Kaiseki Ikku in Ueno: Michelin Restaurants for Enjoying Japanese Cuisine
Ueno is an area in Taito Ward with many tourist attractions. It's close to the city center and easily accessible as a tourist destination, making it popular for visitors who often combine it with a trip to Asakusa. With access to the Shinkansen, it's also an ideal base for tourism.
While Ueno is home to historical cultural facilities like the zoo, art museums, and parks, it also offers the charm of a retro downtown atmosphere with lively drinking districts like Ameyoko.
In this article, we'll introduce "Kaiseki Ikku," a Japanese restaurant recognized by the Michelin Guide. In an area dominated by izakayas and casual restaurants, Kaiseki Ikku stands out by offering traditional kaiseki cuisine in a refined setting.
We'll explore the allure of Kaiseki Ikku, along with its meticulously crafted menu and the special moments you can experience there.
Kaiseki Ikku: Tokyo's Premier Kaiseki Restaurant Near Ueno Park
Nestled in a quiet corner near Ueno Park, Kaiseki Ikku is a rare find in the Ueno area, specializing in kaiseki cuisine. With limited options for kaiseki in this region, Kaiseki Ikku holds a special place.
Kaiseki is a traditional Japanese course meal that reflects the unique Japanese spirit of "omotenashi" (hospitality). Omotenashi refers to the spirit of wholeheartedly welcoming visitors and treating them with meticulous care.
At Kaiseki Ikku, you can enjoy high-quality cuisine and hospitality on par with famous establishments in Ginza or Roppongi, in a tranquil setting that makes you forget the hustle and bustle of the city. This luxurious experience is the essence of Kaiseki Ikku's charm.
Kaiseki Ikku: The Only Michelin-Listed Japanese Restaurant in Ueno
Source: Official website
Kaiseki Ikku is the only Japanese restaurant in the Ueno area listed in the Michelin Guide. It has earned one Michelin star for three consecutive years, a testament to the high quality of its cuisine and its embodiment of Japanese "omotenashi" hospitality.
Kaiseki Ikku serves "kaiseki ryori," a type of Japanese cuisine. Kaiseki is characterized by the use of seasonal ingredients and is designed to be enjoyed not only for its taste but also visually and through its aromas.
Kaiseki Ikku is a special restaurant where you can fully experience Japanese spirit and traditional kaiseki cuisine in an exquisite setting.
Semi-Private Seating Perfect for Birthday and Anniversary Dinners
Source: Official website
The interior has a calm atmosphere, with the owner's spirit of "omotenashi" evident throughout the restaurant.
In addition to table seating, the restaurant offers zashiki seating, a traditional Japanese style. In zashiki seating, you remove your shoes and sit on tatami mats, allowing you to relax and enjoy your meal.
The zashiki seats are not completely private but are semi-private spaces called "hankoshitsu." These semi-private areas are separated by traditional Japanese partitions called shoji, made of paper, creating a private space.
The semi-private zashiki seating is perfect for birthday or anniversary dinners, offering a special atmosphere. It's an ideal place to enjoy a moment with someone special in a truly Japanese setting.
At Kaiseki Ikku, You Can Enjoy Various Kyoto-Style Kaiseki Dishes Centered Around Conger Eel
Source: Tabelog
Kyokaiseki is a traditional Japanese cuisine style originating from Kyoto. It's characterized by bringing out the best in ingredients and paying attention to visual aesthetics. Dishes are served in small portions, with the entire meal reflecting the changing seasons.
The owner of Kaiseki Ikku trained in Kyoto, mastering the essence of kyokaiseki.
The main focus of the owner's offerings is conger eel (anago). Anago is a type of eel commonly used in Japanese cuisine, known for its low fat content and light, refreshing taste.
Kaiseki Ikku offers a unique experience where you can savor kyokaiseki cuisine while feeling the traditions of Japan and the changing seasons.
