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Kamimura

by Vanessa Gibson

Testsuya. It is a name that stops Australian foodies in their tracks. The story of a young Japanese man arriving in Australia with no English, no money and no experience who went on to establish one of the best restaurants in the world has become dining folklore. Now right here in Niseko, we have our own version of Tetsuya who has a similar tale to tell – Yuichi Kamimura. In 1999 Kamimura-san arrived in Australia with no money and no English and Tetsuya’s was the number one ranked restaurant in Australia despite being located in a tiny room in Sydney’s inner west. Kamimura-san had some experience as a kitchenhand in Japan and being newly arrived in Sydney, needed a job badly. He waited outside Tetsuya’s for four hours for his chance to ask the boss for a job.

Tetsuya saw a lot of himself in Kamimura-san and decided to give him a chance. They ended up working side by side for five years and the restaurant moved into its current expansive central city location, and on to being ranked the fourth best restaurant in the world. Kamimura-san then returned to Japan where he opened his own restaurant in Sapporo, his wife Miyuki as the only other staff member. Some expatriate Australians convinced Kamimura-san to pack up and open in Hirafu, and we’re all fortunate to have him here.

We ate at Kamimura just three days after their opening and the restaurant was already faultless, with none of the customary teething problems that take many new Hirafu restaurants a season to smooth out. We were greeted by a friendly maître d’ and were instantly made to feel very welcome and comfortable. The staff was all very professional, all spoke excellent English and could not be faulted on their service or knowledge of the menu.
Kamimura-san sticks with what he knows best - a set 10 course degustation menu. The menu will essentially stay the same for the season, but they keep a record of your dining so if you book again, they will provide a new menu for you. The food is modern Japanese fusion incorporating Hokkaido’s finest delicacies, and the menu can be adjusted for particular tastes. On the night we dined, my pick of the courses were the Spanish caviar and snow egg tartare of Hokkaido salmon, the grilled scallop with black truffle crème, and the roasted wagyu with Niseko potato puree. Absolutely delectable! All courses were presented almost like pieces of artwork, with attention to detail and some served on beautifully hand crafted wooden plates.

The wine list is extensive, most from Australia and New Zealand but a good selection of old world wine and some great French champagne, all surprisingly reasonably priced for a fine dining restaurant. If you’re lucky, Kamimura-san may come to your table for a chat. I didn’t walk out feeling overly full, but very content and wondering when I may have a chance to dine there again!

All in all Kamimura is an asset to Niseko and a very impressive experience. It’s a good idea to get in now whilst the waiting list is reasonable as I imagine in time you will be booking it with your flight!

Open nightly. Course menu ¥13,000. Located in Yama Shizen
Bookings essential.
0136 21 2288