Referral does not have to be a regular; anyone who has been to Matsukawa once can be a referral.

Tabiko advised that you need to speak Japanese in order to dine there, is it true?

They have at least one English speaking staff who will assist you during your meal - so it's not necessary to speak Japanese.

This info was accurate at the time this article was written, two years ago. In 2019, I believe booking by new clients for dining at the counter there, unfortunately, would be impossible.

@localtaste, is lunch booking possible for first timers?

@viv I have to let Leo / others correct me if I am wrong. But lunch booking at the counter isn’t even possible for first timer. Personally, I prefer Kimoto and a number of people I know agree. (But some disagree though.)

Matsukawa is introduction only regardless of lunch or dinner. Kimoto is bookable by omakase, though one has to engage in internet warfare.

it's still relatively easy to book kimoto on omakase. definitely not an amamoto situation where everything is gone within seconds.

thanks localtaste! loved kimoto too, it is probably the best kaiseki i've been to so far.

@viv u r always welcome. As u got lots of dining experience at so many top restaurants, I don’t think u would miss as much as u thought without visiting Matsukawa. I know how u feel, especially it’s on the top of the list everybody is talking about. Some of any top of these restaurant lists could be disappointing. They are subject to lots of factors including culinary politics. There are so many great restaurants out there which yet unknown and not too difficult to book.

@localtaste I hear you. I recently been to a top rated french restaurant in Tokyo and felt underwhelmed. The restaurant was so hard to get into but is ordinary at best in my opinion. Sometimes things are just overhyped, especially by SNS. So thank you for sharing your honest opinions of restaurants here. I used to want to go to every highly rated restaurant but now more of going with the flow. 一期一会 it is!