Restaurant HONJIN

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Restaurant HONJIN: French Dining and Iron Plate Craft in Ichinomiya

The kitchen and its foundation

Executive chef Yuta Tajima opened Restaurant HONJIN in Ichinomiya to present refined French cuisine grounded in local Aichi traditions. He left Maison Lameloise after training at La Villa Archange and Château Restaurant Joël Robuchon. The kitchen operates across two distinct counters, allowing guests to watch the preparation unfold directly. This dual setup replaced twenty seven years of traditional teppanyaki when the venue reopened in 2021.

Dishes and technique

Menus rotate monthly around seasonal selections that pair premium cuts with ocean ingredients within a French cooking framework. Guests choose from domestic tenderloin or Hida beef sirloin alongside dishes like king crab poached in crab vinegar or scallop sashimi served with nori scented risotto. The pastry team prepares flame flambéed baked ice creams and chocolate fondants finished with local berry sauces. These plates reflect Tajima’s approach to French cuisine, which prioritizes regional harvests over imported luxury goods.

The room and service

The dining space separates into a formal French counter and a lively iron plate station. Staff guide tables through multi course celebrations that include personalized dessert platters and commemorative photography. A sommelier manages the floor alongside an inventory of roughly two hundred French bottles. This arrangement keeps the atmosphere focused on conversation while maintaining the precision expected from a Gault&Millau rated establishment.