Account

Welcome

Sign in to save places, build lists, and keep your score.

Search

The Best Places in Japan

Eat + Drink + Stay, change section
  1. Hot spring water rises from nearly a mile underground, even here in central Tokyo, feeding the onsen at this ryokan-style hotel tucked into a skyscraper a short walk from Tokyo Station. Each floor clusters six rooms around a shared living room stocked with refreshments, and the rooms themselves fold contemporary design into traditional ryokan form without any visible seams. The ground-floor entry channels a Zen garden, and the quiet holds.


  2. A Marriott lifestyle brand hotel planted on the Dojima riverside, close enough to Umeda that the neighborhood does most of the heavy lifting. The rooms are stylish without veering into the kind of grandeur that requires a packing strategy, and the common areas run from an all-day restaurant to a bar with dinner service. A grab-and-go café handles mornings efficiently. The Michelin Guide lists it among its selected hotels.

    The awards


  3. Kengo Kuma designed this luxury hotel to echo the machiya townhouses and temple architecture of its Higashiyama neighborhood, and the result is a rare thing: an international hotel brand that doesn't feel imported. Rooms lean traditional in spirit, with floor-to-ceiling windows and full modern amenities filling the gaps. Some suites come with private onsen baths. The Auriga Spa adds more, and SingleThread, the celebrated California restaurant, has its first outpost outside the U.S. here.

    The awards


  4. A cigar magnate's Meiji-era Western mansion, tucked between Maruyama Park's cherry blossom pond and Yasaka Shrine, is now a boutique hotel where the antique chandeliers and Art Deco stained glass make the diplomatic-era fantasies rather easy to indulge. Rooms have wood paneling, fireplaces, and Jacuzzi tubs, with windows facing cedar forest or Mount Higashiyama. The afternoon tea changes personality with the seasons outside the glass.

    The awards


  5. The awards


  6. The lobby starts on the 18th floor, which tells you something about the building's ambitions. This sleek hotel in Shinbashi fills its floor-to-ceiling windows with views of the Imperial Palace, Hibiya Park, and the Tokyo skyline in every direction. Rooms run compact and calm, dressed in washi paper and patterned carpets that nod to forests and coastlines. The cherry blossoms outside in spring are, predictably, not accidental.

    The awards


  7. Rank 507. Takumi

    French


    Address
    1-11-10 Nishiazabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Tokyo 106-0031, Japan · Tokyo
    Hours

    Closed now, opens noon

    Saturday Noon–3 PM, 6:30 PM–11:30 PM

    Reserve
    Make a reservation
    Online
    Website
  8. Eight rooms, adults only, and a no-construction zone on the edge of where Kyoto slides into the mountains: Higashiyama Shikikaboku sets its terms early. The owner is an interior designer, and it shows in repurposed 16th-century karakami tiles, minimalist architecture, and rooms that treat traditional Japanese hospitality as a starting point rather than a costume. There's an open-air bath, a rooftop, and a tea salon that earns the word composed.

    The awards


  9. A hinoki cypress soaking tub, hand-carved and fragrant, anchors the ground floor of this two-story machiya a short walk from Nijo Castle. It's a whole-house rental, sleeping a small group in a blend of blonde-wood Western rooms and a tatami bedroom with traditional futons. A century-old yew plum tree stands in the atrium passage leading to a private library with garden views. Old beams overhead, a full kitchen below.

    The awards


  10. Every unit here is a two-bedroom suite with a full kitchen, a dining area, and in-room laundry, which is a different thing entirely from the "kitchenette" most apartment-style hotels are quietly embarrassed about. Mimaru Suites Kyoto Central sits in the heart of Kyoto, surrounded by more history than anyone can absorb in a week. There's no lobby bar or restaurant, but the staff make up for it with local recommendations, and the neighborhood does the rest.

    The awards


  11. A faithfully restored kyo-michaya, the two-story wooden townhouse form Kyoto does better than anywhere, sitting a short walk from Nijō Castle. The joinery is the kind you stop mid-conversation to run your hand along. Dark wood and Edo-style wallpaper share the room with Danish furniture and considered lighting, and the lead highlight walls develop their own patina over time, so repeat guests find the place subtly changed.

