Restaurant in Tokyo, Japan
Kyoto kaiseki in Tokyo, worth the booking effort.
Kikunoi Akasaka holds two Michelin stars and consecutive Tabelog Bronze Awards since 2017, making it one of Tokyo's most credentialed kaiseki venues. The menu rotates with the seasons — timing your visit matters. Lunch from 14,300 yen is strong value for the level; dinner runs to 55,000 yen. Book four to six weeks out minimum; peak seasonal windows require more.
Kikunoi Akasaka is the right call for a formal special occasion, a significant business dinner, or any meal where you want Kyoto-style kaiseki without flying to Kyoto. Two Michelin stars (2026), a Tabelog Bronze Award held consecutively since 2017, and a Tabelog score of 3.93 place it firmly in Tokyo's top tier of traditional Japanese dining. If your priority is an immersive, seasonally driven multi-course meal in a setting that earns its price, book here. If you want a more casual or experimental format, look elsewhere.
The room at Kikunoi Akasaka is a deliberate contrast to the Akasaka streets outside. A cobblestone approach, bamboo surroundings, and sukiya-style architecture signal that the pace changes the moment you arrive. Seating splits across a 13-seat counter where you can watch the kitchen work, a sunken kotatsu counter with 6 seats, tatami private rooms, and table seating — 50 seats in total across four distinct formats. That flexibility makes it one of the more practical venues in this price tier for mixed groups: counter for solo diners or couples who want engagement with the kitchen, private rooms (available for 2 to 20 guests) for business or family occasions.
The cuisine is kaiseki anchored in Kyoto tradition but adjusted for contemporary Tokyo tastes. The menu rotates with the seasons , this is not a venue where the same dishes appear month after month. Spring brings lighter, more delicate courses built around early-season produce; autumn shifts toward earthier, richer preparations. Visiting in the wrong season for your preferences is a real consideration. If you have a strong preference for a particular Japanese seasonal moment, time your booking accordingly rather than treating any visit as equivalent.
An English multilingual menu is available, which matters more than it might seem at this price point. A sommelier is on hand, and the drink program emphasizes sake and shochu alongside wine , the sake selection is a deliberate focus rather than an afterthought. Perfume and cologne are asked to be avoided so as not to interfere with the food aromas, which tells you something about how seriously the kitchen takes the sensory sequence of the meal.
Lunch runs 14,300 yen / 17,600 yen / 22,000 yen (tax included, service charge not included). Dinner runs 22,000 yen / 33,000 yen / 55,000 yen (tax included, service charge not included). Add a service charge of 10–20% to calculate your full outlay. At the mid-tier dinner option (33,000 yen plus service), you are in the range of two Michelin-starred kaiseki value in Tokyo. The top-tier dinner at 55,000 yen before service is a serious commitment , reserve that for occasions where the occasion itself justifies the spend. Lunch is the stronger value play: 14,300 yen for a kaiseki lunch at a two-star venue is competitive against the broader Tokyo fine-dining market.
Reservations are available but this is a near-impossible table to secure at short notice. Tabelog lists reservations as available in principle, but given the Michelin two-star status, Tabelog Bronze Award recognition since 2017, and consistent inclusion in the Tabelog Top 100 Japanese cuisine restaurants in Tokyo, demand far exceeds supply for peak times. Book a minimum of four to six weeks in advance for weekday dinner; weekend dinner and prime seasonal windows (cherry blossom season, autumn foliage) require longer lead times. The entry window is tight , lunch entry is allowed only between 12:00 and 12:30, dinner between 17:00 and 19:00. Closed Monday and Sunday. Also closed during year-end and New Year holidays and Obon season.
