Michelin Guide 2025: The Ultimate Guide to Tokyo’s Tempra Excellence

The Michelin Guide has become the global benchmark for culinary excellence and gastronomy rankings. According to its criteria, three-star establishments offer “exceptional cuisine worth a special journey,” two-star venues feature “excellent cooking worth a detour,” and one-star restaurants provide “high-quality cooking worth a stop.” Additionally, the Bib Gourmand distinction recognizes restaurants offering outstanding value and satisfaction for under ¥5,000.

This guide presents Tokyo’s tempura excellence as recognized in the 2025 Michelin Guide: three restaurants with two stars, seven with one star, and two Bib Gourmand selections. It includes overviews, essential data, menu highlights, video footage, and maps for each establishment. Note that as of 2025, no Tokyo tempura restaurant has achieved the coveted three-star rating.

Two-Star Restaurants

Tempura Motoyoshi

Overview

At Tempura Motoyoshi, Chef Kazuhito Motoyoshi challenges traditional tempura techniques using liquid nitrogen to create what could be described as “molecular tempura.” His scientific approach features precisely controlled batter particles, oil temperature variations, flavor intensity, and ingredient temperature to maximize each item’s inherent qualities. This constantly evolving tempura experience continues to push boundaries while delivering extraordinary taste.

Located about a 5-minute walk from Ebisu Station on the third floor of a building, the restaurant can be reserved through Pocket Concierge. English-speaking staff are available, though reviews suggest calling directly might increase your chances of securing a reservation. Their phone number is 03-6455-0200.

The interior features an elegant straight counter with just eight seats. The menu consists exclusively of omakase courses ranging from ¥33,000 to ¥44,000 (plus 10% service charge), with prices varying according to seasonal ingredients and interior arrangements.

A sample of the ¥33,000 omakase course from December 2024 included: yellowtail with grated daikon, prawn heads, ginkgo nuts, two prawns, asparagus, kissing fish (served with pickled rakkyo), maitake mushrooms, nori seaweed with salmon roe, Kyoto carrots, Echizen crab topped with crab paste, chestnuts, chestnut tempura Mont Blanc, small scallops wrapped in seaweed, shiitake mushrooms, shirako (cod milt) tempura with mushroom tempura, lotus root, sea urchin on shiso leaf tempura, anago (conger eel) with size options, and sweet potato.

The meal concludes with kakiage (mixed tempura) rice bowl, with options for rice quantity and kakiage size. The restaurant operates evenings only and has been selected for the “100 Best Restaurants” list twice, including 2025.

Restaurant Details

Tempura Ginya

Overview

Ginya offers remarkably light and delicate tempura showcasing Kyoto’s rich ingredients. The restaurant blends traditional techniques with contemporary sensibilities, consistently creating unique offerings. Using white sesame oil and high-temperature frying methods, the chef brings out each ingredient’s natural flavor and aroma. According to reviews, over half the clientele is international. The restaurant features a counter with just nine seats.

Reservations can be made through English-language reservation systems such as TableCheck. While no English-speaking staff are available, guests are encouraged to enjoy the cuisine through sight and taste rather than verbal explanation. The restaurant offers only a fixed 16-course omakase menu priced at ¥40,700. Ginya has been selected for the “100 Best Restaurants” list three times, including 2025. Located a 5-minute walk from Shirokane-Takanawa Station, it operates evenings only.

Restaurant Details

Tempura Kondo

Overview

Tempura Kondo represents the pinnacle of Tokyo’s tempura scene. With over 50 years of experience, Master Fumio Kondo continues to evolve his craft. He was the first in Japan to incorporate seasonal vegetables into tempura traditionally dominated by seafood, establishing the standard for modern Edo-style tempura with his signature thin batter. Born in Tokyo in 1947, Kondo joined “Tempura and Japanese Cuisine Yamanoueno” after high school—then considered Japan’s finest tempura establishment—becoming head chef at just 23 and serving there for over 20 years. In 1991, he opened Tempura Kondo in Ginza, becoming instrumental in elevating tempura’s status both domestically and internationally.

Lunch course options include “Sumire” (¥9,900) and “Tsubaki” (¥13,200), while dinner courses feature “Fuji” (¥13,000), “Kaede” (¥17,000), and “Yomogi” (¥21,000). The Tsubaki course includes two prawns, three fish, five vegetables, kakiage, rice (choice of regular rice, tempura rice bowl, or tempura tea rice), and fruit.

