Kagurazaka Ishikawa has been awarded three Michelin stars for its refined cuisine and all-round intimate dining experience – from the attentive staff who will help you find your way to the restaurant’s hidden alleyway location, to the chef who likes chatting away to customers. Guests are presented with several fixed courses, typically consisting of an appetiser, soup, sashimi and a grilled main. Seating is offered in elegant private dining areas or along the cypress-wood counter with a view of chef Hideki Ishikawa at work, while kimono-clad servers are a nod to the Shinjuku neighbourhood’s history as a prominent geisha district.

The MICHELIN Mentor Chef Award, supported by Blancpain, goes to Hideki Ishikawa from restaurant Kagurazaka Ishikawa. Within the restaurants belonging to the Ishikawa Group, chef Ishikawa trains many young chefs and creates opportunities for them to become head chefs. He also pays attention to the sustainability of food and the natural environment.

Kagurazaka Ishikawa (5-37 Kagurazaka, Shinjuku) is tiny (only seven seats along the counter) and hard to find (if you get lost, call and they will come and find you). Chef Ishikawa himself is behind the counter, preparing and overseeing a succession of small tastes, kaiseki style, that are dictated by the season and served on a range of lacquered trays and textured ceramics. Seafood is key – from a little dish of crab covered with a jellied broth through to a steamingly fragrant clam soup, the cleanest sashimi of flatfish and sea urchin, a hotpot of soft tofu and stuffed squid, and a final, fill-you-up dish of seasoned rice and salmon.

Kagurazaka Ishikawa, distinct from the similarly named Ishikawa, shines within Tokyo’s dining scene with its unique take on kaiseki cuisine. Chef Ishikawa’s philosophy revolves around the joy of eating, and this joy is evident in every aspect of the restaurant—from the quality of the seasonal ingredients to the care put into the preparation and presentation of each dish. At Kagurazaka Ishikawa, dining is an intimate and tranquil affair.

Ishikawa Kagurazaka (神楽坂 石かわ), which is located on the hidden drink alley in Kagurazaka, Tokyo, is one of the Michelin 3-star restaurants in Tokyo. It is also one of the restaurants the most difficult to book. Kagurazaka Ishikawa serves Kaiseki dishes (Japanese traditional course meals), which are less seasoned so that every ingredient really brings out the full flavor of them.

Talk about humility and minimalism: the exterior of this place is nothing more than a simple wooden corridor with a single light. But inside lies a three-Michelin-star establishment that is sure to leave you speechless. This Kaiseki (multicourse) dining opportunity is not to be taken on a whim; reservations are completely necessary.

Kagurazaka Ishikawa is a 3-star Michelin restaurant in Shinjuku unlike any other. Located in the traditional, former geisha district of Kagurazaka, the tone for your meal is set before you even set foot inside the kaiseki restaurant. Once you have arrived, you will instantly feel the hospitality and aesthetics of Japan.

If you are looking to get the most dining experience in Shinjuku, why not try kaiseki?. At Kagurazaka Ishikawa, you can experience this traditional Japanese multi-course dining in the most authentic and lavish way possible. Did we mention this is one of the best Michelin-starred restaurants in Tokyo?

Japan, 〒162-0825 Tokyo, Shinjuku City, Kagurazaka, 5-chōme−３７ 高村ビル 1f. Kagurazaka Ishikawa is a 3-Michelin star kaiseki spot in Tokyo, run by Hideki Ishikawa, a chef admired throughout the city. Stepping off the cobblestone streets and through the serene entrance feels like entering another world.

Nestled in the heart of Tokyo, Kagurazaka Ishikawa is a culinary haven that epitomizes Japanese hospitality and artistry. Awarded three Michelin stars, this esteemed establishment offers an unforgettable kaiseki dining experience curated by owner-chef Hideki Ishikawa.

While in Tokyo, you probably want to enjoy fresh seafood at least once and Keith Endo, the executive chef of Vino Italian Tapas & Wine Bar in Honolulu, Hawaii, told INSIDER his number-one choice is Kagurazaka-Ishikawa.