This is a visit as part of my tour of top 100 restaurants. Since it's reservation-only, I made a reservation on TableCheck more than a month in advance. Upon entering the restaurant, I noticed there were 23 seats. I highly recommend sitting at the counter here! I ordered the 5000 yen lunch course when making the reservation. Each dish is prepared and served on the other side of the counter, providing a live cooking experience. It takes about 2 hours for the entire meal to be served. Throughout the meal, the friendly chef engages in humorous and witty conversation, creating a very relaxed atmosphere. The dishes are not only visually stunning and artistic, but also incredibly delicious! The signature dish, sea bream tea rice, with its flavorful rice, sauce, and sea bream, is truly delightful! The fish dishes featuring sea bream are also outstanding. The chef expertly explains the process of blood removal and fish aging, resulting in exceptional flavors. Dishes like yellowtail sashimi with shirako and yellow chives are creatively seasoned, making for a fantastic dining experience. With 9 counter seats available, enjoying the lunch course here on a special family occasion would surely be a lively and enjoyable experience. In fact, the family next to me was having a great time! Thank you for the wonderful meal!

Located in Higashi Ginza, this highly popular restaurant is renowned for its sea bream rice bowl and is a must-visit spot where you can experience the intangible cultural heritage of Japanese cuisine. I visited for the first time in September and was impressed by the appearance of matsutake mushrooms and the delicious seasonal dishes featuring conger eel. Starting with the reliable and classic sesame tofu, each dish utilizing seasonal ingredients allows you to feel the essence of Japan's four seasons through not only the ingredients but also the tableware, presentation, and the subtle interior of the restaurant. The chef's stories are enlightening, making it a delightful and educational experience. Once again, the food was truly delicious. Despite trying to avoid too many carbohydrates, the sesame sauce on the sea bream rice bowl was so delicious that I couldn't resist having seconds. The hotpot dishes with matsutake mushrooms and conger eel smelled and tasted amazing, with a rich broth that made my taste buds sing. Finishing with freshly made kudzu starch cake and freshly brewed matcha tea was perfect, and the onigiri souvenir was also delicious. As it is a very popular restaurant, I made a reservation for my next visit without hesitation. I confidently recommend this wonderful restaurant!

Weekday lunch, 12:30, reservation for 2 people. Counter seats. It's my third time here after a long time, and it seems to be getting harder to make reservations each time. This time, my friend managed to book a day that happened to be available about a month ago. We had a light lunch course and sparkling wine. The polite and delicious dishes, along with the high hospitality of the staff, create a very pleasant atmosphere where time flies by in just 2 hours. It was so delicious and fun, I return home in a good mood.

【Points】✔️Once you try the specialty dishes like sea bream ochazuke and sesame tofu, you'll become addicted to their exquisite flavors. ✔️The recommended counter seating offers overwhelming hospitality and a sense of presence for an enjoyable dining experience! ✔️Lunchtime offers exceptional value for money! It's a steal to enjoy this quality and performance at this price!【Repeat Rate】★★★★★I immediately made reservations for two future visits!【Occasions】Ideal for dates, business meals, and family dining.【Reservations】Initially reserved through Table check, but when I visited, they were fully booked up to 3 months ahead, and weekends were booked up to around 6 months in advance.【Ordered Items】Light lunch course for 5,500 yen: ◆Grilled sesame tofu ◇Pumpkin in soy milk ◆Conger eel and daikon-cucumber sunomono ◇Frozen corn soup with tomato and cucumber ◆Sashimi of Meichidai from the Goto Islands with shari sauce, and Man'yoji chili ◇Marinated red snapper nigiri ◆Kyoto-style grilled duck and eggplant ◇Stewed stingray fin and gelée ◆Sea bream ochazuke ◇Sesame pudding and shiso sorbet. Sharing delicious restaurant discoveries daily! Check out more posts at @foodie_ol_diary.

