Restaurant in Tokyo, Japan
Hard to book, worth the effort.
Seiju is a Michelin-starred tempura counter in Tsukiji where Chef Yoshiaki Shimizu — trained at the now-closed Akasaka institution Rakutei — applies serious technical discipline to every piece. Ranked #238 on OAD Japan 2025, it is a hard booking and a dinner-only operation best suited to parties of two to four. Book it if tempura craft is your priority; look elsewhere if you need format variety or group flexibility.
Seiju is one of Tokyo's most focused tempura counters and earns its Michelin star through technical discipline, not spectacle. Chef Yoshiaki Shimizu trained at the now-closed Akasaka institution Rakutei, and the craft he absorbed there is visible in every piece he produces. If tempura done with old-school Tokyo precision is what you're after, this is the right booking. If you want a multi-format omakase with raw and cooked courses interleaved, look elsewhere — Seiju is committed to the fry, and that commitment is the whole point.
Seiju sits in the basement of an office building in Tsukiji, Chuo City — a neighbourhood that retains a quiet culinary seriousness even after the famous market relocated. The setting is modest by design. What you're paying for is what happens at the counter, not the room's visual drama. Walk in expecting a clean, spare space where the cooking station is the focal point. The visual hierarchy here is deliberate: your attention is meant to be on the chef's hands, the batter, and the oil.
What Shimizu-san does at the counter is technically exacting. The awards data notes that oil is replaced frequently, with careful attention to temperature, humidity, and the specific nature of each ingredient. That level of attentiveness to frying conditions is not standard even at ¥¥¥¥ Tokyo counters. For a returning guest, the thing to watch for is how different ingredients get slightly different treatment , the batter weight, the oil temperature, the timing. The results are pieces that arrive at the counter with clean, dry crusts rather than heavy, grease-forward shells.
The flow of the meal is described as distinctly old-school Tokyo, but Shimizu introduces a handful of novelties , mochi rice cake with dried mullet roe has been noted as one example. For a guest who has visited once, this is the detail worth anticipating: the meal has a traditional backbone but doesn't refuse to surprise. The ratio of classic to unexpected keeps the format interesting without letting novelty overwhelm the core craft.
Seiju holds a Michelin star (2024) and appeared at #238 on Opinionated About Dining's Leading Restaurants in Japan ranking for 2025, up from #306 in 2024 , a meaningful upward move in a list where competition at the leading is dense. It also holds an OAD Highly Recommended citation from 2023. Three separate credentialing bodies converging on the same counter is a reliable signal that the quality is consistent, not a one-season performance.
Seiju operates Tuesday through Sunday, 5–9 pm only, with Mondays closed. There is no lunch service, which means this is a dinner-only decision. The counter format and the intimate size of the operation suggest that mid-week evenings , Tuesday or Wednesday , will give you the quietest experience and the highest probability that the chef is working at full attention rather than through a full-house Friday rush. If your schedule is flexible, Tuesday dinner is likely your leading slot for a first or second visit.
For a returning guest thinking about group dynamics: the basement location and counter-focused format are not built for large parties. If you are planning a special occasion with more than four people, confirm group capacity directly before booking. The experience is leading suited to parties of two to four, where the counter interaction remains personal.
The venue's format , a basement counter, dinner-only, with no listed private dining room in the available data , means Seiju is not the address for a large corporate dinner or a multi-table celebration. The editorial angle here is worth stating plainly: Seiju's value is in the counter intimacy, and that intimacy does not scale. A group of two sitting directly opposite Shimizu-san watching each piece come out of the oil is a materially different experience from a group of eight filling a private room. If you need a private dining option with comparable quality and more flexibility in group size, RyuGin is worth exploring , the kaiseki format and larger operation can absorb group bookings more gracefully.
For a second visit with a small group for a special occasion, Seiju works well precisely because the counter keeps everyone in the same sightline. Two to four people sharing the progression of courses is the format the room was designed for. Book it for an anniversary, a quiet celebration, or a food-focused dinner with a guest you want to impress without theatrical excess.
Booking difficulty is rated Hard. Seiju is a small counter with limited covers and a strong reputation , OAD and Michelin citations together create real demand pressure. Plan to book well in advance, particularly for weekend evenings. The booking method is not confirmed in available data, so check directly with the restaurant or use a third-party reservation service that covers Tokyo fine dining. Walk-ins are not a realistic strategy for a venue at this recognition level.
| Detail | Seiju | Tempura Kondo | Tempura Motoyoshi |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price range | ¥¥¥¥ | ¥¥¥¥ | ¥¥¥¥ |
| Service | Dinner only | Lunch & Dinner | Dinner only |
| Michelin | 1 Star (2024) | 2 Stars | 1 Star |
| Booking difficulty | Hard | Hard | Hard |
| Format | Counter omakase | Counter omakase | Counter omakase |
| Location | Tsukiji, Chuo | Ginza | Ginza |
For other strong tempura options in Tokyo, see Tempura Ginya, Fukamachi, and Edomae Shinsaku. If you're planning a wider Tokyo trip, our full Tokyo restaurants guide covers the full range of options across cuisines and price points. For hotels, bars, and experiences, see our Tokyo hotels guide, Tokyo bars guide, and Tokyo experiences guide.
