Quick answer: Shoukouwa and Sushi Sakuta are the ones to book for a proper Edomae sushi pilgrimage, each holding two Michelin stars. Waku Ghin brings a luxurious, globe-trotting twist to Japanese fine dining, while Unagi Yondaime Kikukawa has been the go-to for grilled eel done right for over 90 years—no occasion needed.
At this level of Japanese food, you’re not just paying for the fish—you’re paying for muscle memory, seasonal acumen, and the quiet confidence that comes from decades at the counter. These seven restaurants each make that arithmetic feel like a bargain, if you know when to go and what to order.
Best Japanese Food in Singapore holds 23 guides in this category, if you want to see what else is out there.
Shoukouwa
Shoukouwa sits quietly above the waterfront at One Fullerton, an eight-seat counter where the chef moves with the kind of unhurried calm that tells you every piece of fish is landing exactly where it should. The omakase draws on seafood flown in from Tokyo’s Toyosu Market that same morning—expect seasonal sashimi that gives way like butter and nigiri with rice still holding warmth from the palm. It holds two Michelin stars, and the only soundtrack is the soft slice of a blade and your own breathing. Come here when closing a deal or marking an anniversary needs to feel like the meal itself is the celebration, not just the excuse.
This is the booking you make when you want the meal to feel like a secret, not a scene. Eight seats, waterfront light, and an omakase that moves with the cadence of a tea ceremony—Shoukouwa suits quiet anniversaries and anyone who believes that great Japanese food is mostly about attention.
Address: 1 Fullerton Road, #02-02A One Fullerton, Singapore 049213
Phone: +65 6423 9939
Hours: 12:30pm–3pm and 6pm–10:30pm (Closed Sundays & Mondays)
Shoukouwa website
Waku Ghin
Waku Ghin at Marina Bay Sands splits into two personalities: a buzzy bar area where you can drop in for oysters and cocktails, and four private Chef’s Table rooms where a ten-course degustation unfolds with Japanese produce through a global lens. Chef Tetsuya Wakuda’s one-Michelin-starred setup favours pure theatre—imagine marbled beef cooked on a teppan inches from your plate while the city skyline winks outside. The wine and sake list goes deep too. Book this when you’re hosting friends from overseas or you want the full MBS spectacle with your dinner, not just a meal.
This is our own selection, not a paid one. Tell us if there is somewhere we should have included.
If your crew wants dramatic Japanese food without the hushed formality, Waku Ghin’s private teppan rooms deliver ten courses of globe-trotting luxury while Marina Bay twinkles outside. The oyster-and-cocktails bar means you can even test the waters first—go for the full experience when you’ve got something worth toasting.
Address: #02-03, The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, 10 Bayfront Avenue, Singapore 018956
Phone: +65 6688 8507
Hours: Bar daily from 5pm; Chef’s Table daily at 5pm and 7:30pm; last order 10:30pm
Waku Ghin website
Sushi Ichi
Inside the Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel, Sushi Ichi feels like a calm Ginza pocket transplanted to Orchard Road. The hinoki cypress counter stretches long enough for everyone to get a front-row seat to the itamae, who shapes each piece with the kind of muscle memory that only comes from decades on the job. Their one-Michelin-starred omakase sticks strictly to Edo-era tradition—seasonal seafood and vegetables from Japan, no fusion detours, just rice, fish, and a quiet mastery. Pick this for an unhurried lunch or dinner where the rice-to-fish ratio is the main event, and the only thing you need to decide is which sake to pour.
If you’re building an Orchard food crawl, we have a whole list of Japanese Restaurants in Orchard, Singapore to explore.
Sushi Ichi is where you go when you want your Edomae sushi straight, no fusion detours. The long hinoki counter gives everyone a front-row view of knife work honed over decades, and the Orchard Road setting means you can slip out of the heat into Ginza-level serenity—perfect for a proper lunch that resets your whole afternoon.
