It takes considerable confidence to open a new restaurant at the hottest time of the year, when people's appetites are at their lowest ebb. To locate it down a narrow alley hidden from sight of Ginza's passing foot traffic seems even more foolhardy. But ramen shops work according to different rules — especially when they're as excellent as Kazami.
You may need sophisticated GPS equipment to find your way here, but once you arrive you can see it is far from an ordinary noodle joint. A large indigo banner is strung across the entrance, narrow windows form vertical slits in the sleek concrete facade, and a beautiful wooden doorway slides open effortlessly at the slightest touch.
Inside, ergonomic wooden chairs are aligned along a timber counter looking into the gleaming open kitchen where owner-chef Hidenori Ohata and his assistants preside in spotless uniforms. If it weren't for the steam from the bubbling pans of cooking water, you might take Kazami for a high-end Ginza sushi shop.
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