Kaiseki Tsujitome

The whole philosophy of Kaiseki Tsujitome is balance. Kaiseki is all about harmony, explains its third-generation owner, Chef Tsuji Yoshikazu. Everything must be in perfect balance, from the interactions of the seasonings and ingredients, to the way each color of each dish melds or contrasts with each other, to even the way the food is arranged on the plate. As such, the true beauty of kaiseki comes not necessarily from an adherence to tradition and established form, but it instead arises out of a chef’s mastery of ingredients and plating, and how skilfully they interpret this concept of harmony. This might seem like a strangely freeform philosophy for a kaiseki restaurant to have, especially one whose founder was personally trained by the head of the Urasenke school of tea ceremony in Kyoto. But a steady stream of customers to this Akasaka restaurant — just outside the eastern grounds of the Imperial Palace — and a string of Michelin stars more than speak for themselves. At its peak, the restaurant held two Michelin stars for over a decade, and continues to rack up awards on the Tabelog Top 100. It's this commitment to consistent excellence that has had Kaiseki Tsujitome serving customers for over 100 years, and looks to keep it going strong for a long time yet. Michelin Guide: 2009 - 1 Michelin Star 2010-2022 - 2 Michelin Stars 2023 - 1 Michelin Star