I made a reservation at the counter, but the dishes didn't start even after the scheduled time. It seems like they have a simultaneous start system. I don't remember seeing that in the reservation explanation... Eventually, some guests arrived 10 minutes late, and it started about 15 minutes in. If there's only one course available, I can understand, but do they really make the 15,000 yen course guests wait for the 5,000 yen guests? What kind of system is this? The neighboring customers were only given beer for 15 minutes without any appetizers. What a letdown. The hojicha tea served was delicious. The grilled sesame tofu had a crispy exterior and a light mochi-like texture when eaten with soy sauce. The appetizer was presented on a fan-shaped tray with blue maple leaves. The pumpkin mousse was rich in sweetness, but the broth was light and refreshing. Then came the grilled conger eel. It's like an eel version of unaju. I would have preferred the eel version... Why does it need to be conger eel if it's prepared in the unaju style? Perhaps it's to keep costs down and highlight seasonal ingredients... Well, at least it didn't have a fishy smell. The soup had a corn puree base with Korean eel, tomato, and zucchini. I wish there was more eel, part 2. The puree was oddly half-frozen, giving it a shaved ice texture, but the flavor was bland and vague. I wanted to taste the sweetness of the corn. It was a strange dish with eel and tomato that barely had any flavor. Next, there was the Goto Islands' barracuda served with karasumi and shishito pepper. The barracuda was mature and tender, pairing well with the karasumi. The karasumi was flavorful and delicious. In conclusion, the sashimi was the highlight of the day. The squid sushi with red vinegar had a well-balanced shari without being too vinegary. The squid had a chewy texture but lacked sweetness. The red snapper sushi had sesame seeds on top, with a unique sauce. Generally, the sashimi was aged for a softer texture. The grilled dish was Kamo eggplant yaki-tanuki. It was average. Was it a side dish or a palate cleanser? The boiled stingray fin with uni was served. Later, I found out it was red stingray. You can eat it with the cartilage, but it wasn't particularly delicious or special. The steamed rice with red snapper was made with Koshihikari rice, which was sweet and tasty. Now, the main dish of red snapper ochazuke was served. First, try the red snapper and rice without the broth. The red snapper was decent, but the sesame sauce was too diluted with soy sauce, not to my liking. I would have preferred more sesame and nutty flavors with less soy sauce. For dessert, there was kuzu jelly and matcha. Apart from the hojicha and karasumi, there wasn't much that I found delicious, and there were few luxury ingredients. Overall, the presentation and dishes were too plain and simple. Could it be that the appetizers were actually sushi? If the red snapper ochazuke had exceeded expectations, there might have been a chance, but unfortunately, that wasn't the case. The course cost 8,800 yen with service charge excluded, and looking at other customers, there wasn't much difference in the number of dishes, except for the sashimi and dessert, even with the cheapest 5,500 yen course. Perhaps it's worth it to have a kaiseki meal (or is it a traditional Japanese restaurant?) in Ginza for around 5,000 yen. I'll think about the trendy dining places in Azabu-Dai Hills that I should have gone to.

Located in a popular spot in the back alleys of Higashi Ginza, this restaurant has become increasingly difficult to book these days. That's why I always make a reservation for my next visit when I dine here - it's a favorite spot that I visit regularly! Due to feeling unwell, it had been two months since my last visit... Honestly, every dish was truly delicious and I was once again impressed. However, since it had been a while, I was particularly amazed by the classic dishes like sesame tofu and sea bream tea pickles - I was like, "Wow, were they this delicious before?" Each dish is meticulously prepared, allowing you to enjoy the seasonal ingredients and flavors! The ingredients are carefully selected, and the dishes aged by experts in blood removal and aging are truly outstanding! This is a top-notch restaurant that I confidently recommend not only to Japanese people but also to those from overseas, so they can experience the greatness of Japanese cuisine. I'm already looking forward to my next visit!

