Enjoy an elegant evening and traditional flavors at upscale restaurants near Tsukiji Station! 10 best picks for special occasions

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Sakuragi is a high-end Japanese restaurant that focuses on serving dishes freshly made.

The interior, with earthen walls and wood accents, has a refined atmosphere. There are 8 hinoki (Japanese cypress) counter seats, where you can directly take in the sounds and aromas of the cooking.

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The menu offers just one monthly changing course, serving about 10 dishes made with Special ingredients and seasoned skill.

They also pay close attention to the tableware that brings out the dishes, with a wide selection ranging from antiques to pieces by contemporary artists.

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The sashimi platter changes with the seasons and uses fresh seafood that the head chef personally goes to Toyosu Market to buy every morning.

Another draw is the chance to enjoy rare ingredients such as fugu (pufferfish), shiro-amadai (white tilefish), and matsukawa-garei (Matsukawa flounder).

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"PRIMO PASSO" is an upscale Italian restaurant where pasta takes center stage. The interior, with its use of wood and earthen walls, has an Italian style yet also gives off a subtle Japanese feel.

The live atmosphere you get from the open kitchen is also said to be one of its charms.

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The restaurant offers an Omakase course built around 5 pasta dishes. It uses Special ingredients carefully selected from different production regions and turns them into refined plates.

The lineup also includes memorable pasta dishes such as ravioli made with black truffle and tagliolini served cappuccino-style.

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You can see the care that goes into dishes beyond pasta as well, such as risotto that makes the most of asari (short-neck clams) stock and fried pizza made with ume (Japanese plum) jelly.

It is well known for delicate flavors that blend Japanese elements with Italian cuisine.

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Ginza Ichiniki is a high end Japanese restaurant with a refined space wrapped in the warmth of wood.

Inside, softly lit lighting creates a calm mood, and in addition to counter seats, the restaurant also offers Private room seating, so guests can enjoy their meal at a relaxed pace.

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The cuisine makes generous use of seasonal ingredients and uses fresh produce sourced from around the country.

Without overworking the ingredients, the dishes bring out their natural flavors, letting you slowly savor the tastes of each season.

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The popular "Matsu" course includes their specialty, katsuo (bonito) straw seared over wara (straw).

The katsuo is grilled until fragrant while taking on the aroma of wara, and when enjoyed simply with salt or wasabi, its natural flavor stands out even more.

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Sushi Keita is a high-end sushi restaurant that opened in September 2017, tucked away behind Tsukiji Hongwanji (Tsukiji Hongwanji Temple).

The restaurant is by reservation only, and the compact interior has only 8 counter seats. You can enjoy sushi carefully shaped piece by piece using Edomae (traditional Tokyo-style sushi) techniques.

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The neta (topping) is cut thick, giving it real presence and letting you fully enjoy the ingredient's flavor and texture.

The shari (sushi rice) is also formed a bit large, and it has a strong reputation for being very satisfying. The vinegar is mild and helps bring out the appeal of the topping.

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The Omakase course features not only sushi but also a la carte dishes that make the most of high quality ingredients, such as kawahagi (thread-sail filefish) dressed with liver, houbou (gurnard) sashimi, and shirauo (icefish) seafood Rice bowl.

With its wide variety, the course keeps things enjoyable all the way to the end.

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Yakitori Honda is a restaurant where you can enjoy yakitori and a wide range of chicken dishes.

Inside, there are 9 counter seats and Semi-private rooms. The space has a refined atmosphere, with careful attention not just to the food, but also to the tableware, the setting, and the textures.

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The menu consists only of an Omakase course, and it is said to feature a seasonal lineup centered on yakitori made with Hinai jidori (Hinai chicken).

Aging the Hinai jidori for the right amount of time brings out its flavor, and another highlight is that each cut is seasoned differently with things like balsamic soy sauce and herbs.

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The restaurant has a wine cellar, which is another big draw, letting you enjoy wines kept under careful control. You can also get pairing advice matched to (Each) cut of yakitori (grilled chicken skewers).

They also stock Japanese sake, beer, and hard liquor, so there are many different ways to enjoy your meal.

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Sushidokoro Yamato is a high-end sushi restaurant located a 3-minute walk from Tsukiji Station on the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line.

