Ranking
An editorial ranking of restaurants, cafés and bars: grades from A+ to F, price range, and the Tabelog score where one exists.
Places ranked: 2,446
Nagano · Casual Dining
A riverside farmhouse restaurant in Hiraya, a mountain village in southern Nagano, where you grill fresh yamame trout and gohei-mochi yourself over a sunken charcoal hearth. Lunch only, and best reached by car.
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Nara · Fine Dining
A seven-seat counter serving careful Edo-mae sushi in the historic Naramachi district of Nara. Go for a high-quality omakase experience that reviewers praise as excellent value compared to Tokyo equivalents.
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Hiroshima · Casual Dining
A reference for Hiroshima's signature 'juicenashi' (dry) tantanmen, located in the city's Hatchobori district. Visitors come for the addictive, numbing kick of its sansho pepper sauce and the ritual of mixing it all together.
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Tokyo · Bar
In the Kagurazaka district, this popular izakaya occupies a renovated old house, serving creative, generously portioned dishes. It's a great choice for its lively atmosphere and signature plates like a rich beef stew and an oversized pork cutlet…
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Hiroshima · Casual Dining
A popular spot in Onomichi for textbook regional ramen. Expect a balanced fish and soy broth topped with chunks of back fat, and be prepared for long queues for a bowl that many find is worth the wait.
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Hokkaido · Casual Dining
A popular Sapporo ramen shop near the station, specializing in Sichuan-style tantanmen. Diners can customize both the spice and numbing pepper levels, with the dry "shirunashi" version being a standout.
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Tokyo · Fine Dining
A Shinjuku institution for nearly a century, Mizutaki Genkai Honten (水たき玄海 本店) serves its signature mizutaki chicken hot pot. Guests come for the exceptionally rich, milky chicken broth and the traditional private-room dining experience.
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Kyoto · Casual Dining
A lively counter-only restaurant in Kyoto's Kiyamachi district, specializing in creative charcoal-grilled vegetables from local farms. It's a great choice for an interactive meal with fresh, high-quality produce.
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Osaka · Casual Dining
Famous for its oversized, 'drinkable' tacos with creative fillings, this popular spot in Osaka's Shinsaibashi district serves up generous portions with canal views. Expect a queue for their signature Wagyu Cheese Birria.
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Fukuoka · Izakaya
A celebrated oden specialist in Fukuoka's Nishinakasu district, Yasubee serves deeply flavoured classics from a copper pot of soy broth that has been replenished for over 60 years. The intimate counter setting offers a view of the elderly owner's…
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Nara · Casual Dining
Discover the versatility of tofu at this specialist restaurant in Nara, set in a restored 180-year-old townhouse. They offer multi-course meals centered on freshly made tofu and soy milk preparations.
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Hokkaido · Casual Dining
A Sapporo tonkatsu specialist known for its exceptionally juicy, low-temperature-fried chateaubriand pork. Find it on the second floor of a building near Nishi Hatchome station for a meticulously prepared set meal.
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Kyoto · Casual Dining
This Kyoto burger shop serves patties made from 100% A5 wagyu beef on sweet brioche buns. Located in Nakagyo Ward, it's exceptionally welcoming to international visitors with halal ingredients, a prayer room, and English-speaking staff.
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Hyōgo · Izakaya
A friendly, family-run spot in Kobe's Chuo Ward, LAMP (串かつ&チキン南蛮らんぷ) specialises in one thing: perfectly executed chicken nanban. Visitors come for the generous portions, selectable sizes, and a famously rich, house-made egg tartar sauce.
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Fukuoka · Fine Dining
A reservation-only restaurant in Fukuoka's Haruyoshi district, specializing in a single set menu dedicated to duck. The experience builds through inventive small plates to a duck shabu-shabu, whose broth is used for two distinct noodle and rice…
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Fukuoka · Fine Dining
A stylish hotel dining room in Nakasu, Fukuoka, specializing in dishes cooked over a wood fire. ONO HAKATA offers a modern taste of Kyushu, from grilled Wagyu to fresh paella, making it a popular choice for special-occasion dinners and high-value…
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Kagawa · Steakhouse
A long-running, family-run French restaurant in Takamatsu, known for its warm hospitality and classic dishes like roasted lobster with a rich américaine sauce, all made with local Kagawa ingredients.
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Hokkaido · Casual Dining
Famous for its exceptionally chewy, handmade Sanuki-style udon and perfectly crisp tempura. Located in Sapporo's Nishi ward, it's a top destination for udon lovers willing to queue for a high-quality, affordable lunch.
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Osaka · Casual Dining
Discover authentic Jordanian and Levantine cuisine in Osaka's Nishitenma district. This welcoming spot is known for its theatrical maqluba, tender lamb dishes, and generous portions perfect for sharing.
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