Bandobashi is not a name on any tourist map of Yokohama: two subway stops south of Kannai, a district of a university hospital and an expressway ramp, a short taxi ride from Chinatown. On a corner there, behind a white noren, Taichi Uemura fries. The house opened under his own name on 1 October 2024; until then the same room was the Idai‑dori branch of Fukunishi, the Minato Mirai tempura house, and Uemura was the chef entrusted with it. With independence came one decision: the fryer switched to 100% untoasted sesame oil. Reviewers relay that he trained in sushi before tempura; the house itself says only that its preparation and frying technique are self‑taught and its own. On Tabelog the house stood at 3.75 in September 2026.
What you eat
One omakase. The September 2026 listing puts it at ¥20,000 including tax plus 10% service, about twelve pieces of tempura and two dishes, the count and price moving with the season; reviewers paid ¥16,500 to ¥18,500 over 2025–26. The frying runs cooler than the Edomae norm, and the first thing regulars notice is what is missing: no oil‑blotting paper on the counter, and none of the fried‑oil smell a tempura room usually carries. Pieces come with a house kombu salt and a curry salt. Fish arrives from Misaki, Toyosu and Yokohama’s central market — kuruma‑ebi served legs first and then the body, Edomae kisu, aori squid and kue rested for days — then Ibaraki renkon, sea bream and yam rolled in shiso, pearl onions fried an hour at low heat. A September 2025 guest recorded shinko, a hand‑roll of tuna, abalone, amadai fried scales‑on, a miso soup of sea‑bream bones, a tendon to finish and a hojicha pudding. There is lunch, too, at ¥7,700 or ¥13,200 in 2025, and the house takes only one or two parties at midday.
The booking reality
Everything is reservation‑only, and the house names two channels: the telephone, 045‑315‑2904, and a direct message on Instagram, both in Japanese. A handful of dates also appear on Foodies Reserve, where the house’s page carries its rules; on 11 September 2026 that calendar showed nothing before November, and the page asks you to phone about cancellations when it is empty. There is no release day. A June 2026 reviewer found the book full two months ahead; another booked one month ahead by DM in November 2025. Hours and closing days are not published — the house calls itself irregularly closed and asks you to enquire by phone — and dinner start times are settled when you book. Arrive within ten minutes of your time, declare allergies in advance, leave strong perfume at home, ask before bringing children, and bring nothing in. Cancellation terms and any minimum party are not published, so we confirm them when our desk places the call in Japanese.
