3 italian restaurants worth the trip across Japan, editor-ranked. All cuisines in Japan.
Monk ★ 4.6 · Kyoto
northern-higashiyama · Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8412, Japan
A wood-fired pizzeria and tasting counter on the Philosopher's Path, run by chef Yoshihiro Imai with a daily-changing 12-course Italian-Japanese menu.
Tip: One seating, 12 seats; reserve 60 days ahead on the website.
Semina ★ 4.4 · Sapporo
odori · Chuo-ku, Sapporo 060-0061, Japan
Chef Toshifumi Tanaka's rustic northern-Italian dining room, opened 2017 on the Odori central avenue. Priced at ¥¥¥¥. Tasting menu ¥15,000-22,000.
Tip: Reserve in advance; the Friuli-Venezia Giulia influence shows in the antipasti.
MoreThan Hiroshima ★ 4.1 · Hiroshima
otemachi · 3-1-1 Otemachi, Naka-ku, Hiroshima
MoreThan Hiroshima runs from breakfast to late dinner on the ground floor of The Knot, an Italian kitchen with an all-day counter in Otemachi.
Tip: The kitchen splits into four services a day, so check which one you are walking into before you sit down at the counter.