Up-and-coming chef Tatsuro Hirakubo is nothing short of a wagyu wunderkind. After opening Yakiniku Ushimatsu, a sleek wagyu eatery in Tokyo's Nishi-Azabu district, he looked next toward Tokyo Bay and completely reimagined a traditional floating boat restaurant (known as yakatabune, infamously cheap and cheerful) by turning it into the ultimate fine-dining wagyu omakase experience. Inside, Yakatabune Izanagi is acutely intimate, seating just 12 in a sophisticated all-timber interior that honors the elegance of traditional Japanese architecture. As the restaurant glides through Tokyo Bay, guests are treated to views of the city nightscape in rhythm with chef Hirakubo’s omakase course menu centered around premium Japanese Black (kuroge wagyu), notably, the highly prized Tajima cattle beef from Hyogo prefecture. Expect melt-in-your-mouth seared beef sushi—or perhaps the most sumptuous, perfectly grilled wagyu steak you’ve ever had—all served on exquisite Japanese tableware. The trick is to sit back, enjoy the views, and allow the chefs to do their magic with every cut—from tenderloin to tongue, cheek, tail, and all. —Joanna Kawecki
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Up-and-coming chef Tatsuro Hirakubo is nothing short of a wagyu wunderkind. After opening Yakiniku Ushimatsu, a sleek wagyu eatery in Tokyo's Nishi-Azabu district, he looked next toward Tokyo Bay and completely reimagined a traditional floating boat restaurant (known as yakatabune, infamously cheap and cheerful) by turning it into the ultimate fine-dining wagyu omakase experience. Inside, Yakatabune Izanagi is acutely intimate, seating just 12 in a sophisticated all-timber interior that honors the elegance of traditional Japanese architecture.
As the restaurant glides through Tokyo Bay, guests are treated to views of the city nightscape in rhythm with chef Hirakubo’s omakase course menu centered around premium Japanese Black (kuroge wagyu), notably, the highly prized Tajima cattle beef from Hyogo prefecture. Expect melt-in-your-mouth seared beef sushi—or perhaps the most sumptuous, perfectly grilled wagyu steak you’ve ever had—all served on exquisite Japanese tableware. The trick is to sit back, enjoy the views, and allow the chefs to do their magic with every cut—from tenderloin to tongue, cheek, tail, and all.
