These are most of the highlights from my trip to Japan in April 2015 with Haz & Gaz. I was fortunate enough to be travelling with some massive foodies, and Gaz (and Haz, but mostly Gaz) did an intense amount of research planning where we would be eating. It was essentially an eating tour of Japan, with the odd temple and site. It was amazing to travel with these two, and I honestly would not have enjoyed myself or eaten as well as I did if it was not for them. I am forever grateful! <3
In Japan, anything worth eating will have a queue. So have your wifi on your phone ready to kill some time.
I’ve been asked by quite a few people for my places to go to, so I thought I’d just pop it on here for everyone, enjoy!
Tokyo
I have put up a post of Tsukiji Market:
ironchefshellie.com/2015/05/18/tsukiji-market
We lined up at Sushi Dai from about 8am for about an hour. So fresh and the staff are awesome.
Narisawa
narisawa-yoshihiro.com/en/openning.html
You can book online. Degustation, one of the top 50 restaurants in the world. I’m not one for fine dining, but really enjoyed my lunch here. Pricey but an experience!
Sushi Bar Yasuda
sushibaryasuda.com
Definitely book! Some of the best sushi I’ve ever had. Yasuda worked in America for ages so his English is very good. He is very entertaining, and you’ll get some sushi you’ll never have again there.
Cat Doughnuts
You probably saw on my instagram. They actually come from Nara which is a day trip from Kyoto, but I only found them in Tokyo.
If you go to Shinjuku station and can find Laudree macarons, you need to head left, past all the other cafes and shops and head as if you were trying to exit. You’ll find the little stall on the right
Omoide Yokocho (Piss Alley / Yakitori Alley)
tripadvisor.com.au/Attraction_Review-g1066457-d1173749-Reviews-Omoide_Yokocho-Shinjuku_Tokyo_Tokyo_Prefecture_Kanto.html
A bit touristy but heaps of locals still go. I’d say you could pick anyone of these and still be fine. We just kept ordering random things to be grilled Some have a lot of offal, some don’t. But it’s all good
Ichiran, Shibuya
ichiran.co.jp/english/html/kt_shibuya.html
Ramen
1. Order via vending machine
2. Ask for english menu to customise your ramen
3. Wait to be allocated a booth, eat your ramen.
It’s a fun experience, you can usually be seated in a booth next to your friends
Omotesando Koffee
ooo-koffee.com
Cute little coffee shop, really great coffee too If you go early, you can get the treat of baked custard. It was sold out when I went
Patisserie Sadaharu AOKI
sadaharuaoki.com/profil/en.html
Best matcha eclair I’ve ever had. Ever.
Hidemi Sugino
facebook.com/kyobashihidemisugino
Awarded best pastry chef in Asia.
Limit of 6 pastries per person. Go early and line up. No photos inside, so if you do, be sneaky!
Chocolate ambrose is the best thing they have.
Henri Charpentier
suzette-shop.jp/henri
Also another awesome pastry chef! Matcha opera cake is a win.
Kit Kat Shop
Is actually located in Daimaru nearby the Tokyo Station. There isn’t much else around there that we did.
Nagoya
Maruya Honten Meiekiten
tripadvisor.com.au/Restaurant_Review-g298106-d1679828-Reviews-Maruya_Honten_Meiekiten-Nagoya_Aichi_Prefecture_Chubu.html
The dish to order is Hitsumabushi. This involves eating unagi in serveral different stages (fillets of grilled eel). First you try it on it’s own, then you try it by adding the spices and garnishes. Lastly, you try it with the added broth.
Long queues unless you go during an off time. Absolutely worth the wait. I still dream of this dish today.
Kyoto
Chao Chao Sanjo Kiyamachi
tripadvisor.com.au/Restaurant_Review-g298564-d7438346-Reviews-Chao_Chao_Sanjo_Kiyamachi-Kyoto_Kyoto_Prefecture_Kinki.html
THE BEST gyoza you will ever have. Have the 180mm crab stick one and thank me later. Also the fried chicken wing gyoza. They have a happy hour too if you like beer!
Giro Grio
tripadvisor.com.au/Restaurant_Review-g298564-d1135201-Reviews-Giro_Giro_Hitoshina-Kyoto_Kyoto_Prefecture_Kinki.html
They call this punk kaiseki, a modern take on traditional kaiseki. Try and get your hotel concierge to book this for you as soon as you arrive. We ended up eating at 10:15pm one night cos that’s when we could get in. There is a few chefs/waiters there that speak english so all good If you go on your own and choose to drink sake, one of the staff will drink with you, you may get drunk.
Vermillion – Espresso Bar & Info
kyotovermillion.wix.com/inaricoffee
This is a Melbourne style coffee shop. The guy used to live in Melbourne, then came back and opened this gem. It is near Fushimi Inari <img src="http://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/72x72/1f609.png" alt="