Destination Restaurants 2026 award ceremony report

The Destination Restaurants 2026 award ceremony, hosted by The Japan Times, was held on May 26 at Hills House Sky Room Cafe & Bar in Tokyo’s Azabudai Hills. Based on the belief that the true nature of Japan’s culture lies in regional areas, only restaurants outside major cities are eligible, and a criterion for selection is whether or not the establishment is a catalyst for local revitalization. In this sixth year of the program, 10 restaurants located throughout Japan were chosen once again, with each restaurant’s chef attending the ceremony.

The event began with a speech by Minako Suematsu, the chairperson, publisher and president of The Japan Times. With regional fine dining and interest among overseas visitors increasing as if in tandem with the progress of Destination Restaurants, she noted, “It seems fair to say that we’ve contributed to some extent” to these currents. Following remarks by guest speakers, the three judges — Yoshiki Tsuji, Naoyuki Honda and Takefumi Hamada — presented each of the 10 chefs with a Wajima lacquerware plaque created by the lacquerware store Nosaku in Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture.

Chosen as Destination Restaurant of the Year 2026 was Kesennuma Kuromori, a fukahire (shark fin) restaurant in Kesennuma, Miyagi Prefecture. Owner-chef Yoji Kuromori conveyed his happiness upon receiving the award and also spoke about his aspirations, saying: “Internationally, shark fin is an ingredient with a problematic side, and in some cases objections have been raised by people from overseas. But I need to tell the world that we in Kesennuma use the entire shark, without wasting anything. My hope is to attract people to Kesennuma by making shark fin cuisine that couldn’t be created anywhere but at our restaurant or eaten anywhere but in Kesennuma. Currently there’s a negative aspect to the image of shark fin, so I want to make it an ingredient that is seen in a positive light.”

The three judges offered their congratulations to the award-winning chefs. Tsuji said, “I hope you’ll continue honing your skills through the network created as a result of this award.” Honda remarked, “I’d like to see all the chefs bring more and more excitement to Japan.” And Hamada said, “Thanks to all of you, it’s become more feasible to establish restaurants in regional areas. The situation in Japan is also attracting the attention of overseas chefs.”

Guests were served a seven-course meal of highly creative, regionally inspired dishes prepared by seven of this year’s award-winning chefs — along with highballs made with Suntory’s Hibiki whisky, and Grand Siecle prestige cuvee champagne — and the event concluded on a lively and successful note.

The three judges offered their congratulations to the award-winning chefs. Tsuji said, “I hope you’ll continue honing your skills through the network created as a result of this award.” Honda remarked, “I’d like to see all the chefs bring more and more excitement to Japan.” And Hamada said, “Thanks to all of you, it’s become more feasible to establish restaurants in regional areas. The situation in Japan is also attracting the attention of overseas chefs.”

Guests were served a seven-course meal of highly creative, regionally inspired dishes prepared by seven of this year’s award-winning chefs — along with highballs made with Suntory’s Hibiki whisky, and Grand Siecle prestige cuvee champagne — and the event concluded on a lively and successful note.

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