Kaiseki Ikku Consistently Insists on Using "Large Conger Eel from Sanriku"
Source: Official website
Kaiseki Ikku carefully selects rare large conger eels that are not commonly found in markets. These large eels are known for their rich taste and high-quality fat, but they are extremely difficult to prepare and require high skill to fillet.
The filleted eel is carefully aged for over two days to bring out its maximum umami. This aging process further enhances the deliciousness of the eel.
The cuisine at Kaiseki Ikku, which combines the chef's exceptional skills with a commitment to bringing out the best in ingredients through meticulous preparation, offers a taste that satisfies even the most discerning gourmets.
Enjoy Exquisite Kaiseki Dishes Incorporating Seasonal Fish and Vegetables
Source: Official website
While Kaiseki Ikku primarily uses conger eel as its main ingredient, it also offers kaiseki dishes featuring seasonal ingredients.
In summer, you can enjoy a course featuring hamo, a fish that's a popular summer delicacy in Kyoto. Hamo is known for its beautiful white flesh and delicate taste, and is an essential ingredient in Kyoto cuisine.
In autumn, a course featuring matsutake mushrooms, a premium autumn ingredient in Japan, is available. Matsutake are known for their unique aroma and rich flavor, and are beloved by Japanese people.
The ability to enjoy kaiseki cuisine that showcases seasonal bounties is another charm of Kaiseki Ikku.
Kaiseki Ikku Offers Two Seasonal Course Menus
Hana Course
Source: Official website
The Hana (Flower) Course consists of 7 dishes, centered around large conger eel. The course includes conger eel sashimi and grilled conger eel.
Sashimi refers to thinly sliced raw fish, allowing you to enjoy the original taste of the ingredient.
Conger eel is not typically eaten as sashimi. However, at Kaiseki Ikku, the chef's exceptional skills allow them to serve conger eel as sashimi. The sashimi, beautifully arranged like flower petals, is so stunning that it's moving just to look at. This is a rare dish that you can't easily find at other restaurants.
Furthermore, the conger eel grilled over charcoal is rich in umami despite its delicate taste, enough to impress even food connoisseurs.
The Hana Course is recommended for those who want to enjoy a balanced meal of conger eel dishes along with fresh seasonal ingredients.
Aoi Course
Source: Official website
The Aoi Course consists of 8 dishes and is even more luxurious and satisfying than the Hana Course. Like the Hana Course, it includes conger eel sashimi and grilled conger eel.
The aged conger eel is concentrated in umami and characterized by its rich taste, offering a flavor that's a cut above other restaurants. The course is not just about conger eel. It uses a variety of premium ingredients such as seasonal vegetables, sea urchin, and wagyu beef, providing a much higher level of satisfaction.
Every dish is prepared to bring out the best in the ingredients, and great attention is paid to the serving dishes and presentation, allowing you to enjoy both the taste and visual aspects.
This course is especially recommended for those who want to fully savor kaiseki cuisine or spend a special moment.
The Must-Try Experience at Kaiseki Ikku: Pairing of Cuisine and Sake
Source: Official website
Nihonshu, or sake, is a traditional Japanese alcohol made from fermented rice. Its variety and taste greatly depend on the rice polishing ratio (seimai buai). The polishing ratio refers to the percentage of rice remaining after polishing, with more polished rice generally resulting in a more refined and delicate taste.
Sake pairs exceptionally well with kaiseki cuisine because kaiseki dishes feature delicate flavors that highlight seasonal ingredients, and the refined, soft flavors of sake complement these dishes perfectly.
At Kaiseki Ikku, they offer a selection of sake from various regions of Japan, carefully chosen to pair with their kaiseki dishes that use abundant seasonal ingredients.
When you visit, be sure to enjoy the pairing of sake with the cuisine.
The Staff Will Provide the Perfect Drink to Match Your Preferences
At Kaiseki Ikku, they will recommend the optimal sake based on your preferences and to match the dishes.
