I visited "Nanachome Kyosei," a restaurant located in Chuo Ward, Tokyo. The place is a 2-minute walk from Ginza Station on the Hibiya Line, on the 6th floor of a building. Upon entering the restaurant, you will see a counter seat in a U shape. The restaurant opened in 1982 and is currently run by the 4th generation owner. It was previously operated under a different name, dating back to 1927. The restaurant has also been awarded three stars by Michelin. Here is a list of the dishes I tried: - Sea urchin - Bamboo shoot and kinome salad - Shrimp toast - Shrimp - Lotus root - Edamame - Sandfish - Butterbur sprout - Bigfin reef squid - Shrimp - Moroko from Lake Biwa - Shrimp - Bamboo shoot from Tsukahara in Kyoto - Quail - Scallop - Tarano-me (mountain vegetable) - Shrimp - Conger eel - Spring onion - Kobe beef fillet - Shrimp - Tempura tea - Melon - Strawberry I cannot provide photos of the interior, but I will share some thoughts. The thin batter gives a light texture at first, followed by a direct taste of the ingredients. The frying in oil brings out the sweetness and umami flavors. The tempura tea served at the end is said to be original here and was surprisingly light. Finally, the grated daikon radish with its acidity and sweetness served as a refreshing and delicious palate cleanser. Thank you for the meal.

This is a tempura restaurant in Ginza, Tokyo. I have been there about three times, as it used to be a former Michelin three-starred restaurant. I have also read other reviews, but my personal opinion is that the food is delicious. However, the service is a bit lacking. The chefs are true craftsmen, which may explain it, but I think the atmosphere would be more pleasant if they were a bit more friendly.

I visited this restaurant based on a friend's recommendation for the most delicious tempura in Japan. It seems that this place has been awarded three Michelin stars. I was surprised when I saw the tempura here! The batter is extremely thin, so the taste of the ingredients comes through directly. Despite the generous portion, I didn't feel heavy at all. I enjoyed it with lemon juice, fine snow salt, and occasionally with ponzu sauce that matched the ingredients. The next morning, I felt as light as if I hadn't eaten tempura at all. The meal ended with a cup of tea, which was a perfect finish. Thank you for the wonderful meal.

It costs 30,000 yen, so you can expect something decent. It wasn't particularly memorable.

Great value for money!

I saw a kabuki-cho in Ginza. I was scolded for taking photos inside the restaurant. I was scolded for using my phone. There are cardboard boxes placed inside the restaurant. Is this really a Michelin restaurant? Is Michelin okay? The ingredients are all cheap, like mountain vegetables and small shrimp, such as quail egg tempura and konjac. It's terrible. It's 30,000 yen, right? There is no drink menu. I ordered a beer. I wonder how much they will charge me? There are no other customers. The tempura is better than chain restaurants, but the shrimp is bigger at chain restaurants. I shout in my heart once again. It's 30,000 yen, right? It ended without any highlights. After finishing the meal, the proprietress asked, "Would you like some melon?" Thinking it was included in the course, I said yes. After a while, the melon arrived. I was a little concerned about the wording of the proprietress, so I asked if the melon was included in the course. She said it was an additional charge! I asked how much, and she said it was 3,500 yen. Seriously! Is there really a restaurant like this? Is this not a story from Kabuki-cho world? Does it not hurt your heart? I left a large amount of money and dreams at this restaurant and returned home. I immediately threw away the Michelin guide when I got home. I felt like crying from sadness and regret. It was the worst restaurant I have ever been to. Not a 1.0 rating, but 0 points. Please be careful, everyone. Melon is an additional charge. Since there is no menu, you won't know the price of drinks.

