dining room. There is no bar seating or walk-in counter option. Reservations can be made by phone (Tuesday–Saturday from 10:00 AM) or online at hajime-reservation.com.
Two things will define your visit: the price and the format. Budget JPY 80,000–100,000 per person before the 15% service charge, and expect a multi-hour tasting menu with last food orders at 19:30. The restaurant seats only 14, operates Tuesday through Saturday, and closes Sunday and Monday. English menus and English-speaking staff are available, which removes a common friction point at this level in Japan.
Men must wear a jacket and leather shoes — this is stated policy, not a suggestion. Sneakers, shorts, T-shirts, sweatshirts, and beach sandals are explicitly prohibited. Women should dress to the same standard. This is one of the stricter dress codes in Osaka's fine dining scene, consistent with HAJIME's three Michelin star standing.
Dinner only. HAJIME does not offer lunch service — the restaurant opens at 17:00 with last entry at 19:00, Tuesday through Saturday. There is no lunch option to compare against.
For the right diner, yes. The standard tasting menu is built around Chef Hajime Yoneda's 'Dialogue with the Earth' concept, and a shorter course is available for time-constrained guests (though it omits the signature vegetable dish, 'chikyu'). A full vegetable course is also offered. At JPY 80,000–100,000 before service charge, this is a deliberate commitment — not a casual splurge — but the three Michelin stars, a 4.33 Tabelog score, and a #83 ranking in Asia's 50 Best (2025) confirm it sits at the top of Japan's innovative fine dining tier.
At JPY 80,000–100,000 per head plus 15% service charge, HAJIME is one of Japan's most expensive restaurant experiences. Whether it justifies that price depends on your appetite for chef-driven French-innovative cuisine at a three Michelin star level. If that format is your target, HAJIME has held three stars consistently, scored 94 points on La Liste 2026, and ranks #87 in OAD's Japan list for 2025 — credentials that place it among Japan's most recognised restaurants. For diners prioritising Japanese cuisine at a lower price point, Taian or Kashiwaya offer strong alternatives in Osaka.
Yes, with conditions. The main dining room holds 14 seats, but private use of the full restaurant is available for parties of up to 20 people. There are no private rooms within the standard dining setup. For a group celebration, booking the full venue is the practical route — check the venue's official channels to arrange.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
