What’s the first thing that race through your mind when I say the word Japan? Was it sushi? If so, then we can together dive into sushi heaven and eat as much sushi as possible.
...or you can read my article here to know where to get your sushi fix in Tokyo!
In this article, I will put down my recommendations for the best sushi restaurant in Tokyo. Sit tight and hold on!
About Sushi
Sushi….who doesn’t know about this delicacy?
Sushi in Japan used to be a strict, traditional cuisine that mainly uses seafood for its ingredients. The seafood used could be fresh and uncooked, or some might have been broiled. However, in the recent years, there has been an influx of “sushi” that uses other ingredients such as hamburger and beef. I’m actually one of these fusion sushi fans.
In Japan, there are several types of different sushi restaurants. I would give a simple explanation of it down below:
- Kaiten (Conveyor Belt Sushi)
This is my favorite type of restaurant! It’s cheap, fast, and satisfying! Most of the so-called 100 yen sushi restaurant operates in Kaiten style. Some of the restaurants put all of their stuff on the belt and you just need to pay attention to which one you want to pick. However, there are several other shops that will deliver the food straight to your table with an electric “train”. Some even have the chefs in the middle, so you just need to shout your order. Examples of these kinds of restaurant are Genki Sushi and Sushi-Ro.
- Chain Shops
Slightly pricier from the Kaiten shops, this restaurants usually offer more serious sushi (as I’d like to call it) and less of the fusion sushi. The sizes of the sushi pieces are considerably bigger too. Eating at these restaurants would not drain you out of your money, but would still satisfy seafood lovers.
- Family Establishment
These places usually are relatively smaller and aimed more at the locals. Some of them tend to be quite pricier, but there are also cheaper options that fit into category number 2 above. You might want to visit one of these places if you want to try a unique, local taste. Examples of these restaurant is Sushi Dai and Daiwa Zushi
- High-end Sushi
….which I definitely wouldn’t be able to eat. College life and all, y’know the drill.
But hey, if you have some extra change in your pocket why not go to the deep end of your sushi journey? Visitors who visited these establishments would definitely waste more than 10,000 yen for a set. Some (or most) have an extreme waiting list, and few cater to foreigners. Examples of these restaurants are Sukibayashi Jiro Honten and Ichibancho Teruya.
Best Sushi Restaurant in Tokyo
- Sukiyabashi Jiro Honten
This is the sushi restaurant that was featured in the movie “Jiro Dreams of Sushi”. This is also the restaurant where President Obama dined at when he visited Tokyo.
...remember I said that the waiting list for some high-end sushi restaurant is extremely crazy? This is it.
They only take reservation by phone. And even then, you need to book a month in advance (and only on the first day of the month, for a seat in the next month). If you’re staying at a 4-5 stars hotel, you can ask the concierge to try and get a reservation for you.
However, I do not think that this restaurant is worth the trouble. There are quite a lot of complaints about the internet that you paid so much money for a dish, and you can only stay there for 15-20 minutes before getting “kicked out”. This is definitely one of the deeper end of the high-class sushi restaurant.
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Location |
Sukiyabashi Jiro Honten (map) |
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Price Range |
20,000 yen ~ |
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Website |
- Ichibancho Teruya
This is one of the few high-end sushi restaurants where foreigners can leisurely chat with the chef! Chef Teruya first learned how to make sushi in (surprise) Manhattan. He moved to New York when he was in high-school, and that is why he could converse in English with his patrons. An omakase set (specialty set) starts at 19,000 yen
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Location |
Ichibancho Teruya (map) |
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Price Range |
10,000 yen ~ |
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Website |
- Sushi Dai
This restaurant is the best sushi restaurant in Tsukiji market. The queues could last as long as 3-5 hours. Good thing is that the prices are a little bit lower than those I’ve mentioned above. However, this place closes a little bit after lunch, so you might want to come a little bit earlier to skip the queues. This is one of the family establishments sushi restaurant that I mentioned before.
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Location |
Sushi Dai (map) |
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Schedule |
05.00 - 14.00 |
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Price |
4,000 yen ~ |
- Daiwa Zushi
Daiwa Zushi has similar taste with Sushi Dai. Well, this is because it was said that the owner of Daiwa Zushi is the son of Sushi Dai’s owner. They compete against each other to get the most patrons. Between the two, Daiwa Zushi is more friendly to foreign visitors. Plus, they have bigger restaurant space so the queue is considerably faster. This is one of the family-business sushi restaurant that I mentioned before.
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Location |
Daiwa Zushi (map) |
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Schedule |
05.30 - 13.30 |
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Price |
3,500 yen |
- Genki Sushi and Uobei Sushi
This is an example of the Kaiten restaurant. Most of the menu is 100 yen (excluding tax), but then there is some special menu with higher prices. You would find lots of sarariman (salaryman, or office workers) dining here during lunchtime in this restaurant.
Don’t let the price fool you!
They do serve fresh sushi and could give some higher class places a run for their money. This sushi restaurant chain usually offers the option for sushi without wasabi, since some visitors would actually prefer that option (like me).
They have their chains opened everywhere throughout Japan. There is one available in Shibuya, where you usually needs to wait for around 15 - 20 minutes to be seated!
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Location |
Genki Sushi Shibuya (map) |
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Schedule |
11.00 - 00.00 |
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Price |
100 yen ~ |
- Sushi-Ro
This is another kaiten sushi restaurant in Japan. Sushi-Ro, in particular, is well-known among college students. Their sushi starts from 108 yen. Moreover, they also have their menus translated into other languages! Like Genki and Uobei Sushi, Sushi-Ro also has some menus that are a bit pricier because it’s the “seasonal menu”. No worries! Their price wouldn’t drain you out of your money!
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Location |
Sushi Ro (map) |
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Schedule |
Usually from 11.00 - 23.00 Differs depending on each location |
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Price |
100 yen ~ |
- Kura Sushi
If you’re like me, who can’t really eat seafood but would like to eat sushi anyway, then I recommend you to get some from Kura sushi.
They have excellent seafood based sushi, of course. But I definitely recommend you to get one of their sukiyaki beef sushi, which is one of the best fusion sushi I’ve ever eaten. Moreover, this is also another Kaiten restaurant that guarantees you to get a seat fast, and fill your tummy with a cheap price!
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Location |
Kura Sushi (map) |
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Schedule |
Usually from 11.00 - 23.00 Differs depending on each location |
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Price |
100 yen ~ |
More tips
Look:
You could save yourself the trouble of navigating through Tokyo just to try some sushi.
How?
Well, for instance, you could hire a private tour guide!
If you have a private tour guide, you could definitely spend your time more effectively! Moreover, your guide might be able to help you get reservations at sushi restaurants that are usually impossible to get if you don’t speak Japanese.
For those of you who are looking for a private guide, then I recommend you to get one from GoWithGuide! They have a list of excellent guides where you could get the best treatment as possible. Moreover, their excellent customer service will guarantee that you’d get the best guide to suit your preferences.
In this article, I have reviewed a few recommended sushi restaurants in Tokyo! I hope this article has been useful to you, and wish you the best of luck on your journey!
