January 24, 2025
Chisou Nishi Kenichi
French cuisine featuring fish fresh from Suruga Bay
The city of Yaizu in Shizuoka Prefecture faces Suruga Bay and boasts a number of splendid views of Mount Fuji, as well as hot springs.
Over the past decade, a succession of Yaizu restaurants have been gaining attention, a notable example being Chakaiseki Onjaku, a Destination Restaurant of 2022. Thus, gastronomes from both inside and outside Japan are now visiting the area. The central figure in this trend is Naoki Maeda, owner of Sasue Maeda Fish Shop in Yaizu, which has been run by the Maeda family for five generations.
Chisou Nishi Kenichi’s owner, Kenichi Nishi, opened the French restaurant Chisou 2924 in Hiroshima in 2019 and included fish from Sasue Maeda Fish Shop on the menu. The problem was that fish caught in Yaizu arrived in Hiroshima a day and a half later, meaning a little of its freshness was lost. Because of this, he decided to move to Yaizu, where he opened the French restaurant Chisou Nishi Kenichi in June 2022.
The restaurant’s exterior architecture is Japanese in style. In back is a courtyard, and in front there is an open kitchen with an eight-seat counter. Both lunch and dinner service are exclusively omakase (chef’s choice) course menus consisting of 10 or 11 dishes, eight of which feature fish in starring roles, and cost ¥16,500 ($110). Nishi’s fritters are made from Pacific rudderfish, the moisture retention level of which has been enhanced through the use of 12 types of ice of differing shapes and temperatures in the cooling process. The fish is fried in untoasted sesame oil, and the fritters are amazingly juicy.
Today, Maeda’s fish appears on the tables of famous restaurants throughout Japan. But when it is eaten locally, the flavors are truly exceptional. It is well worth a visit to Yaizu to experience them for yourself.
Address
Chisou Nishi Kenichi
4-8-9 Nishikogawa, Yaizu-shi, Shizuoka Prefecture
https://www.instagram.com/chisou_nishikenichi/
Yasutomo Suzuki
Governor of Shizuoka prefecture
I would like to express my heartfelt congratulations to chef Kenichi Nishi. Chisou Nishi Kenichi is a renowned restaurant where guests can fully enjoy the seasonal ingredients unique to Shizuoka Prefecture.
Shizuoka is blessed with a diverse environment, including Mount Fuji and Suruga Bay, and is known as a “kingdom of ingredients” producing a variety of agricultural, forestry and marine products. I hope many people, both domestic and international, will have the pleasure of experiencing the delicious food our prefecture has to offer.
Hiromichi Nakano
Yaizu Mayor
I would like to express my congratulations on chef Kenichi Nishi’s selection for The Japan Times Destination Restaurants 2024.
We in the port city of Yaizu take great pride in this achievement. The chef’s dishes, which make the most of local ingredients, are crafted with both French and Japanese techniques. Not only are they delicious, but you can also enjoy the process of watching the dishes being prepared right before your eyes. We sincerely hope that everyone will enjoy this heartwarming and delightful moment.
