The monthly pies at Pizza Studio Tamaki include the “taco-style” Bismarck, layered with cumin-spiced ground beef, cheese, lettuce, and a gooey egg; the Japanese Umami pizza at Pizza Marumo has pecorino and mozzarella cheeses, shiitake mushroom purée, bonito flakes, and emerald green shavings of kombu; and the Nojiri pie at L'ombelico, inside the Trunk Hotel in Yoyogi Park, comes with a pile of plump clams from Hokkaido. At the Pizza Bar on 38th, a Michelin Bib Gourmand spot inside the Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo, Roman-born chef Daniele Cason crafts omakase menus with pizzas bearing duck salsiccia and marbled slices of Wagyu beef. Just a few blocks away is Ciel Pizza, opened last July by the team at Michelin-starred French restaurant Lature, in Shibuya, which features toppings like shirasu (baby sardines), citrusy sansho peppers, and lemons from the Setouchi region of western Japan.

Colloquially known as simply PST, Pizza Studio Tamaki is named after the restaurant’s owner and head chef, the passionate and hardworking Tsubasa Tamaki. With its world-class pies, PST is helping put Tokyo on the map for producing some of the best Neapolitan-style pizza in the world. Just as the pizza is almost finished cooking, Tamaki throws a handful of sugi (Japanese cedar) chips into the wood fire oven to infuse the pizza with the slightest smoky hit.

Tucked snugly into a corner by Shiba Park in Minato ward sits one of the most highly regarded pizzerias in Tokyo. Pizza Studio Tamaki, or PST as it’s called by fans, is led by Tsubasa Tamaki, who trained under lauded pizzaiolo Sussum Kakinuma of Seireinkan and Savoy. The bases are light and chewy, sporting the characteristic puffy crust and thin centre of Naples-style pizza.

Primacy in the school of Tokyo-style Neapolitan pizza frequently comes down to two names: Seirinkan, chef-owner Susumu Kakinuma’s two-story restaurant where the decor is inspired by Jules Verne, the Beatles are always playing, and the pie options are a margherita and a marinara; and Pizza Studio Tamaki, an unassuming corner hangout in a residential section of the Minato ward opened in 2017 by Tsubasa Tamaki, a protégé of Kakinuma. Ardent pizza lovers should make it to both places, but if time allows for only one pizzeria visit I vote PST. It is some of the best pizza I’ve had in the world.

In Tokyo, pizzaiolos apply the same level of dedication and expertise as sushi masters, with Tsubasa Tamaki leading the charge. After honing his craft at the prestigious Savoy, Tamaki has refined his unique baking style and techniques, making his pizzas some of the finest in Tokyo. PST also offers an array of appetizers and pastas, featuring spices and tropical ingredients from his Okinawan heritage.

Pizza Studio Tamaki (PST) has been recognized with a Michelin Bib Gourmand for four consecutive years and is ranked 18th in the 2024 "Asia's Top 50 Pizzas.". Situated in Higashi-Azabu, this specialty pizzeria serves authentic pizzas crafted with a unique blend of flour. Their style is neither strictly Neapolitan nor American but is instead a Japanese-inspired take, designed to suit local tastes.

Pizza Studio Tamaki gives you a taste of Italy in the middle of Japan and is a Michelin 2019 Bib Gourmand Place awardee. Tsubasa Tamaki has mastered the art of hand-stretched Tokyo Neapolitan style pizza and serves it with freshly picked ingredients combined with imported cheese from Italy. Some of the best seller options that you should try would be their Tamaki and Marinara.

Believe that it’s trueItalian food is big in Japan, as it is everywhere in the world. In Tokyo there are Italian-style eateries popping up everywhere, including a spate of pizza joints that take their pies very seriously. One of the best is Pizza Studio Tamaki, a small restaurant in a quiet area of Azabu, helmed by pizziaolo Tsubasa Tamaki.

Though Tsubasa Tamaki trained for years under Kakinuma and the purists at Savoy, his own joint has garnered a loyal following for signature pies that take the old-school wood-fired Neapolitan beyond the basics. There’s a smoked mozzarella, pecorino Romano and basil variety, and a Diavola with sausage and olive. Patrons can even—gasp!

Pizza Studio Tamaki is a renowned boutique pizzeria, even earning recognition in the Michelin Bib Gourmand guide. Within its cozy confines, you’ll discover a lineup of beloved classics like Margherita, Marinara, and Quatro Formaggi. What sets PST apart is its commitment to incorporating seasonal ingredients into its menu and pizzas.

Another protegee of Kakinuma, Pizza Studio Tamaki, or PST, is run by chef and owner Tsubasa Tamaki. While PST may be considered the little sister to Seirinkan, its taken just as seriously as pizza master Susumu Kakinuma. “There is no room for mistake in the center.

A special sort of ‘Tokyo Neapolitan’ style pizza, the dough here is extra fine and pizzas fired up in a Japanese cedar wood oven. If you’re lucky enough to grab one of the few seats at Pizza Studio Tamaki, be sure to order the simple Marinara.

Pizza Studio Tamaki (PST) in Higashi-Azabu serves some of the best Neapolitan-style pizza in Tokyo. That’s not hyperbole - it’s just a fact of life in Tokyo.