In this guide
Den Jinbocho (Den)
- Instagram posts:
Within Den, you’ll find an expansive space seating at least 40 guests, blending traditional Japanese elements—such as hinoki tables and counters—with modern design features like floor-to-ceiling windows. It is far removed from the intimate, near-cave-like feel of the small, counter-only restaurants emblematic of high-end dining in Japan—a description that applied to the old Den. The dining-room layout creates a degree of separation between kitchen and guest that feels closer to a Western-style restaurant fit-out.
Ranked No. 45 on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants and No. 2 on the Asia list, Den holds two Michelin stars and is renowned worldwide. Standout “specials” that are consistently praised include a starter of snow crab tofu topped with mizore sauce; the signature salad with ant and 20-plus vegetables; and the now-classic Dentucky Fried Chicken—quite possibly the best chicken wings you’ll ever taste—served with Japanese sticky rice, chicken ginseng soup, and a customized fast-food take-out carton.
Underpinning everything, the culmination of every meal is the donabe-gohan: claypot-cooked rice with wagyu beef or seafood.
Restaurant information
- Style: Modern Japanese with a twist
- Chain: Independent owner
- Address: Architect house hall JIA, 2-3-18 Jingumae, Shibuya Ku, Tokyo
- Telephone: +81 3 6455 5433
- Opening time: 18:00–20:00, Monday to Saturday (Closed Sundays)
Average seating price
- 17,000 JPY per person
Reservation method
Reservations are accepted from 12pm to 5pm, Monday to Saturday, and can be made up to 2 months in advance. Reservations are for parties of up to 4 people maximum. Den does not accept online reservations.
About the chef
Chef Zaiyu Hasegawa began cooking at age 18 in the kitchen of a ryotei (an exclusive traditional Japanese restaurant) in Tokyo’s Kagurazaka neighborhood. Eleven years later, he opened Den, which moved to its current location in late 2016. Hasegawa is one of the most famous names in Japan’s culinary world and the master of his “creative kaiseki” restaurant.
His mother was a major inspiration at the start of his culinary career. Working as a geisha in one of Japan’s ryotei, she often brought home bento for him to taste—sparking his interest in gastronomy and a love of traditional cuisine.
Social media
- Website: https://www.jimbochoden.com/en/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/%E7%A5%9E%E4%BF%9D%E7%94%BA-%E5%82%B3-227524907386902/
Map
Architect house hall JIA, 2-3-18 Jingumae, Shibuya Ku, Tokyo
