This is "Jushu," a Michelin one-star and two-star staple traditional Japanese cuisine restaurant in Nishi-Azabu. The difficult kanji here seems to be the official notation. I'm a certified influencer for Tokyo Calendar, and I came here to eat with a beautiful woman I met at their party. Chef Masaro Sakisaki was born in Saga Prefecture and aspired to be a chef after watching "Iron Chef," studying at Tsuji Culinary Institute in Osaka. The restaurant is located along the road leading from Nishi-Azabu Intersection towards Omotesando, near the Nezu Museum, a familiar street for those who often use taxis in Minato Ward. It's a familiar street, but there are still many restaurants I haven't tried yet, so I enter the restaurant with expectations of delicious food. We were seated at a table on the left side. The course for the day was as follows: - Grilled pufferfish milt with white miso: A dish finished with white miso in Kansai-style dashi, with the scent of grilled pufferfish milt and the rich umami inside being irresistible. - Needlefish pressed sushi: I usually prefer nigiri sushi, but pressed sushi offers a different yet delicious experience, especially when paired with cod roe and sake "Retsu." - Tilefish rice bowl: Overflowing with the flavor of tilefish fat, it looks delicious and tastes as expected, with the melted umami in the broth being fantastic. - Sashimi: The seared skin of the bream provides a consistently delicious taste, and the finely scored firefly squid offers a strong sweetness and umami despite its large size. - Fried tilefish and cabbage: Three consecutive preparations of tilefish, each with a different cooking method. Whether in a bowl, as sashimi, or fried, seasonal tilefish is incredibly delicious. - Deep-fried yuba roll and Daikon radish: The shiny soup made with fried yuba is delicious! I also love Daikon radish as an ingredient. Being able to provide such delicious food without using meat is a testament to the outstanding skills of Japanese cuisine. - Gizzard shad: Winter gizzard shad is also incredibly delicious. There are two theories about the best season for gizzard shad: summer to autumn or autumn to winter. But for me, gizzard shad is always perfectly fatty and exquisite. - Meal: The rice is "Yumeshizuku" from Saga Prefecture. Even though it's a common meal with miso soup and pickles, I can feel the high-quality umami of the rice, the dashi of the miso soup, and the deliciousness of the carefully pickled pickles. - Caramel ice cream monaka: Only the last dessert has a Western taste, but it's wrapped in a Japanese technique. The ice cream sandwiched in the crispy monaka is very delicious with its elegant sweetness and caramel aroma. It was a wonderful meal until the end.

The dishes are beautifully presented, each vibrant and deliciously fresh. The chef seemed reserved but executed his work meticulously. However, in such an esteemed establishment, our expectations were slightly let down by the timing of the servers delivering dishes and the interaction during ordering.

A cuisine centered around Saga's ingredients. The flavors are subtle, allowing the natural goodness of each ingredient to shine through. It's a gentle taste that really resonates with the body. The atmosphere of the restaurant is calm and serene, fostering a sense of tranquility. It's a place where you can truly find solace through your meal.

I visited the Japanese restaurant "Jushu" which was ranked at 77th out of 100 in the Tokyo Top 100 Japanese Restaurants on Tabelog with a rating of 3.73 in 2021. It's located in Nishi-Azabu, blending quietly into the streetscape. The interior is modest with counter and table seats, exuding a refined simplicity from its decorations and design. The proprietor hails from Saga, and Jushu specializes in Kansai-style Kappo cuisine. They offer only omakase courses, with one turnover per night. The course includes dishes like steamed hairy crab, ikura rice, soup with bream and matsutake mushrooms, assorted sashimi, marinated prawns with persimmon and cucumber, simmered duck, grilled blackthroat seaperch, rice, pickles, miso soup, and ice cream in a rice cake sandwich. It's a classic Japanese dining experience featuring plenty of local Saga produce. The meticulous presentation of seasonal ingredients in dishes like the simmered duck is particularly memorable, with the duck, green onions, broth, and sauce blending harmoniously. These hearty dishes like the simmered duck, blackthroat seaperch, and rice are satisfying and consistently delicious. Overall, it's a dependable and satisfying dining experience, making it a great restaurant choice.

