I understand where many of the people who tried this place became disappointed.

The reason for this is that the restaurant is authentic Japanese cuisine, a rarity in Vancouver. Tojo's expresses itself through its subtlety's and is extremely unlike the Japanese-American fusion (Chinese owned and often with Chinese cooks) restaurants that make up 90% of the 'Japanese' restaurants in North America. If you ask many Japanese Issei (first generation) where they prefer to eat for Japanese, many will in fact say no where. I've found that most who say they 'know' about Japanese food would not be able to tell the difference between from a dish whose recipe originated in the east opposed to the west of Japan. Even the simple facts about Japanese cuisine such as 'sushi' (which actually doesn't accurately describe the food its labeled to as its means "it's sour" as they no longer use fermented roots or fish in its preparation that ended in the 14th century) being an uncommon addition outside of a special occasion in the regular diet of Japanese people.

Like a expensive and aged wine, it's wasted on the majority of people despite the fact they may in fact drink wine on a regular basis.

Tojo's refines itself on fresh ingredients, the blending of flavours, and its dishes that are inspired from north, south, east, west, and island cuisines from around Japan.

If you consider yourself a connoisseur with a sharp pallet and a knowledge of Japanese food beyond ordering box A then I encourage you to try this place.

Otherwise, places like Shabusen and the Kamei Royale always rate well with my friends that gravitate to a less adventuresome and western oriented pallet.