Narisawa

Excellent cooking

Local legend:Born into a family of confectioners, Yoshihiro Narisawa left home at 19 and spent eight years training in some of Europe’s most venerated kitchens, including those of the late Paul Bocuse and Joël Robuchon. In 1996, he returned home to Japan and opened La Napoule in Kanagawa Prefecture. Seven years later, he moved to a space in Tokyo’s non-touristy district of Minami Aoyama and formed Les Créations de Narisawa. After eight years of service, he renamed the restaurant simply Narisawa. Enduring quality:Now, after two decades as one of Tokyo’s finest dining destinations, chef Yoshihiro Narisawa’s eponymous restaurant in Tokyo’s upmarket Aoyama district needs little introduction. After topping the inaugural Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list in 2013, Narisawa has been a stalwart of the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants ranking ever since and in 2025, is making a re-entry to The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list. Satoyama cuisine:Chef Narisawa channels the traditional satoyama farming system of premodern Japan – flatland cultivation, husbandry of the nearby forests and hunting-foraging in the mountains. The stunning Temari dish is a recreation of a traditional toy, here made with root vegetable strips wrapped around a crab and scallop dumpling. In true omakase style, the full menu will pivot every day depending on availability of ingredients, but draws inspiration from Japanese, Chinese and French cuisines. There are vegetarian and vegan menus available on request too. To drink:Narisawa is one of the best places in the world to appreciate the finest of Japanese winemaking, with pinot noir from Nagano, riesling from Iwate and aged Bordeaux-style blends from Yamagata. Of course, there’s sake, too. A light retouch:In 2023, the restaurant celebrated its 20th anniversary, using the opportunity to renovate the premises with a few modern touches. While the restaurant was closed, Narisawa took to the road for an extended residency in Singapore.