◻︎ Visit Date: August 17, 2026 (Monday) ◻︎ Reservation Time: 20:30 ◻︎ Reservation Method: OMAKASE ◻︎ Reservation Difficulty: ★★★ ◻︎ Arrival Time: 20:26 ◻︎ Dining Alone ◻︎ Payment: Credit Card ◻︎ Notes: Nearest Station: Ginza Ichome Station Address: 2-8-17 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Habiru Ginza 2 B1 【Today's Order】 • Omakase Course • King Crab with Sudachi and Olive Oil • Red Wine (Campbell Early) • Frozen Oolong Tea • Oriental Beauty Tea Total: JPY 47,500 ◻︎ Course Menu (○ Course ◻︎ Additional) ~ Omakase Course ~ ○ Welcome Gyokuro ○ "Appetizers" - Sea Urchin - Lotus Root Tofu - Kombu with Roe - Stewed Kue ○ "Seasonal Side Dishes" - Kue - Tiger Pufferfish - Blanched Hamo ○ Matsutake Mushroom Soup with Crab Shampo and Ginkgo ○ "Grilled Dishes" - Ayu from Takahara River, Gifu with Tade Vinegar Porridge - Ayu from Nagara River, Gifu with Uruka Soy Sauce ○ Sasa-cut Udon with Ice Bowl ○ Fried Ayu ◻︎ King Crab with Sudachi and Olive Oil ○ "Hassun" - Fried Matsutake - Steamed Abalone with Edamame Tofu - Grilled Duck with Smoked Pepper - Stewed Snail and Sea Urchin - Corn and Onion Soup - Omi Beef Omasum with Cucumber and Vinegar Miso - Fig with Sesame Sauce from Mannou Town, Kagawa - Botan Shrimp and Mongolian Squid in Brandy Soy Sauce ○ Foie Gras with Raisins, Dried Persimmon Paste, and Butter in Monaka ○ Grilled Eel with Winter Melon and Manjyu Pepper in Soup ○ Omi Rice with Kombu, Shirasu, and Ume Rice Balls, Red Miso Soup ○ Genmaicha ○ Soybean Coffee with Kuzumochi ○ Matcha ◻︎ Chef's Background Takemasa Shinohara was born in 1980 in Koka City, Shiga Prefecture. During his student days, he was a promising karate athlete and had opportunities for university recommendations, but he chose the path of a chef, wanting to acquire a skill. His father ran an izakaya, which influenced his decision. He trained at "Kyo-ryori Kumagyoan Tankuma Kitaten" in Osaka, "Yamagencha" in Kyoto, and "Shofukuro Honten" in his hometown of Shiga. At "Shofukuro Honten," he honed his skills alongside renowned chefs such as Tadayo Matsukawa of "Matsukawa," a regular on Tabelog GOLD, and Takayuki Hagiwara of "Yuzuki Moto." He became independent at 26 and opened "Japanese Cuisine Shinohara" in Koka City, Shiga Prefecture, operating for about nine years and growing into a popular restaurant visited by food enthusiasts nationwide. In 2016, he moved to Ginza from Shiga Prefecture and opened "Ginza Shinohara." After opening in Ginza, he received one Michelin star in 2018 and 2019, and since 2020, he has been awarded two Michelin stars consecutively. ◻︎ Memorable Dishes ○ Matsutake Mushroom Soup with Crab Shampo, Ginkgo, Okra, and Wood Ear Mushrooms ★★★★ A deeply flavorful dish where the essence of matsutake, the texture of okra, wood ear mushrooms, and ginkgo come together. The crab shampo has a fluffy, soft texture that harmonizes beautifully with the elegant broth. ○ Ayu from Nagara River, Gifu with Uruka Soy Sauce ★★★★ The uruka soy sauce is nicely roasted, and with one bite, the inherent umami of the ayu combines with the flavor of the uruka soy sauce, making it a perfect pairing with Japanese sake. The head and spine were later served as fried ayu. ○ Sasa-cut Udon with Ice Bowl ★★★★★ "Sasa-cut Udon" is made by kneading powdered Kumazasa into wheat flour dough, resulting in beautiful emerald green noodles. The dipping sauce in the ice bowl is made from a rich dashi of kombu, niboshi, and katsuobushi. The firm texture and the umami of the dashi create a refreshing experience that blows away the summer heat. ○ King Crab with Sudachi and Olive Oil ★★★★ There are four types of additional items available, and I ordered this one because it looked delicious. The sudachi adds acidity and enhances the rich umami of the king crab. I also tried it with olive oil, but personally, I found the sudachi alone was sufficient. ○ Foie Gras with Raisins, Dried Persimmon Paste, and Butter in Monaka ★★★★ The signature dish of "Ginza Shinohara" is the Monaka! The shell is crispy and fragrant, and the ingredients inside blend in a complex way, creating a unique experience that can only be found here. ◻︎ Other Dishes ○ Ayu from Takahara River, Gifu with Tade Vinegar Porridge ★★★ Grilled over charcoal, the skin is crispy while the flesh remains juicy, and the slightly bitter innards and moderate fat complement the gentle tade vinegar porridge. ○ Grilled Duck with Smoked Pepper ★★★ With each bite, the umami spreads in the mouth, and the spicy and fragrant notes of the smoked pepper are addictive. ◻︎ Personal Impressions Restaurants selected for Tabelog GOLD can often be difficult to reserve, but this one is relatively easier to book compared to others. If you regularly check OMAKASE, there may be openings depending on the timing. The restaurant is located one floor below ground. There are many seats, so the distance from the staff is a bit far. As I usually visit alone, I ended up at a corner seat, making it a bit difficult to converse with the chef, but he still made an effort to engage with me. I couldn’t see the cooking process up close, and I had to be mindful of my surroundings when taking photos. Especially for the hassun, when I tried to take a picture, other customers' faces would sometimes appear in the frame, which made it a bit disappointing that I couldn’t capture the moments as I wanted. Overall, I was very satisfied with the dishes, which boast a level of perfection rarely seen in other restaurants. Now, let’s talk about the hassun, which is essential when discussing "Ginza Shinohara." The theme for tonight's hassun was "Obon." To be precise, it was a day late... The skill to express not only seasonal ingredients but also their background through the dishes is truly impressive. Whenever I went to the restroom, the staff would clean and then call out, which shows the attention to detail that a renowned restaurant possesses. The course lasted about two and a half hours. Even though it was a late-night session, I didn’t feel fatigued from eating and thoroughly enjoyed the Japanese cuisine that seeped into my body until the end. Dining alone is enjoyable, but I felt this course would be even more delightful when shared with someone. I hope to visit again if the opportunity arises. ◻︎ Recent Awards "Top 100 Japanese Restaurants TOKYO 2025" "THE TABELOG AWARD 2026 GOLD"