Narisawa

Narisawa is the restaurant of chef Yoshihiro Narisawa, one of the best-known names in Japanese fine dining, and it has been a fixture of Minami-Aoyama for two decades. After training in Europe, Narisawa developed a style he calls Innovative Satoyama Cuisine. Satoyama is the managed countryside where Japanese farmland meets woodland, and the cooking sets out to express that landscape, its seasons and the relationship between people and nature, using produce, seafood and foraged ingredients sourced from around Japan.

The meal is a single tasting menu that changes with the seasons, so there is no fixed list of dishes to order. Expect a long sequence of courses that combine refined French technique with Japanese ingredients and a strong sense of place, with dishes often presented as small landscapes on the plate. One long-running highlight is bread that rises and bakes at the table in a hot stone bowl, served with a moss-like butter. Drinks pairings, including sake and wine, are offered alongside the menu and the dining room is calm and contemporary.

This is a special-occasion meal, so budget accordingly and allow a long evening of three hours or more. Reservations are taken only through the restaurant's online booking partner, which is linked from the official website, and phone bookings are not accepted. Popular dates go early, so book as far ahead as you can and give details of any allergies or dietary requirements when you reserve, as the menu is planned in advance. Smart dress suits the setting.

Narisawa suits food lovers marking a celebration, couples and anyone interested in how contemporary Japanese chefs are reinterpreting their own ingredients. It is less suited to young children or anyone who prefers a short, informal meal. Because the menu is seasonal, a return visit at a different time of year will look quite different.

The restaurant is at 2-6-15 Minami-Aoyama in Minato-ku, a few minutes' walk from Aoyama-itchome Station on the Ginza, Hanzomon and Toei Oedo lines and a similar distance from Gaienmae. The Meiji Jingu Gaien area, with its avenue of ginkgo trees that turn gold in late autumn, is a short stroll away, as are the boutiques of Aoyama.