10 Years of Ise Sueyoshi: Where Kaiseki Cuisine Meets the Heart

2025.05.09

The menu for May, 2025

Thanks to You

The Japanese phrase “Okagesama de” carries a depth of meaning that is difficult to translate directly.
It expresses humble gratitude—not just for one’s own efforts, but for the unseen support of others that makes everything possible.
Thanks to this spirit of Okagesama, Ise Sueyoshi will celebrate its 10th anniversary on April 21, 2025.
Ten years ago, we quietly opened our doors on the third floor of a narrow alleyway in Hiroo.
In those early days, it wasn’t uncommon to have no guests at all.
I still remember preparing meals as if in silent prayer, hoping that the ingredients we’d carefully sourced wouldn’t go to waste.
Gradually, word spread. Guests began to visit through referrals, and eventually, travelers from overseas found their way to us as well.
As our team slowly grew, our foundation as a restaurant began to solidify.
We were honored to be selected for TripAdvisor’s Travelers’ Choice awards.
In New York, I had the opportunity to teach at the International Culinary Center and host a one-night-only pop-up event, where I adapted the essence of Ise Sueyoshi using local ingredients.
Our journey also led to curating first-class meals for Japan Airlines international flights, publishing a book on dashi, and collaborating with the acclaimed restaurant TUJU in São Paulo, Brazil.
But it hasn’t always been smooth sailing.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, there were times when we couldn’t open our doors at all.
The silence of the empty counter was difficult to bear.
Yet, the unwavering support of our regular guests—who continued to visit with warm smiles behind their masks—allowed us to keep going, one dish at a time.
In 2023, we were incredibly honored to be named the #2 restaurant in the world (and #1 in Japan and Asia) in TripAdvisor’s Best of the Best awards.
But more than any ranking, what remains etched in my heart are the conversations we’ve shared, the moments spent together, and the quiet current of emotion that has flowed through each passing year.
Ten years have taught me just how profound and humbling this journey can be.
To everyone who has ever supported us, from the bottom of my heart—thank you.

The Sueyoshi Legacy

Forty years ago, my father, Sueyoshi Tanaka, opened a restaurant called Sueyoshi in Mie Prefecture.
He named it after himself—a reflection of his deep sense of personal responsibility.
Day after day, he stood in the kitchen without fail, silently gripping his knife with unwavering focus.
In his quiet dedication, I saw the pride and integrity of a true craftsman.
“Be honest,” he often told me. Those words became my compass as I grew up.
In time, I took on the name Sueyoshi, not just as an inheritance, but as a symbol of my own commitment.
This name is more than a title—it is our family’s story, and for me, a testament to the path I have chosen with conviction.

A Family Tradition

My journey as a chef began when I was just four years old.
I don’t have memories of playing catch with my father, but I clearly remember the day he taught me how to make tamagoyaki—Japanese rolled omelet.
By the time I was in kindergarten, I was already writing “chef” as my future dream.
As far back as I can remember, I believed it was my path to carry on my father’s restaurant.

On weekends, he would take me to the fish market—off-limits to anyone but professional chefs.
There, I witnessed firsthand the art of selecting fish, the tension of negotiating with suppliers, and the fast-paced rhythm of the trade.
At home, our family conversations naturally revolved around food—today’s staff meal, or how a dish we’d eaten out was prepared.
In our household, cooking was our shared language.

When I reached junior high school, my father’s guidance grew stricter.
“Watch and learn,” he would say.
He didn’t explain with words or gestures—his way was to teach through his actions, through his back.

After graduating high school, I went abroad to train.
My father didn’t say much—he simply told me, “Go.”
Years later, when I returned to Japan, I spent another year learning by his side—this time not just as his son, but as a fellow chef.

Walking this path, I’ve come to understand something deeply:
The taste of a dish lives on, carried in memory.
The skills and spirit passed from my father and shaped by our shared experience—
I now carry those forward, hoping they will live on in someone else’s memory too.

