For many, Tokyo is the biggest megalopolis in the Asia along with Shanghai, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Seoul. Naturally, many people expect the latest technology and fascinating new cultures, however, in the gastronomic world, Tokyo can be said the capital of the world’s greatest food.
With the most Michelin stars in the world (yes, even more than Paris), Tokyo has a tremendously fascinating variety of cuisines to offer, international to local, authentic and contemporary, and anyone could find their favorite restaurant/ food in this city.
But who would have thought that Japan’s capital would be the next new prospect for revolutionizing the Italian classic Neapolitan pizza?
How it all Started
Like many other countries, pizza was simply a part of the Italian or American menu served at restaurants. Some of them were known for their great quality, but it was nothing more than a mockery of the original.
However things started to change as the Japanese started to do what they are known for: pursuing an art to mastery.
The Japanese people’s love and appreciation towards great food also helped, as many people traveled to Italy to experience the authentic Neapolitan pizzas. Then, they brought back that authentic recipe and recreated it to spread the true art of pizza. It also helped that Neapolitan pizza is, at its core, a very simple delicacy using just flour, tomato, cheese, and water to prepare it, which appeals a whole lot to Japan’s love towards simplicity.
What happened next? A Japanese chef, Makoto Oonishi became the champion at the Pizzafest, an annual pizza contest held in Italy, the first non-Italian chef to win it. This came as a huge surprise in the gastronomic world, as the Italians are known for their conservative nature when it comes to food, and the fact that the Italian judges had to admit their defeat to a non-Italian chef. From then on, a huge Neapolitan pizza boom hit the archipelago, and many pizzerias opened in major cities
Birth of Tokyo Neapolitan
As there was a massive demand for great Neapolitan pizza, naturally, some chefs started to develop their own style of Neapolitan pizza. As New York has their own style of Neapolitan pizza, Tokyo started developing its own style of “authentic” Neapolitan pizza. Tokyo-style uses locally sourced wood and oven, and is often defined by its saltiness and delicateness of the dough. Plus, Tokyo’s Neapolitan pizza, unlike the authentic Neapolitan, could be cut into pieces like the American-style pizza, because Japanese people are just not accustomed to eating a whole pizza on their own. A taboo in Italian restaurants, Japanese foodies would share a couple pies of pizza and enjoy the various toppings. But of course, you could enjoy a whole pie by yourself with a knife and fork, in fact some restaurants still want you to eat it in this traditional manner.
Where to Find the Best Tokyo Neapolitan
Seirinkan
Seirinkan’s owner chef, Susumu Kakinuma is known as the founder of Tokyo Neapolitan pizza. It gets its name from the fact that they use local wood, hence the word sei (“sacred”) and rin (“woods”).
The only pizzas they serve are margherita and marinara, two classic and simple pizzas where you could truly taste all the ingredients, the natural sweetness and salt in the tomato sauce, creamy texture of the mozzarella, and the crispiness and flavor of the dough.
Information
Open Hours: 11:30 - 13:30, 18:00 - 20:45
Pizza Studio Tamaki
This small restaurant opened in March 2017, with only a few tables is designed by the owner Tsubasa Tamaki who trained under Kakinuma.
He also designed the oven himself, which has a lower ceiling than a normal pizza oven, enabling him to cook the pizza at a higher temperature, but requiring more attention and ability to see when the dough is ready to be served. They have quite a variety of pizzas to serve, including their original pizza “Tamaki” which is a simple margherita inspired pizza with pecorino romano on it. Another unique menu is the Oliva, which features a large portion of olives and caper.
Information
- Website: http://www.pst-tk2-ad.com/
- Open Hours: 17:00 - 23:00
Salvatore Cuomo
If you’re simply looking to enjoy Neapolitan pizza, we recommend you go to Salvatore Cuomo, a casual but quality Italian restaurant which serves authentic italian cuisine with a Japanese twist to it.
They offer a variety of pizzas, but we recommend you order the premium cheese option, available for all pizzas, which uses authentic and flavorful cheese that compliments the various ingredients topped on the dough.
Comments