An intimate space, with a look, feel and soundtrack that brings that Tokyo-style backstreet cafe atmosphere to Manchester. The best Asian tasting menu in the city, and comes in at a remarkably pocket-friendly price point.

Manchester’s WakuWaku is the UK’s only “2D” Japanese restaurant and one of a mere handful in the world – New York, Berlin and Singapore, at last count.

A smart, modern-looking space, all high windows and great lighting, with people popping in and out all day to grab something to eat, and when it comes to drink and food, the quality is sky-high.

KAJI is well known for its new-wave Japanese cuisine, thanks to one of the best sushi selections in the city, and Smith has done a fine job of merging his Ribble Valley nous with East Asian flavours.

A Manchester mainstay for over 30 years, Samsi keeps things simple with reliable, lightly westernised Japanese food. From £9.99 sushi to crisp tempura, it’s quality without the fuss.

Tucked away in Chorlton, Yane brings quietly meticulous Japanese comfort food to South Manchester, serving donburi, kare and house-made pickles with serious attention to detail. Warm, unfussy and beautifully designed, it’s the kind of place that’ll keep you coming back.

Shoryu are clearly doing something right. It’s by far the busiest space in Piccadilly Gardens’ restaurant sector, with delightfully helpful staff and some of the most well-made -not to mention most mouth-watering – Japanese dishes in the North.

Manchester has its fair share of sushi restaurants, but not many have a following like Umezushi. Tucked away under an old railway arch behind Victoria Station on the edges of the city centre, it’s hard to find but well worth the hunt. Despite having just sixteen covers, this bright minimalist space never feels pokey. The vibe is relaxed, with a laid-back jazz soundtrack, and efficient staff who are more than willing to recommend courses and explain dishes in mouth-watering detail, like a food lover’s ultimate Jackanory.

Sexy Fish brings high-glamour dining to Manchester, with bold Japanese flavours, surrealist art and a seriously showy interior.

The teppanyaki style of Japanese cooking has a chef using an iron griddle in front of diners, often performing theatrics to entertain the diners. Teppanyaki’s aim is to bring this long-established style of cooking back to its more credible and sophisticated roots. And it works.

Yuzu don’t do sushi but they do raw fish and rice, just not wrapped up for you – here they serve sashimi donburi-style, with the seafood fanned out over a bowl of lightly dressed rice and shaved radish. The rest of the small menu focuses on simple Japanese classics – fried tofu, udon noodles, rice bowls – executed well, with minimum fuss and one or two specials to keep things interesting.

All neon lights and elegant design, with dedicated areas where the expert staff create sushi and some of the best cocktails in South Manchester. With just four options, the cocktail menu is small but each is touched by genius.

The kind of place you’ll head back to, again and again. The Pan-Asian menu is wide-ranging surprisingly affordable considering the city-centre location, connected to the ever-growing Great Northern Warehouse.

The summertime menu explores the parallels between Japan and Britain, combining intricate preparation with bold flavours from the local countryside and the UK seas.