Roppongi Azabu Sunshine Resort House

A menu redolent with seasonal aromas and the kind hospitality of the couple in charge are the true charms of Azabujuban Fukuda. Katsuo-bushi (dried bonito flakes) is shredded, dashi drawn and seafood chopped in front of customers. Kazuto Fukuda uses ingredients from every corner of Japan. In spring, hatsu gatsuo (first bonito of the season) is grilled wrapped in straw. Unagi is smothered in mizansho (green peppercorn). Seasonal clay-pot rice dishes bring the meal to a close.

Tomoya Kawada sees cooking as a reconciliation between nature and humanity. He names his approach Sazenka, which literally means ‘tea-Zen-Chinese’, out of a desire to create Chinese fare that mediates between the worlds of tea and Zen. His cuisine harmoniously combines the techniques he learned in China with the soul and spiritual features of Japan – ‘wakon-kansai’ is the theme. Japanese ingredients in season are used in spring-roll fillings and Sichuan stir-fries, lending a seasonal dimension to Chinese cuisine.

This restaurant is temporarily closed and plans to relocate around the end of July. The prix fixe menu is joyously imaginative and well balanced. An impressive range of beef cuts are served, each with its own method of preparation for most delicious effect. Seared rump locks in the flavour, slow-grilled tail is fragrant. Chateaubriand is reimagined as a cutlet sandwich; sirloin, served shabu-shabu style, is shorn of unnecessary fat; fillet is grilled over charcoal to a rosy red.

The spirit of the tempura artisan lies in treading the well-worn path of tradition while enlivening it with unique interpretations. Service begins with light-flavoured fish and grows steadily stronger in taste through vegetables to shrimp. The umami of roasted sesame oil enhances lighter-flavoured pieces; stronger-flavoured items are lightly fried in cold-pressed sesame oil. The meal wraps up with an inventive flourish to heighten enjoyment of the season, such as ‘temcha’, a bowl of rice topped with clam tempura steeped in tea, which may be served in spring, or ‘tembara’, shredded tempura of s

A detached, glass-walled house stands across from a park; ascend the stairs adjacent to the kitchen and you reach a dining room with a Scandinavian interior. The prix fixe menu begins with tea in season. The restaurant’s name refers to ‘friends who will drink tea together always’, referring to the circle of guests, staff and food producers. The chef’s aim is to serve food that is simple yet original. Both service and kitchen staff bring the food to your table.

The name combines two of the four characters of Haruhiko Yamamoto’s name. The chef’s approach to cuisine and commitment to entertaining guests were both learned from his mentor in Gifu. He is also enthusiastic about guiding the next generation, as shown by the smiles and positive attitude of his young crew. Yamamoto may surprise with innovative dishes, but with wansashi—the pairing of sashimi and soup, considered the essence of Japanese cuisine—he stays true to tradition. Each item is the product of painstaking effort the customer never sees.

Hidetoshi Nakamura’s cuisine embodies harmony, subtlety, and purity. With minimal seasoning, he captures each ingredient’s subtle trace in water— using only water and sea salt. Mountain and sea are intimately linked through water. Nakamura reminds us that we are a part of the magnificent connection between Nature and her laws. This elegant aesthetic, of beauty through simplicity, exudes modesty, returning us to a spirit of gratitude for the natural world.