The moon is magical in any phase, but it's never more beautiful than the first full moon of autumn. Some people go out to gaze and wonder at temples or teahouses; others from hillsides or seashores. But few would think of heading into central Tokyo — not unless they'd booked a table at Shakunage.
There are plenty of good restaurants boasting premium views over the city and up to the heavens. What makes Shakunage more than a bit special is its terrace. Twelve stories up, in the very heart of Ginza, you can sit and eat outdoors, looking over the urban skyline. When there's a big, yellow harvest moon rising, there's nowhere like it in the city.
It's almost exactly three years since the swish Ginza Mitsukoshi department store reopened following a total refurbishment. Amid the obligatory clutch of new eating spots on the upper floors of its new east annex, it was Shakunage that caught the eye. Not only does it occupy the choicest corner of the building, it has in Hisato Nakahigashi one of the most illustrious chefs in Kyoto overseeing the kitchen.