Washoku (Traditional Japanese) Restaurants

Great place Great value Great staff loads of fun… thanks

An unforgettable traditional Japanese dining experience! 🇯🇵❤️ We booked a special traditional Japanese lunch to celebrate my husband's birthday, and it was absolutely wonderful! We had the entire place to ourselves, which made the experience feel even more personal and special. Everything was beautifully presented, almost like a work of art, and the flavours were simply incredible! The food, the sake, the atmosphere, the attention to detail — everything was perfect. The sweetest surprise was a traditional Japanese dessert they kindly prepared as a birthday gift for my husband. Such a thoughtful and heartwarming gesture! A truly authentic Japanese experience that we will always remember. Highly recommended! ❤️

This was an absolutely fabulous meal. And, a great wine selection!!

I really liked the food. It was a pretty nice course with a lot of different things to try. The small dishes at the beginning were a really nice start. I particularly liked the lotus root with bacon, plum and shiso. Personally, I really like the taste of plum, so it was really tasty for me. I also really liked the presentation with the seasonal autumn leaves. It looked really cute. The sashimi was fresh and tasty. I also want to mention the yuba because I hadn’t tried it before, and I really liked its texture and taste. The sushi was another thing I enjoyed. Each piece already had its own flavor, so I liked that you didn’t really need to add any soy sauce or anything else. I also tried tempura with matcha salt for the first time. I’ve eaten tempura many times before, but never with matcha salt, and I actually really liked this combination. The wagyu was really good too, especially the texture of the meat. I also really enjoyed the noodle soup at the end. The light yuzu flavor was really nice, and since I love yuzu, I personally enjoyed it a lot. I think this kind of warm soup would be especially nice during the colder season. The staff were really nice and tried to communicate with me even though they don’t really speak English. The restaurant itself is quite with around eight seats, so I think it’s more suitable for not very big groups.

Visited on a Friday @ noon, ordered the "special tempura course 'wakaba'" Ingredients were a big focus here. With every piece of tempura served, the chef mentioned where it was sourced from and recommended to eat it with either the special salt, oroshi-dashi, or a squeeze of lime. Sitting at the counter allowed me to watch him perform his craft. Every piece of tempura felt luxurious and had a light crispiness. And the Wakaba course was just right for lunch, although, I did order 3 more shrimp tempura at the end. The Uni (sea urchin) tempura was a creamy heaven in my mouth! I swear he used an entire row of uni just to make the 1 piece of tempura! I wish I took more pics of each course... I will definitely return when I'm back in Atami.

We had an excellent dinner at SHARI Akasaka and really enjoyed the Kaiseki Course “Fuji”. What stood out to me was the variety of the menu. We tried several different types of seafood, seasonal vegetables, Matsutake mushrooms and Kuroge Wagyu, so every course felt different. My highlights were the grilled tilefish with Matsutake and the Kuroge Wagyu sirloin with daikon radish. The rice cooked in a traditional pot with autumn mackerel was also excellent. The experience was very easy to enjoy as an international visitor, since the menu was available in English and the dishes were easy to follow. It was a great choice for a date night and a nice way to experience a more refined side of Japanese cuisine. The food, presentation and overall experience were all excellent.

We had such a lovely experience at SHARI Akasaka. We chose the Kaiseki Course “Fuji” and it was definitely one of our favorite meals during our trip to Japan. I loved how the menu showcased so many seasonal Japanese ingredients and different flavors. The Matsutake mushroom and tilefish grilled in foil was one of my favorite dishes, and the Kuroge Wagyu sirloin was absolutely delicious. The traditional pot-cooked rice with autumn mackerel was also such a special way to finish the savory courses. As a foreign visitor, I really appreciated having the menu in English and being able to understand what we were eating throughout the experience. It was a beautiful dinner to enjoy as a couple, with great food and a sophisticated but comfortable atmosphere. I would definitely recommend SHARI to anyone looking for a special Japanese dining experience.

