SHOKU NOREN Members
Request tables and get release-date alerts — free to join.
Join free with your email and country of residence. Request a table at any restaurant, get release-date alerts for the houses you save, and make a Japanese dining card. For travelers who live outside Japan.
Free · for travelers who live outside Japan
Requests, release-date alerts and a dining card
Free
- Request a table at any of 1,240 restaurants — ¥6,000 a seat in our collection, ¥12,000 elsewhere, charged only when you approve a table we hold
- Release-date alerts for the houses you save
- A Japanese dining card for what you can’t eat
- Restaurant picks and news, once a month (if you choose to receive them)
Add a few details about your trip and taste and our picks fit you better. Everything beyond email and country is optional.
What membership adds
Release days and hours are free for everyone. Requests, release-date alerts, the dining card and monthly picks come with free membership — and sending a request makes you a member with that email.
Show the comparison
| Without membership | Free member | |
|---|---|---|
| Release day and hour, every house | Free | Free |
| Table requests: ¥6,000 per seat in our collection, ¥12,000 elsewhere, charged only when you approve a table we hold | — | Yes |
| Release-date alerts for the houses you save | — | Yes, no limit |
| A Japanese dining card | — | Yes |
| Restaurant picks and news, once a month (only if you agree) | — | Yes |
See every benefit
Table requests
Ask our desk for a table at any restaurant in Japan: ¥6,000 a seat in our collection, ¥12,000 elsewhere, charged only when you approve a table we hold.
Release-date alerts for the houses you save
For houses that open bookings on a set date, we email you the day before, on the morning of release day (08:00 JST) and about 30 minutes before when the opening time is known. For houses that open a little every day, you get a weekly summary. Times are shown in Japan time and in your own time zone, and there is no limit on how many houses you save.
A Japanese dining card
Your allergies and diet — and your companions' — written in natural Japanese for the kitchen. Show it on your phone or print it.
Restaurant picks and news, once a month
Houses about to open their books and tables that are easier to get, with news from SHOKU NOREN and JSTARs — sent only if you agree. Unsubscribe anytime.
How it works
- 1
Enter your email and country of residence and press Join free. Your account works right away, and we email you a link to confirm your address — no password and no card.
- 2
Open your Members home. Save your houses, add your travel dates, and the calendar shows what opens when — alerts follow on their own.
- 3
On release day, book it yourself — or ask our desk to request the table: ¥6,000 per seat at a house in our collection, ¥12,000 per seat elsewhere, charged only if we secure it.
Questions
Is membership really free?
Yes. There is no card and no subscription. Release-date alerts, the Japanese dining card and our monthly restaurant picks and news (only if you agree) cost nothing. A table request is charged only when you approve a table we hold.
Does an account guarantee a seat?
No. Seats at these houses are limited by design. An alert makes sure you are ready at the right moment; the outcome still depends on the house.
Can you book restaurants outside your collection?
Yes. We take requests for any restaurant in Japan: ¥6,000 per seat at a house in our collection, ¥12,000 per seat elsewhere, charged only if we secure the table. For houses that take guests only by introduction, are not accepting new guests or are fully booked, we tell you honestly when you request that the odds are very low.
How do I stop alerts or delete my account?
Turn alerts off for any house on your account page, or delete the account there. Nothing is billed, so there is nothing to cancel.
How do I sign in later?
Enter your email and we send a sign-in link and a six-digit code. No password. You stay signed in on that device for 90 days.
Which currency am I charged in?
The account is free. Booking fees are charged in Japanese yen; your card issuer converts at its own rate, and amounts shown in other currencies are estimates.
Can I use it while I'm in Japan?
Yes, if you live outside Japan. SHOKU NOREN is for travelers who live outside Japan, so residents of Japan can't join. If you live abroad, alerts, requests and your Members home work before and during your stay, including from your hotel in Japan.
Membership is free and has no subscription. Requests and purchases accepted before 22 September 2026 are completed on the terms in place when they were accepted. See our Terms.