Den

Tokyo

Personalised kaiseki cooking from a landmark Tokyo eatery

On the Pass

Zaiyu Hasegawa

Pastry Chef

Rei Mochizuki

One of a kind: Chef Zaiyu Hasegawa’s iconic restaurant is unlike any other in Japan. Creative, contemporary, accessible and welcoming whatever the season; these are the qualities that have propelled Den to the highest levels of the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list, including to No.1 in 2022.

The origin story: Hasegawa began his career as a chef at age 18, working in the kitchen of Uotoku, the ryotei (exclusive, traditional Japanese restaurant) where his mother worked as a geisha. When he was 29, he opened Den in Tokyo’s Jimbocho district, gaining a fervent following and two Michelin stars, before moving to the restaurant’s current location in Jingumae in late 2016.

The philosophy: Drawing on his training in kaiseki (Japan’s elegant multi-course cuisine), Hasegawa’s menus incorporate a diverse range of influences from Japanese home cooking to fast food favourites, plus nuances gleaned from his frequent overseas travels and collaborations. Be prepared for unexpected idiosyncrasies.

Standout dishes: Highlights include foie gras monaka wafers as an appetiser; the now-classic "DFC" chicken, stuffed with an ever-changing selection of flavours; Hasegawa’s 20-plus-ingredient Den garden salad, complete with emoji carrots and, always the highlight, donabe gohan (claypot-cooked rice) topped with wagyu beef, seasonal seafood or seasonal wild plants and mushrooms.

Impeccable service: Underpinning everything at Den is the seamless front-of-house service led by Hasegawa’s wife, Emi, which was recognised in 2017 with the inaugural Art of Hospitality award at Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants. As you leave, don’t be surprised if the Hasegawas’ faithful canine mascot, Puchi Jr., appears to bid you sayonara.