Prologue: Initially, I wanted to try Yoshikichi as it was recommended by VCA, but the reservation was on a Sunday and Yoshikichi is closed on Sundays, so I decided to try Sawada instead. Reservations for March start on February 1st, but despite multiple attempts to call on the morning of February 1st, I couldn't get through. Finally, when I did get through, there were only 2 seats left for the desired date, so I gave up. Next, I tried Shinbashi Kanadanaka, but they couldn't accommodate us due to multiple reservations. I then searched for a high-rated Japanese restaurant open on Sundays on Tabelog and found positive reviews for Nana-chome Kyosei, so I easily made a reservation. However, after making the reservation and reading more reviews, I was shocked by the lack of greeting and high prices at the restaurant. I felt guilty for choosing such a place to be invited to. I decided to warn VCA in advance not to order wine, etc. (laughs). On March 9th, six of us were 10 minutes late for our reservation at 12:30, and when we entered the restaurant, there was no one there. The negative reviews I had read beforehand came to mind. Eventually, a waitress in a chef's outfit came out to take our coats, but there was no "welcome" as far as I could tell (just like the negative reviews, I thought). The restaurant had only a 10-seat counter (there was a sliding door at the back, so I wondered if there was a private room). The owner was visible in the kitchen at the back, but there was no greeting to the customers. Soon, the owner came out from the kitchen, but again, no greeting! If I hadn't read these negative reviews beforehand, I would have been dumbfounded and probably angry. A hot towel was brought out. Without saying a word, the first dish of sea urchin was served. - Sea urchin: served with grated ginger, which added a nice accent. - Octopus and cucumber with vinegar miso dressing, followed by tempura. Each dish was served with lemon and salt on a large plate. - Ebi sandwich - Ebi - Renkon (lotus root) A daikon salad was served as a palate cleanser. It had a tangy flavor and was replenished when finished. - Karei (flounder): the top and bottom halves were stacked to give it thickness. - Edamame - Ebi - Surume (Japanese flying squid) - Tamanegi (onion): slightly overcooked. - Tamago (quail egg): creamy texture. - Asparagus: only the tips were served, halved, which left a lack of crunch. - Ebi - Hotate (scallop) - Takenoko (bamboo shoot) - Shirauo (icefish) - Fuki no tane (butterbur sprout) - Konnyaku - Gyutan (beef tongue) Finally, we had a choice between kakiage, rice, tendon, and tempura tea. We were asked if we wanted miso soup with it (the default was without miso soup). - Tendon: the portion was small. - Akadashi (red miso soup with vegetables) - Konomono (pickles) We were asked about dessert, but since we were still hungry, we decided to have another tendon. - Tendon: larger portion than the first one. - Akadashi (red miso soup with chopped butterbur sprout) - Konomono We finished with a bill of around 25,000 yen. At one point, a young woman in casual attire, with her shirt untucked, was helping out. It seemed like they were more focused on being a "food establishment" rather than a service industry.

I visited this restaurant for the first time in October 2013. I had high expectations since it has three Michelin stars, but I was very disappointed. When I arrived first for our reservation, even though there were no other customers in the restaurant, the staff just looked at me and started working without saying anything. Eventually, my friends arrived and we were seated. The tempura course included a lot of shrimp, which got a bit repetitive. The matsutake mushroom tempura was delicious, and the fig tempura at the end was amazing. However, I was surprised when I didn't receive any soup with my tempura bowl at the end, only to find out later that it was an extra charge. The service was terrible, but the food was excellent. The bill came to 45,000 yen for two glasses of beer and two shochu highballs. Overall, it was a disappointing experience due to the poor service.

In June 2012, I revisited this restaurant after a long time. I added 7 more photos. It is said to be the only Michelin three-star tempura restaurant in Japan. However, its rating on "Tabelog" is lower than "Sunaku Kotoko." It's quite a mysterious story. Former Tokyo Governor Ishihara once wrote in a magazine when Michelin Guide came to Tokyo, "Foreigners cannot understand the greatness of Japanese sushi or tempura! It's ridiculous to evaluate them." Hmm... seems like a narrow-minded view. There are foreigners with much more reliable taste buds than some Japanese who only eat hamburgers and fries. But still, this restaurant's tempura rating is 3.16 points... Even though I'm writing this myself, I now question the credibility of "Tabelog" ratings. In February 2010, I revisited this restaurant. I added 13 more photos. Despite visiting many restaurants and trying various dishes, I still think this place is the best in Japan. Isn't that amazing? It's on a completely different level. For me, this restaurant will likely remain the best for a lifetime. However, there is one drawback... The counter is in a "C" shape, and all the other customers were Chinese. Their manners were just terrible. They are clearly in a bubble, and while they have wealth, I think we need to somehow exclude them to prevent "Ginza" from declining rapidly. Thank you for the meal. The first time I visited was about six years ago... when the restaurant was still located in the First Building in Ginza's 6th block. I still vividly remember the excitement and shock I felt back then. Perhaps it was just my imagination, so I visited several times after that... Each time, the experience brought about new feelings of amazement. This is surely the real deal. I wonder what all the tempura I've eaten before was... that's how much this tempura made me think. Small Sayamaki shrimp, smaller than Kappa Ebi sen, are served one by one, each fried in a different way. They are so small that even if a lot comes out, you end up eating them without realizing it. I always think that the talented chefs in Akita, where I live, should visit this place at least once. For me, this is the best restaurant of my life. Oh, by the way, I heard that it received two stars in the Michelin Tokyo 2009 edition. The head chef wasn't satisfied because it wasn't three stars, so he didn't attend the party they invited him to... Impressive.