    The awards


  12. The awards


  13. The awards


  14. The awards


  15. The awards


  16. Rank 512. a.ligne

    French

    The awards


    Address
    2-3-12 Shinsakae, Nagoya City, Aichi 460-0007, Japan · Nagoya City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens noon

    Saturday Noon–3 PM, 6 PM–10 PM

    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
  17. Rank 512. aca

    Portuguese

    Reservations run through a lottery here, which tells you most of what you need to know before you even sit down. This is an intimate counter-only omakase restaurant in Nihombashi serving Portuguese cuisine, where the chef threads the restrained rhythm of omakase through bold Iberian flavors across a 13-course progression. It moved from Kyoto and landed in Tokyo to the same quiet frenzy of demand. Bring patience for the reservation system and a loose evening.


  18. The awards


    Address
    1-1-22 Fukiage, Wakayama City, Wakayama 640-8137, Japan · Wakayama City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens noon

    Saturday Noon–2:30 PM, 6 PM–10 PM

    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
  19. The awards


    Address
    64 Honjo, Yurihonjo City, Akita 015-0809, Japan · Yurihonjo City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens noon

    Saturday Noon–1 PM, 6 PM–8 PM

    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
  20. Rank 512. AGRISCAPE

    French

    The awards


    Address
    177 Kobetsusawa, Sapporo City, Hokkaido 063-0011, Japan · Sapporo City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens 12:10 PM

    Saturday 12:10 PM–3:30 PM, 5:40 PM–10 PM

    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
  21. Rank 512. Aji Arai

    Japanese

    The awards


  22. Rank 512. Ajidokoro

    Japanese

    The awards


    Address
    40-35 Yuchi, Kuriyama Town, Hokkaido 069-1508, Japan · Kuriyama Town
    Hours

    Closed now, opens noon

    Saturday Noon–2:30 PM, 6 PM–9 PM

    Online
    Website
  23. The awards


    Address
    22 Daikumachi, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa 920-0982, Japan · Kanazawa City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens 11:30 AM

    Saturday 11:30 AM–2 PM, 5 PM–9:30 PM

    Online
    Website
  24. The awards


    Address
    1-3 Kioichou, Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo 102-0094, Japan · Chiyoda Ward
    Hours

    Closed now, opens 11:30 AM

    Saturday 11:30 AM–2 PM, 5 PM–10 PM

    Online
    Website
  25. The awards


    Address
    6-3-13 Akasaka, Minato Ward, Tokyo 107-0052, Japan · Minato Ward
    Hours

    Closed now, opens 5:30 PM

    Saturday 5:30 PM–10 PM

    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
  26. Rank 512. aki nagao

    French

    The awards


    Address
    3 Chuuoukuminami, Sapporo City, Hokkaido 060-0063, Japan · Sapporo City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens noon

    Saturday Noon–1 PM, 5:30 PM–7:30 PM

    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
  27. The awards


  28. The awards


    Address
    10907 Kin, Kin Town, Okinawa 904-1201, Japan · Kin Town
    Hours

    Closed now, opens 11:30 AM

    Saturday 11:30 AM–3 PM, 6 PM–10 PM

    Online
    Website
  29. Rank 512. Amegen

    Japanese

    The awards


    Address
    1058-2 Hamatamamachi Gotanda, Karatsu City, Saga 849-5102, Japan · Karatsu City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens 11 AM

    Saturday 11 AM–3:30 PM, 5 PM–9 PM

    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
  30. Rank 512. Amiral

    French

    The awards


    Address
    5-10-17 Nishichuo, Kure City, Hiroshima 737-0811, Japan · Kure City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens 11:30 AM

    Saturday 11:30 AM–1 PM, 6 PM–8 PM

    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
  31. Rank 512. Ăn Đi

    Vietnamese


    Address
    3-42-12 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Tokyo 150-0001, Japan · Tokyo
    Hours