I finally visited Uchiyama, a restaurant on the mountain to celebrate a friend's birthday. It's already a difficult place to make a reservation, but it became even more challenging after being featured on a TV show! We started with the 8000 yen course specialty, a grilled sesame tofu, which was crispy, chewy, and delicious with a wide sesame flavor. I was looking forward to the sea bream ochazuke! As recommended, I first tried the sea bream and rice with plenty of sesame sauce. After finishing one bowl of rice, I had a second serving as ochazuke. It was different from the usual light ochazuke, with moist sea bream that paired perfectly. I understand why everyone looks forward to this dish. The post-meal kuzukiri was the first time I had such a delicious and chewy kuzukiri. Every dish was delicious, using seasonal ingredients, reaffirming the goodness of Japanese cuisine. I had originally planned to sit at the counter, but it was fully booked, so we were seated in a private room. It was nice to be able to talk leisurely, but next time, I would like to dine at the counter and listen to the head chef's stories. Even in the private room, the warmth of the head chef and the friendly staff came through.

Today's main course is the focus. There are 9 counter seats, 2 small rooms, and one 4-person and one 6-person table! I made a reservation three months ago to pass through the narrow gate of 19 seats!! So, even with Corona, it's no big deal for me to dine alone! Reserved for 12:30, the first dish arrived at 12:45. [6000 yen course] The taste is... ● Grilled sesame tofu ☆3.8 Coated with starch, it looks like a square rice cake. The taste is rice cake-like as it's eaten with special soy sauce. The sesame flavor is a bit subtle. This is their specialty. ● Appetizer ☆5.0 I forgot to take a photo, but it was served on a plate with autumn leaves and two cut glass cups. - Steamed fig is refreshing, I usually don't like figs but I can eat a lot of this! More!! - Somen noodles with pumpkin salad, the finely shaved bonito flakes stand out and are delicious! * The 8000 yen course next to us had steamed crab! ● Soup ☆5.0 Roasted corn, winter melon, and Hiramasa from Amakusa combined nicely with corn broth. The roasted Hiramasa is fragrant and delicious, and at this point, I was quite satisfied and entered the first phase of fullness. ● Sashimi ☆4.3 Aged local bonito from the Goto Islands, goya, and okahijiki salad. Drizzled with soy sauce and rice vinegar sauce. Goya and okahijiki were nice accents. ● Red snapper sushi ☆5.0 Marinated red snapper aged in vacuum for a week, served with sudachi, sesame, and a hint of wasabi. ● Grilled dish ☆3.9 Aged yellowtail from the Goto Islands. There were some slightly dry parts. ● Cold dish ☆5.0 Tai bone broth, octopus, pumpkin, small taro, okra. I followed the advice to not waste any of the bone broth and diligently finished the dish without leaving anything behind. Both visually and in taste, it's a dish suitable for summer. I hit the second phase of fullness, it seems that delicious food doesn't make you full immediately, right? ● Oven-cooked rice, tai chazuke ☆5.0 A specialty of the restaurant. (For lunch, there's a 1980 yen course that only includes this tai chazuke. However, for first-time visitors, reservations are full for three months, while regular customers can book up to six months in advance, so the 1980 yen course is fully booked until January next year.) First, like a tea ceremony, take a bite of plain rice. Next, place a slice of marinated red snapper on the rice and take three bites. Then, pour the broth over the red snapper, sprinkle with roasted green tea from an iron teapot, and take three bites when the red snapper is cooked. Nothing but deliciousness comes out! This red snapper is so delicious! I'm already full! ● Dessert ☆5.0 Nanko-ume sherbet and sesame pudding. The sherbet has a gentle acidity, while the pudding has a distinct sesame flavor. I hit the third phase of fullness, it's over. ● Green tea ☆3.9 I took the leftover oven-cooked rice and made two rice balls with dried young sardines, which I received as a souvenir. When I gave it to my husband, he said, "What's this, it's so rough! There's a half-used chopstick inside!" I explained, "Oh, that's because it's a custom for the host to prepare them by shaving them when guests come over for tea ceremonies, saying it's a once-in-a-lifetime encounter!" I heard something like that before, so maybe that's the meaning." My husband replied, "Host?!" I clarified, "I'm not talking about you!" My husband said, "Anyway, I don't want to touch these chopsticks, so please throw them away." This couple needs to study Japanese cuisine a bit more. However, the chef, staff, and even the casual reservation cancellation calls at Uchiyama were not pretentious. Having enjoyed the meal, I promptly made a reservation for November. Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart.

