Anthony Bourdain in Tokyo

Anthony Bourdain in Tokyo

Anthony Bourdain left an unforgettable mark on the culinary world by venturing into unfamiliar situations with an open mind and empty stomach. His travels to Japan became some of his most life-changing adventures, kicking off with the first episode of what would become a series that changed culinary TV forever. Below, we retrace his steps, introducing the restaurants Anthony Bourdain visited in Tokyo while filming his hit TV series, including Parts Unknown and No Reservations.

1. Sukiyabashi Jiro (Ginza) - No Reservations

Before Jiro Dreams of Sushi, chef Jiro Ono opened his doors to Anthony Bourdain and his film crew. His course, like the Jiro courses served today, consisted of 15 courses in 20 minutes and included flounder, squid, uni, yellowtail, chuutoro and otoro, several kinds of shellfish, octopus, shad, and shrimp. Bourdain was particularly impressed by the attention to timing and temperature. He compared Chef Jiro's movements to that of master swordsmen, pointing out his posture and attitude while preparing each piece. At Sukiyabashi Jiro, the vinegared rice is served at body temperature and fish warmed to room temperature, all prepared a la minute. Today, with Chef Jiro now in his 90's, lucky diners can still get a taste of this life changing sushi.

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2. Sushi Karaku (GINZA) No Reservations

Sushi Karaku serves aged sushi, the kind chef Yasuda raves about, which explains why this shop appeared both in Bourdain’s books and television shows. Sushi Karaku is helmed by chef-sommelier Kiminari Togawa. Outstanding treatments, such as marinated lean tuna and kombu-cured flatfish, elevate outstanding fish with a master’s handiwork. The shop was founded in 1989 and serves traditional Edomae sushi. At lunch, rather than a full-course omakase, service mainly swaps to sets of nigiri or simple maguro-zuke don. This venue’s signature wine and sushi pairing course is as unique as it is delicious, making it just the kind of sushi Anthony Bourdain was always drawn to. 

3. Sarashina Horii (Azabujuban) - No Reservations

Sarashina Horri's retro-looking soba shop is even older than its bubble-era appearance; it's now on its ninth generation owner since its founding 230 years ago (1789). The story goes that a former textile maker was encouraged to start offering a type of soba traditionally favored in Nagano during Edo's soba boom. His noodles were so widely beloved they were served to feudal lords and the imperial family. A pair of television royalty themselves, Iron Chef Morimoto and Anthony Bourdain visited this restaurant for a taste of living history. All the typical soba offerings are available, but the noodles themselves, which vary from rustic, 100% buckwheat to ephemeral white noodles made just from the polished core, make Sarashina Horii special.

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5. Morimoto XEX (Roppongi) - No Reservations

Atelier Morimoto XEX, Iron Chef Morimoto's flagship in Tokyo, boasts a multi-storied layout with a circular teppan grill and opulent, darkened interior that's perfect for the movie stars it frequently entertains. It's here that Anthony Bourdain enjoyed a special Japanese tradition - a menu focused entirely around one premium, seasonal ingredient. XEX doesn't usually have this off-menu treat, but Bordain's all-monkfish course menu represents a key feature of Japanese fine dining. Visit Morimoto XEX during colder months, and there's a chance you'll get lucky and enjoy a course including monkfish, called anko in Japan, or even try its foie gras-esque liver. Bourdain's visit aside, the restaurant offers a satisfying teppanyaki course that flexes the international experience of its proprietor.

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6. Bar Ishinohana (Shibuya) - No Reservations

Bar Ishinohana is huddled in a basement just a few minutes away from Shibuya station. It's where classic cocktails get an upgrade with fresh, seasonal fruits and creative alcohol swaps, such as infusions and creative spirits. Bourdain orders the Claudia, a rum, vermouth and pineapple cocktail with accents of anise, lime and a cherry on top. However, master bartender Shinobu's real passion is making his own playful cocktails that change with the seasons. On the official site, 3 or so new cocktails roll out monthly, featuring ingredients that represent the time of year. The bar's wooden counter and narrow space are characteristic of Tokyo bars, but its mixology-forward cocktails make it distinctly contemporary, a predecessor for the modern, visually beautiful cocktail bars using similar techniques. While it's not blowing up on social media, Bar Ishinohana serves fruit and herb infused cocktails that could easily compete with other unbookable spots.

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7. Toriki (Shinagawa) - A Cook’s Tour

"Little bits of chicken, often on skewers," is how Anthony Bourdain describes one of his favorite foods, yakitori. He praises restaurants and bars like Shinagawa's Toriki as the lifeblood keeping long-working Japanese urbanites going. Kunio Aihara is the chef behind this anything but typical yakitori pub. Toriki is well known for serving rare chicken, a delicacy reserved for the extremely high quality birds of Japan. Aihara actually kills and butchers his chickens the same day of service. Toriki Honten, the original location Anthony Bourdain visited, closed in summer 2024. However, its new location near Hatanodai station's East exit continues to charm fans of Anthony Bourdain and hungry regulars with the same uncompromising technique.

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Mie no Umi (Tomioka) - Parts Unknown

Anthony Bourdain is no stranger to unique dinner guests, but the man he brought to Sumo-connected restaurant Mie no Umi likely sits high on the list. Toshio Maeda is credited with inventing one of the most ubiquitous motifs in Japan's adult comics, a theme well in line with Bourdain's search for authentic bits of culture everywhere he went. While they chatted, Bourdain and Maeda enjoyed Mie no Umi's signature katsuo tataki and chanko nabe. Chanko nabe is the hearty meat and vegetable stew that's used as a staple in training sumo wrestler's diet. The restaurant currently offers a simple course where diners can try both, plus get a portion of rice or ramen to sop up any leftover soup.

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9. Makahala (Aobadai) - Parts Unkown

Once again enjoying the company of chef Yasuda, Bourdain heads down to Meguro ward, where the pair enjoy a casual meal of kushiage and okonomiyaki. Makahara is a great example of a typical izakaya, where guests sit and linger over their conversation with a wide variety of foods made to go with beer and whisky. Here, the pair order kushiage -- raw ingredients that are panko-breaded, skewered, and fried -- and okonomiyaki. The kushiage at Makahala includes some interesting selections, including shrimp, basil, and quail eggs.

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