With a variety of sake available, including sweet, dry, and fruity flavors, you're sure to find one that suits your taste. Also, the taste of sake changes depending on its temperature.
While personal preferences vary, it's recommended to ask the owner which sake pairs best with each dish. By choosing the optimal sake for the day's kaiseki meal, you can experience a true artistic harmony of food and drink.
If you've never tried sake before, we encourage you to try the owner's recommendations.
Access and Basic Information for Kaiseki Ikku
Address: 2-4-23 Ikenohata, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Access: 5-minute walk from Exit 2 of Nezu Station on the Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line
Business Hours: [Lunch] 12:00-15:30 (Last entry 13:30)
[Dinner] 17:00-22:00 (Last entry 19:30)
Closed: Irregular
Phone: 03-5685-0170
Official Website: https://www.kaiseki-ikku.com/
Note: Book online up to 2 days in advance
There Are Two Other Michelin-Listed Restaurants in Ueno
Ponta Honke (Tonkatsu)
Source: Tabelog
"Ponta Honke" is a long-established Western-style restaurant in Ueno. Their specialty is cutlets made using only the center part of carefully selected prime loin meat. Their cutlet is considered the origin of tonkatsu, a Japanese-style adaptation of Milanese cutlets.
The cutlet is characterized by its light, refined sweetness without greasiness, as all fat has been removed. Due to its delicate and careful preparation, you'll want to savor it slowly, taking your time.
Besides cutlets, they also offer a wide range of menu items including black wagyu beef tongue stew and fried dishes like shrimp and conger eel.
"Ponta Honke," where you can enjoy refined cutlets in a quiet Japanese-style setting, is the perfect restaurant to experience Western cuisine that has uniquely evolved in Japan.
Address: 3-23-3 Ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Business Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, holidays, day before holidays
Lunch 11:00-14:00
Tuesday-Saturday, day before holidays
Dinner 16:30-20:20
Sunday, holidays
Dinner 16:00-20:20
Closed: Mondays
Phone: 03-3831-2351
Official Website: https://g608200.gorp.jp/
Pontaken, the Predecessor of Ponta: The First Restaurant in Japan to Serve Tonkatsu
Source: Tabelog
The sister store of Ponta, *Pontaken*, is famous for being the first restaurant in Japan to serve *tonkatsu* (breaded pork cutlet) in the 1930s.
Prior to this, "pork cutlets" involved thin pork slices wrapped in breadcrumbs and pan-fried in butter. However, Pontaken pioneered a completely new cooking method by deep-frying thick cuts of pork in oil. This innovation marked the birth of the modern *tonkatsu* style.
Furthermore, the practice of cutting the fried pork into bite-sized pieces and serving it with rice and miso soup also began here. This style quickly gained popularity, leading to the emergence of numerous *tonkatsu* restaurants, particularly in Ueno and Asakusa, before spreading nationwide.
Tonpachi-tei (Tonkatsu Restaurant)
Source: Tabelog
*Tonpachi-tei* is a popular restaurant in Ueno, known for serving tender and juicy *tonkatsu*.
Despite being thoroughly cooked, the meat remains incredibly juicy and has a moist texture. The crispy coating is not overly greasy, providing a satisfying yet light meal.
Various seasonings such as rock salt, sauce, mustard, and soy sauce are available at the table, allowing customers to enjoy different flavor variations.
Another popular dish is the limited-quantity *tonsuji nikomi*, a stewed dish made from tenderly cooked pork tendon and konjac. Its melt-in-your-mouth texture pairs well with alcohol.
If you want to fully enjoy the Japanese-style evolution of *tonkatsu*, be sure to visit *Tonpachi-tei*.
Address: 4-3-4 Ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Hours: 11:30 AM - 2:30 PM
Closed: Mondays
Phone: 03-3831-4209
Official Website: https://gbb4200.gorp.jp/