Ginza Uchiyama "Tai Chazuke" is a popular restaurant that opened in 2002 and has been selected as one of the top 100 Japanese cuisine restaurants. While reservations for lunch and dinner courses are usually available, getting a reservation for the famous "Tai Chazuke" limited to 11:30 am and TableCheck reservations during lunchtime can be quite challenging. Some even say it's the "hardest to reserve Tai Chazuke in Japan." Reservations can be made up to 90 days in advance through TableCheck, but these slots are rarely open. After checking Uchiyama's TableCheck two to three times a day for about two months, a slot suddenly opened up on the evening of June 15 for July 6 - I immediately made a reservation. The Tai Chazuke at Uchiyama includes Tai fish chazuke, Tai fish soup, signature roasted sesame tofu, Tai sashimi with rice, Tai Chazuke, and dessert. The Tai fish soup with daikon, spinach, and white spring onion broth is incredibly delicious, and the plump Tai fish and flavorful daikon are superb. The roasted sesame tofu is fluffy and served with wasabi and aged soy sauce. The Tai sashimi is exceptional, especially when enjoyed with sesame sauce. The glossy Niigata Murakami-produced Koshihikari rice is also outstanding. By the way, the freshly cooked rice is all-you-can-eat, and the chef mentioned that the record for refills is 9 bowls. Lastly, placing the sesame sauce Tai on rice, pouring the special broth, and enjoying Uchiyama's Tai Chazuke is simply delightful. The dessert of the day was a homemade black honey sesame pudding, which scored 120 points. The beer served is the rare premium "ROCOCO" made with underground water from Mount Fuji. With only 9 counter seats and full reservations until the end of the year, everyone was already booking for January and beyond after their meal. It was a wonderful dining experience!

This popular restaurant is difficult to book. Located at the edge of Higashi-Ginza. The sea bream rice bowl lunch is famous for its cost performance, but I decided to order the 8,800 yen course that allows you to try a variety of dishes. It was a weekday lunch, but the restaurant was full, with only me dining alone. The rest of the counter was occupied by a seemingly wealthy couple and a man and woman that seemed to be on a sugar daddy date. A glass of draft beer costs 1,100 yen, and a small bottle of sake costs 1,800 yen, which might be considered pricey considering the location (even though it's quite off the beaten path in Ginza). I was the only one drinking alcohol during lunch, which made me feel both awkward and a bit superior. The dishes I tried were: - Sesame tofu (a specialty)… The sesame tofu is lightly fried in potato starch, crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside, very delicious. You can buy it as a souvenir (it can also be frozen), so I bought some to take home. - Three starters… Sea urchin and yuba sauce, white seasoned hijiki seaweed, edamame tofu. The white seasoned hijiki seaweed has an interesting texture. The rest were delicious but nothing particularly outstanding. - Tuna creative sushi… The tuna is marinated and served with vinegared rice porridge, lettuce, and karasumi. While the creativity is evident, the taste is bland except for a hint of saltiness from the karasumi. Not tasty at all, the fibers of the lettuce and the porridge-like vinegared rice are a strange combination. - Conger eel with grated daikon radish… Served with zucchini, okra, and ginger. The conger eel is overcooked, making the texture unpleasant. - Marinated kue… Kue mixed with white asparagus, snap peas, and green onions. The flavor is weak and the vegetables are watery rather than fresh. - Raw bigfin reef squid sushi… This was incredibly delicious. Well-aged, tender, and flavorful. - Sea bream sushi… The sea bream is dipped in the sauce of the famous sea bream rice bowl. Simply delicious. - Famous sea bream rice bowl… I was looking forward to this the most, but the sesame sauce was too salty, disappointing. It was delightful to see the rice freshly scooped from the pot in front of us. The rice bowl is not the typical dashi-flavored tea rice, but made with strong tea. - Kuzukiri (kudzu starch noodles)… Mr. Uchiyama himself boils, cuts, and prepares it right in front of you. The black syrup is rich and delicious. While the sea bream rice bowl was excessively salty, the rest of the dishes were quite bland. I may not have a refined palate, but I found some dishes not tasty despite the variety. Although there were many courses, I felt the overall cost performance was not great. The service was polite and friendly, with Mr. Uchiyama and his apprentices elegantly presenting and explaining the dishes in front of us, which was rewarding. However, the taste of the dishes may be subjective. I think it would be suitable for those who can afford to have a 10,000 yen lunch regularly, but for me, it still felt quite high-end.

