Discover the Artisan Spirit That Defines Tokyo's Gastronomic Culture

Tokyo is an unparalleled gastronomic destination where you can experience traditional Japanese cuisine alongside innovative takes on international dishes. The city features a diverse group of top-tier talent from Japan and around the world who incorporate fresh Japanese ingredients to bring their dishes to life. Passionate producers and efficient logistics power Tokyo under the hood while local artisans skillfully weave together the traditions of the past with modern-day techniques and a personal flair.

Takefumi Hamada, a renowned international foodie based in Tokyo, describes the chefs' embodiment of Tokyo's shokunin-waza, or craftsmanship, as the defining characteristic of the city's food culture. Unlike other gastronomic capitals of the world, Tokyo has many hole-in-the-wall specialty shops run by a single person or a small team who can dedicate their time and skills to perfecting their craft. This artisanship has fostered a unique culinary style and a culture of intense attention to detail in restaurants throughout the city, whether they serve sushi or sukiyaki.

A Culture Rooted in Traditional Japanese Cuisine

Japanese food is at the heart of any foodie journey in Tokyo. Today's emerging chefs are incorporating traditions and techniques passed down through generations, giving them innovative twists to create unique experiences that you can only enjoy in Tokyo.

Sushi Saito is a restaurant setting new standards for sushi through their dedication to the shari (vinegared sushi rice). Focusing on the dish's foundation, Chef Saito prepares the shari in such a way that the vinegar slowly soaks into the rice as the course progresses, creating an experience that constantly evolves. Fresh local fish from Toyosu Market completes the dish, creating a delightful combination of flavors and textures.

Tokyo is also the place to try regional delicacies. SUSHI SHIOGAMAKOU GINZA KIWAMI brings the flavors of Japan's top-producing tuna harbor to Japan's capital, allowing diners in Tokyo to experience the intense freshness of tuna caught off the shores of Miyagi Prefecture.

Wagyu stands alongside sushi as one of the most widely recognized Japanese dishes overseas. In Tokyo, you can enjoy a variety of mouthwatering Wagyu brands, including finely aged Kobe beef alongside Matsusaka beef, one of Japan's most sought-after brands.

*Satoru Tanaka, head chef of Nikuya Tanaka, trimming a large piece of wagyu.*

Satoru Tanaka, head chef and owner of Nikuya Tanaka, lives and breathes wagyu. He grew up in a butcher family and still attends meat auctions today, using his keen eye to select only the best wagyu to provide unforgettable dining experiences for his customers.

Not all Japanese cuisine has become mainstream overseas, but that just means there is more to discover and enjoy. Soba is a buckwheat noodle dish with a history in Tokyo dating back over 300 years, but chefs like Kenji Osame of Soba Osame are still finding new ways to elevate it. Using 100% buckwheat flour, a rarity due to its unwieldy texture, Chef Osame has developed and mastered a technique to make noodles with a delightful texture while retaining a rich buckwheat flavor.

International Dishes Thrive in Tokyo

It's not just Japanese food where Tokyo excels. The city's status as an internationally recognized gastronomic destination has made it a gathering place for some of the best talent from overseas. These chefs combine their unique experiences with fresh Japanese ingredients to create new and exciting interpretations of international dishes.

*Nemuro Pacific saury with caramelized onions and green olives at SÉZANNE.*

The French restaurant SÉZANNE showcases the opportunities that Tokyo affords to these artisans. Head Chef Daniel Calvert worked at several star-studded kitchens around the world, but it's in Tokyo where his dishes have taken on an entirely new identity.

"His cooking style has evolved. In Hong Kong, his cooking was more traditional. Lots of pies, and very classic French," Hamada said. "But in Japan, now he has access to a lot of ingredients that are really fresh. So his cooking has become more simple and more ingredient-focused."

*Daniele Cason chatting with guests while preparing pizza at The Pizza Bar on 38th.*

The Pizza Bar on 38th is another Tokyo restaurant that has excelled with an international shokunin at the helm. Head Chef Daniele Cason runs the intimate eight-seat bar and incorporates an omakase serving style inspired by the city's sushi restaurants while utilizing the best ingredients from Italy and Japan. One innovative slice features cauliflower, scallops and sea urchin, showcasing fresh Japanese seafood.

Innovation Drives Tokyo's Food Culture Forward

Tokyo is a city of innovation, with international influences inspiring the city's chefs to experiment. Makoto Suetomi, owner of the yakitori restaurant Makitori Shin Kobe, discovered the technique of wood fire cooking during a trip to Spain. While most yakitori restaurants cook over charcoal, he decided to incorporate this wood fire cooking style into his restaurant.

*Chicken skewers being cooked over a wood fire at Makitori Shin Kobe.*

Suetomi and Head Chef Toyoko Hikita searched Japan for chicken that best suited this new cooking style, settling on poultry breeds from Akita and Gunma Prefectures. They feel that overcoming the challenges inherent to cooking with wood fire is worth the trouble to cook yakitori with the distinct flavor that it produces.

"It's a new generation of yakitori restaurants," Hamada said. "You'll see a lot of the inspirations from his travels. But it's strictly Japanese in a sense that it's all Japanese ingredients and… the end result is Japanese."

It's not just restaurants that support the gastronomy of the city. Toyosu Fish Market is the heartbeat of Tokyo's seafood restaurants. The market processes local fish and seafood from harbors across Japan before shipping it around the city at peak freshness, making the metropolis one of the best places to try the authentic flavors of sushi.

*Aisles stocked with cooking tools at Kitchen World TDI on Kappabashi Dougu Street.*

With their ingredient needs met, the city's countless chefs can visit the 800-meter-long Kappabashi Dougu Street to handle and select any cooking tool they might need personally. The street doesn't just cater to chefs, however. For travelers, it's an opportunity to purchase unique tools like wasabi graters, matcha tools and Japanese knives to add to their kitchens at home.

Tokyo is a unique convergence of historical traditions and international influence. The city has a welcoming environment for small shops, and thanks to a well-established distribution system, restaurants can easily access ingredients at peak freshness. These elements combine with the city's shokunin spirit to foster innovation as chefs focus on perfecting their dishes.

Whether it's Japanese food like sushi and yakitori or one of the many international staples, your next favorite meal awaits you in Tokyo.

If you want to learn more about this trip, please visit this website.

This article is published in cooperation with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.

Author: Kevin Vallene