11 Recommended Tempura Restaurants in Ginza

Enjoy Tempura in Ginza

Tempura is a well-known dish in Japan.

Tempura is a beloved Japanese dish made by dipping vegetables, seafood, and other ingredients into a light batter of flour and water before deep-frying them to crispy perfection. While tempura is easy to make at home, it's also the star of "tendon," a popular lunch option where tempura is served over rice with a sweet and savory sauce.

In specialized tempura restaurants, expert chefs, who understand the nuances of each ingredient, serve freshly deep-fried tempura with great care. They pay close attention to the preparation of ingredients, the blend and temperature of the frying oil, and the frequency of oil changes to bring out the best flavors. Sitting at the counter lets you watch these chefs in action, accompanied by the satisfying sound of tempura sizzling in the oil. Though simple, tempura captures Japan's refined culinary traditions—experience this unique flavor at a specialty restaurant.

Tempura restaurant in Ginza area

Ginza, a sophisticated shopping district in Tokyo, is known for its blend of upscale boutiques, offices, and fine dining. Many places in the area offer high-quality, authentic service, with a range of gourmet options beyond tempura.

Ginza is also home to world-famous restaurants like Tempura Kondo, known for bringing tempura to international attention. While many Ginza establishments are featured in the Michelin Guide, you can also find more affordable yet equally refined options. In this polished, elegant neighborhood, take a moment to enjoy the sound of tempura frying and immerse yourself in a truly exquisite dining experience.

11 Recommended Tempura Restaurants in Ginza

1. Mochiku (茂竹)

1. Japan Restaurant Award, Best 100 (2022, 23)

This restaurant has been recognized for two consecutive years in the Japan Restaurant Awards 100 since 2022. With a history spanning over 100 years, Mochiku has preserved its rich traditions throughout its long establishment.

One of the key highlights here is the frying oil. The sesame oil, custom-made by the renowned Sekine Oil Shop, is crafted with care using traditional methods that date back to the Edo period.

Enjoying the cooking process from the counter seats, where only this premium sesame oil is used, is truly a delightful experience. You also won’t want to miss the nukazuke, a type of Japanese pickle made from rice bran that has been perfected over the past 60 years.

In the warm and inviting atmosphere of the restaurant, you can also savor tendon (tempura rice bowl) during lunchtime. Make sure to appreciate the flavors of the ingredients themselves, wrapped in a light, crispy batter.

2. Tempura Abe Hacchome (てんぷら阿部 八丁目店)

1. Michelin (2018 - 23): Bib, Michelin (2024): Selected

This restaurant has been recognized with the Michelin Bib Gourmand for six consecutive years since 2018 and was selected as a Michelin Selected Restaurant in 2024. The owner brings over 40 years of dedicated experience in tempura, having spent 30 years deep-frying it at the renowned Japanese restaurant Nadaman, established in 1830.

Situated in Ginza, the restaurant features a reasonably priced lunch menu as well as an authentic tempura course for dinner. Be sure to try the chef’s signature shrimp tempura, made with meticulously sifted flour and carefully blended oil for a delightfully crispy finish. Private rooms accommodating 5 to 10 guests are also available, making it an excellent option for business meetings.

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3. Tempura Kondo (てんぷら 近藤)

1. Michelin (2008 - 24): Two Stars
2. Japan Restaurant Award, Bronze (2018 - 20), Japan Restaurant Award, Best 100 (22, 23)

Tempura Kondo is a renowned restaurant that has held two Michelin stars for 17 consecutive years, from 2008 to 2024. It is operated by a master chef with over 50 years of experience, a pivotal figure in promoting tempura globally. With a genuine desire for everyone to enjoy authentic tempura, the chef openly shares his techniques. He perceives tempura as a form of "steamed food," placing a strong emphasis on vegetables.

Recognized as a pioneer in integrating vegetables into tempura—traditionally focused on seafood—the chef features popular seasonal dishes such as finely shredded carrots and large sweet potatoes, prepared in a unique way to achieve a soft, fluffy texture inside that resembles roasted sweet potatoes.

The restaurant takes pride in its carefully blended oils that enhance the flavors of the ingredients, and the batter is so thin that it creates a light and delightful dining experience.

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4. Tenichi Ginza Honten (天一 銀座本店)

1. Japan Restaurant Award, Best 100 (2023)

Recognized as one of the Best 100 restaurants in the Japan Restaurant Awards in 2023, Tenichi Ginza Honten has a rich history dating back to its founding in 1930. Over the years, it has hosted numerous distinguished guests, including presidents from the United States and France. With several branches spanning from Hokkaido to Kyushu, the Ginza location serves as the flagship store.

The restaurant is dedicated to maintaining traditional practices, sourcing fresh ingredients daily from the Market. It emphasizes seasonal and locally sourced produce to deliver high-quality dishes. Guests can enjoy tempura at counter seats in a tatami-mat area featuring a sunken hearth, allowing for comfortable seating. Additionally, the house's original Junmai Daiginjo sake, known for its slightly dry flavor that complements tempura perfectly, comes highly recommended.

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5. Tempura Ginza Tentei (てんぷら 銀座 天亭)

Tempura Ginza Tentai, serving authentic tempura for over 30 years, offers a relatively affordable fine dining experience. The owner is meticulous about ingredient quality, checking the water temperature—which varies with the seasons—even for the same type of fish. They are dedicated to sourcing from the best regions during each season. Additionally, they enjoy the thrill of experiencing seasonal ingredients ahead of their usual time, such as deliberately savoring the Japanese delicacy matsutake mushrooms in spring, even though they are typically in season in autumn. Diners can relish seasonal ingredients from across Japan, all prepared in a unique frying oil that perfectly blends rich thick fragrant sesame oil with corn oil. The restaurant also features an extensive selection of drinks that pair beautifully with tempura, including local sacred sake Mincho from Usa City in Oita and a variety of wines.