Visited on a Sunday afternoon. Made a reservation 3 months in advance.【Points】○ High-quality Japanese cuisine in a full course for 5,500 yen○ Seasonal dishes○ Delicious tai chazuke cooked in a unique pot style○ Good service, one of the better restaurants in Ginza−−*Operation: Multiple staff members*Customer base: Diverse*Payment: Cards accepted*Charge, service fee: 10%*Online reservations: Available*Lunchtime service: Available*Solo dining: Possible*Google rating: 4.4*Tabelog current rating and impression: 3.78, fair impression【About the restaurant】Listed in the 2023 Japan's Top 100 Restaurants. Became difficult to reserve for lunch after being featured on a TV show hosted by Matsuko. Seats fill up quickly when reservations open. Lunch indeed offers great value for the price. Close to the station, accessible from Kyobashi and Takaracho as well.【Interior】Around 9 counter seats and semi-private table seating. Counter seat spacing is narrow. The head chef was absent that day, but there were many apprentices and staff members present, and the operation ran smoothly.【Food】Had reserved the 5,500 yen light lunch course. With a 10% service charge, the total comes to slightly over 6,000 yen without drinks. Had 1 cup of sake. The dishes included:○ Grilled sesame tofu○ Appetizers: Yuba, edamame tofu with ginger dashi, white miso○ Clear soup with seasonal fish and vegetables○ Skipjack tuna and white asparagus with scallion sauce○ Tai sushi○ Grilled young ayu fish with tadezu vinegar○ Eggplant dengaku○ Tai chazuke in a clay pot with pickles○ Japanese-style almond jelly and ice cream○ Matcha tea【Impressions on the food】The quality, variety, and quantity of the Japanese course at this price point are astonishing. Despite being described as light, it was a full course. The grilled sesame tofu and edamame tofu with ginger dashi were particularly impressive. The clear soup with seasonal fish and vegetables was flavorful and well-prepared. The skipjack tuna had a bit of sinew, but considering the price, it was acceptable. The scallion sauce was refreshing and not overpowering. The tai sushi, aged to enhance its flavor, was a delightful surprise. Each sushi piece was carefully crafted. The grilled young ayu fish was served fresh. It was pleasing to see the variety in the course with seasonal ingredients. Even included tadezu vinegar! A delightful taste of early summer. The pickled plum was also delicious. As the meal progressed, just when I thought it was time for rice, the eggplant dengaku arrived. The variety and quantity of dishes were impressive. The melting eggplant and chewy wheat gluten were delightful. The meal ended with tai chazuke. Starting with just white rice, the clay pot rice was cooked with care, mixed intermittently during cooking. The rice had a great flavor, was moist, glossy, and slightly sweet, a high-quality clay pot rice. After enjoying the tai dipped in sauce with rice, including the crispy rice at the bottom, it was like eating ochazuke. The attentive service continued with freshly made matcha tea. Leftover clay pot rice was given as salted kelp rice balls as a parting gift. Both heart and stomach were satisfied, feeling like dining out for dinner. The clay pot rice being cooked on gas stoves lined up in front of the counter raised concerns about heat and safety, and the smoke from grilling young ayu fish lingered in the restaurant for a while, which was a downside. Overall, the service was good, and the food was excellent. It's easy to see why it's popular. A great restaurant in Ginza.

