Imafuku

You might struggle to find Imafuku if you’re on the lookout for their romaji name plastered on the side of the building. In lieu of a sign, they actually have a cast-iron mask hanging on the corner above the entrance — halfway between a gruesome samurai face-guard and a bull. One you’ve located said bull-samurai, head through the doors into one of the best shabu shabu and sukiyaki restaurants in the city. This 2022 Michelin-starred hotpot restaurant in Tokyo serves both the Kanto and Kansai versions of sukiyaki, all with A5 grade Japanese black wagyu beef. The owner is an ex meat dealer, so he has the connections to source the best of this rare beef. Every thin strip of beef served here is beautifully marbled throughout. In the Kansai style, the meat is first added with the vegetables and sauce broth poured over after cooking for a while. In the Kanto style, the broth is heated first and the ingredients are then added to simmer. Whichever you choose, you’ll have everything cooked at the table for you by a personal cook. A whipped raw egg is provided on the side as a dipping sauce. Although you might have tried a standard mixed raw egg, whipping makes it incredibly light so it clings to the meat even more nicely. Beef and seafood sides will tide you over between rounds of hotpot cooking, so make sure to bring a big appetite to enjoy this high-class hotpot dining experience to the fullest.