Flow of Heart

When I opened Ise Sueyoshi, there was one clear intention in my heart:
I wanted each dish to be like a handwritten letter—delivering not just flavor, but feeling.

Of course, we strive to provide delicious cuisine and heartfelt hospitality.
But more than that, I want the spirit and intention behind each dish to reach the guest sitting in front of me, clearly and sincerely.

To do so, one thing is essential: our connection with producers.
I chose to include “Ise” in our restaurant’s name because I wanted to share the story behind each ingredient—the land, the people, and the culture it comes from.

I personally visit every supplier, walking their fields and listening to their voices.
I take in the scenery, the rhythm of their work, and the pride they carry—and then bring those elements back to the plate.

Because some things can’t be conveyed through a menu alone, we also provide a photo book in the dining room that introduces each producer and their story.

Chef, producer, guest—our food is a vessel that connects all three.
This is the kind of cuisine we aspire to create: a quiet, flowing exchange of heart.

A Kaiseki Journey

Kaiseki is not merely a series of dishes placed on a table.
It is a refined and deeply expressive culinary art that honors the changing seasons, respects the blessings of nature, and seeks to present ingredients at their most beautiful and meaningful moment.

From the appetizer to the soup, grilled dish, seasonal platter, and finally dessert—each course follows a deliberate progression.
Fluctuations in flavor, shifts in temperature, the balance of colors, and the choice of vessels—all come together to tell a cohesive story.
Every dish answers a silent question: Why this dish, right now?

At Ise Sueyoshi, we create a new menu each month, carefully selecting seasonal ingredients to express the fleeting beauty of that particular moment in time.
We hope that each dish allows our guests to feel as though they are traveling through Japan’s seasons, one plate at a time.

Kaiseki is a journey—one of heart and of season.
And as your guide on this journey, we stand at the counter, knife in hand, each day with quiet purpose.

Read more about Kaiseki Cuisine

Seasons and Stories

Kaiseki as a Living Expression of Japan’s Four Seasons

Kaiseki cuisine in Japan is deeply intertwined with the rhythm of the seasons.
In spring, we offer Yumemigusa, a dish finished in soft cherry blossom hues using sakura-themed ingredients.
In the rainy season, Shizuku reflects the quiet beauty of raindrops gathering on lotus leaves.
Autumn brings Fukiyose Hassun, a plate adorned with colorful fallen leaves.
And in winter, the gentle steam and citrus aroma of Yuzu Kama Mushi fill the air.

Each dish is like a seasonal poem expressed through ingredients and presentation.

At Ise Sueyoshi, we do more than use ingredients that are in season—we seek to capture the fleeting scenery and atmosphere that exist only in that specific time of year.
Through each dish, we aim to share a “seasonal story” that gently speaks to the heart of our guests.
This is why we create an entirely new kaiseki menu each month, from the very first dish to the last.

In spring, you may encounter tender wild mountain vegetables or sakura sea bream.
Summer brings the refreshing elegance of pike conger (hamo) and vibrant seasonal vegetables.
In autumn, fragrant wild mushrooms and freshly harvested rice take center stage.
And in winter, rich Spanish mackerel and hearty root vegetables warm the soul.

Alongside these, our menus also feature a selection of signature ingredients that appear throughout the year.
For example, the delicate and refined flavors of fugu (pufferfish) dishes.
Or the vibrant, luxurious presence of Ise Ebi lobster (Japanese spiny lobster), presented in a variety of expressive preparations throughout the year.

Guests often return for our Ise Tuna, which is served in various forms across the year.
We also take pride in our Wagyu beef, thoughtfully prepared to reflect each season’s character.

For those with dietary preferences, we offer vegan and gluten-free kaiseki courses, crafted without any animal products or wheat, yet fully capturing the essence of seasonal Japanese cuisine.

Each ingredient carries its own story—its own origin and journey.
When brought together with our culinary philosophy, they become more than food; they become part of a larger seasonal narrative.