On the occasion of an anniversary, I decided to have a meal with my girlfriend at a three-star restaurant. I targeted the restaurant I wanted and called, but they were fully booked everywhere due to the last-minute reservation. However, when I called on the same day, they had availability, which made me a bit uneasy. While on the train, I checked on Tabelog (a restaurant review app) and saw that everyone was saying it was expensive with poor value for money. I checked my friend's wallet and thought to myself, "This should be fine." I mentally prepared myself to spend around 60,000 yen. Upon arrival, there was a stage at the high-end sushi restaurant where the owner performed a tempura show (which wasn't that impressive). The hostess was wearing a kimono top with jeans, and I wished she had worn a kimono. The first appetizer was crab, which I thought would be expensive, but I ate it anyway. I even finished the vinegar. Then came the specialty vegetable tempura, followed by shrimp. The owner explained that the meal started and ended with shrimp because he loves shrimp. In between, there were small shrimp tempura served persistently. The snow salt and lemon were delicious, but I started to crave tempura dipping sauce. I had three bottles of beer. The final dessert was melon, which triggered a sense of unease in me. The bill came to 83,000 yen for vegetables, shrimp, small portions of meat, and melon, which I felt was too much. I would have expected it to be around 15,000 to 18,000 yen at most. I wondered how much added value was included in the price. Even if the vegetables were of high quality, if they were deep-fried in oil, would their unique flavors still come through? If the service and atmosphere were more refined, I might have understood the price, but I felt that if I said something to the owner, he would just have a comeback. I ate half in fear and embarrassment, without complaining, but inside, I was feeling insulted by the price. I had to pretend to be calm, even though I felt embarrassed. This time, my girlfriend treated me, but I know I need to return the favor eventually. There are no restaurants where you can spend 80,000 yen, so we decided to go to a hot spring instead. If this was considered a business dinner, would all the expenses be covered? If I were being treated, would I have to sign a contract afterwards? At this price, I thought Robuchon or Rojé would have been a better choice. On the train ride back, as a commoner, I felt frustrated and filled with regret towards my girlfriend.

I visited the three-star restaurant 'Kyosei' in Ginza, Tokyo. Despite moving from Ginza 6-chome to Ginza 5-chome, the name remains the same as Kyosei in 7-chome. The previous building was very old, located in a mixed-use building which surprised me. This time, they have moved to a new building. The hostess position still seems unsettled. In the past, it was difficult to get a reservation, but on this day, out of 10 seats, 4 were occupied by us and one seat was taken by an American (Mr. M brought him along), totaling 5 people. It seems that the businessmen and politicians who used to frequent the restaurant are getting older and have fewer opportunities to enjoy tempura. On the other hand, it seems that the wealthy Chinese population is increasing. We started with the appetizer of kazunoko (herring roe) and nama-yuba (tofu skin). The meal began with the classic shrimp sandwich tempura. The inside of the flying squid was raw (I missed taking a photo), followed by small caridean shrimp, known as saimaki-ebi, which were fried intermittently, and we had 7 on that day. Renkon (lotus root), early green peas, Tokyo Bay hazy, quail eggs (the yolk was raw), takenoko (bamboo shoots grown using electric wires), kisu (Japanese whiting fish), sweet and rich Manjikuri togarashi (Kyoto vegetable), rich-tasting fugu shirako (blowfish milt), very small pearl onions, matsuya oysters from Ise-Shima Bay, Yanaka ginger (I missed taking a photo), turtle soup (delicious), sweet chestnuts, konnyaku (devil's tongue jelly), ginkgo nuts, tempura tea dip, and persimmons for dessert. Everything was light and easy to eat. The sizes were all small, seems like they prefer miniature dishes. The basic way to eat is with lemon and salt. Although it was a bit difficult to ask, they provided tempura dipping sauce. The salt is said to be special, but I, "Gourmet Master S," can't believe it's just ordinary salt. There seems to be some umami component mixed in. I hope it's not a chemical amino acid. The course is all omakase (chef's choice) starting from 30,000 yen. I didn't add anything except for the sake we brought. The bill came out to a little over 50,000 yen per person. There is an additional 8-9% charge for using a card. While the styles are similar, the frying techniques at Kyosei in Kyoto, Ginza Yumatsu, and Yokocho Yamanashi in Kinshicho vary significantly due to the difference in craftsmanship. The prices are less than half. (Yokocho Yamanashi in Kinshicho ended in May 2011. Thank you to the beloved Yamanashi couple for your hard work.) I look forward to further dedication from the owner, hostess, and chefs to become true stars!

