Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on April 2014

With five Michelin stars under his chef’s toque, Toru Okuda helms restaurants known to be some of the toughest places in town to score a reservation. His flagship, Ginza Kojyu, is on the fourth floor of the Carioca Building in the upscale district and he has an eponymous shop located in the basement of the same building. It’s a dining empire built on a solid foundation—a kaiseki meal at one of Okuda’s restaurants is a pleasure for both the eye and the palate.

Part of that enjoyment is sitting at the counter and watching the skilled chef assemble dishes right in front of you. He uses a long yanagiba knife resembling a willow-leaf to slice the sashimi into bite-sized pieces. Pointed metal chopsticks are used to fine-tune each plate. As a kaiseki restaurant, Kojyu is unique in that some entrees are presented on large dishes to be shared by two diners. The exquisite food is served on gorgeous tableware, further enriching the experience. Okuda is very personable and easy to talk to if you can speak some Japanese, fielding questions about the origins of the  ingredients and his cooking techniques.

Some of the staff can converse in English but an encyclopedia of ingredients is on hand to help non-Japanese diners find out what seafood or vegetables they are eating. With the surprising variety of  ingredients used, the book comes out more often than you would think.

Seafood shines at Kojyu and is served in many courses including a creamy ankimo (monkfish liver), sashimi, sea bream and vegetable soup. We were treated to miso-marinated mackerel and winter yellowtail steamed with rice, as well as seared tender wagyu. The chef was nice enough to send us home with some rice balls and Tsukudani (kombu pickled in soy sauce), which made for a perfect breakfast the next morning.

The wine list, strong in French selections, is reasonably priced with a wide variety available by the glass. There is also a sommelier on the staff to help you choose, all pleasant surprises in a city where markups on wine are often ridiculous.

Due to the popularity, reservations are recommended and since only courses are served, you should let them know if anyone in your party has any allergies or dietary restrictions. Okuda  recently opened a shop in Paris, but most of his time is spent here in Tokyo. His presence is just another of the points that makes a visit a special treat.