Ginza Kappo Risen

※ The chef for Ginza Kappo Risen is currently on indefinite sabbatical. Please check back later for updates. ——— Kappo cuisine is, even today, synonymous with luxury. While the kitchen was typically closed off and dishes brought out course by course, the kappo style instead introduced the tradition of guests being seated at a counter encircling an open-style kitchen, with the food being prepared right before their eyes. Bearing witness to the culinary process and the chef’s skill was thus made into a privilege. Kappo’s association with luxury persists to this day, but Ginza Kappo Risen aims to make kappo more accessible without sacrificing the quality that the culinary style has come to be known for. Combining traditional Japanese cuisine with contemporary influences, Risen’s head chef goes as far to visit his suppliers personally, from fisheries to mountain farms, ensuring that he gets the best produce, meat and seafood for his customers. A wide selection of sake and wines is readily available for guests to pair with their meal. It’s so wide, in fact, that guests are often at a loss as to which variety to choose — but the staff are always readily available to provide recommendations. But luxurious though the cuisine may be, Risen also wants its customers to feel at ease. Kappo’s open style, its head chef reminds, facilitates easy exchange between the chef, the staff, and the customers. Ginza Kappo Risen’s style somehow strikes that perfect balance, being luxurious without ever stifling its guests with formality. Just five minutes from Higashi-ginza Station, it’s the perfect place for a special night out, whether you decide to put yourself at the counter or at one of the restaurant’s many private rooms.