Elegance, refinement, exclusivity: These are qualities only to be expected at any high-end Japanese restaurant. Affordability? Think again. Or, rather, think different. That's the way to approach Yoshihashi.

One of Tokyo's most elegant and traditional sukiyaki houses, Yoshihashi is also one of its least publicized. Tucked away down a cul-de-sac off a nondescript side street in Moto-Akasaka — itself a quarter that flies under most people's radar — it's a place that likes to keep its name out of the limelight.

There's a good reason for this. Yoshihashi is a favorite among Japan's captains of industry, as well as ranking bureaucrats and occasional political bigwigs from nearby Nagatacho. They gather here in the evening because they know they are guaranteed privacy and discretion along with their multicourse meals of premium beef.