This was the most expensive meal I've ever had in Ginza. I usually avoid spending this much, but I really wanted to eat tempura. I couldn't remember any other restaurants at the time. I made a reservation at 19:00 and arrived right at 20:00. The last order was at 21:00. It seemed like I was the first customer of the day because there was no welcome or warm reception. I ordered two cold sake, one shochu, and the total was ¥42,500 per person. The style, frying technique, and presentation of the shrimp were all similar to Gion Kyosei. If it were Gion Kyosei, I could have enjoyed the same meal for a third of the price. The food was not bad, but taste is not the only important factor. The experience and service also matter. I may have visited on an off day, but as it is a customer-oriented business, this lack of hospitality was disappointing. I won't be returning.

Expensive, but I like it. After Rakutei closed, I wandered around looking for good tempura, but I think I finally found it here. I enjoy Seiju's course menu, but I just want to eat tempura quickly and leave, so I prefer Takuya's lighter tempura. This place is more to my liking. We had a one-hour meal, three beers and three glasses of sake for two people, totaling 78,000 yen. Hmm, still expensive. *A useless fact: the chopstick rests at the room service in Gora Hanaden the next day were the same as here. They were glass with swirling patterns.

I wonder why this restaurant is so highly rated. The tempura was excellent in terms of ingredients, seasoning, and preparation. The salt and lemon were also fantastic. However, what about other aspects? I like to enjoy my meals not only with my taste buds but also with my eyes and ears. So, I'm curious about how the pricing is determined.

The price is certainly high. But I have never had tempura better than this. I definitely want to go back again! The salt here is really delicious. There is no tempura dipping sauce, but I am a salt person so it's not a problem! The ingredients are all carefully selected and delicious, I just ate quietly. I was truly impressed by how delicious tempura can be. The head chef has a tough face but he is a professional. Even when I asked questions, he answered with a smile and was friendly. Maybe because it wasn't too busy? Personally, I didn't feel that the customer service was bad at all. It is a restaurant where you need to be prepared to spend quite a bit, but I definitely want to go back! I can't forget that taste! I was so happy to have the best tempura in Ginza.

I visited this restaurant despite knowing about the numerous negative reviews on Tabelog, and I was able to enjoy the fantastic skill of tempura making. Unfortunately, photos were not allowed, so I can only provide a review. The master appeared without a smile at first, giving off a slightly intimidating vibe, but he quickly engaged in various conversations and his cute smile was quite charming. The current master is the 4th generation, with the first store originally located in Seoul, Korea. After the war, they relocated and have been operating since then. However, the current master mentioned that since he doesn't have any sons, this will be the end of the line. The tempura batter was extremely light, and even after eating quite a bit, there was no greasy feeling, but rather a refreshing sensation. They provided homemade fine-grained snow salt and lemon, and carefully explained the best way to enjoy each ingredient. The slightly acidic grated daikon radish seasoning was outstanding. It's a secret recipe, and as a fan of grated daikon radish, I had multiple helpings. When it started to run low, the master swiftly refilled the plate generously. I had one beer and the rest was tea that day (I was feeling under the weather, so I was being moderate). The course menu was omakase only, priced at 32,000 yen. It included: appetizer, shirako (cod milt) x2, fiddlehead ferns cooked in sauce, tempura of shrimp sandwich, shrimp, lotus root, sandfish, sweet potato, shrimp, quail, shrimp, matsutake mushroom, squid, ginkgo nuts, shrimp, oyster, onion, shrimp, pufferfish, bamboo shoot (freshly dug in Kyoto at this time only, incredibly tender), sakura shrimp (available only in spring and at this time, very crispy and delicious), konjac, chestnut (boiled three times with astringent skin on, then fried, incredibly sweet and delicious), soup (with softshell turtle and grilled rice cake), rice (choice of tempura bowl, tempura tea, or tempura and rice, available in large or small size, I chose the small tempura bowl), dessert (persimmon - incredibly sweet and delicious, two types of grapes). Shrimp appeared a total of five times. The menu consisted of 20 items, with shrimp serving as the accent to the flow. It was a Friday night and there were only two customers, my companion and me. We thoroughly enjoyed the inherited skills and the originality of the master's many obsessions. As we were leaving, I noticed a spear displayed above the entrance, said to be from the Kamakura period. It seems that the master adheres to the artisan's aesthetic of "saying little but doing much."

