Imoto

It's rare to find a Kyoto-style restaurant of this caliber outside of the boundaries of the city itself, let alone as far away as Fukuoka. Nonetheless, Imoto can count itself among the very best kaiseki restaurants in all of Japan, with two Michelin stars to back up the claim. One interesting way in which they break from tradition is in the use of some modern cooking methods, such as using a blow torch. These little touches add an entertaining contemporary edge to an otherwise traditional evening. The menu also plays on this sense of the unexpected, with dishes such as abalone with a paste of soybeans, white miso, and figs. Ebi imo is one of the specialty ingredients which is used to great effect. Who needs a trip to an overpriced Gion eatery when Fukuoka does it just as good at half the price?