Complete guide on types of Japanese sushi restaurants and how to use it

Sushi trains

Various sushi train chain restaurants can be found in Japan. Some popular ones include SUSHIRO, Kappa Sushi, Kura Sushi, Hama Sushi, etc.

A price range of sushi trains really vary from reasonable ones to slightly expensive ones.
Today, we will show you a flow from ordering meals to making a payment at SUSHIRO, one of the popular restaurants offering delicious sushi at reasonable prices.


“SUSHIRO”

SUSHIRO

SUSHIRO is a sushi-train restaurant chain offering delicious sushi from 100 yen per dish (excluding tax). Some of their stores set their lowest price at 120 yen per dish.
SUSHIRO has over 500 branch stores throughout Japan. In Tokyo, their stores can be found in Ikebukuro, Ueno, Takadanobaba, and Gotanda, which are comparably easy to access.

SUSHIRO

You can check in to the store in two ways; 1) issuing a check-in ticket upon arrival at the store, or 2) completing checking-in using a smartphone. With the latter way, you will have a shorter waiting time than the way 1).

SUSHIRO

The store has bar counters and table seating. Even solo customer can enjoy meals.

SUSHIRO

The set of the items shown in the photo is arranged on the bar / table (the arrangement and contents vary depending on stores).
From left, the items are sweet sauce, powdered green tea, tea spoons, gingers, and soy sauce.
Chopsticks can be found in the small drawer below the tray.

SUSHIRO

The store introduces a touchscreen ordering system in English, Chinese and Korean languages.
This touchscreen allows you to order dishes, request for takeaway, calling store staff, and checking out.

SUSHIRO

Tea cups and hand towels are located above sushi conveyers (behind the touchscreen), but this setting varies depending on stores.
You need to check on the table and/or above the conveyers to find hand towels, and tea as they are a self-service.

Water dispensers are usually located near the aisle of the tables / bar counter. Please help yourself.
You can make green tea at your table.

・How to make green tea

How to make green tea

Have a tea cup and green tea powder.

How to make green tea

Place a small amount of green tea powder in a tea cup. Please refer to the photo for the appropriate amount. If you find a small spoon, have just one scoop of the powder.

How to make green tea

Turn the lever towards you to pour hot water into the cup. Please be careful as it is boiling water. There is another type of hot water dispenser (other than that in the photo), with which hot water can be dispensed by pressing a tea cup onto a small black panel.

・How to order

How to order

Touch the image of items you wish to order. Prices vary depending on ingredients and items. They can be found on the touchscreen.
After selecting items, tap the [Order] button. Your order is completed when the touchscreen shows the image below. Just wait for your ordered items to be delivered.

How to order

Each table has two conveyers as shown in the photo below. The items you ordered via touchscreen will be delivered on the lower conveyer.
* How the ordered items are delivered differs in some stores and seating.

How to order

The higher conveyer continuously circulates sushi. You can take what you like. Wasabi is also delivered so please take the amount you need.

How to order

The colors of a dish show prices of the items.

How to order

Other than sushi, various menus can be ordered including noodles (ramen and udon), miso soup, chawan-mushi (steamed egg hotchpotch), nibbling, sweets, drinks including alcohols, etc.

Left：Limited time ramen 330 yen plus tax , Right：Seasonal dessert 180 yen plus tax

・How to check out

How to check out

After finishing dining, tap the [Call Staff / Check Out] button.
Stack dishes up together in each type of dish and wait for staff to arrive at your table. They will count the number of dishes, and give you a check-out plate.

How to check out

Head to a casher with the check-out plate. There are self-checkout cashers and those with staff.

How to check out

At the self-checkout cashers, insert the barcodes on the plate into the machine.
Then follow the instructions shown on the screen. English instruction is also available.
Credit cards can be used.
At cashers with staff, give the check-out plate to the staff and complete a payment.

SUSHI NO MIDORI – Umegaoka Head Store

Originally from Tokyo, SUSHI NO MIDORI is a popular sushi restaurant chain, which always has a long line of people outside waiting to be seated.
The chain has six stores in Tokyo, as well as some stand-and-eat style stores and takeaway stores. It also has a branch in Nagoya and Hong Kong.

