Misono

Here is the updated description with the halal information included:

To eat at Misono in Kobe is not merely to have dinner — it is to sit at the very table where teppanyaki was born. Established in 1945 by the visionary Fujioka Shigechi in the ruins of post-war Kobe, Misono is the world's original teppanyaki restaurant, the place where a chef running an okonomiyaki stall had the inspired idea to grill beef steaks on his iron griddle — and in doing so, created an entirely new culinary genre that would travel the world. Today, over eight decades later, the Kobe Main Store remains the flagship of the Misono group, and a pilgrimage destination for lovers of Japanese beef from every corner of the globe.

Occupying the 7th and 8th floors of the glass-fronted Misono Building in Sannomiya — just a two-minute walk from the west exit of Sannomiya Station and situated south of the Ikuta Shrine — the restaurant offers sweeping views over the Kobe cityscape, making it as much a feast for the eyes as for the palate. Fully renovated in 2002 following the devastation of the Great Hanshin Earthquake, the dining room is elegant and composed, with every seat positioned directly in front of a custom-built teppan iron grill — a defining feature of the Misono concept that Fujioka himself originated and that every teppanyaki restaurant in the world has since inherited.

The theatre of dining here is inseparable from the food. Chefs in tall white hats orchestrate every element of the meal directly before you — expertly trimming, searing, flipping, and plating each piece of beef with decades of honed technique, while managing the temperature of the densely built iron griddle with precise control. Metal steak covers are used to prevent oil from splashing onto diners — another Misono invention that has become an industry standard. Uniquely, the steaks at Misono are enjoyed with chopsticks in the Japanese tradition, a deliberate nod to the restaurant's cultural roots.

The beef itself is the centrepiece. Misono serves exclusively world-renowned black cattle Japanese Wagyu — most notably certified Kobe beef, drawn from the A4 and A5 ranked Kuroge Wagyu cattle sourced from premium markets across Japan including Hokkaido and Kagoshima. The philosophy of the kitchen is one of restraint and reverence: only salt and pepper are used to season the Kobe beef, allowing the extraordinary natural flavour and marbling to speak entirely for themselves. Beyond beef, the menu features an abundance of premium seafood — lobster cooked with its rich aromatic innards-based sauce, abalone, and seasonal vegetables — all prepared on the grill. The Miso Special Wagyu Beef — a signature creation unique to Misono, featuring the finest Kuroge Wagyu marinated in the restaurant's carefully selected miso — is another celebrated dish, particularly praised by French visitors for its deeply savoury complexity.

For Muslim diners, Misono offers halal Kobe beef options upon request — a meaningful provision for those wishing to experience the restaurant's legendary beef within their dietary requirements. It is important to note, however, that Misono is not a fully halal-certified restaurant and alcohol is served on the premises. Muslim diners are advised to contact the restaurant in advance to confirm the availability of the halal menu and clarify the specifics of the halal compliance before making a reservation.

To accompany the meal, the restaurant maintains a long-standing partnership with Fukuju, a Kobe sake brewery with over 260 years of history. An English menu and English-speaking staff are available, welcoming international guests with full hospitality.