No one can deny Japan's lure of foodies, and Michelin has thrown an olive branch at it, making Japan proud of the world with the top 1 Michelin restaurants.
In the Tokyo cuisine scene in Japan, there has always been a myth of the three gods of Edozen cuisine, the "god of eels" Kanemoto Kanejiro. , "God of tempura" Tetsuya Saotome, "God of Sushi" Jiro Ono. They have honed their craftsmanship over a long period of time to create the ultimate experience of seemingly simple Japanese cuisine, which can be said to be one of the dreams of countless foodies.
From 2022.12.11 to 12.15, we will visit the restaurants of the "Edo-mae Three Gods": Noda Iwa of Kanemoto Kanemoto, the "God of Eel", and Tetsuya Saotome's "God of Tempura". In 3 days, we will take you to the "Edo's top three dishes" in Japanese cuisine at one time, and sprint towards the ultimate goal of foodies - every bite is a god-level work.
Tour Highlights:
️ Visit the restaurants of "Edo-mae-sanami": Noda Iwa, みかわ is Yamaju, and Shuyoya Hashijiro to experience a culinary peak showdown.
️ Stay in Tokyo Otemachi Four Seasons and enjoy a panoramic view of the city skyline.
Celebrity appointments, food critics explain and accompany the whole process.
Car service, every 12, 13, 14 days a day one Alpha car 10 hours car service. (Round-trip transfer from hotel restaurant included)
Noda Iwa
The god of eels, Kanemoto Kanejiro
A food documentary let the world know that the "god of sushi" Jiro Ono, as everyone knows, is called Edo Sanmi, and "sushi", "eel horn" and "tempura" all have their own god-level masters. Kanamoto Kanejiro, who runs Noda Iwa, is recognized as the "god of eels".
The eel specialty store "Noda Iwa" was founded more than 200 years ago during the Edo period (1789-1801), and after many wars and bombings, forced closures, reopenings, economic crises and other changes, it is still standing two centuries later, and is now run by the fifth generation Kanamoto Kanejiro.
This old man, who has been studying grilled eel for more than 70 years, is the fifth generation to inherit his own secret sauce recipe, but he is also a person who is not willing to follow the old rules. He believes in the concept of excellence, preserving the original intention of traditional cooking, while developing the courage to innovate dishes.
Noda Iwa has several branches in Tokyo and Yokohama, and Kanemoto Kanejiro is also very fond of France, so there is also Noda Iwa's branch in Paris. In more than 70 years of continuous exploration, we have also developed creative ways to eat eel mixed and matched such as red wine and caviar.
However, Kanamoto Kanejiro's base camp is still the Azabu Hon store near Tokyo Tower, and if you want to eat the eel he cooked, you still have to go here.
Regarding eel rice, there are two genres in Japan: Kansai and Kanto, Kansai ryu directly charcoal grilled skin crispy meat texture, Kanto ryu first steamed and then roasted fat aroma and melts in the mouth. Mr. Kanemoto Kanejiro is the grandmaster of the Kanto school.
When it comes to eels, it's important that the meat is plump and the heat is just right. It can be said that the two most important factors in the achievement of Noda rock eel are the quality of the eel and the method of white grilling.
Wild eel is generally used in the restaurant, but white grilled means that it is not seasoned with sauce when grilled, which is intended to show the taste of the eel itself and can also be the most intuitive judgment of the level of cooking.
Nodaiwa's eel is cooked the traditional way, where the fish is grilled white on the back, steamed for an hour to remove excess fat, and finally grilled with a sauce and grilled with bincho charcoal.
After cooking, the eel is super tender and delicious, melts in the mouth, the skin is smooth and elastic, and the sauce on top is very light, maintaining the role of the sauce, not overwhelming, and accompanied by full and elastic rice, you can't stop eating.
Mikawa Koreyamai
The god of tempura - Saotome Tetsuya
In Japan, "everything can be tempura", many people think that tempura is wrapped in flour and fried, not advanced enough and has a single taste, but is this really the case?