Standing in Higashi Ginza, this renowned kaiseki restaurant is a favorite spot known for its exquisite tai chazuke as a perfect finale. I made a reservation quite a while back and recently visited for the second time (● ˃̶͈̀ロ˂̶͈́)੭ꠥ⁾⁾, opting to upgrade the course this time!! Even though I visited twice in the same month, far from getting tired, the deliciousness was truly moving. Among various delicious dishes, the standout was the expertly prepared suppon and the kinmedai with shirako sauce – the real MVP! Especially the kinmedai sashimi melted in my mouth! The octopus dish reminded me of a nostalgic gem often served at Kasho, which is currently closed. Delicious!! The grilled dish featured madai, with a broth seeping from the bones that was irresistible! In this course, while the main focus was on fish dishes, I also enjoyed a meat dish prepared with beef tongue this time. The refined broth reminiscent of a tail soup was incredibly delicious! And so, I made a reservation for my next visit and left, thoroughly recommending this place (● ˃̶͈̀ロ˂̶͈́)੭ꠥ⁾⁾.

I visited the restaurant for lunch on a Saturday in the latter half of May. The manager, Mr. Amano, was chatting friendly with two women who seemed to be regular customers next to me. They were excitedly discussing how the restaurant's sea bream rice bowl was featured as a delicious Ginza lunch spot on a TV show. I started with a dish of grilled sesame tofu, crispy on the outside and soft inside, topped with a light soy sauce. The appetizers included vinegar-marinated mountain vegetables and Amore tomatoes, as well as sea bream with asparagus and karasumi sauce. The vinegar dish had a mild acidity that complemented the sweetness of the tomatoes. The soup featured water eggplant, Hokkaido salmon, myoga, and okra, with the fatty salmon adding depth to the fragrant broth. The sashimi course included red sea bream with plum soy sauce, a perfect combination of flavors. Next up was Hokkaido boiled octopus and sushi rice, with the tender octopus inviting careful chewing. The grilled dish featured Kyoto bamboo shoots, lightly seasoned with wood buds and bonito flakes, allowing the simple taste of soy sauce to highlight the texture of the bamboo shoots. The course continued with Lake Biwa ayu fish, Yamagata udo, and red konjac, where the bitterness of the ayu was gently enveloped by the soy sauce-flavored amber sauce. The meal concluded with the famous sea bream rice bowl, presented beautifully in a wooden box and enjoyed in three stages with sesame sauce, rice, and green tea. Drizzling a bit of soy sauce enhanced the flavors. Dessert consisted of kinako ice cream and almond tofu, both rich and delicious, although the ice cream was a bit too hard. Finally, I had matcha tea as a closing. Despite being a meatless and light course, priced at 6,800 yen including cold green tea, I found it quite reasonable for Ginza. The service was friendly with just the right amount of distance, making it a relaxing experience. They even packed the leftover rice into onigiri and gave me the chopsticks wrapped in a cloth as a souvenir. I would love to visit this place again in a different season!

Featured in the media, Ginza Uchiyama is well-known for its grilled sesame tofu and sea bream tea pickles. Especially the sea bream tea pickles lunch is known for its high cost performance, with reservations unavailable for over six months in advance. Occasionally, cancellations may occur, so it's a good idea to check the reservation status frequently. This time, thanks to my boss who made a dinner reservation, it has been about two years since I last visited. The sea bream tea pickles with simmered sea bream bones are gentle in flavor without compromising the deliciousness of the sea bream. The daikon radish has absorbed plenty of broth and is tender. The grilled sesame tofu, with aged soy sauce, enhances the sweetness of the sesame. Sea bream sashimi, kettle-cooked rice, pickles, and roasted green tea followed by sea bream tea pickles - rich and creamy sesame sauce with firm sea bream. I wonder how to eat the 9 pieces. The edamame tofu custard showcases the sweetness of edamame without being too heavy, leaving a refreshing aftertaste. They also offer children's meals and celebratory meals, making it a great place for family gatherings.

