Himeshara

For owner-chef Tanaka Akira, sushi should be enjoyed with the mouth, not the brain — simple as that. So, when he founded Himeshara in 2003, he wanted to curate an omakase experience that, while spectacular and worthy of the two Michelin stars it would receive a decade later, remained intuitive. Tanaka’s formula for this is simple but expandable. Like the restaurant name, which dissects and reorders each character of the word “sushi,” his philosophy is that sushi just needs to consist of a topping and neta to make it delicious. But more than that, Tanaka's reputation is built on his brilliant cross-cultural sushi that merges Edomae, the traditional sushi discipline from Tokyo, with Hokkaido’s unique offerings. That is why he’s not afraid to design an omakase course with an unconventional flow. In contrast to other sushi masters who like to start the evening with appetizers, Tanaka dives right in, serving diners sushi before transitioning to sake snacks and side dishes, and ultimately finishing the meal with nigiri once more. All the while, he manages to hit all the notes that make an omakase popular, layering his nigiri with shrimp, shrimp roe and shrimp miso in a towering millefeuille-like arrangement and handing the morsel from the counter. The place is fairly simple, with a large, single-plank counter set against an ebony-themed interior. The space only accommodates nine guests at a time, with two rounds each evening. Between Tanaka’s reputation and the limited seats, reservations can be competitive — but the tuna nigiri alone makes it worth it. Michelin Guide accolades: 2017 - 2 Stars