Step through the noren (traditional shop curtain), and you will find a fresh, refined space. The L-shaped counter seating offers a luxurious time.

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The Omakase course starts with otsumami (small appetizers) and then moves on to nigiri sushi. They use aged Koshihikari rice from Toyama Prefecture for the shari (sushi rice) and cook it in a hagama (traditional iron pot).

The shari has a clear note of red vinegar, with distinct grains and a texture that gently loosens in the mouth.

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In the Omakase course, the first nigiri served is the restaurant's specialty kohada (gizzard shad).

They adjust the curing with vinegar and salt based on the fish's condition that day, and the clean acidity is said to bring out kohada's rich flavor even more.

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Nihon Ryori Kutani is a fine dining restaurant where you can enjoy Japanese cuisine prepared with skill and a sharp sense of style. When you open the door, a poised space unfolds before you, with the contrast between the white walls and red napkins leaving a strong impression.

The Private room can accommodate up to 6 people, making it a great place to spend Special time with someone important.

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The owner-chef, who is from Fukuoka Prefecture, opened Nihon Ryori Kyutan after honing his skills at Japanese restaurants in Los Angeles and Japan.

While valuing the classics, he serves dishes that bring in his own unique sensibility.

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The course stands out for its varied flow, with fried dishes appearing at the start and temaki-zushi (hand-rolled sushi) served along the way. It is the kind of course you can enjoy all the way through without getting bored.

They are also particular about the dashi, using Hokkaido ma-kombu kelp and honkarebushi (fully cured bonito flakes) from Kagoshima Prefecture for the ichiban-dashi (first dashi).

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A high-end restaurant where you can enjoy pairings of Edomae-zushi (Tokyo-style sushi) and drinks. It is on the first floor of a building, a 1-minute walk from Tsukiji Station on the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line.

The counter made from Yoshino hinoki (Japanese cypress) creates a refined space. The chef's lively conversation is also popular.

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The sushi toppings use fresh fish that the owner personally goes to the market for every morning and selects with care. Through careful preparation, they bring out the fish’s natural appeal as much as possible.

For the shari (sushi rice), they blend four kinds of aged vinegar to create a better balance with the toppings.

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The course mixes sushi with a la carte dishes and features about 10 items. The a la carte dishes made with hamaguri (hard clam) and awabi (abalone) are also popular.

By cooking the hamaguri slowly and carefully, it is said to achieve a tender texture.

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Seiju is a high-end tempura specialty restaurant near Tsukiji Honganji (Tsukiji Honganji Temple). Inside, surrounded by kyo-kabe (Kyoto-style plaster walls), the tableware and interior also have a Japanese feel.

There are only 13 counter seats, and the sound of tempura frying is said to echo pleasantly through the quiet space.

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The restaurant uses ingredients sourced from Tsukiji Shijo (Tsukiji Market) and prepares them with great care, never cutting corners. The tempura is finished with precise frying, bringing out the light texture of the thin batter and the full flavor of the ingredients.

They also use taihaku goma-abura (light sesame oil) as the frying oil.

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In the course, they serve not only tempura but also small palate-cleansing snacks. To finish, you can choose either a tempura Rice bowl or tencha.

The tempura Rice bowl is a satisfying dish made with kakiage (mixed tempura fritter) of shrimp and kobashira (small scallops), dipped in a slightly sweet sauce.

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Ginza Hirayama is a high-end restaurant known for its charcoal grilled steaks. Rather than focusing on any one production region, it uses Special A5-ranked kuroge wagyu (Japanese Black Wagyu).

The seating is centered around a counter surrounding the kitchen, and one of its main draws is the live feel of watching the cooking right in front of you.

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The steaks are cooked slowly for about 30〜40 minutes while letting the excess fat drip away.

They are said to have a great balance of lean meat and fat, with a moist and tender texture. Without using salt or pepper, the restaurant brings out the natural flavor of the ingredients as much as possible.

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For both lunch and dinner, they offer an Omakase course built around steak as the star. From Appetizers to dessert, the course has a refined and elegant flow, and the menu changes daily.

They also sometimes serve dishes featuring premium ingredients such as awabi (abalone), caviar, and white truffle.