Hyakuyaku by Tokuyamazushi

The story

Hyakuyaku by Tokuyamazushi | Michelin-Starred Fermentation Dining in Tokyo

The chef behind the vision

Hyakuyaku by Tokuyamazushi is the Tokyo outpost of Hiroaki Tokuyama, the owner-chef of the legendary Tokuyamazushi in Shiga Prefecture. Tokuyama trained at a Kyoto restaurant and later served as head chef at a Shiga ryokan before opening his own restaurant in 2004. He is celebrated for revitalizing narezushi—the ancient, fermented style of sushi—by taking the famously pungent funazushi (a local Shiga specialty) and refining it into something more accessible yet deeply complex. His work has earned Tokuyamazushi a devoted following of gourmands and top international chefs, despite its remote location. For Hyakuyaku, Tokuyama serves as culinary supervisor, bringing his mastery of fermentation to the heart of Ginza.

Concept and atmosphere

The name “Hyakuyaku” draws on the proverb hyakuyaku no chō—“the best of all medicines is sake”—and aligns with the wellness philosophy of THE HUNDRED longevity house. The restaurant’s mission is to serve Japanese fermented cuisine that is both delicious and genuinely good for the body. The space is designed in a calm, Japanese-style aesthetic, with a counter where guests can watch the cooking unfold and private rooms that offer discretion. While Tokuyama sets the direction, the daily execution is in the hands of chef Hitoshi Sato, who grew up foraging in Fukushima and trained at notable Tokyo kitchens before studying fermentation directly under Tokuyama.

A taste of the course

The omakase course, priced at 38,500 yen, showcases the breadth of Japanese cuisine at Hyakuyaku. A sample menu includes steamed abalone with honey fungus and yuzu, grilled wild matsutake and chestnut rice, grilled conger eel from Lake Biwa, and a sashimi course of sea bream with irizake (a classic fermented dipping sauce). The fermented highlights are unmistakable: saba narezushi (mackerel aged in rice) paired with wild mushroom and grated daikon, and funazushi served with a bear consommé jelly and local honey. The meal progresses through game—bear hotpot with leek and fermented broth—and concludes with a homemade pudding sweetened with fermented honey. This is Japanese fine dining that honors tradition while pushing towards a healthier, longer life.

Recognition

In 2026, Hyakuyaku by Tokuyamazushi earned a Michelin star, a testament to the precision and depth of its fermentation-driven cuisine. It is a rare place in Tokyo to taste Tokuyama’s signature narezushi and seasonal game, all within an atmosphere that balances intimacy and quiet refinement.