The Best Restaurants in Japan

From Michelin-starred sushi omakase and Tokyo’s best bowl of ramen to exceptional Italian, elegant Chinese and boundary-pushing French, here’s our curated list of the best bites and restaurants across Japan.

Written by Helena Melton

Last updated October 13, 2025

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Japan is a food lover’s paradise. From street-side stalls serving red bean sweet cakes to sushi plated with jewel-like precision, dining here is as much an art form as a daily ritual. Whether you’re craving a three-Michelin-star experience, a humble bowl of ramen or perfectly crisp taiyaki, here are our top picks for the best restaurants in Japan.

The best sushi restaurants in Japan

Harutaka

The only three-Michelin-star sushi counter in Japan, Harutaka is guaranteed to impress. After a ten-year apprenticeship under Jiro Ono (star of award-winning documentary ‘Jiro Dreams of Sushi), chef Harutaka Takahashi opened his restaurant as a celebration of the country’s finest ingredients, with each plate being an utter work of art. The bespoke floral arrangements that decorate the space are also crafted by chef Takahashi!

6F Tokiden Building, 8-3-1 Ginza Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0061

Sushi Dai

This unassuming spot in Toyosu Fish Market is a hidden gem for sushi lovers. It’s a favourite among both locals and tourists, so expect lines – but the wait is well worth it. With an affordable menu featuring the finest seafood from Toyosu and plating that rivals upscale restaurants, Sushi Dai is perfect for those with Sake tastes on a chūhai budget.

Block 6 – Toyosu Gourmet Restaurant Floor (3F), 6 Chome-5-1 Toyosu, Koto City, Tokyo 135-0061

Tokyo, Japan

Hyatt Regency Tokyo

Relax at the full-service spa, where you can enjoy massages, body treatments, and facials. Additional amenities at this hotel include complimentary wireless internet access, concierge services, and a ballroom.

8.4Very Good6080 reviews

Total of 5 nights, 2 adults from

US$1,542

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The best onigiri restaurants in Japan

Onigiri Asakusa Yadoroku

Tokyo’s oldest onigiri restaurant, located behind the world-famous Sensoji Temple, has been perfecting this Japanese staple since 1954. Three generations of the Miura family have crafted delectable rice balls with seasonal fillings and local edo-ae seaweed from their small shop; take a seat at the small bar and enjoy authentic flavours such as pickled plum and herring roe that’s been pickled in Sake lees (residue).

3-9-10 Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo 111-0032

The best fine dining restaurants in Japan

Sense

Head to the 37th floor of the Mandarin Oriental Tokyo for world-class Cantonese fare (and sweeping views over Tokyo) at Sense. Sample barbequed Kyoto duck skin carved tableside or savour one of the 800 different types of wines, including a 50-year-old Gu Yue Long Shan (a beloved brand of Chinese rice wine).

Mandarin Oriental Tokyo, 2 Chome-1-1 Nihonbashimuromachi, Chuo City, Tokyo 103-8328

Kyoto, Japan

Ace Hotel Kyoto

Enjoy recreation amenities such as a 24-hour fitness center or take in the view from a garden. Additional amenities at this hotel include complimentary wireless internet access, concierge services, and gift shops/newsstands.

9.2Exceptional1272 reviews

Total of 5 nights, 2 adults from

US$1,278

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Tsujifusa

Tsujifusa, named after the hemp cloth used in Shinto rituals to symbolise cleanliness, strives tirelessly to bring that purity to the plate. Take off your shoes, kneel at the floor table and be wowed as the chef serves up ultra-delicate dishes while the sommelier (who is also a sake connoisseur) masterfully pairs each dish.

155 Mukadeyacho, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto 604-0805

Hajime

On a quiet street near the Tosahori River, one restaurant is redefining Japanese fine dining with meticulous attention to detail: across four hours and 17 courses, Hajime’s ambitious tasting menu explores the history of gastronomy and its connection to the world. The signature dish, ‘Planet Earth’, impressively uses 110 herbs, grains and vegetables on one small plate.

iPlus Edobori 1F, 1-9-11-1F, Edobori, Nishi Ward, Osaka 550-0002

Narisawa

Nestled in the heart of the city, Narisawa’s sustainable menu draws from the Japanese concept of satoyama: communities that live sustainably in the rural mountainside. From the sleek space, chef Yoshihiro Narisawa serves up dishes that celebrate the shapes, colours and textures of the Japanese countryside.

