Author: Maho Watanabe

The Motomachi Craftsmanship Street area recently welcomed a new attraction that exemplifies its artisanal nomenclature: Gallery Sushi Stand Saburosushi Amane. Owner Ryutaro Taguchi, explaining his establishment’s concept, says, “Just as some museums may have a café, we set up a sushi stand in our art gallery.” As the son of the owner of historic Saburo Sushi in Motomachi, Taguchi opened his shop this spring to introduce sushi and art together. Noting that there are not so many local shops that offer items of true craftsmanship despite the area’s name, he decided to showcase the work of various artists along with…

In the spring of 2018, three tiny wooden houses on wheels were towed and stowed under the elevated tracks near Keikyu Hinodecho Station. Soon they became popular with backpackers and fans of recreation vehicles. The adjoining open-air lounge became a hub for entertainment and socializing for both hostel guests and locals. What makes Tinys Yokohama Hinodecho unique is its location. On the bright side, it’s facing Ookagawa River, giving guests a chance to enjoy riverside cherry blossom viewing in the spring as well as SUP boarding. But there is some negativity to overcome–the area was formerly known as a red…

Celebrating its third anniversary this month, Oinos Noge is a hive of regulars and new customers alike, often those bar hopping around the district. Customers are always greeted by the familiar logo and friendly staff before diving into a variety of creative Italian dishes and the signature sumibiyaki (charcoal-grilled) dishes. I started my dinner with the fresh catch of the day, yellowfin tuna carpaccio (¥880). True to the “sea to table” philosophy, I enjoyed the freshness of the tuna alongside a glass of white wine (¥580~). The Caesar salad (¥1180) was nicely coated in a creamy dressing, topped with smoked…

Yokohama offers countless excellent restaurants and bars, but this stylish café situated in the Yokohama International Passenger Terminal is one of the most scenic. “café & dining blue terminal” is open daily from morning to night, serving creative fusion dishes and specialty coffee inspired by Australian cafés. Its customers include cruise ship passengers and crew as well as locals and other tourists. Guests can relax here for as long as they like while appreciating the waterfront view. According to cafe supervisor Kentaro Ito, it was built to match the original design of the pier, which many say is the most…

MÉLI-MÉLO is hidden away on the second floor of a building near the entrance to Motomachi’s Nakadori Street, and I highly encourage you to seek it out. Its interesting name comes from the French word meaning “jumble”. The restaurant has a cozy kitchen and dining space surrounded by Vietnamese tableware, plants and flowers. The owners, husband-wife team Kiyoshi and Kiyomi Yoshida, fell deeply in love with Vietnamese cuisine and visit the country several times a year. The Yoshidas use a plethora of fresh vegetables and mint leaves just like authentic Vietnamese cuisine, though their dishes are not overly spicy. I…

Kunsei Dining MOKU is a restaurant with a focus on home-smoked cuisine. It’s owned by Yokohama-born Yuminori Kohara and his wife Michiko. On opening the door to their place you are greeted by a strong but pleasant aroma that wafts out. The savory, smoky smell comes from the wild cherry tree chips that are used for smoking the food. Kohara, who loves camping and hiking, chooses the wood chips that are best fit for the food he smokes. To make kunsei (smoked) cuisine, the food needs sufficient time to be dried then flavored in the smoker. MOKU serves about 30…

In early autumn of 2017, while the Japanese baseball playoffs were heating up, I visited Dining Bar Geibi in Sumiyoshicho. A savory aroma of soup stock greeted me at the door. Geibi is an oden-focused restaurant run by Hiroshima-born chef/owner Miyake Kenichi. The restaurant offers its signature oden and grilled oysters with shochu and sake from Hiroshima. In that vein, a plethora of Hiroshima Carp-themed items are found all around the shop. Miyake’s oden is carefully prepared in a special soup stock made from chicken, vegetables and kombu seaweed stewed for more than twelve hours. He doesn’t use soy sauce,…

Enticed by what I had heard about their organic coffee and bread, I visited “ecomo Bakery” in Motomachi with my one-year-old son recently. The café is located on the second floor of Motomachi Plaza, situated at the beginning of Motomachi Shopping Street. You can look out on the street below from the patio seats or sit inside as natural light streams through the all-glass storefront. The stylish café, which interestingly also houses an architectural office, has about 20 seats. Customers can enjoy leisurely listening to feel-good music with their favorite drink in hand. Baked goods, such as their best-selling bread…

LEONE MARCIANO is the kind of restaurant that has you thinking about making another reservation before you leave. They serve authentic Italian food and wine in a dining space with Venetian-style décor, but there are more reasons than that for why you’ll be planning that next visit. Just inside the entrance is a counter where you can enjoy wine, appetizers and friendly banter with the chef. As you go deeper, a spacious dining hall opens up with pure marble columns and beautiful stained glass windows sparkling with light. An Italian radio program, not canzone, was playing in the restaurant and…

In July, Chinatown’s popular Shanghai-style restaurant Jogenro opened sister store “china bistro hassun” in Noge. This new eatery near Miyakobashi has an elegant exterior resembling a traditional Japanese restaurant. The concept is that of a Chinese bistro in a renovated machiya (Kyoto-style townhouse). Colorful Chinese paintings and scrolls adorn the walls, an elegant bonsai adds a Japanese touch, and high stools at the counter give off the air of a bar. The basic menu is Chinese, but is full of original fusion dishes utilizing Japanese and Western culinary traditions. Beef Stew with Black Vinegar Sauce (¥2500), Tripe in Tomato Sauce…