Best 10 Japanese Restaurants in Shanghai voted by 100 Japanese CEOs

According to a local Japanese free magazine called Concierge last month, here is the list of the best 10 Japanese restaurants in Shanghai. It is a result of a survey among 100 Japanese CEOs for eating out on business. So here is a caveat: the list of their choice is their preference of a restaurant to treat their business guests on their fat expense accounts. Their personal preference may be, and mine definitely is, different. Here you go. Enjoy!

No. 1: Yamasato (山里) 68.8 points
No. 2: Maekawa (前川) 62.5
No. 3: Ajisato (味里) 50
No. 4: Uokura (鱼库) 43.8
No. 5: Yuzu (柚子) 37.5
No. 6: Ginpei (银平) 25
No. 6: Ninsei (仁清) 25
No. 6: Sun with Aqua 25
No. 6: Aoi (葵) 25
No. 6: Nadaman （なだ万）　25

What is the max. possible score? 100?
If the best is 68.8, would any one want to try a 25?

have they got any places where you can pick pick food off a naked woman wrapped in clingfilm?

i havent heard of any of these places. can someone post their addresses?

Yamazato is in Okura garden.

intaresuhting.....

Sun With Aqua is on the Bund.

Concierge wuld have just put those 10 based on how much advertising revenue they get from each...clearly not based on any sort of actual feedback

Here is the list of links corresponding to those 10 Japanese restaurants along with average check per person. You can get the addresses and phone numbers from the linked pages.

No. 1: Yamasato (山里) 68.8 points 600RMB
http://www.gudumami.cn/shop/cs06553/

No. 2: Maekawa (前川) 62.5 500RMB
http://www.gudumami.cn/shop/cs89760/

No. 3: Ajisato (味里) 50 300RMB
http://www.gudumami.cn/shop/cs05820/

No. 4: Uokura (鱼库) 43.8 280RMB
http://www.gudumami.cn/jp/shop/cs87192/

No. 5: Yuzu (柚子) 37.5 190RMB
http://www.gudumami.cn/shop/cs86613/

No. 6: Ginpei (银平) 25 150RMB
http://www.gudumami.cn/shop/cs98638/

No. 6: Ninsei (仁清) 25 250RMB
http://www.gudumami.cn/shop/cs71098/

No. 6: Sun with Aqua 25 400 RMB
http://www.gudumami.cn/shop/cs04745/

No. 6: Aoi (葵) 25 210RMB
http://www.gudumami.cn/shop/cs96745/

No. 6: Nadaman （なだ万）　25
http://www.nadaman.co.jp/shanghai/index.htm

Obviously the top end is expensive, but surprisingly some in the lower end are reasonable. I may try them.

As for the points, the publisher says that they are based upon votes from the CEOs and the publisher's own weight. So the “weight” might be determined by how much advertisement money those restaurants paid to the publisher.

Talking about the warm living sushi plates, we are too late. I don't think they exist now. I understand those sushi plates were quickly confiscated by the authority. I don't think sushi tastes good if it is placed on a warm plate anyway. I, however, recently saw an advertisement of sexy shabushabu by a Japanese KTV.

what do i know about Ninsei is 2
of my japanese friends suffered from diarrhea after they have lunch in there
and never heard about the others mentioned before

The message of this ranking is simple, there are a lots and lots of real Japanese restaurants in Shanghai. Both expensive ones like most of those in the list but also down-to-earth places. Here's the paradise for good Japanese food at low prices unthinkable in Japan.

Recently someone told me which place is the best Japanese restaurant in Shanghai, but I still have to meet a Japanese who ever went there. Real Japanese restaurants are not the ones listed in English freepapers, often Teppanyaki style, with cool names and frequented mainly by Westerners. "Teppanyaki" does exist in Japan, but it is not a major category and few restaurants use it as a headline. I think it is just a concept easy to understand for those who do not know Japanese food.

Look into Japanese freepapers such as Whenever, Japion, Bros or Concierge for extensive listings.

The "nightlife" supplements of those are also recommended, for a laugh.

^ Yes, you don't really need to read Japanese to flip through the free papers and find some restaurants that interest you since most of them put prices on their ads.

On last weekend my gf and I went to a Japanese restaurant in Gubei that caters to businessmen. So on weekend they have a fantastic deal: all you can eat and a bottle of French wine for only 200 RMB per two people. I was surprised by relatively high quality of fish and its freshness. There was no neon coloured sashimi. The tables are not elegant for dinner, but with that price, I have no complain. I will try to get a room next time though. Its called Ryofuku (漁福).

The best 10? You got to be kidding. I don't think you can find 4 - 5 which are passable!

I've been to Uokura (number 4 on the list), and they have two restaurants. It's outstanding. The menu is only in Japanese. So we asked the waitress to have the chef just bring dishes to us one at a time, and not too fast. What a fabulous dinner we had. Tab, with all the sake we wanted to drink, came to around 900rmb. Skip the sake and I'm guessing the total would be about 500-600rmb. Not bad, if you consider that a dinner at the French bistro Franck would be easy over 1,000rmb for two with a bottle of wine.

One other restaurant not on the list that I'd highly recommend is Toriyasu (5241.1677), a genuine Japanese Yakitori restaurant as close to what you'd find in Tokyo, frequented by a lot of Japanese expats and some foreigners who are in on the secret. It's across from the Changning Carrefour. There is no sign on the front of the restaurant but it's recognizable by a nicely lit all wooden slat front exterior with a door high enough for a nice 5 ft or 1.5m person to go through. The menu is all in Japanese but just point to dishes that you see on the table next to you. Ask the waitress to tell the chefs not to put too much seasoning on the Yakitori and you'll get a great meal. And extremely reasonable, around 400-500rmb for two. It's noisy and funky inside, not a business like atmosphere unless you like a much more informal and relaxed environment.

^ That's why I don't go to a French restaurant in Shanghai. 我没有钱! Yes, Toriyasu (鳥安） is also my favourite. The one I know is near Zhongshan Park subway station. The entrance of that Toriyasu is also difficult to find. I guess they want to be discreet.

Pudong selection:

Yuzu (#4) in Zhongdian Dasha on Nanqian Bei Lu
Excellent izakaya menu and shabu shabu, 170 RMB

Another Yuzu in Holiday Inn on Dongfang Lu
Very fishy izakaya menu, RMB 190

O-Aji-Dou on Pudian Lu/Laoshan Lu
Shabu shabu 88-125 RMB

Chanko-nabe restaurant next to it, not impressive but rare - real sumotori operated

Gatten-Sushi in 96 Plaza on Dongfang Lu
Japanese chain, very good and very reasonable price

Mangetsu on Weifang Xi Lu
Very normal yakiniku like in Japan

Kanda Yakiniku on Zhangyang Lu, 3rd floor of the building next to Babaiban
Yakiniku, not inpressive but 168 RMB eat-as-much... deal is good value-for-money

Tenya, Changliu Lu opposite Renaissance hotel
specialized in toro, unbelievable place for tuna lovers, course menu 280 RMB or individual orders, they will explain the background of each piece of fish to you