At Ise Sueyoshi, no two visits are ever the same.
With our monthly course menus, a different landscape unfolds with every season, every return.
Our hope is that each dish—born of a specific day and season—will become a cherished memory in the hearts of those who taste it.

Because food, at its best, is not only something to be savored.
It is something to be felt—an unspoken story that gently lingers long after the meal is over.

Memories Shared Here

Over the past ten years, countless stories have unfolded within the walls of Ise Sueyoshi.
Among them, one of the most memorable is that more than five couples have chosen our restaurant as the place to propose.
At the end of the kaiseki course, just after the final sweet is served, a ring is gently offered across the table.
To witness that moment is one of the greatest honors and joys of being a chef.
Many of our guests have traveled from faraway places—America, Canada, Europe—and returned again and again.
Some say, “When I plan my next trip to Japan, the first thing I do is reserve a seat at Sueyoshi.”
Those words are deeply humbling and fill us with quiet pride.
One guest once said with a smile, “I dreamed about the tuna I had here last time.”
To serve something so memorable—it’s encouragement beyond words.
There are also many who visit us on the recommendation of someone close:
“My friend said, ‘Don’t ask—just book this place.’”
That passing of trust from person to person is, to us, the highest form of praise.
Guests have come to celebrate anniversaries, to give thanks to their parents, or to gift a honeymoon dinner to a dear friend visiting Japan for the first time.
To quietly accompany someone at a milestone in their life—that, we believe, is the true calling of a chef.
Ise Sueyoshi is not merely a place to eat.
It is a space where hearts connect, and where memories are quietly nurtured.
As we look to the future, we remain devoted to serving each dish with care, so that we may continue offering unforgettable kaiseki experiences, one guest at a time.

A Future Together

Ise Sueyoshi has only ten seats.
This is by design—so we can face each guest directly, wholeheartedly.
To us, cooking is a responsibility; we are entrusted with life.
That weight keeps our hands steady, our hearts humble, and our dedication unwavering.
Even as we mark our tenth anniversary, our values remain unchanged.
We create a new menu every month, because we believe in sharing this moment—the fleeting beauty of the season, right now.
I travel regularly to my home region of Mie, meeting with producers, breathing the air of their land, exchanging words, and choosing only ingredients grown in relationships built on trust.
It is our role to quietly carry that story—the spirit of the ingredients, the hands that raised them—to our guests through all five senses.
When the life of an ingredient, the sincerity of the chef, and the heart of the guest come together, a dish becomes more than food.
It becomes a memory, an emotion, a story that stays within.
No matter how the times may change, we hope Ise Sueyoshi will always remain a place where people and hearts connect.
Whether it is a once-in-a-lifetime occasion or an ordinary evening, we want your time here to become a meaningful color in the tapestry of your life.
With that hope, we step into the kitchen again tomorrow, ready to welcome you with all our heart.
We have reached this 10-year milestone thanks entirely to you.
From the bottom of our hearts, thank you.
And may we meet again, ten years from now, with the same spirit and the same smile.
We look forward to serving you—always.

We are proud to continue delivering an exceptional dining experience that earned us the Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best 2024 award, ranking among the Best Restaurants in Tokyo. Our commitment to excellence in service and our dedication to offering the finest kaiseki dining experience in Tokyo remain unwavering. Discover more about our journey to becoming one of the best restaurants in the city[here].

Visit Ise Sueyoshi

Location: Conveniently located 12 minutes from Roppongi Station and 8 minutes from Hiroo Station.
Hours: Open 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM, reservations only. Closed on Sundays and Mondays.
Book Your Experience ☟

Reservation Page

Conclusion

At Ise Sueyoshi, we humbly invite you to experience a dining journey that caters to all dietary needs. Whether you’re vegan, halal, or have specific preferences, we are here to create a memorable and inclusive dining experience for you, especially for special occasions like a honeymoon.

10 Years of Ise Sueyoshi: Where Kaiseki Cuisine Meets the Heart | 伊勢すえよし

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