If you're travelling beyond Tokyo, comparable precision cooking is on offer at HAJIME in Osaka, Gion Sasaki in Kyoto, and Goh in Fukuoka. For tempura specifically, Numata in Osaka and Mudan Tempura in Taipei are worth knowing. Elsewhere in the Kanto region, 1000 in Yokohama is a useful reference point, and for something further afield, 6 in Okinawa and akordu in Nara represent different ends of Japan's fine dining spectrum.
Yes, for the right guest. Seiju holds a Michelin star and has risen to #238 on OAD's Japan ranking in 2025. The value proposition is the technical quality of the tempura itself , oil management, batter precision, ingredient-specific treatment , rather than course variety or theatrical presentation. If tempura is a format you take seriously, the ¥¥¥¥ price point is justified. If you want a broader omakase experience across multiple cooking methods, RyuGin at the same price tier delivers more format range.
Seiju operates as an omakase counter, so ordering is not the decision , attending is. Chef Shimizu sets the progression. The one confirmed novelty in the lineup is mochi rice cake with dried mullet roe, which represents the moments where the old-school Tokyo format gets a subtle update. Let the chef lead; the sequence is the point. For a returning guest, paying attention to how different ingredients are treated differently in the oil is where the depth of the craft becomes apparent.
At ¥¥¥¥, Seiju sits in the top tier of Tokyo dining. The Michelin star and OAD recognition confirm the quality is real, not reputation-coasting. Compared to Tempura Kondo , a two-star operation in Ginza , Seiju is arguably the tighter, more intimate experience, though Kondo carries more name recognition internationally. If tempura is your primary interest and you want a counter where craft is the clear focus, Seiju earns its price. If you're less certain about tempura as a format, the spend is harder to justify against broader kaiseki options at the same level.
Yes, for a small group who knows what they're booking. The counter format, the technical seriousness, and the Michelin-starred pedigree make it a strong special-occasion choice for two to four people who want a focused, high-craft dinner rather than a performative celebration. It is not suited to large party occasions or guests who need event-style service. For a milestone dinner where food quality is the priority, it's a considered, low-noise choice.
The available data does not confirm a private dining room or large group capacity. Given the basement counter format and dinner-only operation, Seiju is leading suited to parties of two to four. Larger groups should confirm directly before booking , and if flexibility is important, RyuGin is better structured for group occasions at the same ¥¥¥¥ tier in Tokyo.
There is no choice to make: Seiju serves dinner only, Tuesday through Sunday, 5–9 pm. Mondays are closed. If your schedule only allows for a lunch booking in Tokyo, look at Tempura Kondo, which offers both lunch and dinner service. For Seiju, the only timing question is which evening works leading , mid-week is likely your quietest option.
Seiju is a counter-format restaurant, meaning the counter is the dining room , there is no separate bar area and no secondary seating option distinct from the main experience. All guests at a counter tempura restaurant of this type are, in effect, eating at the bar. This is part of what makes the format appealing: every seat faces the chef. If you prefer a table over a counter, this format may not suit you, and a kaiseki option like RyuGin would give you more conventional seating.
Yes, for anyone serious about tempura technique. Chef Yoshiaki Shimizu trained at Rakutei, a former Akasaka reference point, and the counter format is built around watching that precision in real time. A Michelin star and an OAD Top 250 ranking in Japan (2025) are not handed to venues coasting on reputation. The price is ¥¥¥¥, so this is a considered spend, but the technical focus justifies it if tempura omakase is your format.
Seiju runs a counter format, so ordering à la carte is not the structure here — the chef sets the progression. Known signatures from the available record include mochi rice cake with dried mullet roe, which breaks from the old-school Tokyo flow in a deliberate way. Let the counter run and trust the sequence; trying to customise it misses the point of why you booked.
At ¥¥¥¥, Seiju is in Tokyo's top pricing tier, and the credentials back it up: Michelin 1 Star (2024) and OAD Ranked #238 in Japan (2025), up from #306 the year before. For tempura specifically, it competes with the city's most technically focused counters. If you're comparing spend, this is a stronger case than a same-budget multi-course at a less specialised venue.
Yes, for two people or a small party who want a serious, focused dinner over a celebratory group setting. The basement counter in Tsukiji, dinner-only hours, and chef-led format create the right conditions for a considered occasion — a work dinner, anniversary, or milestone meal where the food is the point. It is not the address for a loud group celebration or a venue where the room does the heavy lifting.
Not well. The counter format and limited covers mean large groups are poorly served here — there is no private dining room in the available data. Parties of two or three are the natural fit. For a group of six or more wanting a special Tokyo dinner, a venue with dedicated private room options will serve you better.
Dinner is your only option. Seiju operates Tuesday through Sunday, 5–9 pm only, with no lunch service and Mondays closed. Plan your Tokyo day accordingly — this is an evening commitment, not a flexible midday stop.
The counter is the dining format at Seiju — there is no separate bar area distinct from where the meal is served. Sitting at the counter is the intended experience, not an alternative to a table. This is standard for Tokyo's dedicated tempura counters, and at Seiju it is where the technical performance plays out directly in front of you.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