"Tempura is one of the most technical dishes in Japanese cuisine, and it is necessary to have a crispy noodle and a delicious taste at the same time. The frying time of each ingredient is different, and it needs to be mastered precisely to bring out the best flavor. The taste of tempura, in time, instants, and even between breaths, will change greatly, and it can also be said that time is delicious. ”
This is a quote from the "god of tempura", Tetsuya Saotome, a master who has loved tempura for more than 50 years, and really uses the attitude of artistic creation and the ultimate craftsmanship to fry tempura for diners every day.
Unlike other dishes, tempura cannot be prepared in advance and must wait for the guests to arrive before processing fresh ingredients. There are very few stores that can actually do this. In the mountain residence, watching the tempura process has become a hidden experience for diners.
After taking a seat, Mr. Saotome clamped his iron chopsticks, and the horn of the prelude to the food immediately sounded in the oil pot, making diners crispy just by hearing. Every tempura he fries by hand is a work of art, and it is completely under control in terms of shape, color, taste, taste, and even the temperature of the ingredients.
A well-made tempura, the final product is crystal clear. The thin batter resembles a dancing puff pastry, and the color of the wrapped food itself can be seen. The right frying temperature and time make the appearance crispy, there should be a "poof" sound when cutting, and the thick oil traces should not be visible on the drain cushion paper.
In the tempura cuisine of Saotome Tetsuya, the famous ones are shrimp heads and shrimp bodies. The temperature of the shrimp core of fried shrimp must be maintained at about 45 degrees, because this is the most sensitive temperature of the human tongue, and from dipping to frying, it must be completed in 20 seconds, only by mastering the oil temperature and speed, can the shrimp with a thin crispy skin, but also maintain the inherent elasticity and luscence.
The shrimp head needs to be fried separately from the shrimp body, although there is only a small amount of meat, but the shrimp head can still be fried ruddy and clear. After eating the full shrimp meat, the crispiness of the shrimp head is more vivid in comparison.
Perilla sea urchin, at the moment of serving, still with tumbling oil flowers, the face is thin as cicada wings, but the inside is hot and hot, the sea urchin after biting open still remains tender and golden, the fragrance of perilla drives away the fishy smell of the sea urchin, leaving only its sweetness and a bite into the soul.
Even the vegetable asparagus can show amazing variety and depth in the hands of Tetsuya Saotome. Finely cut with a knife, then fried and served in the mouth, the sweetness of the high sugar content and the prominent milky taste are mesmerizing.
In addition to paying attention to the dishes, the cups and plates, paintings and bottles in the restaurant are all made by famous Japanese artists. This restaurant was originally the home of Mr. Tetsuya Saotome. The whole building has a sense of design, and there are also artworks of the old man himself and many artist friends.
The 9 seats in the inner hall are reserved for diners to enjoy top-notch tempura. The tableware in the store is a pottery work made by nearly 100 contemporary artists for him. On top of the oil pot in the inner hall, there is a very characteristic "Italian top hat" shaped exhaust fan.
The lounge on the third floor is actually more like an art display area. Designed by Tetsuya Saotome as a one-of-a-kind "egg-shaped tea room," it houses antiques and artworks that he has collected over the years for guests to enjoy while waiting to be seated.
The most surprising thing is the menu handwritten and drawn by Tetsuya Saotome, and perhaps the seemingly unsmiling tempura master is thanking diners through these cute images.
Sukiya Keijiro
Sushi no Kami——Jiro Ono
On the ground floor of the Ginza office building, there is a small shop that looks completely unusual, but all food lovers are full of yearning for it. Because it is the place where the "god of sushi" wrote his own sushi legend - Shuyoya Hashi Jiro.
With only 10 seats, it's the ultimate pilgrimage destination for all foodies. Tasting the sushi hand-kneading by Jiro Ono, the world's oldest three-Michelin chef in his 90s, is believed to be the most memorable moment in all foodie careers.
The world of sushi is very simple – fish, rice, vinegar, salt, soy sauce, these things make up a sushi. However, such a simple material can create a price range from 100 yuan to tens of thousands of yen, forming a huge and fascinating rich taste universe.