I was curious about the sea bream ochazuke, so I made a reservation here. I had the light lunch course for 5500 yen. Sesame tofu. Freshly grilled sesame tofu. It was incredibly delicious. Tilefish and asparagus sunomono. Water eggplant and cherry salmon soup. The water eggplant was very tasty! Red snapper sashimi. The plum soy sauce was amazing. Bluefin tuna nigiri. Bamboo shoots. They go perfectly with soy sauce. The aroma is wonderful. Sweetfish nanbanzuke and koshiabura tempura. The koshiabura is excellent. Sea bream ochazuke. The sesame sauce is very tasty. I might like it more than pouring tea over it. Dessert.

We ordered the light lunch course, and Mr. Yama made us feel so satisfied that the 5,500 yen price seemed reasonable. They carefully read what we wrote in the web reservation form each time, which I appreciate. They seem to pay attention to each customer individually. The refined space and delicate kaiseki cuisine are enjoyable. The famous grilled sesame tofu was crispy, fluffy, chewy, and melty. We requested an extra serving, which they added for an additional 1,518 yen. The tableware with helmet decorations and arrow motifs at Sakurazuki is delightful. The dishes inside contained tomatoes, cucumbers, and smooth, crunchy junsai, giving a refreshing feel. The aged Madai from the Goto Islands was delicious in just a few bites, full of flavor. The asparagus was also fresh and tasty. The warm aroma of the Satsuki trout and water eggplant soup was excellent. The grilled Suzuki with plum soy sauce enhanced the fish's flavor. The grilled bamboo shoot with Manpukuji pepper and red pepper was delicious and fragrant. The fried Biwa Lake ayu, red konjac, and koshi-abura were amazing. The pickled sea bream nigiri melted in the mouth. The rice for the tai chazuke, cooked in an earthen pot, was shiny, plump, and delicious. The soybean milk puree with broad beans and shiso sorbet were unusual and enjoyable desserts. The smooth and springy soybean milk puree with a unique flavor was so delicious that I wanted seconds. The shiso sorbet was refreshing. I didn't particularly enjoy the matcha, but everything else was great. The 12:30 simultaneous start made us feel connected to the other diners at our table, creating a sense of shared experience and a moment of serendipity. This is a restaurant worth visiting each season!

Visited the renowned Japanese cuisine restaurant "Uchiyama," just a 3-minute walk from Higashi-Ginza Station. The lunch sea bream tea rice bowl is a difficult-to-reserve platinum ticket, but by diligently checking Table Check, I happened to find a cancellation and was able to make a reservation 2 days in advance. It had been a while since I had sea bream tea rice bowl, as the sister restaurant "Tokuchiyama" had changed its business to a sushi restaurant. I visited at 11:30 on a Saturday and ordered the sea bream tea rice bowl for 1,980 yen. The meal included sea bream head soup, sea bream sashimi, sea bream tea rice bowl, and their specialty sesame tofu with dessert. The sea bream head soup had an excellent flavor, with the taste of sea bream and dashi permeating the daikon radish. The sesame tofu had a wonderful aroma and rich flavor. The sea bream sashimi with sesame sauce was delicious, with the fresh taste of sea bream and the sauce complementing each other perfectly. The steamed rice (Koshihikari from Murakami, Niigata) was outstanding – shiny and fluffy. I would love to have a lunch with just rice and pickles. Lastly, I poured tea over the sea bream sashimi dipped in sesame sauce on the rice. Endless satisfaction! The sea bream lineup and cost performance make this restaurant's special meal a must-try. I enjoyed the dessert, pumpkin soy milk pudding, until the end.

