Tempura Yamanoue (The Hilltop Hotel)

※ The Hilltop Hotel is currently closed for renovation, and as such the original Tempura Yamanoue is presently unavailable for reservation. Please check back periodically for updates. ——— The Hilltop Hotel (Yamanoue Hotel in Japanese) is famous for its connection to the literati of Japan, many of whom rested their head here when visiting their publishers in Tokyo. After a dinner at the outstanding tempura restaurant on the premises, you’ll certainly have something to write home about! The restaurant joined the hotel’s lineup of eateries in 1954, making it the first in Japan to sell tempura. Since those days, they’ve been a key player in the rise of tempura from a commonplace street food to a fine dining staple. Other branches have sprung up around the city, but it’s best to try their excellent Kanto-style tempura right from the source. The method of the regional style uses sesame oil and a high frying temperature to create dishes like fried prawn head, goby fish, lotus root, asparagus, and eel.