    Closed now, opens noon

    Saturday Noon–1:30 PM, 6 PM–11 PM

    Reserve
    Make a reservation
    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
  32. Rank 512. anchoa

    Spanish

    The awards


  33. The awards


    Address
    1-9-15 Shin-yashiki, Kumamoto City, Kumamoto 862-0975, Japan · Kumamoto City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens 11:30 AM

    Saturday 11:30 AM–1 PM, 6 PM–10 PM

    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
  34. Rank 512. Ao

    Japanese

    The awards


  35. Rank 512. APICIUS

    French


    Address
    B1F, 1-9-4 Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Tokyo 100-0006, Japan · Tokyo
    Hours

    Closed now, opens 11:30 AM

    Saturday 11:30 AM–3 PM, 5:30 PM–11 PM

    Reserve
    Make a reservation
    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
  36. The awards


    Address
    3-5-22 Kokubuncho, Sendai City, Miyagi 980-0803, Japan · Sendai City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens noon

    Saturday Noon–12:30 PM, 6:30 PM–11 PM

    Online
    WebsiteInstagram

  37. Rank 512. aru

    French

    The awards


    Address
    2-28 Hirokouji, Toyohashi City, Aichi 440-0881, Japan · Toyohashi City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens noon

    Saturday Noon–2 PM, 6:30 PM–9 PM

    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
  38. Rank 512. Arutokoro

    Japanese

    The awards


    Address
    732 Kagami, Karatsu City, Saga 847-0022, Japan · Karatsu City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens 11 AM

    Saturday 11 AM–3 PM, 5 PM–10 PM

    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
  39. Rank 512. Asuke

    Sushi

    The awards


  40. The awards


    Address
    48 Kannonshitamachiro, Komatsu City, Ishikawa 923-0171, Japan · Komatsu City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens noon

    Saturday Noon–3 PM, 5:30 PM–10 PM

    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
  41. The awards


    Address
    1-5-5 Azabujuban, Minato Ward, Tokyo 106-0045, Japan · Minato Ward
    Hours

    Closed now, opens 5:30 PM

    Saturday 5:30 PM–8 PM

    Online
    Website
  42. Rank 512. Bini

    Italian

    The awards


  43. The awards


    Address
    20-24 Hommachi, Ise City, Mie 516-0074, Japan · Ise City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens noon

    Saturday Noon–3 PM, 5:30 PM–9:30 PM

    Online
    Website
  44. Rank 512. Bon.nu

    French

    The awards


    Address
    4-22-17 Yoyogi, Shibuya Ward, Tokyo 151-0053, Japan · Shibuya Ward
    Hours

    Closed now, opens noon

    Saturday Noon–1 PM, 6 PM–8:30 PM

    Online
    Website
  45. Rank 512. Cá sento

    Portuguese


  46. Rank 512. ca'enne

    Italian

    The awards


    Address
    10222-25 Toyohirajitougaku, Chino City, Nagano 391-0213, Japan · Chino City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens noon

    Saturday Noon–2 PM, 6 PM–10 PM

    Online
    Website
  47. The awards


    Address
    1-19-6 Minatotakadai, Hachinohe City, Aomori 031-0823, Japan · Hachinohe City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens 12:15 PM

    Saturday 12:15 PM–3 PM, 7 PM–10 PM

    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
  48. The awards


  49. The awards


  50. The awards


  51. Rank 512. Cheval

    French

    The name is French for horse, and the chef named it partly because she was born in the Year of the Horse and partly because the neighborhood translates roughly as "post-horse town," which is the kind of origin story that sounds made up but isn't. This is a French restaurant with an à la carte menu only, the preparations kept deliberately simple, and a risotto on the menu that riffs on a local clam-and-rice dish from the chef's home ward.


