Michelin Stars in Japan

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Japan, specifically Tokyo, has the best food and restaurants in the world, seriously. Tokyo has 226 Michelin star restaurants…and the second best city, Paris, has just 96. I firmly believe it is impossible to have a bad dining experience in Japan…I ate at an obscene amount of restaurants while I was in Japan and only one was not remarkable in the food department. (And that was the evening with a Geisha dinner in Kyoto.) And while restaurants and bars are nice and all…the street food is also mind-blowingly good! I honestly almost liked eating street food better. There were so many delicious options.


We decided to have at least one Michelin dinner in Tokyo. I chose Fushkino in Shinjuku. First, I had to apply for a reservation, and pay a booking fee that will not be applied to the dinner! Second, after approval, I had to choose between two options. They have only ten seats at the counter, no tables, save for a private room for 2 to 4 people.


Next, we had to make a dinner choice. One is called "regular" course, and the more expensive, "special" course. There is, of course, a sake pairing which I will skip. Another 10%!s(MISSING)ervice fee is tacked onto this. They do not offer wine, but only beer, champagne, shochu, whiskey, and other liquors.


Fushikino was a word used in the 15^th century by Sennorikyu , who had a profound influence on "chonoyu", the Japanese "Way of Tea." The word "fushikino" corresponds with other Japanese words such as "fushigi" (miracle), "fushiki" (innocent) which are used in the teaching of Japanese Zen. If it were translated to a modern term, it would "something unexpected" or "something new". The restaurant seeks to aim for the perfect combination of kaiseki cuisine, sake, and ceramic cups. Choosing the name Fushikino helps them to learn from the chanoyu culture. They wants us to have both a pleasant and unexpected experience as never before.


Tastings are described as specially selected seasonal ingredients from the usual four seasons and the traditional twelve Japanese seasons. For each of the twelve seasons, only perfect ingredients are sampled. After the food (and sake pairing, if used) is a tea service with homemade sweets and matcha tea.


From Pocket Concierge: “Fushikino” does not have a fixed menu. From his experience practicing under one of Kyoto’s long-established restaurants, the head chef, Yoshio Aramaki creates seasonal dishes using fresh ingredients of the day. He arranges the tea ceremony in a modern style while making variations within the flow of the course. “We want our guests to experience the story as a completed course, instead of as individual dishes”, explains Aramaki. The owner Yusuke Miyashita in charge of the service and Aramaki are old friends, and Miyashita had from before been captivated by Aramaki’s dishes that hold the experience of practicing under the kaiseki restaurant “Kyoto Kitcho”.

Fushikino has been awarded their Michelin star for five consecutive years. If you are asking yourself, what exactly is a Kaiseki dinner, let me try to explain. To the outsider, kaiseki is simply a multi-course dinner, made up of beautifully plated dishes. But there is much more to the kaiseki dinner. Kaiseki meals can vary, depending of the chef and availability of ingredients. My one and only kaiseki experience was at n/naka in Los Angeles, which has garnered a two star Michelin rating!


The Michelin Guide has this to say about kaiseki: Often considered to be the haute cuisine of Japan, kaiseki traditionally consists of nine courses (though one can find variants with anywhere from six to 15 courses). Each course is defined by a particular cooking method, and typical courses may include:


Sakizuke: similar to the French amuse bouche, this first course is usually something pickled to whet the diners' appetite for the courses to followHassun: this course marks the seasonality of the mealSuimono: a soup course made with a dashi broth base; it is revered as the most important course in a kaiseki sequence—and the mark of a chef’s abilityTsukuri: a sashimi courseYakimono: a grilled courseTakiawase: a simmered dish, typically of vegetables mixed with some meatShokuji: a rice course (gohan), served with miso soup and picklesMizugashi or Mizumono: a platter of Japanese sweets or fruits


Okay, you are now an expert in kaiseki dinners. Of course, the kaiseki varies both seasonally, and by chef. I will tell you about it!

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