A few minutes’ walk from Tokyo Metro Edogawabashi Station takes you to a building with a small signboard that reads “WASHI.” Walk through the entrance and down the stairs to the basement, and you will be welcomed by a modern Japanese interior in black shades with a long counter top. It is WASHI, a Japanese restaurant that builds on traditions to offer delights.
Owner-Chef Takanori Hamano learned the basics of Japanese cuisine from Chef Masataka Kamiya at Japanese Restaurant Kamiya and further honed his culinary skills at Japanese restaurants in Australia. After returning to Japan, he worked as Chef at Ebisu IMAICHI for five years. Then, in 2022, he opened Washi and took the position of Chef at the restaurant. The restaurant’s name, WASHI, combines two Chinese characters, each from the names of two relatives of his, to coin a word that reflects his ambition to weave a history of Japan (wa can refer to Japan and shi to history).
Chef Hamano’s dishes are grounded in traditional Japanese culinary techniques but feature ingredients that are not commonly used in Japanese cuisine. For example, the croquette included in the prix-fixe (fixed-priced) menu tastes familiar but is totally surprising as it is filled with Kaga lotus roots and turtle meat and dressed with a sauce made from turtle broth. Other dishes are similar to casual bites created by Chef Hamano to accompany alcohol though they are authentic in quality. The ingredients include white-meat fish, red snapper, and summer-catch salmon, selected by the chef himself, who learned how to identify the best quality ingredients while training at Tsukiji Market for one year, and the vegetables delivered directly from their producers, such as white asparagus from Aizu and edible wild plants from Yamagata.
The drink menu offers a wide variety of Japanese sake, including rare labels such as Ura-Nabeshima from Saga and Japanese Sake Aramasa from Akita, as well as shochu spirits made from rice, sweet potatoes, and barley.
At WASHI, the prix-fixe (fixed price) meals are not only paired with Japanese sake selected by the chef to go with his dishes but also accompanied by all-inclusive drinks. This unique service is intended to allow guests to enjoy food and drinks without worrying about the bill. An extensive homemade soft drink menu is also available, including homemade ginger ale and citrus vinegar, for guests who do not want Japanese sake.
With a modern dining room furnished with a counter and six stools and a semi-private room with a table and four chairs, WASHI is perfect for family meals and friend and gourmet gatherings. You can enjoy intimate meals with your favorite people in a relaxing, cozy atmosphere. It is this experience that is the very heart of the restaurant.
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* The availability of this webpage does not guarantee that the restaurant presented provides services in English, unless otherwise stated. Please be aware that English services may also depend on staff availability at the restaurant.
Access
7 minutes walk from Tokyo Metro Yurakucho Line Edogawabashi Station Exit 2
6 minutes on foot from Exit 1b of Kagurazaka Station on the Tozai Line
