Singapore’s Japanese restaurant scene is rich and ever-growing. Whether you have a hankering for sushi, sashimi or even sake, one thing you can be sure of is Japanese cuisine delivers deliciousness on all levels.
From authentic experiences to fusion fare, Urban List has rounded up the best Japanese restaurants in Singapore that are definitely worth practicing your chopstick skills for.
Sushi Yujo
165 Tanjong Pagar Road, #02-26, Amara Hotel
Image credit: Sushi Yujo | Website
Established in 2022, Sushi Yujo is a modern, unconventional Japanese omakase restaurant located in the heart of the business district. Yujo in Japanese means friendship, which symbolises the camaraderie of life-long friends who decided to bring together their best experiences of travelling and dining in Japan.
Helmed by Chef Desmond Fong, formerly at Les Amis’ Sushi Jin, the snug 13-seater restaurant serves up a lunch set menu from $48 which is tasty and kind on the wallet—a winning combo in our opinion. Think: melt-in-your-mouth salmon don and sashimi. With seafood flown in four times a week from Tokyo’s Toyosu Market, you can expect the freshest of ingredients.
Syun
8 Sentosa Gateway, Ave8
Image credit: Syun | Supplied
For exquisite Japanese cuisine that’s as pleasing to the eye as it is to the tastebuds, you can’t beat Syun. Each plate is a culinary work of art crafted from indulgent sushi and sashimi along with decadent cuts of meat.
To ensure the finest quality, a selection of specialty ingredients are flown in fresh from Japan before they’re skillfully prepared into nothing short of edible masterpieces. Order up their mouthwatering omi beef sea urchin rolls topped with smoked caviar and thank us later.
Restaurant IMAMURA
14 Gunner Lane, Amara Sanctuary Resort Sentosa
Image credit: Restaurant IMAMURA | Supplied
At the heart of Restaurant IMAMURA lies a dedication to the ancient Japanese culinary principle of Gomi (the five tastes—sweet, salty, sour, bitter and umami), Gokan (the five senses—sight, smell, hearing, taste and touch), Goshiki (the five colours—green, white, black, yellow and red) and Goho (the five cooking methods—raw, deep fried, grilled, steamed and stewed).
Following this philosophy, Chef Imamura Hirofumi showcases a range of plating and cooking styles, transforming premium, sustainably sourced ingredients into sophisticated dishes that take you on a multi-sensory journey.
Shoukouwa
1 Fullerton Road, #02-02A
Image credit: Shoukouwa | Supplied
As Singapore’s only two Michelin-starred sushi restaurant, you can trust that you’re in for a truly unforgettable omakase experience at Shoukouwa. Only the highest-grade produce makes the cut here, with all fish and seafood flown in daily direct from Tokyo’s famous Toyosu Market.
The focus here is on nigiri sushi that expertly balances flavour with precision, including rice dressed in a secret blend of vinegars, with two different omakase menus available for dinner. While offerings change with the seasons, past highlights have included the kinmedai (golden eye snapper) and house-made ikura—and with only eight counter seats and a six-seater private room at this intimate spot, bookings are essential.
Hazuki
391 Orchard Road, Takashimaya Shopping Centre Ngee Ann City, #04-18A
Image credit: Hazuki | Supplied
Nestled within the vibrant Takashimaya Shopping Centre in Ngee Ann City, Hazuki (晴月) stands as a Japanese culinary gem helmed by classically-trained Kyoto chef Kenta Yamauchi, formerly of Michelin-starred Gion Fukushi in Kyoto. The discreet restaurant is a tranquil stage for an evolving menu deeply rooted in the culinary traditions of Kyoto-style Japanese cuisine, yet with a contemporary, cosmopolitan flourish.
A walkway draped with Gucci wallpaper leads you into a serene dining room for just 12 guests. Counter seats are centred around a show kitchen where the chefs showcase their knife skills, dramatic binchotan searing, and precise execution of finishing touches to a dish.
From shiro miso from a heritage Kyoto maker that supplies only to very select restaurants in Japan to wild caught seasonal fish, every ingredient used is carefully sourced from Japan and is thoughtfully turned into expressions of the season through five menus (three for lunch and two for dinner). Sushi and sashimi items are sliced from premium catches of the season, with sushi specialist Chef Hirohito Tanaka selecting the choicest cuts from the whole fish. Delicately crisp tempura items demonstrate a mastery of highly precise cooking, while signature items showcase Chef Kenta’s unique culinary philosophy.
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Esora
15 Mohamed Sultan Road
Image credit: Esora | Supplied
Located in a conservation shophouse on Mohammed Sultan Road, Esora—meaning painting in the sky—is a modern Japanese Kappo restaurant helmed by Head Chef Takeshi Araki. With a deep appreciation of the seasons, the one Michelin star restaurant embraces a concept called shun, which refers to the exact moment an ingredient is at its peak flavour. Be it spring, summer, autumn or winter, each season brings its own delights.
