Although there are plenty of Italian restaurants in Japan that serve the more traditional varieties, there is in fact an entire genre called One of the most well-known of the hundreds of varieties of Italian pasta, ravioli—the name of which actually comes from Rice has been a staple of the Japanese diet throughout the ages--so much so that meals take their name from rice (Antipasto are the foods offered before a meal—the Italian equivalent of French Lasagne, an oven-baked dish of alternating layers of pasta sheets, meat and cheese, is a pure Italian comfort food and one of the oldest styles of pasta; it is also a mainstay of Italian food in Japan. Traditionally, the ingredients layered with pasta are a meat ragu and bechamel sauce, finished with Parmigiano-Reggiano, but it may instead comprise any mixture of vegetables such as mushrooms, zucchini and pumpkin, and cheese such as ricotta and mozzarella. The menu looks like typical Italian fare at first glance, but there are plenty of unusual options, such as the ‘red sea bream torroncino’ (1,600 yen), which features peperoncino with grated yam. Home cooked Japanese Filipino takeout/sit down Restaurant. This fantastic Japanese-Italian food fusion is actually just as effective with drink as well as food, where the low acidity of sake brings out the umami flavors in Italian food and makes it a good substitute for wine. The restaurant is located very close to Tsukiji, where delicious items from around Japan are gathered in one marketplace, so they are able to offer the very best fish as well as Japanese domestic black beef. The restaurant’s specialty is premium Japanese Miyazaki-raised beef cooked using traditional Italian techniques and flavors to draw out the most savory flavor possible. At In a country teeming with bountiful noodle dishes, it’s hardly surprising that Italian pasta dishes are very popular in Japan. Browse Disclaimer: All information is accurate at time of publication.10 Italian Restaurants in Tokyo for Authentic & Inventive DiningEbisu Restaurants: Hip Dining & Cuisines for all OccasionsKyoto Teppanyaki Restaurants Serve up Iron-grilled Delights Simple in its components, carpaccio--like sashimi--requires extremely fresh, well-presented ingredients. Dishes like their Sushi-Style Kampachi Risotto bring together lightly seared yellowtail Amberjack with Western-style risotto, while the Hokkaido Sea Urchin Spaghetti offers an extravagant taste of roasted garlic, tomatoes, cream, and fresh Hokkaido sea urchin, which are blended together creating an intensely flavorful dish and then topped with more sea urchin. BYOB The restaurant seats 24. Carpaccio is a dish of raw meat such as fish, veal, venison, or vegetables, usually seasoned with lemon or vinegar, olive oil, salt and ground pepper, but may have additional and more elaborate seasonings such as cheese, herbs and truffles.

One of the most internationally recognized and widespread cuisines, Italian food is also ingrained in Japanese society.It made its way onto Japanese menus in the post war years, with the American GIs in Japan who brought with them the dishes of Italian-American food, as well as through the Italian restaurants established by former Italian prisoners of war in Japan. Beyond just flavor, the appeal of Italian food to Japanese chefs and diners may also be attributed to Italian cuisine’s emphasis on the heritage of food, the flavor of a mother’s cooking, and the use of locally grown and seasonal ingredients, which are also foundations of Japanese cuisine. Discover chic Japanese-style Italian cuisine at La Coccola in the fashionable neighborhood of Aoyama.

We failed. Their policy is to “let the ingredients be the centerpiece” of their dishes, taking care not to interfere with but to support the intrinsic taste and appeal of the food. Ristorante Kurodino carries on many of the traditions of the renowned Florence location, while offering a smaller, more casual, and much more reasonably priced menu.