Inua Tokyo

Inua Tokyo, in Iidabashi, is a two-Michelin-star restaurant led by chef Thomas Frebel, formerly head of research and development at Noma in Copenhagen, who brings Nordic cooking philosophy to bear on Japanese ingredients, foraged plants, and traditional fermentation techniques. The kitchen's more than 20-course tasting menu draws on rare Japanese ferments, wild and foraged herbs, and coastal seafood handled with Scandinavian precision and restraint, resulting in dishes that feel simultaneously deeply Japanese in ingredient and distinctly Nordic in technique and presentation. House-made koji ferments underpin much of the menu's savoury depth, echoing Noma's fermentation-driven approach while drawing on Japan's own long tradition of koji use in miso, sake, and soy sauce production. Foraged herbs and plants, sourced from across Japan's forests and coastlines, appear throughout the meal, reinforcing a hyper-seasonal, terroir-driven philosophy similar in spirit to Narisawa's satoyama cuisine but filtered through a distinctly Nordic sensibility. The dining room is minimalist and quietly intellectual, reflecting the research-driven character of the kitchen, and the wine and beverage pairing leans on excellent sake selections alongside Japanese natural wines chosen to complement the menu's earthy, fermented flavours rather than conventional grand cru pairings. Reservations should be made at least three months in advance via the restaurant's website, and the kitchen is noted for accommodating dietary restrictions well when notified ahead of the visit, an unusual flexibility for a tasting-menu restaurant of this ambition.