Hato

Hato (波濤)

🍣 Sushi / 📍 Kagurazaka

📓 Visits: 1

Daichi Kumakiri worked at Ishikawa, Ren, Kohaku and Amamoto before opening Hato, which is part of the Ishikawa Group.  His kaiseki background is reflected here with the inclusion of two agemono, one nimono and desserts.  Only one course is offered at around JPY 25,000 + tax.

No English is spoken and you definitely need a high level of Japanese to get the most out of the experience as Kumakiri-san is the most genuinely convivial host I've come across in any restaurant in a long time.  He's super-handsome - huge white teeth and smile and looking like a younger Ebizo, constantly cracking jokes and bantering with his staff - you can imagine he could be a real heartbreaker.  The mind boggles as to why there's a leather sofa in the middle of a sushi restaurant and what happens on it when Kumakiri-san is alone with a companion :)  The restaurant is also one of the most beautiful I've stepped into in a long time.

The best item was the uni tenmaki - a massive portion and so good I couldn't hold back a 'yabai'.  The kuruma ebi was particularly good as well - smaller than usual but sweeter.  I couldn't really fault anything but I haven't booked again.  It's not uncommon for Japanese restaurants in the West to serve more than one genre of food.  But in Japan you're accustomed to eating in a restaurant that specialises in one particular food genre so if I go to a sushi restaurant I want fish to be each of the main items.  If you want to serve some extra dishes like the soba at Sonoji or the vegetable dishes at Hakkou that's fine but for me they should be extras and not count in their own right.  Kumakiri-san is young and will only improve and it's good that new chefs are trying to mix things up but 30k for 5 fish otsumami and 10 nigiri is a lot of money and prices are only likely to go up.

I did enjoy my experience at Hato and I don't regret going.  I can see how the kaiseki influence would appeal to some people and although the non-fish courses were delicious I'd rather have more sushi.  So given that and the fact that there were only a couple of really great pieces, at this price I wouldn't go back.

Hato received a Michelin Star in the 2021 Tokyo Guide.

📌 https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1309/A130905/13245540/

📱 Booking: 🟧 Book by phone about two weeks in advance.  You can book via Omakase but more slots are available by phone.  Centralized reservation booking with English-speaking staff.  No English spoken in the restaurant on my visit.

📍 Location:

5-7 Kagurazaka.  Dedicated street-facing entrance.

Map data ©2021 Google

📅 Visit June 2020

Hamo, Ayu (agemono), Ichijiki (agemono), Kegani, Kamo nasu (nimono), Kinmedai robotayaki, Shirozuiki, Makobarae (nigiri), Sumi ika, Akami, Chutoro, Kohada, Kuruma ebi, Torigai, Uni, Kinmedai, Anago, Somen, Mango, Ice cream

💴 Damage: 30,200 incl. water

⏱️ Time taken: 2h