Nihonryori FUJI

If you're craving Japanese food, Table-EX recommends Shizuoka over Tokyo.

Explore outstanding dining choices available here, such as Tempura Naruse, Tempura Nakamura a new venture by one of Tempura Naruse's apprentice and other beloved Japanese establishments like Onjaku and Seirin. A particularly noteworthy one is FUJI, a Japanese restaurant we're highlighting here..

In Shizuoka, talented young chefs are making innovative dishes using the gifts of Suruga Bay and Mount Fuji, creating something truly special you won't find elsewhere.

While classic Japanese restaurants in Tokyo are excellent, their fixed menus can become a bit repetitive over time, especially as the seasons change...

In Shizuoka, chefs create their menus around the freshest catch of the day from the sea, providing exciting encounters with new ingredients rarely seen in Tokyo. It's a truly enjoyable experience.

Among the restaurants in Shizuoka, Table-EX's top pick is the Japanese cuisine FUJI, where the young chef Masataka Fujioka showcases his talent. Fujioka, who left university at 20 to pursue his passion for cooking, creates dishes that are both simple and innovative.

Their specialty dish is the "Diamond of Suruga Bay," a luxurious white snapper known as Shirako snapper grilled with pine needles. The scales stand out and shimmer after being fried, emitting a fragrant aroma that entices your appetite.

Even seemingly modest traditional dishes like sesame tofu are enhanced by Fujioka's expertise. By lightly toasting the sesame seeds just before serving, the aroma intensifies, turning a dish that you might normally overlook into a culinary masterpiece.

Fujioka explains, "There are some customers from overseas who perceive the delicate aroma and flavor of our dashi even more sensitively than Japanese."

With a new apprentice from Hong Kong joining this spring, the restaurant's service for international guests is expected to become even more meticulous.

Some might think Shizuoka is far, but it's just 52 minutes from Shinagawa by Shinkansen. Indulge in a full course of Suruga Bay delights and create unforgettable memories during your trip to Tokyo.