What makes Kondo extraordinary is the opportunity to watch a tempura legend craft your meal right before your eyes, all at remarkably reasonable prices compared to other Michelin establishments. For those with tempura as a priority on their Tokyo itinerary, this restaurant deserves top consideration. English-speaking staff and menu are available, and international guests are common. The restaurant focuses on sake and shochu rather than wine or champagne.

Note that Kondo’s famous sweet potato tempura isn’t included in regular courses because it requires 30 minutes to prepare. It can be ordered separately but must be requested at your sitting Selected for the “100 Best Restaurants” list three times. Located 3 minutes from Ginza Station.

Restaurant Details

One-Star Restaurants

Ten Yokota

Overview

Following the concept of “never forgetting the essential while incorporating new changes,” Chef Shogo Yokota crafts a modern interpretation of Edo-style tempura. The restaurant offers only an ¥18,000 omakase course.

A sample menu includes an appetizer of clam broth and marinated botan shrimp, followed by tempura selections: rolled shrimp and its legs, whitebait, wild mountain vegetables (koshiabura and taranome), whiting, megochi fish, young corn, asparagus, scallops, clams, leeks, live anago (conger eel), and rolled shrimp prepared with shrimp paste. The meal concludes with either kakiage rice bowl or kakiage tea rice, followed by sherbet for dessert.

Operating evenings only with just eight counter seats, the restaurant prohibits strong perfumes and requires reservations through the Omakase website. Located a 7-minute walk from Azabu-juban Station, it has been selected twice for the “100 Best Restaurants” list, including 2025.

Restaurant Details

Tempura Maehira

Overview

At Tempura Maehira, the chef adheres to tempura traditions while implementing his own theoretical approach. The progression begins with delicate seafood, followed by vegetables and prawns, gradually intensifying flavors. Lighter ingredients are fried in roasted sesame oil for added umami, while more robust items are prepared with white sesame oil for lightness. The chef also adds creative touches to the final courses—spring brings clam tempura rice, while autumn features sea bream tempura rice, showcasing seasonal ingredients.

Located a 3-minute walk from Azabu-juban Station on the 4th floor of a building, this tempura restaurant offers a sophisticated, tranquil atmosphere with counter seating only. The seasonal omakase course is priced at ¥25,300. English menus are available, though staff cannot accommodate foreign languages.

A typical course includes appetizers followed by 14-16 seasonal tempura items (featuring prawns, fish, and vegetables), seasonal rice, and dessert. Open for dinner only with reservations required through Pocket Concierge. Selected for the “100 Best Restaurants” list three times, including 2025.

Restaurant Details

Ten Tempura Uchitsu

Overview

Ten Tempura Uchitsu offers exceptional tempura amid seasonal scenery. The light, thin batter enhances each ingredient’s natural flavor. Counter dining is entirely omakase-style, featuring seasonal tempura interspersed with appetizers, sashimi, and fresh vegetables. The meal concludes with a choice of kakiage rice bowl, tempura tea rice, or nyumen noodles, followed by a palate-cleansing dessert. Counter omakase courses start at ¥28,500.

Though housed in a brick building, the interior features wooden elements, and the counter showcases an impressive 6-meter single glass plate. Beverages include sake, shochu, wine, and champagne. Open for dinner only, the restaurant is a 5-minute walk from Hiroo Station. While counter seating is the main option, a private room accommodating six guests is also available.

Restaurant Details

Seiju

Overview

Located near Tsukiji Honganji Temple, Seiju offers Edo-style tempura in a serene, elegant setting. Fresh ingredients sourced daily from Tsukiji market are fried with precision to maximize their natural flavors. The minimalist interior, reminiscent of a tea ceremony room, features a 13-seat counter that creates a tranquil atmosphere. Traditional Japanese tableware and decor provide a calming environment, while the rhythmic sounds of tempura frying enhance the dining experience.

The meal progresses through seasonal appetizers, prawns, fish, seasonal vegetables, and concludes with either kakiage atop rice (tempura rice bowl) or kakiage with tea broth (tempura tea rice). The restaurant offers an extensive selection of sake and wine. Budget ranges from ¥30,000 to ¥40,000. Open for dinner only with English menus available. Located a 3-minute walk from Tsukiji Station. Selected for the “100 Best Restaurants” list three times, including 2025. The chef is proficient in English.

