**Seirin**, ranked 3rd in the Japanese cuisine category and 6th overall in Shizuoka Prefecture, is a renowned restaurant.I hadn't originally planned to visit Hamamatsu, but I made the trip solely to explore two branches of Seirin, aligning my lunch and dinner plans around it. I’m sure many others have similar itineraries.I made a reservation through "OMAKASE" about a month in advance. I was worried because there were no available slots until I lucked out and found a weekday dinner reservation in early June, which I quickly secured.Upon entering the restaurant on the day of my visit, I was surprised to find that I was the only customer. Seirin is a very unique establishment where the dishes change depending on the season, and it is particularly famous for its natural eel from summer to autumn and the fugu (pufferfish) course in winter. Since I visited in early July, I expected to enjoy hamo (pike eel), but the course actually featured tempura. However, since I had plans to eat eel at another restaurant the following day, it turned out to be a good thing that the ingredients didn’t overlap.The strength of the ingredients here is truly overwhelming. The tori-gai (bird shell) and hamaguri (hard clam) served at the beginning were impressively large, rarely seen in such size. The subsequent tempura dishes were also about twice the volume of what you would typically find at other restaurants. The cooking methods—sashimi, boiled, grilled with salt, and tempura—were very simple and straightforward, allowing the natural flavors and quality of the ingredients to shine through. However, this style also means that if the ingredients themselves lack potential, the overall course may feel lacking in impact.Since I was the only guest that day, I enjoyed a spacious and relaxed atmosphere, with impeccable service. I had assumed that the sake would primarily be local to Shizuoka, but I was pleasantly surprised to be offered a variety of sake from all over Japan.I hope to return during the winter season for the fugu dishes next time.
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