    Address
    12-20 Nihombashiodemmacho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Tokyo 103-0011, Japan
    Hours

    Closed now, opens 5 PM

    Saturday 5 PM–11:30 PM

    Reserve
    TableCheck
    Online
    Instagram
  52. Rank 512. Chez Inno

    French


    Address
    2-4-16 Kyobashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Tokyo 104-0031, Japan · Tokyo
    Hours

    Closed now, opens 11:30 AM

    Saturday 11:30 AM–1:30 PM, 6 PM–8:30 PM

    Online
    Website
  53. The awards


  54. The awards


  55. Rank 512. common

    Japanese

    The awards


  56. Rank 512. Convivio

    Italian

    The awards


  57. Rank 512. Courage

    French


  58. Rank 512. CRAFTALE

    French

    The awards


    Address
    1-16-11 Aobadai, Meguro Ward, Tokyo 153-0042, Japan · Meguro Ward
    Hours

    Closed now, opens 11:30 AM

    Saturday 11:30 AM–3 PM, 6 PM–10:30 PM

    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
  59. Rank 512. credo

    French

    The awards


    Address
    5-21-11 Iida, Yamagata City, Yamagata 990-2332, Japan · Yamagata City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens noon

    Saturday Noon–3 PM, 6 PM–11 PM

    Online
    Instagram
  60. The awards


    Address
    1-2-1 Ootemachi, Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo 100-0004, Japan · Chiyoda Ward
    Hours

    Closed now, opens 11:30 AM

    Saturday 11:30 AM–3 PM, 6 PM–11 PM

    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
  61. Rank 512. Dogo Kaishū

    Japanese

    The awards


  62. The awards


    Address
    5-13-5 Kanagusuku, Naha City, Okinawa 901-0155, Japan · Naha City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens noon

    Saturday Noon–3 PM, 6:30 PM–11 PM

    Online
    Instagram
  63. The awards


    Address
    2-4-10 Annoyamachi, Toyama City, Toyama 930-0087, Japan · Toyama City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens noon

    Saturday Noon–2:30 PM, 6 PM–10 PM

    Online
    Website
  64. The awards


    Address
    25 Edomachi, Kuwana City, Mie 511-0022, Japan · Kuwana City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens noon

    Saturday Noon–12:30 PM, 6 PM–7 PM

  65. The awards


  66. Rank 512. Eizan

    Japanese

    The awards


  67. The awards


  68. Rank 512. eman

    Spanish


  69. The awards


  70. The awards


    Address
    1-25-6 Chuuoukunakayamatedoori, Kobe City, Hyogo 650-0004, Japan · Kobe City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens noon

    Saturday Noon–3 PM, 6 PM–9 PM

    Online
    Website
  71. Rank 512. ÉPURÉ

    French

    The awards


  72. Rank 512. Erretegia

    Wood-fired Mediterranean

    The awards


  73. The awards


    Address
    5513-142 Kitayama, Chino City, Nagano 391-0301, Japan · Chino City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens noon

    Saturday Noon–1:30 PM, 5:45 PM–7 PM

    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
  74. Rank 512. essere

    Italian

    The awards


    Address
    2-13-1 Kitakutamachi, Okayama City, Okayama 700-0825, Japan · Okayama City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens noon

    Saturday Noon–3 PM, 6 PM–10 PM

    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
  75. Rank 512. et NOU

    French

    The awards


  76. Rank 512. Etsumi Ittou

    Japanese

    The awards


    Address
    2-1-7 Haruyama, Fukui City, Fukui 910-0019, Japan · Fukui City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens 6 PM

    Saturday 6 PM–10 PM

    Online
    Website
  77. The awards


    Address
    10-8 Tatsumicho, Takasaki City, Gunma 370-0835, Japan · Takasaki City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens noon

    Saturday Noon–2:30 PM, 6 PM–10 PM

  78. Rank 512. fenua

    French

    The awards


  79. Rank 512. fierté

    French

    The awards


  80. The awards


  81. Rank 512. FRUTTO

    Italian

    The awards


    Address
    3 Narayama Noborimachi, Akita City, Akita 010-0021, Japan · Akita City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens 6:30 PM