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6. Tempura Ginza Onodera (天ぷら 銀座おのでら)

Tempura Ginza Onodera is a tempura restaurant run by the Onodera Group, which operates over 20 establishments worldwide, including ramen shops and teppanyaki restaurants. The head chef, with experience in prestigious tempura restaurants in Tokyo’s top hotels and kaiseki dining, personally visits the market each morning to handpick the freshest ingredients.

The restaurant takes pride in using 100% cold-pressed, unroasted sesame oil, creating a refined flavor that’s light on the stomach. The sophisticated, counter-only seating allows guests to watch the chefs' precise techniques up close. Diners can savor unique offerings like Wagyu beef tempura and the chef’s seasonal specialties, such as tempura made with fresh horsehair crab.

An in-house sommelier curates champagne pairings to perfectly complement the tempura, offering a truly harmonious dining experience.

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7. Tempura Yamanoue Ginza (てんぷら山の上 銀座)

1. Japan Restaurant Award, Best 100 (2022, 23)

A proud recipient of the Japan Restaurant Awards 100 in both 2022 and 2023, this restaurant brings the celebrated tempura of the renowned Yamanoue Hotel—established over 60 years ago—to the heart of Ginza. The space offers counter and table seating, as well as private rooms with separate entrances for a more intimate experience. To ensure peak freshness, the oil is frequently replaced throughout the service, using a carefully blended mix of two types of 100% sesame oil.

The restaurant sources the finest seasonal vegetables and fresh seafood from across Japan. Standout dishes include "Nama Uni," featuring rich, creamy sea urchin wrapped in shiso leaf, and "Hamaguri," a clam prepared with a special technique to enhance its umami before being deep-fried and paired with powdered soy sauce. The interior, inspired by a traditional tea house, exudes a refined sense of Japanese luxury, with every detail—from the tableware to the furnishings—thoughtfully curated. Guests can savor the masterful skills of a chef with over 20 years of dedication to the art of Japanese cuisine.

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8. Tempura Masa (てんぷら 真)

1. Japan Restaurant Award, Best 100 (2022)

Tempura Masa was named one of the top 100 restaurants in the Japan Restaurant Awards 2022. The owner brings 20 years of experience in Japanese cuisine, including six years honing his craft at the Japanese Embassy in Paris. The restaurant is renowned for its tempura, made with carefully selected ingredients and wrapped in a light, crispy batter.

Special attention is given to the rice served with the tempura, which is cooked to perfection in a clay pot to enhance its natural flavor. The restaurant’s interior is clean and calming, offering a relaxed atmosphere where guests can savor the gentle sounds of tempura deep-frying at the counter. Tempura Masa takes pride in using only the freshest seafood and seasonal vegetables.

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9. Ginza Tempura Yoshitake (銀座 天ぷら よしたけ)

Known for its unique "steamed and grilled tempura," Ginza Tempura Yoshitake offers a light, easy-to-enjoy twist on classic tempura. The restaurant's signature rice is cooked in a custom-made earthenware pot, resulting in a deep, rich flavor that pairs perfectly with the tempura sauce. Guests are encouraged to appreciate the difference between this carefully prepared rice and the kind made in a standard rice cooker.

The owner, who grew up in the food industry with a family-run bento (lunch box) shop and ties to Tsukiji, refined his skills at a renowned hotel before opening this tempura restaurant. He takes great pleasure in watching customers at the counter as they savor freshly fried tempura.

A standout recommendation is the shrimp, which showcases the exceptional quality of ingredients sourced directly from the Market. The restaurant offers counter seating, tables, and semi-private rooms, allowing guests to enjoy a thoughtfully curated selection of Japanese sake. Ginza Tempura Yoshitake focuses on delivering flavors, textures, and aromas that can only be experienced in the moment.

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Tempura Iwai (天冨良 いわ井)

1. Japan Restaurant Award, Best 100 (2022, 23)

Tempura Iwai earned a Michelin star in 2018 and was recognized as one of the Top 100 restaurants in Japan in both 2022 and 2023. The restaurant has moved from its long-standing location in Ginza's Sukiyabashi and has reopened with a fresh new look.

The bright interior, beautifully adorned with luxurious white wood, reflects the chef's philosophy of embracing "ichigo ichie" (a once-in-a-lifetime encounter) as he skillfully prepares each dish. The counter is designed to wrap around the frying station, allowing the chef to keep an eye on each guest's pace and serve at the perfect moment, no matter where they are seated. Diners can enjoy the chef's elegant techniques up close.

The chef personally handpicks high-quality ingredients from markets across Tokyo, preparing them with care to enhance their natural flavors in the best way possible. Alongside a thoughtfully curated selection of sake served in unique vessels, the menu also features wine, beer, and soft drinks. Experience the “sincere taste” that has been cherished since the restaurant's inception.

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11. Tempura Shinjuku Tsunahachi Ginza Ten (天ぷら 新宿 つな八)

Situated on the 8th floor of Matsuya Ginza, this restaurant serves high-quality dishes at prices that are accessible to everyone. With 23 locations nationwide, the main branch in Shinjuku will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2024. They are dedicated to highlighting the natural flavors of their ingredients, employing traditional techniques and carefully selecting their materials, including the preparation of shrimp. A diverse selection of seafood and fresh vegetables are lightly fried to perfection in custom-made 100% sesame oil, resulting in a delightful taste that never gets old. The extensive drink menu includes white wine, red wine, and sparkling options that beautifully complement the tempura. They also recommend pairing the tempura with a crisp sake developed in collaboration with a local brewery.

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