As expected of a Michelin-starred restaurant. Tucked away in Nishi-Azabu, this place exudes quiet elegance. With both counter and table seating, I highly recommend sitting at the counter, where the chef prepares your meal right before your eyes. Impeccable service, exquisite dishes, and delightful drinks made for a truly blissful dinner experience.

You can enjoy authentic Japanese cuisine that delivers sincerity and skill, incorporating ingredients from the chef's hometown in Kyushu and years of training in the Kansai region. The price is 26,000 yen (tax included) for the omakase course, which includes: 1. Appetizer: Grilled eggplant, sea urchin, sweet potato, grated turnip 2. Starter: Fried sweetfish 3. Soup: Sea bream, water shield (aquatic plant), shiitake mushroom, tofu 4. Sashimi: Bigfin reef squid, striped mackerel, bonito 5. Grilled Dish: Japanese beef, fig 6. Simmered Dish: Abalone, Kamo eggplant, ankake (thick starchy sauce) 7. Grilled Dish: Blackthroat seaperch 8. Grilled Dish: Grilled eel with sweet soy glaze 9. Clay Pot Rice: Pickles, miso soup 10. Dessert: Caramel ice cream in a rice cracker shell

Nestled quietly in the midst of the bustling West Azabu area, this traditional Japanese restaurant boasts a chef hailing from Kyushu who honed his skills in Kansai cuisine in Osaka before opening shop in Tokyo in 2010. Despite its somewhat low profile, it has earned two Michelin stars. The only course offered is an omakase style, priced at ¥18,150, with a great deal of flexibility to accommodate preferences and seasonal ingredients. The interior ambiance strikes a mature tone, with a mix of counter and table seating. The beverage selection includes primarily Kyushu sake, with rare brands like Nabeshima available. Course Composition: - Grilled eggplant and corn soup - Sweet potato greens with simmered shrimp and octopus - Red snapper with noodles and pickled turnip in a clear broth - Assorted sashimi: flounder, golden eye snapper, and bigfin reef squid, expertly sliced and prepared, offering not just visual appeal but also unique textures and flavors, especially noteworthy are the seared golden eye snapper and bigfin reef squid. - Grilled eel: Simple yet delicious, served white-grilled, with crispy skin and tender flesh, perhaps the best way to enjoy it. - Softshell turtle: Finely chopped and delicately textured, combined with a gentle kelp broth, delivering a truly satisfying taste. - Grilled fish: Thick cuts of Japanese amberjack with a crispy exterior and juicy, flavorful flesh, a straightforward yet delicious dish. - Clay pot rice, pickles, miso soup: The rice, cooked in a clay pot, showcases each grain's integrity with a slight chewiness and a glossy appearance, a delightful accompaniment to the meal. - Caramel ice cream sandwich: Opting for a style that emphasizes the quality of the ingredients without flashy presentations, each dish is meticulously crafted, offering a comforting and satisfying dining experience that warms both the stomach and the heart. A truly memorable meal, indeed!

I visited this restaurant, which has been awarded two Michelin stars. I made a reservation and arrived for the 6:00 PM seating. The interior has only four seats at the counter and one table that can accommodate up to four people, seemingly with a slight reduction in seating capacity due to COVID-19 precautions. There's only one waiter and the head chef, resulting in a simultaneous start operation. This means that the food may take a bit longer to be served, but there's minimal pre-preparation, and you can watch the head chef's knife skills at the counter, making it highly recommended. The menu consists of an omakase course only. The entire course takes about three hours, with around nine dishes including dessert. Starting from appetizers, there are simmered dishes, soups, sashimi, a palate cleanser, fish, meat, rice, and dessert, offering a traditional Japanese cuisine experience. Overall, the flavors focus on showcasing the natural taste of the ingredients rather than relying heavily on dashi or salt. It might not be suitable for those who prefer more elaborate seasoning, as the emphasis is on the simplicity of cooking techniques and the ingredients themselves. While I appreciate the focus on ingredient quality, amidst a trend of restaurants competing based on ingredients, I couldn't help but feel that for the price, I expected more innovative techniques.

