About 8 years ago, I started TokyoTableTrip to help people find great places to eat in Japan. Over the years, the way people access information has changed, and now, with platforms like Instagram, I feel like the focus has shifted from people wanting to finding great places to eat, to wanting to secure reservations at these places.

In Japan, booking a restaurant can already be challenging due to factors like:
• limited online reservation systems (low IT literacy among chefs is contributing to this)
• limited seating causing competition for reservations even for local Japanese people
• language barriers where staff don’t speak English and often favor Japanese customers

I heard you loud and clear through running this site, that this has been a major pain point for many of you planning a trip to Japan hoping to find the hidden gems loved by locals and securing a reservation at them.

While there are services that exist which try to address these issues, I understand that they:
• often disadvantage foreign travellers who don’t hold a Japanese address
• charge high reservation fees

and last but not least,
• struggle to keep their restaurant lists updated with the latest venues

https://table-ex.com/
I took this opportunity to revisit our initial concept of “offering travelers who specifically visit Japan for its cuisine, the chance to experience genuinely delicious restaurants that locals love”. And as a part of this, I've decided to introduce a new reservation service called Table EX.

The 'EX' in Table Ex encompasses a range of meanings, including experience, excellent, expert, exploration, and exclusive.

Here, we will showcase truly delicious and great restaurants, regardless of accolades such as Michelin stars or recognition from Tabelog awards. I personally curate these selections, focusing on the authentic flavors rather than global fame.

I have absolute confidence in the restaurant list on Table EX.
Even if you haven't heard of some of the listed places, I encourage you to trust me and click the reservation button because I promise that an amazing experience awaits you.

I’ll be covering not only upscale places, but also casual local spots that locals frequent. Through this service, I hope to immerse food enthusiasts like you in the authentic culture of Japanese cuisine.

Having evolved from a one-way information platform over the years, I consider TokyoTableTrip to now be a community where people who love Japanese food worldwide gather.

I would love to grow and continuously improve this service with all of you here.

Suggestions for any places to be added to the list are also welcome and encouraged!

The plan is to expand the list of bookable restaurants steadily, so let Table EX be one of the services that support the way you eat your way around Japan!

https://table-ex.com/