Japan Destination Restaurants for Groups

The short answer

The Japan Times has named ten Destination Restaurants a year since 2021, all outside Japan's largest cities, and the 2026 list brings the total to 60. Explera DMC builds these restaurants into small-group Japan programmes by checking seating first, booking early and planning the route, transport and hotel around the meal.

Gastronomy buyers increasingly ask for meals that are worth the journey, not only for the best-known tables in Tokyo and Kyoto. Our Japan team covers the full 2026 list in its guide to Japan's Destination Restaurants. This page is the short version for agencies that sell Japan alongside our other destinations.

What Are Japan's Destination Restaurants?

The list. Each year since 2021, The Japan Times names ten restaurants worth travelling for, all outside Tokyo's 23 wards and Japan's largest cities.
The 2026 edition. The sixth edition brought the total to 60 restaurants, from Hokkaido in the north to Saga in Kyushu.
Restaurant of the Year. Kesennuma Kuromori, a Chinese restaurant in Kesennuma, Miyagi, that specialises in shark-fin cuisine, was chosen unanimously at a ceremony in Tokyo in May 2026.

A chef uses tweezers to finish a plated dish with flowers and herbs

How Do Destination Restaurants Fit a Group Programme?

Seats first. Restaurants of this kind are often small, so we confirm how many guests each one can seat before we offer it to a group.
Book early. Seats are limited, so we request dates as soon as a programme is confirmed.
Route around the meal. The restaurants are in the regions by design, so we plan transport and a nearby hotel with the booking.
Dietary needs ahead. Set menus follow local produce, so we send allergies and preferences to the kitchen before the visit.