I visited to celebrate my partner's retirement. The dishes were all wonderfully delicious and exquisite. My partner isn't usually fond of Japanese cuisine, but they really enjoyed the food here and said they'd love to come back again. I would definitely revisit if given the chance.

Visited at night. The dishes generously feature ingredients from the owner's hometown, Saga, and are seasoned with a Kyoto kaiseki-style touch. All of them are exquisite, but the crab, tiger pufferfish milt, wild boar hot pot, and grilled blackthroat seaperch were particularly delicious. You can also enjoy Saga's renowned sake, such as Nabeshima.

Visited this restaurant based on a recommendation from the Michelin concierge. It's located a few minutes downhill from the Nezu Museum to Azabu. The food here is excellent, with a focus on bowls and rice. While not flashy, the dishes are well-prepared. I left thinking that this kind of place is likely to endure. The pressed sushi with barracuda and black soybeans was honest and earnest in flavor. The black soybeans were particularly delicious. The mushroom rice bowl was a slow and satisfying experience, warming the stomach with a good broth. Excellent! The sashimi included amberjack and bonito tataki, as well as sea bass, eel, and persimmon salad. All very delicious. The closing dish of white rice was "Yumeshizuku" from Saga Prefecture, perfectly cooked to my liking.

A restaurant located in Nishi-Azabu, run by a chef from Kansai specializing in traditional Japanese cuisine from Saga. Despite being in its 10th year, one wonders why they haven't visited earlier. The food features authentic and classic Japanese dishes, with a base of Kansai-style dashi and ingredients like white miso. It's not about flashy presentation but staying true to the basics, which can be challenging but results in excellent quality. While not extravagant, the sincerity and high quality of the dishes shine through. What's particularly refreshing is that amidst Tokyo's trend of ¥30,000 to ¥40,000 per person meals, this place is reasonably priced. I've found a Japanese restaurant that I highly recommend.

Discovering a hidden gem with a friend in Nishi-Azabu, this restaurant, though opened in 2010 with limited knowledge, earned a Michelin star in 2012. It may not boast extravagance, but it offers consistently delicious Japanese cuisine. For instance, even the miso soup impresses with delicate broth, and the sea bream captures rich flavors. The menu includes fragrant box crab, shrimp, shirako (cod milt), mackerel, and fresh ingredients showcasing honest culinary skill. Personally, the highlight of the day was wild boar hot pot - a blend of broth and Kujo green onions, a delectable fusion. The cost-performance ratio is excellent for the quality. Reservations accepted by phone, cards are accepted, and as it's in Nishi-Azabu, a taxi is the best means of transportation.

We enjoyed a delightful omakase course consisting of 9 dishes. While appreciating the visual aesthetics of traditional Japanese cuisine, we leaned more towards savoring the flavors and ingredients. There was a harmonious balance between the tranquility akin to a dry rock garden and the enjoyment of flavors through both sight and taste. The shrimp sashimi was exquisite in taste and texture. The rice cooked in an earthenware pot during the meal was indescribably delicious. The crisp minerality of the Montagny 1er Cru bottle paired perfectly with the meal, adding a touch of Western flair to the experience. Last night, the owner, Mr. Sakisaki, personally attended to the progress of our meal, ensuring each dish was impeccably timed. While I've dined at Michelin 2-star French, Italian, and Spanish restaurants in their respective countries, experiencing a Japanese 2-star restaurant for the first time at this establishment was truly exceptional. It was truly impressive.

Upon seeing the first dish of shrimp and taro, I rejoice at visiting this restaurant after a long time. Savoring steamed shrimp and taro with dashi, it's a dish with a certain simplicity, yet it embodies the essence of this place. There's no need for elaborate accompaniments to the tender, sweet taro. The pressed sushi with horse mackerel and the marinated squid are also splendid. I left the choice of sake to the proprietor, who has a plentiful selection from their native Saga Prefecture, which pairs excellently with the meal. Ending with grilled dishes is a longstanding tradition here, and this day, rice and pickles accompanied the grilled dish. The proprietor explained it amusingly as "many people recently prefer to eat them together," resembling a set meal, which adds an interesting touch.

