Please note: Reservations are required; walk-ins cannot be accommodated.
Please note: Reservations are required.
"I'd love to visit a fine dining sushi restaurant someday, once my children are older."
When I worked at a Japanese restaurant in a five star luxury hotel, I often heard guests say exactly that.
It's easy to understand why. Fine dining sushi restaurants are not usually associated with young children.
A quiet atmosphere.
A dining experience designed for adults.
A long omakase course.
As parents, it's natural to worry.
"What if my child gets noisy?"
"What if we disturb the other guests?"
"What if my child gets bored halfway through the meal?"
Because of those concerns, many families decide that a fine dining sushi experience should wait until their children are older.
At REONA Sushi Tokyo, however, we see things a little differently.
The memories you create during a family trip are not something that can only be made after your children grow up. They are also something that can only be created right now.
Many of our guests travel to Japan from overseas.
They come from the United States, Europe, Australia, Singapore, and many other countries around the world.
One comment we hear again and again from families traveling with children is this.
"We really wanted to visit a sushi restaurant."
"We wanted to experience an omakase course."
"But we almost gave up because we were traveling with our children."
Parents give up far more during a trip than most people realize.
The restaurant they wanted to visit.
The bar they wanted to experience.
The cultural experiences they had hoped to enjoy.
Of course, they make those decisions because they care deeply about their children.
But for many international travelers, a trip to Japan is not something they can do every year. It is often a once in a lifetime journey that they have been planning for years.
We felt it was a shame that families should have to give up something they had genuinely been looking forward to simply because they were traveling with children.
We wanted parents to experience Japanese culture.
At the same time, we wanted children to enjoy experiences that they could only have in Japan.
That simple question, "Is there a way to make both possible?" became the starting point for everything we have created for families at REONA.
At REONA, we serve sushi.
But sushi itself is not the only thing we hope to offer.
What we truly want to create is time that families spend together.
When people look back on a trip, they do not always remember the name of the fish they ate.
Instead, they remember moments like these.
Laughing together.
Being surprised by something they had never seen before.
Sharing the same experience as a family.
Those are the memories that stay with us.
When we welcome families with children, we often notice parents enjoying their sushi while occasionally turning around to check on their children playing nearby.
They always seem so relaxed.
Perhaps it is a kind of moment that is difficult to find in everyday life.
Rather than rushing through a meal while constantly looking after their children, they are able to enjoy the meal themselves, knowing that their children are close by and having fun.
We believe that moments like these become part of a family's memories of traveling in Japan.
One comment we often hear from parents is,
"This is the first time in a long time that we've been able to enjoy a meal at our own pace."
In their daily lives, many parents are always watching over their children during meals.
At REONA, they often tell us that simply knowing their children are nearby allows them to relax and enjoy the omakase experience themselves.
It is one of the comments that has stayed with us the most.
The most popular activity in our kids' room is LEGO.
Children from all over the world become completely absorbed in building and creating, regardless of where they come from.
Some spend almost the entire omakase course happily playing with LEGO.
One scene we see quite often is a child concentrating on building something in the kids' room, then suddenly running over to their parents and saying, "Look!" while proudly showing off their LEGO creation or a drawing they have made.
The parents continue enjoying their sushi.
The children enjoy themselves in their own way.
We believe those moments help parents feel truly at ease.
One thing that makes REONA a little different from many sushi restaurants is that we have a dedicated kids' room.
To be honest, having a kids' room in a fine dining sushi restaurant is far from common.
Some people might even say that the space would be better used for additional counter seats.
Even so, we chose to create it because we wanted families to have another option.
Instead of thinking, "We can't go because we have children," we wanted parents to feel, "We can still enjoy this experience together."
The kids' room is located just behind the sushi counter, allowing children to play while remaining close to their parents.
Of course, it is not a childcare service.
However, we intentionally designed it so parents can easily check on their children throughout the meal.
Providing that sense of reassurance has always been one of our highest priorities.
We also offer a dedicated kids' menu.
Rather than simply preparing something because it is "for children," we wanted young guests to experience Japanese sushi culture as well.
That is why our menu includes options such as Temari sushi and Chirashi sushi, presented in a way that is approachable for children while still reflecting traditional Japanese cuisine.
We can also prepare a non raw version for children who are not comfortable eating raw fish.
On the other hand, once children are around seven or eight years old, some choose to enjoy the same omakase course as the adults.
Many parents are understandably unsure at first whether their child will be able to finish it.
In reality, it is not unusual for children to enjoy all 14 pieces of sushi.
Parents are often surprised, saying,
"I never imagined they would finish everything."
If you let us know in advance, children enjoying the Signature Course are also welcome to use the kids' room whenever they like.
Many of our young international guests are trying sushi for the very first time.
At first, they may be hesitant.
By the end of the meal, they are often smiling proudly.
One of our favorite moments is when a child walks over carrying their empty sushi box and happily tells us,
"I finished it!"
Sometimes parents tell us,
"This was actually their first time eating eel."
Trying something completely new in a country far from home is a big step for a child.
Every time we witness moments like these, we are reminded why we decided to create this experience for families in the first place.
Our goal is not to treat families with children differently.
In fact, it is quite the opposite.
We simply hope to challenge the idea that "fine dining sushi isn't possible if you have children."
Of course, not every sushi restaurant needs to be family friendly.
Some restaurants are built around a quiet atmosphere, and we truly respect that. Every restaurant has its own unique philosophy and value.
At REONA, we have chosen a different path.
We want to create an omakase experience that families can enjoy together.
We want parents to experience Japanese culture.
We want children to create joyful memories of their trip to Japan.
Most importantly, we want families to share those moments together.
If you have ever found yourself thinking,
"We'll visit a fine dining sushi restaurant once our children are older,"
we hope you might consider another possibility.
Perhaps you do not have to wait for "someday."
Over the years, we have welcomed many families from around the world.
We have watched children enjoy sushi for the very first time.
We have celebrated a child's first bite of eel.
We have shared in the excitement of a family's very first omakase experience together.
We know those moments become lasting memories for the families who experience them.
That is why we believe the best family travel memories do not have to wait until your children grow up.
They can begin today.