SUSHI NO MIDORI – takeaway store

Menus and services vary depending on stores, but at all of their stores, you can enjoy big and fresh ingredients for sushi that are delivered from Toyosu Market every morning.
Their various menus include “okonomi nigiri sushi (50 – 630 yen per piece depending of ingredients)”, for which you can choose your favorite sushi ingredients, a set of sushi, chirashi sushi, a la carte, lunch menus, etc.

SUSHINO MIDORI Shibuya store: Many people waiting outside the store even on weekdays

High-class sushi restaurants

There are many Michelin-rated sushi restaurants in Tokyo. Many of these globally-known restaurants are regarded as a high-class sushi restaurant.


“GINZA SUKIYABASHI JIRO”

GINZA SUKIYABASHI JIRO

GINZA SUKIBAYASHI JIRO head store (three-stared in Michelin Guide Tokyo 2018) is owned by Jiro Ono, a globally famous chef known as a “man who makes the most delicious sushi in the world” or a “left-handed master”.

The restaurant has drawn big attentions after then-President Obama of the U.S. requested to organize an unofficial dinner setting there with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in April 2014. Since bookings are always full, the restaurant does not take any more reservations over the phone. However, some overseas visitors may be lucky enough to be able to make a reservation through a concierge of their hotel.


“GINZA KYUBEY Ginza Head Store / New Building”

GINZA KYUBEY Ginza Head Store / New Building

Opened in 1936, GINZA KYUBEY has been a popular sushi restaurant, which has attracted many of key politicians and people of culture. It is also known as the origin of “gunkan-maki” rolls.

All-you-can-eat sushi

All-you-can-eat sushi restaurants are for people who wish to enjoy sushi without worrying about prices.
Although there are many all-you-can-eat sushi restaurants in Tokyo, most of them have a limit to dates and time available. This time, we introduce you KIZUNA SUSHI, an easy-to-access sushi restaurant offering over 100 menus for 365 days in an all-you-can-eat style.


“KIZUNA SUSHI”

KIZUNA SUSHI Shinjuku Kabukicho store

The popular restaurant has been introduced on television many times. It has not only all-you-can-eat sushi menus, but you can also order your favorite sushi from 99 yen (per sushi / excluding tax). It has approx. 40 a la carte menus as well as over 50 drink menus.

・Stores in Tokyo
KIZUNA SUSHI Shinjuku Kabukicho store: open 24 hours
KIZUNA SUSHI Nishi Sinjuku store: 11am – 5am
KIZUNA SUSHI Akihabara store: 11am – 5am

All-you-can-eat sushi

・KIZUNA SUSHI All-you-can-eat sushi menus
Available for one or more customers
Males: 3980 yen (excl. tax)
Females: 3480 yen (excl. tax)
Elementary school students Year 6 and younger: 2000 yen (excl. tax)
Child aged 4 or younger: free
All-you-can-drink menu: 1500 yen (excl. tax) (all the people of the group must order)
Time limit: 2 hours / the last order is taken 30 minutes before your session finishes.
Also, exclusive all-you-can-eat menus are available at some stores.
All-you-can-eat sushi business hours: 11am – 10pm /everyday
A female-only group and/or a family with children can have soft drinks as much as they want for free.
* All the group members must order all-you-can-eat (drink) menus.

All-you-can-eat sushi

Sushi @ Depachika / stand-and-eat style / delivery

You can enjoy sushi in a simpler way by visiting the basement of department stores (called “depachika” in Japanese. Usually department stores in Japan like Mitsukoshi / Isetan sell food on the basement floor). Or you can also buy sushi at a supermarket, as well as visit a stand-and-eat sushi store in towns.


“Sushi @stand-and-eat style”

Sushi @stand-and-eat style

At a stand-and-eat store, you can eat sushi in a standing position. These stores are usually very small, but offer authentic sushi at reasonable prices.


“Sushi @ Depachika”

Sushi section of the basement floor of Shinjuku Isetan

Various sushi can be found.

Sushi @ Depachika

They have great quality and very delicious. You can enjoy them in a simpler way.


“Sushi - delivery”

Sushi - delivery

Most of sushi restaurants deliver their dishes to customer’s house. Traditionally, Japanese families have sushi delivered from a restaurant for celebrations to enjoy together with families and friends.

梅丘寿司の美登利 梅丘本館

東京都世田谷区梅丘1-20-7

03-3429-0066

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