I visited three shops along the small path in front of the store, and all of them were good. This restaurant's course menu is not inflated and is appreciated. It includes steamed shrimp and potatoes, salmon roe, sea bream with matsutake mushrooms, black trumpet mushrooms, and lotus root cakes, as well as yellowtail, sea bass, squid, and abalone. There's also fried Japanese pomfret tempura, enoki mushroom salad, hairy crab and nameko mushroom sauce, grilled saury, rice, miso soup, pickles, two beers, and two types of sake for 23,000 yen. The sashimi of yellowtail and the crab sauce were particularly good. Although the ingredients are not luxurious due to the lack of inflation, it's an appropriate price to experience the restaurant's work.

The seating is limited, but the high ceiling makes it feel surprisingly spacious. At night, there's only one omakase course priced at 15,000 yen. The main dishes include grilled nodoguro, eel, fried ayu, and hamo soup, all truly exquisite. Especially the charcoal-grilled nodoguro, eaten piping hot. Can you imagine the crispy skin, followed by the tender, succulent flesh? It's pure bliss. The meal concludes with a seemingly simple set meal, featuring glossy white rice. After being satisfactorily filled by the various courses, the simplicity feels just right, striking a perfect balance. You can enjoy conversation without any stiffness, dining at your own pace. By the time you leave, you'll feel a comforting sense of belonging and fulfillment—realizing that this is what true satisfaction feels like. It's a heartfelt "thank you" as you bid farewell!

During my business trip to Japan, I wanted to savor delicious Japanese cuisine. I declined my colleague's invitation to an izakaya and decided to visit Sushu-san instead. The restaurant had a clean interior with a dignified atmosphere. Perhaps due to its location, there were also individuals who seemed to work at the embassy. The dishes were authentic kaiseki cuisine, and the bowl dishes had a clean and refreshing flavor. The serving of sweetfish was generous, with two substantial pieces. The final dish, eel, had a Kansai-style preparation, not steamed but with a crisp texture that was delicious as a concluding touch.