Esora’s signature Omi beef grilled over binchotan is not to be missed. Complementing the A5 Wagyu from Shiga prefecture is a presentation of autumn harvests: fried ginkgo nuts, kabu (Japanese turnip), nasu (eggplant), and kikuimo (Jerusalem artichoke) chips. Served with anka miso (red miso) sauce made with chicken and beef stock, the dish is finished with a kikuimo puree.
Zuicho
Level 3, Mandarin Oriental Singapore, 5 Raffles Avenue
Image credit: Zuicho | Supplied
The award-winning Kappo restaurant, Zuicho, has officially opened its doors at the Mandarin Oriental Singapore. Set to channel its Michelin success from its Hong Kong and Macau outposts in its new location, Zuicho, which is owned and operated by Wa Creations, has welcomed Kenji Takahashi as the restaurant’s head chef. A celebrated Japanese cuisine maestro with an illustrious background, Takahashi is the visionary mastery behind Tokyo Ginza’s coveted Yoshifuku, for which he earned Michelin stars for over nine consecutive years.
Zuicho Singapore will showcase omakase menu options that change monthly and are naturally based on the distinct four seasons of Japan. Highlights include a Fried Miyazaki Wagyu Tenderloin, Uni (Sea Urchin) with handmade Somen Noodles, Snow Crab Hot Pot with Soy Milk, Cabbage and Konjac noodles, and an exclusive Minced Tuna with Bafun Uni Handroll.
WAKANUI Grill Dining
5 Straits View, Marina One The Heart West Tower, #04-02
Image credit: WAKANUI Grill Dining | Supplied
Located in the heart of Marina One, WAKANUI Grill is actually a Japanese steakhouse. Showcasing the best beef and lamb from New Zealand, it originally opened its doors in Tokyo in 2011 and quickly established itself as one of the leading steakhouses in the city—a feat it has since recreated in Singapore.
All of WAKANUI's meat is grilled over Japan-sourced Binchotan charcoal, which is widely considered by chefs to be the best charcoal in the world. We recommend starting your meal with the succulent spring lamb chop, which is simply seasoned with salt and pepper. Follow that with the Ocean Beef ribeye cut and a side of smoked cheddar mashed potato for a meal you certainly won’t forget.
MIYOSHI By Fat Cow
2 Gunner Lane, #01-04/05/06, Mess Hall at Sentosa
Image credit: MIYOSHI By Fat Cow | Supplied
MIYOSHI by Fat Cow is a modern multi-concept restaurant introduced by the award-winning fine Japanese restaurant, Fat Cow. A haven for Japanese cuisine enthusiasts, the restaurant specialises in three quintessential Japanese dining experiences: ramen, teppanyaki, and a delectable omakase affair.
Signatures include the Wagyu Shoyu Ramen and Miyazaki Wagyu Sukiyaki Donburi, but for a truly unforgettable experience, we recommend the Teppan-Kaiseki set menu, where you’ll get to sit at the 12-seater teppan counter and watch the chefs work their magic right in front of your eyes.
Ume San 100
190 Middle Road, #02-07 Fortune Centre
Image credit: Ume San 100 | Facebook
Hidden away behind a row of unassuming Japanese vending machines in Fortune Centre (near Bugis MRT station), you’d easily miss Ume San 100 if you didn’t have the inside scoop. Part ramen bar, part speakeasy, the small but mighty Izakaya boasts the largest selection of Umeshu in Singapore.
Lunchtime guests can cram onto small wooden tables and dig into steaming bowls of spicy ramen topped with minced pork, or snack on crunchy garlic chicken karaage. At night, the menu expands to include Japanese favourites like sea urchin croquettes, charcoal wagyu fried rice and their signature Umesan Nachi Pagoda—a selection of seafood-focused treats and a stack of crunchy, fried gyoza skin for dipping. With a drinks menu offering page after page of the best plum-based Umeshu and plenty of playful cocktails, don’t skip out without sinking a few cold ones at the bar.
Hamamoto
58 Tras Street
Image credit: Hamamoto | Supplied
For over 20 years, Chef Kazuhiro Hamamoto has honed his craft across Kyoto, Tokyo and Singapore. His 12-seat sushi-kappo restaurant, Hamamoto, represents the culmination of his experiences and inspirations while expressing his soulful approach to Japanese cuisine.
Located along Tras Street in Singapore’s historical Chinatown, the one-Michelin-star Hamamoto is tucked away in an intimate shophouse behind a nondescript door. Paying tribute to the seasons, the menu showcases a constant supply of the freshest ingredients direct from Tokyo. When they are in season, matsuba gani or adult male snow crabs are a sought-after Hamamoto signature. Chef Kazu shells the crab legs at the counter before poaching their flesh for mere seconds in a flavourful dashi that has been kept brewing for as long as Hamamoto has been open. Another irresistible seasonal signature is the Ise Ebi Sashimi, pristine raw lobster tail meat set on its shell and crowned with uni and Kaluga caviar.
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Main image credit: MIYOSHI By Fat Cow | Supplied
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