Located in Higashi Ginza, this popular Michelin-starred restaurant has been a favorite since it was featured on a TV show. We recently visited for the first time and were so impressed that we made a reservation for our next visit before leaving. The ¥8,000 lunch course is a bit pricey, but the quality is exceptional. The secret to the delicious dishes lies in the chef's passion for food. Each ingredient is carefully prepared, and the expert handling of fresh fish results in outstanding dishes. The sesame tofu as the first course and the sea bream rice bowl as the finale are always a delight. The seasonal variations in the dishes keep things interesting. The attention to detail, such as the tableware, adds to the dining experience. The sashimi, especially the marinated squid with homemade fish roe, is a standout. The grilled bamboo shoots with special soy sauce are also a must-try. The bitter-sweet flavors of the grilled sweetfish with soy sauce are a perfect match. The meal concludes with sea bream rice bowl, kudzu starch cake, and green tea – a perfect ending to a delicious dining experience. Overall, dining in May was truly exceptional.

Uchiyama-san after a long time. A famous Ginza Japanese restaurant. Located in the basement of Ginza Ichome, there are counter seats as well as several private rooms. Invited by a regular customer, I tried the "tai chazuke lunch" that is notoriously difficult to reserve in Japan. What I had was tai no aradaki (simmered fish head), grilled sesame tofu, tai chazuke set, dessert. The tai no aradaki had plenty of meat. The daikon was flavorful, and the grilled sesame tofu was freshly grilled. The eagerly awaited tai chazuke was served with wasabi and aged soy sauce. The extravagant tai slices, resembling rose petals, were topped with a rich sesame sauce. Pickles were also served. And what's amazing is the freshly cooked rice, cooked with attention to every minute and second here! Plump and glossy. It's delicious on its own, but when you pour the rich sesame sauce, it becomes irresistible! The freshly cooked rice is unexpectedly all-you-can-eat here! The record for rice refills is reportedly up to 9 bowls! Everyone around me on this day was also constantly getting refills! The determination of Mr. Uchiyama, the owner, to encourage guests to eat a lot is truly admirable. In the second half, you can enjoy a light chazuke by pouring green tea over it. All for 1980 yen, including dessert! This lunch is so popular that it's fully booked up to six months in advance. Of course. By the way, you can also have this tai chazuke with the 5500 yen lunch course!

Featured on a TV show even Matsumoto's Unexplored World, this highly recommended Japanese restaurant in East Ginza, which has won a Michelin star, offers exquisite sea bream rice porridge to finish off the meal. The dishes for April highlighted spring ingredients and resembled Kyoto kaiseki cuisine. The first dish was the classic sesame tofu, followed by appetizers featuring spring delicacies like butterbur sprouts that evoke the arrival of spring. The masterful creation of a soup using new onions was delicious, showcasing the gentle flavors that remind us of how Japanese cuisine is considered intangible cultural heritage. A favorite of mine, the firefly squid dish, surely delights even those who enjoy drinking alcohol. Subsequently, we were served a vegetable-based soup in a small cup, made without relying on salt or seasonings but with a meticulous attention to detail, leaving us feeling content. Another favorite of mine was the homemade mullet roe dish, along with the delicious grilled fish, seasonal bamboo shoots, and the classic sea bream rice porridge to conclude the meal. The freshly made arrowroot starch noodles right in front of us were delightful, and drinking the leftover black syrup diluted in arrowroot starch water was a treat. The matcha served by the head chef was a perfect match, ensuring a delicious experience until the very end. To those looking for a delicious restaurant in Ginza, I highly recommend this truly delightful place!

【Order】Sea Bream Chazuke【Price】1980 yen【Rating】Located an 8-minute walk from Ginza Station. Visited on a weekday afternoon after making a reservation 3 months in advance. Sat at the beautifully limited 9-seat counter. The sea bream on that day was from Awaji Island. Started with the sea bream soaked in sesame sauce as sashimi, then enjoyed it as chazuke. The firm and elastic sea bream had a great texture. The shiny freshly cooked rice complemented the deliciousness of the sea bream. The appetizers, sea bream fin and grilled sesame tofu, were also tasty. Reservations are hard to come by, but I definitely want to revisit. Thank you for the meal.