Gion Hitsuji is a cozy restaurant with a warm and welcoming atmosphere. The food was beautifully presented with seasonal decorations, and it was clear that a lot of attention was paid to the ingredients and presentation. My favorite dishes were the lotus root with bacon, plum and shiso, and the daikon radish and konnyaku with spicy cod roe butter. I was also pleasantly surprised by the yuba, which had a lovely creamy texture. The steak was delicious and another highlight of the meal, although I felt the sauce slightly overpowered the natural flavor of the meat. The tempura was also very good, but I would have enjoyed having a traditional dipping sauce in addition to the matcha salt. A small dessert or seasonal fruit at the end would also have been a nice finishing touch. The staff were friendly, polite, and attentive throughout the meal. Overall, I really appreciated the seasonal ingredients, beautiful presentation, and variety of dishes. With a few small improvements, I think the experience could be even better, especially for international guests.

The first thing that stood out to me was how beautifully the food was presented. My favorite dish was the fried Daisen chicken and fresh yuba, which I really enjoyed. Overall, I found the flavors to be on the stronger side. The tempura was wonderfully light and crispy, while the sashimi tasted very fresh. The wagyu was also excellent - very tender, and the sauce paired with it really well. Even the wasabi had a pleasant sweetness to it, which I really liked. The only slight disappointment was the nyumen at the end of the meal, as the noodles felt a little too soft and overcooked, although the broth itself was delicious. I was also surprised by the combination of dishes served as the appetizer. Considering the season, I had expected something like Murasaki Zukin edamame, which I think would also be approachable for international guests, or perhaps a small grilled fish. But I was pleasantly surprised by the lotus root and bacon stir-fried with ume and shiso, it was actually one of the most memorable dishes of the meal. The staff were very friendly and approachable, and they helped make the whole experience fun and enjoyable. Although some of the dishes were a little strongly seasoned for my personal taste, the food was generally very delicious, the portions were generous, and I left feeling very satisfied.

The food was beautifully presented and carefully prepared. My favorite dish was the wagyu, which was incredibly tender and paired perfectly with the sauce. The flavors were well balanced, with plenty of umami without feeling too heavy. I also enjoyed the variety of textures, especially the crispy tempura and crunchy lotus root. The matcha salt served with the tempura was unexpected but worked beautifully and felt distinctly Kyoto. I was also surprised by how much I enjoyed the lotus root with ume seasoning, as it gave the dish a refreshing flavor. The staff were friendly and warm, making the experience very welcoming. Because of the seating layout, I think the restaurant is especially suited to solo diners or couples. Overall, I really enjoyed the balance of flavors and textures and the thoughtful way familiar Japanese ingredients were prepared.

The restaurant itself features beautiful Japanese-style design, creating an authentic Japanese dining experience. The food was amazing! I actually don’t usually like duck, but I was pleasantly surprised by how delicious it was. I was also impressed that they served matcha salt as a dipping sauce for the tempura—it was my first time trying it, and it was such a unique experience. The presentation of the dishes was beautiful, with leaves and seasonal details that really captured the feeling of autumn. Most importantly, the staff were incredibly kind, friendly, and accommodating. They could also communicate well in English, which made the experience even more comfortable and enjoyable.

From the moment the food arrived, I was impressed by the beautiful presentation. The first course was decorated with autumn leaves, which added a lovely seasonal touch. There was a wonderful variety of dishes, including Kyoto-style obanzai, sashimi, tempura, temari sushi, duck loin, and fresh yuba. The flavors were delicate and well balanced. I especially enjoyed the refreshing combination of plum and shiso with lotus root. The Wagyu sirloin steak was my favorite and the most memorable dish. It was tender, juicy, and full of flavor. I also enjoyed the variety of textures throughout the meal, from crispy tempura to soft yuba. The restaurant has a cozy, traditional atmosphere, and the staff were very friendly and welcoming. I especially appreciated how they interacted with everyone and created a relaxed experience. I would recommend this restaurant to international visitors who want to experience a variety of Japanese dishes, especially groups of friends. The beautiful presentation and attention to detail made the whole meal memorable.