Visited with a group of brothers, full of excitement and high expectations. Each piece was truly wonderful, with perfect frying and excellent ingredients. There was nothing to complain about. However, it somehow wasn't as enjoyable. Was it the service? The chef was indeed skilled, but that wasn't the issue. The taste and ingredients were impeccable. But when you go for tempura, you want to eat more of the carefully selected shrimp, not just a little. I wanted to watch the chef's movements closely and ask questions. It just wasn't that fun. Of course, I can't fault the taste, but it felt a bit off.

The atmosphere upon entering the restaurant was decent. I sat at the counter and noticed that the napkins were paper napkins. Looking towards the back of the restaurant, I saw a lot of cardboard boxes, which was not very clean. The tempura was delicious. The chef's knife looked a bit dirty, but it's probably a well-used tool. The bottled beer and white wine were good choices. However, the bill was high. I ordered alcohol for myself, while my wife and child (elementary school student) had tea, and the total came to about 15,000 yen. Also, they required cash payment because using a card would incur additional fees. This seemed expensive for lunch. If only the napkins were of better quality, the rating might have been higher!

When a gourmet business partner from overseas visited Japan, they wanted to go to a tempura restaurant recommended by the hotel they were staying at (Mandarin Oriental Tokyo). The owner was not particularly friendly, but had a craftsman-like quality which was not disliked. The hostess provided decent service and the food was okay. However, when the bill came, it was a shock - 18,000 yen per person for a course meal with a small amount of sake. The total price was equivalent to a high-end restaurant. The foreigners were surprised by the cost. They regretted not going to the tempura restaurant I usually take them to. It seems that in Kyoto, similar quality can be enjoyed at a more reasonable price. So, if you plan to visit, make sure to bring plenty of cash!

☆☆☆☆ First visit to a high-end tempura restaurant in a building in Ginza. The experience was enjoyable as we sat at the counter and interacted with the chef. We ordered two glasses of white wine each and the bill came out to around 80,000 yen. At the beginning, the chef showed us the ingredients of the day in a bento box, which would be used to prepare a course for two. Surprisingly, the portions were filling. The meal started with shrimp toast and continued with various tempura dishes. In between, small shrimp rolls were served as palate cleansers. The tempura was seasoned with homemade salt, which added to the deliciousness. If you mention your preferences in advance, the chef can also prepare special tempura like wagyu beef. The atmosphere of the high-end restaurant may be intimidating, but if you come with the mindset of simply enjoying the meal, you will feel comfortable. Some may find the cost-performance ratio a bit off, but if you appreciate the quality of the ingredients and the chef's skills, you may find happiness in each bite. Instead of thinking "this was expensive" after the meal, it would be nice to sincerely say "thank you for the meal." I would like to visit again in the future.

Gourmet dining experience. The counter has seating for 10 people. This time, there were about 8 customers. It's hard to tell the customers' identities, but it seems like many are from the entertainment industry or from overseas. It's easier to talk when the place is crowded with customers. Champagne options include Cristal, Dom Perignon, and Louis Roederer. Tempura is only available as part of the course menu. The first dish is a toast sandwich with shrimp. It's delicious with a sprinkle of salt. Throughout the course, shrimp is served at intervals. Price is not a major concern for the customers, but it is a bit on the expensive side.