With over 420 Michelin-rated restaurants in 2023, Tokyo is a culinary powerhouse. In addition to meticulously crafted cuisine and impeccable hospitality, some of the city's top restaurants forge profound connections between diners and nature.

In the past two decades, culinary pioneers such as Yoshihiro Narisawa and Shinobu Namae have championed eco-conscious approaches to sourcing and cooking. Today, Tokyo's vibrant restaurant scene mirrors the cultural and geographic richness of the Japanese capital itself, spanning from the towering skyscrapers in the bustling centre to the densely forested slopes in the Tama region.

When Narisawa opened the two-Michelin-starred restaurant Narisawa 20 years ago, he wanted to bring the ethos of satoyama to the heart of the city. The term refers to the border between man-made settlements and the forest or sea – areas where, Narisawa says, "nature overlaps with the domains of human existence."

"The concept extends beyond geography," Narisawa says.

"Living in a big city, it's easy to forget the importance of nature," Narisawa says. "I want to remind people that everything – from the air we breathe to the water we drink – originates in the forests. I hope that my cuisine inspires people to become interested in food and where it comes from."

Amarante collaborates with farmers to purchase irregular and surplus produce that would otherwise be discarded.

"Although these products are high-quality, they require extra effort to cook with," Amarante says. "My role is to bring out the full potential of the ingredients. "

He extends the same labour-intensive approach to meat and seafood. Delicately flavoured isaki grunt fish, for example, is rarely used at fine-dining restaurants because of its limited shelf life. Expanding his repertoire beyond certain types of fish – such as bluefin tuna and turbot – that are susceptible to overfishing, Amarante ages the grunt under tightly controlled conditions before grilling it with binchotan charcoal and garnishing the dish with cucumber and shiso.

He also showcases domestically grown saffron in golden-hued riso di semola, rice-shaped pasta prepared as risotto. The saffron is sourced from a Japanese start-up venture that is revitalising rural communities.

Located a short distance from the city centre, Maruta offers an immersive encounter with nature, set amid the Jindaiji Gardens in Chofu. Housed in an expansive space with a soaring, double-height ceiling, the restaurant is anchored by the wood-fired hearth where chef Kazuki Ishimatsu creates inventive cuisine with products sourced primarily from the surrounding areas of Mitaka, Ome and Hachioji. Upon arrival, the staff welcomes you with a cup of tea brewed from mint and dokudami, an herb used in traditional Chinese medicine, picked from the garden. The bar at the entrance is lined with a collection of intriguing house-made infusions: rosemary-steeped gin and vodka flavoured with yamamomo – the small, red fruit of the bayberry tree – or surplus kiwis from a nearby farm in Tokyo.

"We wanted this to be a place where people could eat in front of the fire, to create an atmosphere that you can't find in central Tokyo," Ishimatsu says.

A kiss of flame adds depth to scabbard fish and homemade edamame tofu, wrapped in a banana leaf and then grilled. Smoky grilled eggplant comes with a spicy sauce flavoured with toriyama sansho, a relative of Japanese prickly ash, and a cheese-like paste of fermented potato.

A hallmark of satoyama culture, fermentation is a cornerstone of Maruta's cuisine.

"Because we're concerned about food loss, we were looking for ways other than freezing and drying to use ingredients and discovered how exciting fermentation can be," Ishimatsu says, noting that the cooks use the technique to transform plants not normally found in the kitchen into flavourful culinary components.

Part of the restaurant's mission is to help preserve the green spaces that remain in the Chofu area.

"Development is continuing at a rapid pace, but there is still some nature and farmland out here," Ishimatsu says. "There are people who are working to stem the tide, and we want to support them."

Indeed, those who venture beyond central Tokyo's 23 wards are rewarded with lush landscapes in the Tama region.

In autumn, the scenery is a tapestry of crimson and gold, while spring blankets the landscape in fluffy pink cherry blossoms. One of the best times to visit, however, is early summer, when thousands of fireflies are released into the wetlands, creating a captivating evening glow.

Succulent chicken, grilled on a brazier at the table, is the main attraction here. The meal is a multicourse affair of seasonal ingredients such as ayu sweetfish in the summer, along with delicacies such as fine carp sashimi. In spring, gifts from Tokyo's satoyama take centre stage, with bamboo shoots and wild mountain vegetables gathered from neighbouring woodlands.