Minamiaoyama Garden Court, Minami Aoyama 2-6-15, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-0062

shiro

An ode to chef Atsushi Takenaka’s home city of Hamada in western Japan, shiro offers a distinctly Japanese take on Italian staple dishes with its prosciutto-wrapped eel fritters, cold Sicilian pasta with anchovies and fried tuna ravioli.

2F, 287 Takoyakushicho, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto 604-0021

The best ramen restaurants in Japan

Tsuta

Tsuta is the world’s first ramen restaurant to receive a Michelin star, and it’s easy to see why: its creamy specialty broth of chicken and seafood stock is dynamite. Noodles made from a blend of four different kinds of stone-milled flour offer plenty of bounce in the bowl; a dash of black truffle oil on top delivers that extra special touch.

3-2-4 B1 Nishihara Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 151-0066

Sekai Ichi Hima Na Ramen-ya

Directly translating to ‘The Most Deserted Ramen Bar in the World’, the ironic name stands in sharp contrast with how packed and beloved this Osaka ramen mainstay can get. Crowds flock to sample its unique garlic-flavoured tonkotsu broth that’s flavourful and oh-so-creamy.

2/F Nakanoshima Daibiru Building, 3-3-23, Nakanoshima, Osaka 530-0005

Best izakaya restaurants in Japan

Binbiya

One Michelin star but extremely affordable is an enticing combo, but Binbiya in Osaka’s vibrant Sonezakishinchi area delivers even more. Each dish is as succulent as the last, from deep-fried stuffed lotus roots to seabream sashimi. Like all izakayas, the food is best enjoyed with a beer or highball, so order a glass and enjoy.

1-chōme-7-26 Sonezakishinchi, Kita Ward, Osaka 530-0002

The best French restaurants in Japan

SÉZANNE

With three Michelin stars and the coveted fourth spot on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants List for 2025, SÉZANNE at Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo is pushing the boundaries of Japan’s haute cuisine. Named after France’s own Côte de Sezanne – one of Champagne’s five wine-growing sub-regions – this luminous space transports guests to the European countryside. The menu expertly blends French favourites like preserved black truffles in champagne cream and ris de veau (veal sweetbreads) with traditional Japanese ingredients such as shiiku citrus fruits and barrel-aged soy sauce.

Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo At Marunouchi, 1 Chome-11-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda City, Tokyo 100-6277

La Cime

One of only two Japanese restaurants outside Tokyo on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants List for 2025, La Cime exemplifies modern elegance in central Osaka. What makes its new French menu so unique is its use of fresh citrus flavours from the tiny southwestern island of Amami Oshima, like passionfruit.

3-chōme-2-15 Kawaramachi, Chuo Ward, Osaka 541-0048

The best snack restaurants in Japan

Takoyaki Umaiya

Takoyaki is Japan’s sleeper hit – and no one does it better than Takoyaki Umaiya. This unassuming family-run spot has been serving up authentic Takoyaki for more than 70 years – and earned a mention in the Michelin Guide. Each perfectly cooked ball contains tender octopus in a silky batter, topped with mayonnaise, barbecue sauce and a generous heap of Bonito flakes.

4-21 Naniwachō, Kita Ward, Osaka 530-0022

Naniwaya Sōhonten Azabu Juban

Why not try the traditional Japanese dessert that this place claims to have invented way back in 1909? From a small stand in a residential suburb, you’ll find takiyaki (fish-shaped sweet cakes) that have been meticulously cooked for eight hours with a crunchy outside and soft red bean paste filling. Our advice? Buy a couple – taiyaki makes for the perfect mid-exploration snack.

1 Chome-8-14 Azabujuban, Minato City, Tokyo 106-0045