Restaurant Details

Edomae Shinsaku

Without any formal culinary training, Chef Shinsaku Nishimura has developed his own theoretical approach and refined sensibilities to create innovative tempura. Operating by reservation only through Omakase, this coveted restaurant is notoriously difficult to secure. Open for dinner only, it offers an extensive selection of sake and wine with an average budget of ¥30,000-¥40,000. Located a 3-minute walk from Suitengumae Station.

A visitor from February 2025 reported the following course contents: kuruma ebi (Japanese tiger prawn), rare-cooked prawn, prawn heads, kisu (Japanese whiting), hokkigai (surf clam), shirogarei (white flounder), snap peas, shrimp risotto, grated ebi-imo (Japanese taro), uni (sea urchin), anago (conger eel), seasoned anago, eggplant, seasoned eggplant, shiitake mushrooms, and Maris Piper potatoes. For the finale, guests choose from kakiage tempura rice bowl, anago tempura rice bowl, or tuna ochazuke (rice with tea and tuna), followed by matcha warabi-mochi dessert.

Restaurant Details

Nihonbashi Sonoji

Overview

Embracing the concept of “eating tempura and finishing with soba,” the renowned Sonoji from Shimada City, Shizuoka Prefecture, relocated to Nihonbashi—the birthplace of tempura soba—in October 2016. The restaurant prominently features local Shizuoka ingredients and offers tempura made from ingredients rarely found at other specialized tempura establishments, such as kohada (gizzard shad), sanma (Pacific saury), and uni (sea urchin).

The restaurant offers only course menus priced from ¥33,495, though prices fluctuate based on ingredients. Reservations are available through Pocket Concierge. English menus are available, and the restaurant’s website notes that English-speaking staff may or may not be present. Located about a 5-minute walk from Ningyo-cho Station.

A guest who visited in March 2025 shared this menu priced at ¥47,000: buckwheat seeds, clam and Seisuke donko shiitake mushroom broth, two kuruma ebi prawns with heads, Edo-style kisu (whiting) from Futtsu, squid from Chiba, carrots from Shizuoka, butterbur sprouts, sobagaki (buckwheat dough), fruit tomatoes from Shizuoka, tachiuo (cutlassfish) from Yaizu, kohada from Edo, uni from Hokkaido, oysters from Miyagi, Makkuin potatoes from Tokachi, raw shiitake mushrooms from Fujioka, anago (conger eel) from Tsushima, and zaru soba made with native varieties from Shizuoka.

According to the website, reservations are extremely difficult to secure, with fully booked calendars stretching months ahead. Reviews mention reservation rights occasionally appearing on auction sites.

Restaurant Details

Tempura Yaguchi

Overview

This specialized tempura restaurant is run by Chef Yaguchi, who trained for 22 years at the renowned Edo-style tempura establishment “Mikawa Zezankyo.” Inheriting “Mikawa’s philosophy,” he transforms seafood caught in and around Tokyo into premium tempura. Committed to maximizing each ingredient’s flavor, he adjusts the batter coating, oil temperature, and frying time for each item to highlight the distinctive qualities of anago (conger eel), ebi (prawns), and other fish. He also enthusiastically explores ingredients not traditionally used in Edo-style tempura. Reviews particularly praise the tempura of prawns, anago, and shishamo (smelt).

Lunch offers only a ¥2,000 tempura rice bowl, while dinner features a ¥32,000 omakase course. A sample omakase course includes:

• Appetizer: Nanohana (rapeseed)
• Tempura selection: two kuruma ebi prawns and heads, squid with ink, butterbur sprouts, whiting, megochi fish, taranome (angelica tree buds), scallops, clams, eggplant, ayu served two ways (plain and with perilla leaves, ponzu, and grated daikon), sea urchin wrapped in shiso leaves, asparagus, and anago (conger eel)
• Meal: Tempura rice bowl

The restaurant has just eight counter seats. Selected for the “100 Best Restaurants” list in 2025. Reservations are accepted by phone only, with no English support available.

Restaurant Details

Shunan Aragaki

Overview

A Tsukiji tempura restaurant offering meticulously prepared tempura and seasonal Japanese cuisine. The dining experience begins with several Japanese dishes before proceeding to tempura. With just eight counter seats, the restaurant features Okinawan sea salt—a nod to the chef’s hometown—served alongside the tempura.