Michelin ☆☆-awarded Japanese cuisine restaurant "Jushu" in April 2019 ✨✨, a Japanese cuisine restaurant that focuses on Saga prefecture's ingredients and Japanese sake. They source ingredients daily from trusted farmers and suppliers, including rare vegetables. The restaurant opened in November 2010, located a 10-minute walk from Tokyo Metro Omotesando Station. The interior has a traditional Japanese restaurant atmosphere, which is quite decent. Now, let's enjoy Japanese cuisine. ◼ Omakase Course ¥15,000 (tax and service charge 10% extra) ○ Red clam and saury, Tosazu vinegar with chestnut leaves and watercress Red clam is fresh, and the saury is marinated in kombu to bring out its umami flavor. The chestnut leaves, currently in season, have a rich taste and are delicious. The acidity of Tosazu vinegar is exquisite. Clearly, the chef's skills are impressive. ○ Asparagus, kinome miso Saga asparagus is thick and juicy. The kinome miso has an interesting flavor. It's simply grilled, but I think it's good. ○ Sea bream, bamboo shoot, shiitake mushroom, kinome, clear soup A basic finish with bonito and kelp. It has an elegant taste that everyone would enjoy. The Kyoto bamboo shoots are cut large and have a strong presence. The sea bream's finish is somewhat disappointing (I wanted to see more skill). ○ Seared golden snapper, Japanese flying squid, sea bream, sea urchin The seared golden snapper has crispy skin and is full of flavor. The Japanese flying squid is carefully sliced, sweet, and tender. The Aomori sea urchin is sweet. The sashimi has a generous portion, which is pleasing. ○ Wild garlic, cod sprouts Crispy and delicious. Yes, it's delicious♪ Both the wild garlic and cod sprouts are tasty. ○ Hair crab in vinegar jelly The vinegar jelly from a top-class restaurant is perfectly done. It's made with Tosazu vinegar infused with bonito dashi and citrus. It complements the hair crab perfectly—truly outstanding. ○ Deep-fried shrimp fritter, komatsuna The shrimp fritter has a high shrimp content. The aroma and umami when fried are excellent. The dashi is also well-balanced. ○ Grilled nodoguro You can choose from three main dishes. I like nodoguro, so I chose the nodoguro from Shimane. Thickly sliced nodoguro. Yes, it's definitely delicious. But I also wanted the chef's unique seasoning (am I being too demanding?). ○ Rice, pickles, miso soup Freshly cooked white rice. This is where the host's personality shines through. If they served a distinctive accompaniment with the rice here, the rating would go up (my rating dropped a bit here). ○ No dessert, no snacks A crispy outer layer with ice cream inside. ◼ Drinks Rare and valuable "Nabeshima" is the main focus. ○ Asahi Jukusen small bottle ¥800 Starting with beer as usual. ○ Nabeshima special junmai ¥1200 Initially, it feels sweet, but it has a clear and delicious taste. A distinctive sake, worth remembering. ◼ Service Don't expect too much from the service. The lack of high ratings here is probably due to this. The host is awkward—not a bad person at all, just a craftsman. ◼ Price The fact that such a restaurant exists is impressive for Michelin. They don't follow trends but focus on serving genuinely delicious food. It's somewhat comforting, enjoying carefully crafted and delicious Japanese cuisine. While the service may be awkward with the host, I think it's worth coming to this kind of restaurant when you want to eat delicious authentic Japanese food. It was delicious. Thank you for the meal. m(__)m □ Evaluation As of April 2019, Foodie Rating 3.84, with 41 reviews □ Chef Masaru Sakizaki/Born in 1976/From Saga Prefecture After graduating from high school, he attended cooking school. Initially, he aspired to Western cuisine. However, he was impressed by the cuisine at "Totoya," a kaiseki restaurant in Kita-Shinchi, Osaka, and switched to Japanese cuisine. He joined "Totoya" and trained there for nine years. Later, he moved to Tokyo and worked as a sakana (appetizer) chef at the sushi restaurant "Nishi Azabu Taku." From the age of 30, he worked at the Japanese restaurant "Houkan" in Shirokanedai, Tokyo (closed in 2010) for four years. In 2010, he opened "Jushu" in a quiet residential area of Nishi-Azabu. In 2012, he was awarded two Michelin stars.

Located just down the street from the Yanaka Art Museum, this restaurant boasts a simple and serene atmosphere with five tables and counter seating. We indulged in the ¥15,000 course, which included: - Taro with Yuzu Miso: The taro was perfectly tender, complemented by the refreshing aroma of yuzu miso. - Sayuri Kombu-zuke with Karasumi: Sayuri fish, dressed in kombu and Tosazu vinegar, accompanied by moist and subtly salty karasumi. - Guji and Kabura Soup: Sweet sea bream bursting with flavor, enhanced by shiitake mushrooms and turnips. - Thinly Sliced Cobia and Bluefin Tuna Sashimi: Delicately sliced cobia served with grated daikon and ponzu sauce, alongside exquisite bluefin tuna in three cuts: lean, medium fatty, and fatty. - Grilled Conger Eel and Blowfish Milt: Eel topped with wasabi and sansho pepper, paired with blowfish milt boasting a rich, soupy texture and an explosion of flavors. - Duck and Kujo Negi Simmered Dish: Crisp Kujo negi with a sweet flavor, paired with tender and sweet duck in a perfectly executed simmered dish. - Grilled Blackthroat Seaperch: Impressively large and flavorful, with a rich and luscious texture. - Silver Vinegar Rice, Pickles, Shirimenkon, and Miso Soup: A simple yet satisfying accompaniment to the main dishes. - Caramel Cream Puff Ice Cream: A delightful dessert to end the meal. While the dishes may not be flashy, the earnest and meticulous preparation by the head chef shines through in each and every one. We couldn't help but marvel at the mastery displayed in every simple yet outstanding dish.