Jiro Ono, who is in his 90s, the world's longest-standing three-Michelin-starred chef, has spent his life researching how to make sushi taste better.
As the saying goes, sushi has three points of taste and seven points of gestures. Jiro Ono's technique of holding sushi is neat, and within 20 minutes of kneading 20 sushi, diners are almost drawn to the close-up production process. In this small shop, everyone remained silent the whole time, as if performing some kind of sacred ceremony, not so much eating sushi, but thanking the gods for the delicious gifts they gave to mankind.
The details of Jiro Yoshiyahashi's sushi may even depend on the specific situation of the guests present. For example, the sushi of female guests will be small to facilitate the entrance, the sushi of office workers will be tight and convenient to clamp chopsticks without scattering, and the order of sushi in front of left-handed guests must be reversed to facilitate the consumption of guests, and the details are impressive.
In terms of ingredients, only the best products have been selected for years, the shellfish is large and sweet, and the tuna tastes gluten-free. This also results in almost daily sushi menus that are almost different, with seasonal and fresh being the only themes here.
Even the ratio of sugar to sushi vinegar in vinegar rice has been optimized for decades. Because the rice is slightly warm, under the exclusive ratio of Jiro Ono, the texture of the kneaded sushi is not so acidic, and the touch is softer, which can be said to establish a perfect balance point in terms of temperature, acidity and hardness.
Because of the high status of Chef Jiro Ono, Jiro Ono, many of the world's best diners, and the only restaurant designated by former US President Barack Obama during his visit to Japan, it was extremely difficult to book this legendary sushi restaurant.
Three Michelin stars, a month in advance, a phone call that is always busy, the legend that even a personal visit on the first of the month may not be able to make an appointment... But those who have eaten it will still lament that this is "sushi worth waiting for a lifetime".
Travel with you
Hu Jiawen
A master of Japanese food
After more than 20 years of wallowing in the Tokyo food scene and eating all over Michelin restaurants in Tokyo, Hu Jiawen, known as the Michelin princess, is qualified as a food coordinator and is also the Tokyo moderator of "Love Rice Balls". She is familiar with many famous chefs, proficient in Japanese food culture, and is a well-known Japanese food expert when it comes to Tokyo cuisine
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Otemachi Four Seasons
Each floor-to-ceiling window offers some of Tokyo's most bustling cityscapes
In Tokyo, the cityscape is naturally not to be missed. The hotel that dominates the city skyline has the inherent advantage of floor-to-ceiling windows that offer a panoramic view of the city's modern and traditional charm. So for this 4-day culinary journey in Japan, we chose to stay at the Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Otemachi, which opened in September 2020.
Tokyo Otemachi is located next to the Imperial Palace Garden, and is also the work of Mitsui Fudosa Co., Ltd., a real estate developer known as "one of Japan's four major monopolies", and top architect Jean-Michel Gathy.
Housed in a brand new building in Otemachi, Tokyo's famous financial center, the hotel occupies the highest 6 floors of the new 39 floors, as well as two additional floors below ground and on the 3rd floor. With direct underground access to Otemachi Station and not far from Tokyo Station, the location also takes advantage.
The 170 standard rooms and 20 suites also include a luxurious Imperial Suite on the 38th floor. The artworks made by Japanese artist Namiko Kitaura are scattered in the cozy and cozy rooms of home, and are said to pay homage to Issey Miyake's natural and flowing style.
The hotel's Italian and French restaurants offer an ever-changing seasonal menu, and even breakfast is all à la carte; VIRTÙ BAR IS A FUSION OF PARIS AND TOKYO; At THE LOUNGE, you can enjoy afternoon tea that combines tradition and modernity.
The hotel's spa team can tailor services such as body massages and skin treatments to suit different needs. It should be one of the hotels where it is easy to feel the warmth of Tokyo and the charm of Japanese history and culture.
Whether it's a small shop clustered around the corner alleys or a high-end kiosk with the lights of Ginza, Tokyo's likable restaurants always have their own style, and they are not willing to be copies of others, using their "impossible to copy" to find the group of like-minded customers.
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