Reviews particularly praise the high quality of the Japanese dishes served before the tempura course. The chef has over 30 years of culinary experience, and the restaurant is run by a husband-and-wife team. Selected for the “100 Best Restaurants” list three times.

The ¥22,000 omakase course typically includes:

• Appetizers: Nanohana and urui (wild vegetables)
• Soup: Hokkaido octopus rice, egg tofu, kogomi (fiddlehead fern), and kinome herbs
• Sashimi: True sea bream
• Vinegared dish: Firefly squid with vinegar
• Tempura: Broad beans, taranome (angelica tree buds), asparagus, bamboo shoots, udo sprouts, two kuruma ebi prawns, aori ika (bigfin reef squid) tataki, ainame (fat greenling), and anago (conger eel)
• Palate cleanser: Hassaku citrus sherbet
• Rice: Tempura tea rice (or tempura rice bowl)
• Dessert: Brown sugar pudding

Restaurant Details

Tempura Miyashiro

Overview

Located a 4-minute walk from Nakameguro Station’s south exit, Miyashiro occupies the first floor of a renovated traditional Japanese house. The 100-year-old structure has been transformed into a sophisticated, modern Japanese space, offering a hidden gem atmosphere with refined cuisine. This cashless, reservation-only establishment has earned a Michelin star for six consecutive years from 2020 through 2025, despite opening relatively recently (May 12, 2018).

Both lunch and dinner feature the same ¥30,800 course showcasing signature items: shrimp tempura wrapped in nori, Châteaubriand beef, sea urchin, Vermicular pot rice, and abalone shabu-shabu. An additional ¥17,600 tempura appreciation course is available for lunch. Reservations can be made through TableCheck. As of late March 2025, reservations were readily available beyond the next two weeks, making it relatively accessible compared to other Michelin-starred establishments.

Restaurant Details

Kyobashi Tempura Fukamachi

Overview

This high-end tempura restaurant offers course menus only, with lunch courses ranging from ¥15,000-¥20,000 and dinner courses from ¥25,000-¥32,000. Courses including sashimi start from ¥28,000. Reviews frequently praise not only the tempura but also the exceptional maguro (tuna) and uni (sea urchin) sashimi.

The restaurant is staffed by a father and two sons who prepare dishes featuring seasonal seafood and early-harvest vegetables to express the changing seasons through tempura ingredients. They coat items in a thin batter and fry them in white sesame oil to enhance the natural flavors. Selected for the “100 Best Restaurants” list three times. Children must be at least 10 years old to dine, and excessive perfume is prohibited. Located 1 minute from Kyobashi Station. Vegetarian menu and English menu available.

Restaurant Details

Bib Gourmand Selections

Tenmusu Yukimura

Overview

Using a 50-year-old continuously replenished sauce and sesame oil with a rich aroma, this restaurant lives up to the chef’s motto: “First-class skills with third-class prices.” The shrimp-only kakiage rice bowl costs ¥1,600, while the set meal featuring two prawns, three vegetables, squid, and fish tempura is ¥2,400—excellent value for the quality.

Located 10 minutes from Shinbashi Station or 5 minutes from Onarimon Station, be prepared for lunchtime queues. A review mentioned that even on a rare snowy day in Tokyo in March 2025—when the reviewer expected shorter lines—there was still a 20-person wait. Note that while closed on Sundays and holidays, the restaurant offers lunch service only on Saturdays.

Restaurant Details

Tensuke

Overview

Located just 2 minutes from Koenji Station, Tensuke is famous for its egg tempura and progressive serving style of freshly fried tempura. This perpetually queued establishment in Koenji has made its egg lunch the star attraction. Piping hot rice topped with egg tempura drizzled with sweet-savory sauce arrives at your table, and when you insert your chopsticks, the runny egg yolk flows out magnificently. The chef’s friendly personality and dramatic egg shell-tossing while preparing egg tempura enhance the dining experience.

Reviews indicate that while Japanese customers are asked whether they prefer soy sauce or sauce on their tempura, foreign customers may not be asked. When ordering, it might be helpful to specify “Shoyu” for standard soy sauce or “Tare” for a slightly sweeter option.

Most lunch customers order the egg tempura lunch set (¥1,800), which typically includes:Egg tempura over rice,Shrimp,Squid,Kisu (Japanese whiting),Broccoli tempura (recommended with salt),Eggplant tempura, Bell pepper tempura.

Restaurant Details