OHKUSA

Pearl Verdict

If you have already visited one of Tokyo's many solid yakitori counters and want to understand what the format looks like at its most focused, OHKUSA is where to go next. This eight-seat counter in Arakicho has held Tabelog Silver every year from 2021 to 2026 (with Bronze in 2021 and 2025), sits in Tabelog's Yakitori Top 100 five consecutive years, and scores 4.39 on the platform. For a yakitori specialist at JPY 15,000–19,999 per head, that track record is hard to argue with.

What Makes It Worth Booking

OHKUSA opened in November 2019 and built its reputation on a single discipline: daily-selected free-range chicken, cut into generous portions and grilled slowly over binchotan charcoal. The counter seats only eight guests, and the maximum party size is two, so the experience is deliberately intimate. That constraint is a feature, not a limitation — it means every seat faces the grill and the pacing is controlled.

The drinks program is worth factoring into your decision. The venue is noted for particular attention to sake (nihonshu), shochu, and wine. For a yakitori counter, a curated wine list alongside serious Japanese spirits is a meaningful differentiator — most comparable counters stop at beer and sake. If pairing Japanese white wine or a low-intervention bottle with charcoal-grilled chicken interests you, OHKUSA is one of the few yakitori counters in Tokyo where that conversation is possible.

Booking Intelligence

This is where OHKUSA requires real planning. Reservations open exactly one week in advance, starting at 12:00 PM on the corresponding day of the following week. Phone reservations only (03-6709-8874), accepted between 12:00 PM and 5:00 PM. You cannot book more than seven days out under any circumstances. If your target date falls on a Sunday, Monday, or public holiday , the restaurant is closed. If the reservation opening day falls on a holiday, the window shifts to the next business day. Get the calendar right before you call.

Practically, that means if you are planning a Tokyo trip and want OHKUSA on a specific night, you need to be available to call at noon Tokyo time exactly seven days prior. International callers should note that no online reservation system is available and no credit cards are accepted on the night , cash only.

Who Should Book

OHKUSA is the right call for a solo diner or a pair who wants a focused, counter-only yakitori experience with serious drinks. It is not suitable for groups (maximum two), families with minors (not accepted), or anyone who needs dietary flexibility beyond chicken-forward grilling. Photography inside is prohibited, which keeps the atmosphere undistracted. At JPY 15,000–19,999, it sits above the mid-range yakitori tier but below the price points of Tokyo's kaiseki counters.

How It Compares

Against Tokyo's other award-winning dinner counters, OHKUSA occupies a specific niche. Harutaka and RyuGin operate in entirely different categories , sushi and kaiseki respectively , and cost more. L'Effervescence and Crony are French-leaning and run longer tasting menus. OHKUSA is for when you want the precision of a specialist counter without the multi-hour kaiseki commitment. The one-week booking window actually makes it more accessible than most Michelin-adjacent counters in Tokyo, where waits run months.

Practical Details

Also Worth Considering in Japan

If you are building a broader Japan itinerary, Pearl covers leading restaurants across the country: HAJIME in Osaka, Gion Sasaki in Kyoto, akordu in Nara, Goh in Fukuoka, 1000 in Yokohama, and 6 in Okinawa. For Tokyo specifically, see our full Tokyo restaurants guide, Tokyo hotels guide, Tokyo bars guide, Tokyo wineries guide, and Tokyo experiences guide. For international comparison on focused counter dining, Atomix in New York and Le Bernardin in New York represent the counter-format benchmark outside Japan. Also see Sézanne in Tokyo for a French alternative at a comparable price tier.

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