    Saturday 6:30 PM–Midnight

    Online
    Website
  82. Rank 512. Fukuya

    Japanese

    The awards


  83. Rank 512. Funachef

    French

    The awards


  84. The awards


    Address
    4-11-27 Noma, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka 815-0041, Japan · Fukuoka City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens noon

    Saturday Noon–3 PM, 6 PM–10 PM

  85. Rank 512. gentil H

    French

    A second-floor French restaurant in Shirokanedai where the menu reads like a thank-you note, listing each ingredient's origin and the producer behind it. The chef comes to the table with every dish to explain the thinking, which sounds fussy until it isn't. Bread and tea come from the chef's home prefecture of Shizuoka, baked by a classmate, which gives the whole room a quiet, personal logic that most tasting menus only pretend to have.


  86. Rank 512. Gessen

    Chinese

    The awards



  87. Address
    4-5-5 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Tokyo 104-0061, Japan · Tokyo
    Hours

    Closed now, opens 11:30 AM

    Saturday 11:30 AM–3 PM, 5 PM–10 PM

    Reserve
    Make a reservation
    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
  88. Rank 512. HAGI

    French

    The awards


  89. The awards


    Address
    266 Uekimachi Iwano, Kumamoto City, Kumamoto 861-0136, Japan · Kumamoto City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens 11:30 AM

    Saturday 11:30 AM–12:30 PM, 6 PM–7:30 PM

    Online
    Instagram
  90. The awards


  91. Rank 512. Hasunomi

    Chinese

    The awards


  92. The awards


  93. Eight seats, bamboo thatch on the ceiling, and a facade that could have been lifted from a Gion alleyway. This intimate sushi counter in Higashiazabu books out weeks ahead, which tells you something about the city's appetite for what the chef is doing. Seasonal sourcing runs to the obsessive end of the dial, and the omakase unfolds accordingly. Plan very far ahead, bring patience, and leave any idea of a quick dinner at the door.


    Address
    1-7-9 Higashiazabu, Minato Ward, Tokyo 106-0044, Japan · Minato Ward
    Hours

    Closed now, opens 6 PM

    Saturday 6 PM–Midnight

    Online
    Website
  94. The awards


  95. Rank 512. hika

    French

    The awards


  96. The awards


    Address
    4-7-14 Ote, Matsumoto City, Nagano 390-0874, Japan · Matsumoto City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens 11:30 AM

    Saturday 11:30 AM–2:30 PM, 6 PM–10 PM

    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
  97. The awards


  98. The awards


  99. Rank 512. Hinode

    Japanese

    The awards


    Address
    19 Kawaguchimachi, Kuwana City, Mie 511-0021, Japan · Kuwana City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens 5 PM

    Saturday 5 PM–10 PM

    Online
    Website

Browse a location

Current Location

Metros

Eat Score

The score comes from the awards it's won, weighted by who gave them: a Michelin star outweighs a listicle. When you sort by what's nearby, distance changes the order, never the score.

    How we score →

    Drink Score

    The score comes from the awards it's won, weighted by who gave them: a Michelin star outweighs a listicle. When you sort by what's nearby, distance changes the order, never the score.

      How we score →

      Stay Score

      Four fifths of the score is the awards it's won, weighted by who gave them: a Michelin Key outweighs a listicle. The last fifth is where it is: the ranked places to eat and things to do around it, and how safe the country is. When you sort by what's nearby, distance from you changes the order, never the score.

        How we score →

        Do Score

        The score comes from the awards it's won, weighted by who gave them: a Michelin star outweighs a listicle. When you sort by what's nearby, distance changes the order, never the score.

          How we score →

          Best Place Score

          The Best Place Score rates the area around a point, not any one place. The places are 60% of it: the best of what's within reach, weighed by distance. The setting is the other 40%: how life goes in that country (how people rate their own lives, how long and how well they live, how safe they are) and what it's like right there (the air, and the weather). If the score looks low, we probably haven't found enough critics out here yet.

          Near Me

          Sign in to see the best places near you

          Near Me ranks what's around you, wherever you are.

          Sign in with email

          New here? Create an account

          Or see the full worldwide list