In the recently released Michelin Guide Tokyo 2026, one familiar name popped up in the list of new one-star restaurants—and I nearly jumped out of my chair in delight.

In July, I visited “Ginza Kojyu,” a two-Michelin-star kaiseki restaurant in the fiercely competitive culinary district of Ginza, Tokyo. Located on the fourth floor of a building amidst Ginza’s glittering facades, its discreet signage is easy to miss if you’re not looking closely.
When the elevator doors opened, a different world unfolded — a small garden with stone paths led me to the counter seats. Chef Toru Okuda, with his gentle demeanor and calm presence, greeted us from behind a 700-year-old hinoki cypress counter. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, he surprised us by bringing out hamo (pike conger), a prized summer fish, and began skillfully performing the traditional honegiri (bone-cutting) technique right in front of our eyes.