Reservations: Essential; book four to six weeks minimum, longer for autumn and spring peak windows. Booking: Via Tabelog or direct contact. Hours: Tuesday–Saturday, lunch 12:00–14:00 (entry 12:00–12:30), dinner 17:00–22:00 (entry 17:00–19:00). Closed Monday, Sunday, year-end holidays, and Obon. Budget: Lunch from 14,300 yen; dinner from 22,000 yen (both tax-included, service charge of 10–20% additional). Dress: No shorts or sandals for men; no perfume or cologne for any guests. Payment: Credit cards accepted (VISA, Mastercard, JCB, AMEX, Diners); electronic money and QR code payments not accepted. Getting there: 10-minute walk from Akasaka Station (Chiyoda Line). No on-site parking; coin parking available nearby. Families: Children welcome; guests with children 12 and under are accommodated in private rooms during evening service only. Private dining: Private rooms available for 2–20 guests; full venue hire for 20–50 guests.
See the comparison section below for how Kikunoi Akasaka sits against RyuGin and other peers in the Tokyo kaiseki and high-end Japanese dining tier.
If you are building a Tokyo dining itinerary around this calibre of Japanese cuisine, consider Hirosaku and Ajihiro for additional traditional Japanese options in Tokyo, or Akasaka Ogino if you want to stay in the Akasaka neighbourhood. Aoyama Jin and Bulgari Cafe II offer contrast in the same general area of central Tokyo.
For kaiseki comparisons outside Tokyo, Ifuki and Ankyu in Kyoto represent the source tradition that Kikunoi Akasaka draws from. Beyond Tokyo, Pearl covers high-end Japanese dining at HAJIME in Osaka, Gion Sasaki in Kyoto, akordu in Nara, Goh in Fukuoka, 1000 in Yokohama, and 6 in Okinawa. For full Tokyo coverage, see our full Tokyo restaurants guide, our full Tokyo hotels guide, our full Tokyo bars guide, our full Tokyo wineries guide, and our full Tokyo experiences guide.
| Venue | Price | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Kikunoi - Tokyo | — | |
| Harutaka | ¥¥¥¥ | — |
| L'Effervescence | ¥¥¥¥ | — |
| RyuGin | ¥¥¥¥ | — |
| HOMMAGE | ¥¥¥¥ | — |
| Crony | ¥¥¥¥ | — |
A quick look at how Kikunoi - Tokyo measures up.
Yes — it is one of the stronger cases for a formal special occasion in Tokyo. Michelin 2 stars (2026), a Tabelog score of 3.93, private rooms available for groups of 2 to 20, and a dress code all signal that the room is calibrated for milestone dinners and serious business entertaining. The restaurant explicitly lists celebrations and surprises as a service offering, so staff are accustomed to handling occasion requests.
Kikunoi serves kaiseki only — there is no à la carte menu. At lunch, three fixed menus are available at 14,300 yen, 17,600 yen, and 22,000 yen (tax included). At dinner, the tiers run 22,000 yen, 33,000 yen, and 55,000 yen. The kitchen is noted for its focus on fish and a sake programme the restaurant describes as a particular strength, so pairing sake rather than wine is worth considering.
Four to six weeks minimum for a standard booking; longer during autumn and spring, when demand for kaiseki in Tokyo peaks. Entry is restricted to a tight arrival window — 12:00 to 12:30 for lunch and 17:00 to 19:00 for dinner — so latecomers may be turned away even with a reservation. Book via Tabelog or direct contact at 03-3568-6055.
The dress code is explicit: men may not wear shorts or sandals, and all guests are asked to avoid perfume or cologne so the aroma of the food is not disrupted. Smart, understated clothing is the practical call — think what you would wear to any formal Japanese ryotei. This is not a venue where casual dress will pass quietly.
For Tokyo kaiseki at a comparable Michelin level, RyuGin (3 stars) is the obvious step up in prestige but commands a significantly higher price floor. If you want Kyoto-style kaiseki with a slightly more accessible booking window, Kikunoi Akasaka holds the stronger value case given its Tabelog 100 selection and consistent Bronze Award history since 2017. For high-end Japanese dining outside the kaiseki format, Harutaka offers a counter-focused alternative in the sushi tier.
Lunch is the better entry point if price is a factor — the lowest tier starts at 14,300 yen versus 22,000 yen at dinner, and the format and kitchen quality are consistent across both services. Dinner makes more sense for a special occasion or if you want the full range of the menu, including the 55,000 yen tasting tier. Note that private rooms for families with children under 12 are only available in the evening.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
