DESTINATION RESTAURANTS
Destination Restaurants express the land of Japan
Presented by The Japan Times since 2021, Destination Restaurants is a list of “the best restaurants in Japan, selected by Japanese experts with international diners in mind.” For this year’s list we welcomed back the judges who have guided this project since its inception: Yoshiki Tsuji, Naoyuki Honda and Takefumi Hamada. Together they have selected 10 establishments from across the nation. Restaurants of any genre and in any location outside major cities are eligible. We are often told that Tokyo has the most Michelin-starred restaurants in the world; this list’s focus is on Japan’s regional areas. Selections are based on three principles: that the true expression of Japan’s land and climate is to be found in its regional areas; that it is important to unearth unique talents that might otherwise get lost in regional areas; and that Destination Restaurants is different from the many other popular restaurant rankings that exist.
In 2023, spending by visitors to Japan hit a record high of ¥5.3 trillion ($35 billion). The number of visitors was 25.06 million, or 80% of the pre-COVID level in 2019. Digging further into the data, we can see that foreign tourists are shifting their spending toward unique experiences, including accommodations, rather than goods. And what better experience is there than fine dining in regional Japan? The culinary experience on offer at our Destination Restaurant of the Year 2024, Elezo Esprit in Hokkaido, is sure to delight even the most traveled epicures. With the chef overseeing a fully integrated system spanning meat production to processing and cooking, the restaurant proves the saying that “to eat is to receive life.” Through experiences such as these, Destination Restaurants helps visitors engage fully with Japan’s climate, traditions, culture and spirit.
Elezo Esprit
The Destination Restaurant of the year 2024
From among the 10 Destination Restaurants 2024 honorees, Elezo Esprit, which has created a new culture of meat-based cuisine, was chosen as the Destination Restaurant of the Year 2024.
Gunma prefecture
Kawaba village in Gunma’s Tone district is home to one of Japan’s “sacred mountains” and the birthplace of Ventinove’s chef-owner, Yusuke Takeuchi. After closing his popular Tokyo restaurant, he opened Ventinove in Kawaba in 2022. It is known for meat dishes showing the skills, from butchering to cooking, that he acquired at a famous restaurant in the Tuscan countryside.
Nagano prefecture
This Italian restaurant is located in the Tateshina Highlands, in the foothills of Mount Yatsugatake. Chef-owner Noriyuki Usui trained in Italy, not only at a restaurant but also in a prosciutto workshop. Ca’enne’s specialty is its prosciutto, made in a workshop that was established nearby. Guests are also served firewood-cooked cuisine enhanced with the aromas of freshly picked herbs, as well as handmade pasta.
Shizuoka prefecture
Chef-owner Kenichi Nishi was deeply impressed by the quality of the fish at Sasue Maeda Fish Shop in Yaizu, Shizuoka Prefecture, and relocated from Hiroshima to Yaizu in 2022 in order to create French dishes making full use of the extraordinary freshness of this fish. Nishi continues to develop and refine his cuisine, including the “fresh fish pie” that has been his signature dish since before his move to Yaizu.
Niigata prefecture
Shintaku was established in 1867. After honing their culinary skills in Kyoto, brothers Shinsuke and Ryota Yamagai took over the family business in 2008, with Shinsuke becoming the restaurant’s fifth-generation head chef. Most of the ingredients they use are produced in Murakami — not just the salmon for which the city is famous, but also meat and seafood, vegetables, rice and sake.
Toyama prefecture
Kentaro Mura is the fourth-generation owner-chef of this Japanese restaurant, which opened in 1911. After closing the business in 2018 to refine his skills further at Japanese restaurant in Tokyo, Mura reopened the Toyama restaurant in a new location in October 2022. Ebitei-Bekkan offers exquisite dishes featuring ingredients from Toyama and elsewhere in the Hokuriku region, paired with well-matched wines.
Ishikawa prefecture
Ipponsugi Kawashima is currently closed, as the 93-year-old building it occupies — a former fountain pen shop designated a Tangible Cultural Property — was damaged in the Noto earthquake on Jan. 1 and is not in usable condition. Owner-chef Toru Kawashima distributed meals to earthquake victims after the disaster, and is currently engaged in a crowdfunding effort with a view to the restaurant’s reopening.
Mie prefecture
Occupying a traditional house on the outskirts of Matsusaka, Shibousai Kitagawa offers “Chinese cuisine that is gentle on the stomach,” serving just one group of diners per day. Using local products such as Ise-ebi lobster and Matsusaka beef, owner-chef Yoshihiro Kitagawa single-handedly carries out the entire process from stocking ingredients to putting the final touches on dishes. This restaurant is now booked up one years in advance.
Oita prefecture
Enowa is a multipurpose complex combining a restaurant with a hot spring, sauna and lodging accommodations. Executive chef Tashi Gyamtso, who gained experience at the restaurant Blue Hill at Stone Barns near New York City, moved to the area three years before Enowa’s opening to grow vegetables and make other preparations. The cuisine created in Yufuin by this native of Tibet has gained considerable attention.
Okinawa prefecture
Owner-chef Keiji Ojima, who had long garnered many fans with his catering business, opened this restaurant on the main island of Okinawa in 2021. Except for some seasonings, all the ingredients used in the omakase (chef’s selection) menu are produced in Okinawa. Communicating directly with producers, Kojima brings out the full potential of Okinawan ingredients in his cuisine.
Destination Restaurants was launched by The Japan Times in 2021 as a list of the best restaurants in Japan, selected by Japanese experts with international diners in mind. As in previous years, Yoshiki Tsuji, Naoyuki Honda and Takeshi Hamada have kindly judged the third edition, Destination Restaurants 2023, and selected 10 top-quality restaurants from across the nation.
Destination Restaurants is a list of Japan’s best restaurants published by The Japan Times. Started in 2021, the list is selected by Japanese experts with an international audience in mind. Our three judges from last year, Yoshiki Tsuji, Naoyuki Honda and Takefumi Hamada, are back again and have selected 10 restaurants from all over the country.
The restaurant scene in Japan has entered a new era, with diners seeking unique experiences and cuisine that cannot be found elsewhere.
At the forefront of this trend are restaurateurs linked closely to the sources of their ingredients, turning the natural blessings of their surroundings into innovative, delectable fare.
Each year, the members of our expert panel recommend 10 establishments, with the aim of introducing readers to authentic cuisine prepared with great care and imagination.
The Japan Times Destination Restaurant of the Year 2021 is Cuisine régionale L’évo.
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