A few years ago Kurogi san, the owner of the then Michelin Two Star restaurant bearing his name, mentioned that October was the very best month of the year for food in Japan. That particular evening we were seated at the counter at the restaurant’s previous location in Yushima (it has since moved to Daimon). I like sitting at the counter over tables as you can not only watch what’s going on (and learn!) but also converse with the chef. I remember his comments about October as it was October, and our meal featured matsutake mushrooms from three different regions prepared four, maybe five, different ways. It was delicious, and also expensive. I don’t remember what type of sashimi we had at one point in our dinner, just that it was so delicious I asked where it was from. Kurogi san excused himself and went into the back, then returned with a slip of paper with all the important data about the fish on it; where it was caught (off Kyushu, I believe), the depth of the water the fish was hooked at, the water temperature, and even the time of day. It was then that he made the comment about October being the best month for eating in Japan, something I still consider when deciding when to eat at certain restaurants.

Aside from his enthusiasm, I really cannot disagree with or find fault with Kurogi san’s enthusiasm for the foods available in Japan in October. It really is the best time of year to feast here, something I always mention to foreigners when they express an interest of coming to Japan to do some serious eating. Autumn, centered around October, is the best time to eat here. The fish are fat after spending the summer in warm waters getting the fill of smaller fish that turn into rich and fatty flavors; there are special release sakes, most famously hiyaoroshi (basically a late release, meaning an extra six months or so aged in a tank before being bottled, giving it a slightly different, and usually more pleasant flavor), and of course shin soba, or freshly harvested soba. And as all soba lovers know, the best soba is all about the three most fresh things: Freshly harvested and milled, freshly made (hand kneaded), and freshly cooked. And of course the fall mushrooms that are waiting to be picked in the hills outside of Tokyo!

By the way, Kurogi gave up his two Michelin stars rather than stop serving ¥1,000 lunches to his long-time, regular customers, the folks at Michelin saying serving such cheap meals was beneath the dignity of a two star establishment.