Address: 320 Orchard Rd, #01-04 Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel, Singapore 238865
Phone: +65 6235 5514
Hours: 12pm–2:30pm and 6pm–10pm (Closed Mondays)
Sushi Ichi website
Omakase @ Stevens
At Omakase @ Stevens, the kaiseki counter runs on a quiet crossroads where Japanese seasonality meets French finesse. Chef Kazuki Arimoto—who picked up the Michelin Young Chef Award—sends out omakase menus that feel lighter than the typical heavy hitters, dishes arriving on handcrafted ceramics like small edible poems. The pine wood counter keeps the room serene, and the whole experience leans creative without losing its footing. One Michelin star backs it up. This one suits a date or a softer celebration where you want the meal to feel personal and the conversation to flow easily.
When you’re after Japanese food that feels like a gallery walk rather than a feast, Omakase @ Stevens threads kaiseki through a French needle. Chef Arimoto’s touch is light, the ceramics are part of the plating, and the room stays so calm you’ll want to linger over every course—book it for a quiet midweek date when you can really take your time.
Address: 30 Stevens Road, #01-03, Singapore 257840
Phone: +65 6735 8282 or +65 8938 7391
Hours: Monday–Saturday, 6:00pm–10:30pm (Closed Sundays)
Omakase @ Stevens website
Hamamoto
Hamamoto on Tras Street runs as a sushi-kappo, which means the meal flows between small, plated starters and precise nigiri, all guided by whatever the season is shouting about. Chef Kazuhiro Hamamoto earned his one Michelin star by keeping things harmonious—the produce speaks, the sake list backs it up, and the house pour Hamamoto 7, served in bespoke glassware, is worth a visit on its own. It’s not a stiff room; you can relax into the meal. Good for a group that wants refined food without feeling like they need to whisper.
For more top-tier Japanese selections across the island, see our roundup of the Finest Japanese Restaurants in Singapore for a broader view.
Hamamoto keeps the mood warm and the sushi precise—a kappo meal that flows from small seasonal plates to nigiri without any stiffness. The house pour Hamamoto 7, in its own glassware, is a conversation starter. Grab a counter seat for two and let the sake pairings steer; it’s the kind of Japanese food that makes a Tuesday feel like a small occasion.
Address: 58 Tras Street, Singapore 078997
Phone: +65 9672 7110
Hours: Tuesday–Saturday lunch and dinner seatings; Closed Sundays, Mondays, and Public Holidays
Hamamoto website
Sushi Sakuta
Sushi Sakuta—with two Michelin stars—is the domain of Chef Yoshio Sakuta, who takes the Edomae rulebook and polishes it to a quiet roar. The omakase leans into luxury: Japanese fish handled with almost obsessive care, accents of caviar and truffles, and pairings chosen by an award-winning sommelier who knows exactly when to pour. The restaurant is moving from its current Capitol Kempinski address soon, so double-check which dining room you’re booking. This is the pick for the serious collector of sushi moments—the kind of meal you mentally measure others against for years after.
Sushi Sakuta is the address you keep for a blowout—two Michelin stars spent on Edomae that feels polished to a gleam, with accents of caviar and truffle woven in so deftly they never distract. The sommelier’s pairings are as precise as the nigiri, so leave the drink decisions to him and let the counter work its quiet magic.
Address: Currently 15 Stamford Road, #01-88 The Capitol Kempinski Hotel, Singapore 178906 (moving to a new location; call to confirm)
Phone: +65 6214 9477 or +65 9863 9302 (new location)
Hours: Tue–Sun dinner 7pm (last seating 7:30pm); Tue–Wed & Fri–Sun lunch 12:30pm (last seating 1pm); Closed Mon and Thu lunch
Sushi Sakuta website
Unagi Yondaime Kikukawa
You don’t need an occasion for Unagi Yondaime Kikukawa—just a craving. Hailing from Nagoya with over 90 years of unagi legacy, this Michelin-selected spot in Shaw Centre grills whole eel over binchotan charcoal, basting it with a tare sauce whose recipe has done the rounds through four generations. The set meals come with that deeply savoury kabayaki, and the hitsumabushi lets you switch between three different ways of eating it—plain, with condiments, or as ochazuke. The aroma drifting into the corridor is pure pull factor. Come on a regular Tuesday when you’ve been working hard and want dinner to feel like a reward, no jacket required.
And if you’re still hungry for options along the belt, our Orchard’s Finest list might have your next stop.
This is our own selection, not a paid one. Tell us if there is somewhere we should have included.
