6 Japanese Restaurants in Amsterdam for Every Occasion, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Let’s set aside ramen for a moment, about which I’ve written an entire separate article (that evolves continuously) and instead focus on the rest of Japanese cuisine in Amsterdam. There’s sushi of course, plus Izakaya-style casual dining, the whole shebang of the Omakase experience, plus various forms of Japanese street food. All of this and more is represented in Amsterdam - below is just a short, curated list of some of my favourites. And if you’re looking for other Asian eats - from Sichuan to sushi - take a look at my guide to the best Asian restaurants in Amsterdam.

Close to the Nieuwmarkt, you’ll find Kyo: an Izakaya-style Japanese restaurant with an extensive selection of fresh sashimi, traditional gyoza, grilled things on skewers (if you like eel, you’ll love the unagi), delicately fried vegetable tempura and chicken karaage with Japanese mayo, thick udon noodles with umami-rich chicken and veg, and lots, lots more (the menu goes on for pages). If all that doesn’t represent enough choice, get stuck into the sake list and you’ll be busy for days: I only tried two out of the dozens on offer (and I can no longer tell you which they were) but they came in a curious little shot glass, inside a wooden box, into which the sake overflowed for later drinking. I’d never seen that before and found it quite charming! ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).