Toru Okuda's two-star Ginza kaiseki, seasonal and exacting. Book through a Japan concierge for a Tokyo dinner that justifies the trip.
The Reservation Problem at Ginza Kojyu
The counter is small. The menu is kaiseki (the multi-course seasonal cuisine), so it changes every few weeks with the market. And the booking line runs in Japanese, through Japanese systems. For a visitor, that last point is the whole problem.
Ginza Kojyu sits on the fourth floor of the Ginza Carioca Building at 5-4-8 Ginza, in Chuo-ku. Toru Okuda owns and cooks it. The room held three Michelin stars from the Tokyo guide's debut in 2008 and has carried two since 2015, which still makes it one of the city's most respected kaiseki kitchens. It is closed on Sundays.
How to Book Ginza Kojyu
The restaurant takes reservations through domestic channels and does not book foreign diners directly. The phone line, 03-6215-9544, and the local booking systems expect Japanese and a Japan-based contact. So the practical route from abroad is a concierge.
Two work. A Japan restaurant-concierge service such as Tableall or My Concierge Japan, which places the booking in Japanese and confirms on your behalf for a fee. Or your hotel concierge, if you are staying somewhere with a strong dining desk, who can call on the day seats open. Either way, give them your locked Tokyo dates and a window, not a single night, and let them work it.
Start one to three months out, earlier around cherry-blossom season and New Year. Build in time for the back-and-forth that a third-party booking needs, and reconfirm through the same concierge a few days before.
What You Eat
Okuda cooks the seasons. Each menu is a complete progression, built on what the market gave him that week, so the dishes rotate constantly. The seasonal hassun course and his charcoal-grilled fish are the signatures regulars look for. You do not order. You eat the chef's sequence in order, sake alongside. Tell the concierge about allergies at booking, because the kitchen sets the menu in advance.
The Smart Play
Give the concierge a three-night window rather than one date, and ask for lunch if dinner is gone; it is the same kitchen at a lower price. If Kojyu cannot be had on your trip, Tokyo has peers worth the same concierge call. Nihonryori RyuGin for modern kaiseki, Quintessence for French precision, and Den for the most personal three-star room in the city. None books easily. All reward planning ahead.
Not for last-minute travellers or anyone who will not use a concierge. Ginza Kojyu does not take direct foreign bookings or walk-ins, and the menu is a fixed seasonal kaiseki. If you want spontaneity or English-language booking, choose a hotel restaurant instead.
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Related Reading
- Our full profile: Ginza Kojyu in Tokyo.
- The wider city: Tokyo dining guide and the hardest restaurant reservations in Tokyo.
- By tier: how far ahead to book each Michelin tier.
- Strategy: how to get impossible restaurant reservations and the concierge route to booking.
- Paris and Tokyo head to head: the hardest reservations, Paris vs Tokyo.
- Occasions in Tokyo: best for impressing clients and best for solo dining.
- Nearby tables: Nihonryori RyuGin, Quintessence, and Den.
Frequently Asked Questions
How hard is it to book Ginza Kojyu?
Hard for a visitor, because Ginza Kojyu takes reservations through domestic Japanese channels and does not book foreign diners directly. The counter is small and the room holds two Michelin stars, so seats go one to three months out. The realistic route from abroad is a Japan concierge service or your hotel concierge, who can place the booking in Japanese on your behalf.
How far in advance should I book Ginza Kojyu?
One to three months for a counter seat, longer around cherry blossom and New Year. Because foreign bookings run through a concierge, start earlier than you would at home to allow for the back-and-forth. Lock your Tokyo dates first, then hand the request to a Japan concierge or your hotel and let them chase the slot. The restaurant is closed on Sundays.
How much does Ginza Kojyu cost?
Dinner starts from around 48,000 yen per person before drinks, with sake and wine on top. Lunch is gentler if you want the kitchen at a lower price. A concierge booking service may add its own fee. Budget well above 60,000 yen a head for dinner with a few pours of good sake.
Does Ginza Kojyu take walk-ins?
No. This is a small kaiseki counter that cooks a fixed seasonal menu to a set number of covers, so every seat is reserved in advance through Japanese channels. There is no walk-in option. If you are in Tokyo without a booking, ask your hotel concierge to check for a same-week cancellation, but plan on booking ahead.
What do you eat at Ginza Kojyu?
Kaiseki, the multi-course seasonal cuisine that changes with the calendar. Toru Okuda builds each menu around what the market offers that week, so the dishes rotate, but the seasonal hassun course and his charcoal-grilled fish are the kitchen's signatures. You do not order; you eat the chef's progression in sequence and drink sake alongside it.