For Japanese food that’s all about one thing done impeccably, Unagi Yondaime Kikukawa grills eel over binchotan until the skin crackles and the tare sauce—passed through four generations—caramelises just so. Come for the hitsumabushi so you can work through three different ways of enjoying it; it’s a casual enough spot that you can drop by solo and leave deeply satisfied.
Address: 1 Scotts Road, #01-16 Shaw Centre, Singapore 228208
Phone: +65 8031 5200
Hours: Daily 12pm–3pm and 6pm–10pm
Unagi Yondaime Kikukawa website
How to choose
These seven run the gamut from laser-focused Edomae sushi temples to a specialist unagi-ya that has been doing one thing for nearly a century. The right choice depends on what kind of evening you’re chasing.
If you want pure, unadorned sushi where the fish and rice are the entire point, look at Shoukouwa or Sushi Ichi for tradition, or Sushi Sakuta for the same spirit dressed with a little extra luxury. Prefer a show? Waku Ghin’s private chef’s table and teppan theatrics feel built for a group celebration. For something lighter and more creative, Omakase @ Stevens merges Japanese and French sensibilities in a way that still feels serene. Hamamoto sits in a comfortable middle ground: refined but not rigid, with a sake program that rewards curiosity. And when what you really want is a deeply savoury, chargrilled eel feast with zero fuss, Unagi Yondaime Kikukawa is the answer—it’s the most relaxed and gentle on the wallet of the lot.
When booking, ask about the omakase length and whether dietary restrictions can be handled—most of these kitchens are small and need advance notice. Counter seats fill fast, so reserve early. For the starred venues, expect to spend $300–$500++ per head for dinner, while a full unagi set will land closer to $50–$100. Corkage policies vary, so call ahead if you’re bringing a special bottle.
| Restaurant | Cuisine Focus | Michelin Stars | Price Signal | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shoukouwa | Edomae sushi | Two stars | Premium | Pure sushi devotion |
| Waku Ghin | Japanese-global fusion | One star | Premium | Luxury and theatre |
| Sushi Ichi | Edomae sushi | One star | Premium | Traditional counter experience |
| Omakase @ Stevens | Japanese-French kaiseki | One star | Premium | Creative fusion |
| Hamamoto | Sushi-kappo | One star | Premium | Seasonal harmony |
| Sushi Sakuta | Edomae sushi | Two stars | Premium | Top-tier indulgence (moving soon) |
| Unagi Yondaime Kikukawa | Grilled eel | Michelin-selected | Moderate | Comforting unagi feasts |
Summary
Whether you’re after a quiet sushi counter that resets your standards, a splashy celebratory dinner with skyline views, or a weeknight unagi fix that tastes like four generations of know-how, these seven restaurants show why Singapore remains one of Asia’s serious Japanese dining capitals. Book ahead, let the chef drive, and settle in.
Disclaimer: All information here is compiled from publicly available sources and true to the best of our knowledge at the time of writing. Details can change—operating hours, relocation, menu availability—so please confirm directly with the restaurant before your visit.
Frequently asked questions
Which of these restaurants has the most Michelin stars?
Shoukouwa and Sushi Sakuta each hold two Michelin stars, placing them among the highest-rated Japanese restaurants on this list.
Do I need a reservation?
Yes, reservations are essential for all these restaurants. Omakase counter seats in particular fill up weeks in advance, so book early—especially for dinner sessions.
What is the dress code like?
Most of these fine-dining spots have a smart casual dress code. Avoid shorts and flip-flops; some may require covered shoes. It’s best to ask when you reserve.
Is there a more casual option among these?
Unagi Yondaime Kikukawa is the most relaxed and approachable. The atmosphere is comfortable without being overly formal, and the price point is more moderate.
What is Edomae sushi exactly?
Edomae sushi is a Tokyo-style where seafood is often cured, marinated, or aged to bring out deeper flavour and texture, rather than served fully raw. Shoukouwa, Sushi Ichi, and Sushi Sakuta all follow this tradition closely.
Can vegetarians be accommodated?
These kitchens specialise in seafood and meat-driven omakase. Some may handle advance dietary requests, but the core experience is built around fish and shellfish. Check directly with each restaurant before booking.
