Discover Tokyo’s Hippest Mod Fusion Diner

Higashi-yama

As is the case with many of Tokyo’s best restaurants, bars and shops, Higashi-yama is hidden out of sight, in this case in the bohemian Nakameguro district. While it may not be the easiest place to find, rest assured that once you arrive you’ll be rewarded with a contemporary dining experience second to none.

The elegantly restrained interior is an exercise in the sleek, modern Japanese aesthetic from renowned restaurateur and designer Shinichiro Ogata. The custom-designed crockery and utensils by Ogata’s studio Simplicity perfectly complement the warm-wooded upstairs restaurant space featuring intimate tables, front row counter perches around the open kitchen, and traditional private tatami rooms.

With its inventive, fusionist take on classic Japanese fare, Higashi-yama has won praise from culinary style-setters and fashionable locals alike. While language barriers and a lack of English menu can make communicating a challenge, it’s hard to go wrong with the Omakase 10-course tasting menu featuring delicious sashimi, tempura, vegetable and meat dishes such as simmering niku-jaga (stewed meat, potato and onion), and mouth-watering desserts like the excellent green tea crème brûlèe. Finish off with a shochu-based, signature cocktail like matcha no shochuwari at the sultry, dimly-lit bar.