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My favorite restaurants in Japan: Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka food guide
Japan is a paradise for food lovers, offering everything from rich ramen to sizzling yakiniku and flavorful curry. Here are my favorite restaurants across Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka that I always recommend.
Why I Love These Places
Each of these restaurants has something unique to offer, whether it’s the rich flavors of Japanese curry, the high-quality wagyu yakiniku, or the comforting warmth of a perfect bowl of ramen. If you're traveling to Tokyo, Kyoto, or Osaka, these are the spots I always recommend for an unforgettable food experience!
🍖 Niku Gekijou (Osaka)
A meat lover’s dream, Niku Gekijou specializes in high-quality yakiniku (Japanese BBQ) with thick cuts of beef, proc and chicken.
🥩 Yasaka Yakiniku (Kyoto)
Nestled in Kyoto, Yasaka Yakiniku is known for serving some of the best wagyu beef in the city. If you're looking for a high-end yakiniku experience with melt-in-your-mouth A5 wagyu, this is the place to go.
🍜 Ramen HH (Tokyo)
A hidden gem in Tokyo, Ramen HH serves up incredibly rich and flavorful tonkotsu ramen. The broth is deep and creamy, the noodles are perfectly chewy, and the chashu is just the right balance of tender and smoky.
🍛 Arashiyama Curry (Kyoto)
After exploring the beautiful bamboo forest in Arashiyama, this spot is perfect for a comforting plate of Japanese curry. The flavors are well-balanced with a smooth, slightly sweet spice, making it a must-visit for curry lovers.
🍰 White Lover (Kyoto)
A cozy restaurant in Kyoto not far from KIyomizudera.
🍔 Shogun Burger
If you're craving a Japanese-style burger, Shogun Burger is a must-try. Made with high-quality wagyu beef patties, their burgers are juicy, flavorful, and perfectly cooked. A top pick for burger lovers in Japan!
🍛 100 Hours Curry
Known for its slow-cooked curry, 100 Hours Curry serves one of the richest and most flavorful Japanese curries. The deep umami taste from hours of simmering makes it a standout among Japan’s curry restaurants.
🥟 Chin-yu - Kawaramachi Rokkaku (Kyoto)
A fantastic spot in Kyoto offering gyoza, ramen and cha-han.
🥘 Sukiyaki Hokuto
A traditional sukiyaki restaurant where you can enjoy thinly sliced beef cooked in broth. The combination of high-quality meat, fresh vegetables makes for an unforgettable meal.
🎌 Discover my all-in-one Japan itineraries 🎌 available in an interactive online module and PDF for offline use. Perfect for those who want a stress-free, immersive experience without the hassle of planning! What you get: 🗼 Comprehensive itineraries for Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, and more (Kanto & Kansai regions) 🗺️ Custom Google Maps with all key spots marked! ✈️ Smart travel advice: accommodations, transportation, SIM cards, and food 🍣 700+ restaurant recommendations with my expert food guide! 🎭 Dive into cultural experiences & explore an Anime Pilgrimage ✅ Offline PDF with clickable links ✅ Online interactive module with comments and community
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Plan Your Japan Trip More Easily
If you're going to Jpaan you're probably facing :
Too much information
How to organize
Don’t know where to go
Train system feels confusing
Afraid of missing places
Planning a trip to Japan usually breaks at the same point: you save a lot of places, but don’t know how to turn them into a realistic route. Cities are large, distances are not intuitive, and it’s hard to know what actually fits in one day.
This guide was created to solve that. It helps you understand how places connect, how many days make sense per area, and how to build an itinerary that flows.
With the interactive map, you can explore curated spots across Japan, follow ready-made itineraries and day trips, mix my routes with your own, and adapt everything to your pac
I created my Japan Travel Guide to help you organize your trip in a clear, realistic way.
Details on what you'll have
Best of both world : touristy & off the beaten path places
+ 1000 things to do, filterable by category & tags
Lifetime access to my itinerary and all future updates.
10 to 30 days curated itineraries, fully customizable
Kanto (Tokyo & surroundings) Day by Day customizable Itinerary (10 to 15 days)
Kansai (Osaka, Kyoto, Nara...) Day by day Itinerary customizable (13 to 15 days)
Tokyo Guide by Neighborhood (23 special ward)
15+ additional day trips detailed for exploring nearby destinations from Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto.
Interactive map with all key spots marked & filterable by category & tags
Benefit from in-depth practical advice (navigation, accomodation, restaurants, cultural experiences)
PDF & Excel sheets (with less updates than online version)
What it looks like on the app :
If you prefer something fully tailored, I also offer a 100% custom travel planning service.
I design a day-by-day itinerary based on your dates, interests, budget, travel pace, and priorities. You simply follow the plan and enjoy your trip.
And if you like flexible, editable itineraries, you can also find my ready-made itineraries on Holicay.
They’re ideal if you want a solid base you can customize with your travel companions.
Marie creator behind @Tabimawari
Hi, I’m Marie, the creator behind @tabimawari.
I lived in Kyoto, learned Japanese, and keep returning to explore Japan beyond the obvious.
Planning a trip to Japan usually breaks at the same point: you save a lot of places, but don’t know how to turn them into a realistic route. Cities are large, distances are not intuitive, and it’s hard to know what actually fits in one day.
This guide was created to solve that. It helps you understand how places connect, how many days make sense per area, and how to build an itinerary that flows.
With the interactive map, you can explore curated spots across Japan, follow ready-made itineraries and day trips, mix my routes with your own, and adapt everything to your pace.
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Marie creator behind @Tabimawari
Hi, I’m Marie.
French islander from Reunion island, Japan lover, and travel planner behind Tabimawari.
I spent a year living in Kyoto, learning Japanese and falling in love with the culture. Since then, I’ve kept going back, exploring every corner from Tokyo to the tiniest hidden towns.
I created these guides after spending months planning, testing, and fine-tuning every detail so you don’t have to. Inside, you’ll find:
✅ Interactive maps
✅ Step-by-step directions
✅ Local spots + travel tips
✅ Offline use
Each guide is made with care, based on real-life travel, not generic blog advice.
This is what I wish I had on my first trip to Japan and now it’s yours.
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