Yamazaki (Kyobashi)

For young aspiring kaiseki chefs dying to figure out how to create the perfect Japanese dining experience, Yamazaki is the first place they should visit. This was exactly the method used by Chef Koji Yamazaki during his days as a young aspirant. Not only did he train at some of the top restaurants in Osaka and Kyoto, he also spent his free time on the other end of the counters to better understand the experience from the customer’s perspective. Whether it's down to his diligent study or innate talents, the results are undeniably marvelous. Formerly based in Toyama, his Kyobashi restaurant is legendary for having held one of the highest culinary distinctions possible: the full three Michelin stars. Rather than imagining dishes and forcing ingredients to assume the forms, Chef Yamazaki prefers instead to begin by sourcing ingredients, constructing dishes which are naturally suggested by the available ingredients at the time. This is in keeping with the philosophy which underpins everything at Yamazaki: that the restaurant is first and foremost a conduit for the expression of the natural beauty of the Toyama region. The menu focuses on Toyama ingredients and unique dishes from the region, as well as locally-brewed Japanese sake. Anyone who takes a seat at any one of the six counter seats, or three private rooms, is in for a treat — an experience which slows time down to a stop, creating moments in which all the stresses of life melt away. Michelin Guide: 2021 - 3 Michelin Stars