21 Best Sushi Restaurants In Japan – (Updated) 2024
Sushi has become one of the trendiest culinary creations and a worldwide phenomenon that has also enjoyed a lot of exports around various cosmopolitan cities.
It is unbelievable to the point that sushi can easily be found almost anywhere but can never equal the quality that you will find in its birthplace, which is Japan.
Japan has one of the greatest sushi restaurants all over the world, with a symphony of textures and flavors that give pleasure in every bite.
With some of the best selections of Japanese restaurants and Michelin-star diners, one finds tons of sushi varieties and seasonal choices.
That’s why taking an epicurean journey into the heart of Japan feels like an ethereal dream that needs to be explored.
Therefore let’s get ourselves ready to take a look at some of the best sushi restaurants in Japan.
The Best Sushi Restaurants in Japan This Year
1. Sukiyabashi Jiro Roppongi (Tokyo)
Why it’s a must visit?
The Sukiyabashi Jiro Roppongi restaurant is a legend among legends and has a rich history of its own for being the first Japanese restaurant to receive a three-star Michelin rating.
As a documentary was made about this restaurant, it suddenly became incredibly popular and is now considered to be one of the most famous restaurants for sushi in Japan.
It is so fancy and famous that it’s hard to save a seat here, and it does not even popularize itself through advertisements.
Chef’s choice
This restaurant was opened in an upscale district in Tokyo and is run by Takashi Ono, who spread heads the creation of various inventive sushi dishes.
Because of its grand location, the restaurant has received a lot of recognition all over the world and leaves a long-lasting impression because of its delicious variety.
Location and Contact
- 6-12-2 Roppongi Hills Keyakizaka-dori 3F, Roppongi, Minato Tokyo Prefecture
- Phone:- +81 3-5413-6626
2. Harutaka (Tokyo)
Why it’s a must visit?
The Harutaka restaurant is located in the posh Ginza district in Tokyo and is a premium restaurant in Japan.
It’s one of the top-rated sushi restaurants in Japan that is run by Harutaka Takahashi, who shows excellent culinary skills through his high-quality sushi creations.
It has received two Michelin star ratings and has a minimalist and warm design that feels soothing and is perfect for romantic dates.
Chef’s choice
The restaurant efficiently trains its chefs to create the most delicious sushi creations through personalized workshops.
By serving a complicity of tastes and textures, the restaurant excels in providing authentic sushi right in the heart of Japan.
The dinners are held at the counter, which gives people an immersive experience of their sushi being made right in front of their eyes.
Location and Contact
- 8-3-1 6F, Ginza, Chuo 104-0061 Tokyo Prefecture
- Phone:- +81 3-3573-1144
3. Nikaku (Fukuoka)
Why it’s a must visit?
The Nikaku restaurant is situated in Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture, and is one of the top sushi restaurants near me that specializes in edomae sushi.
It’s a sensational experience dining here and is perfect for those who are wondering where to eat authentic sushi with a fine dining experience.
By upholding the authentic edomae tradition through their various food creation skills, this restaurant marks itself as an authentic sushi provider made with generational recipes.
Chef’s choice
The restaurant uses traditional methods to create sushi by making use of Tokyo sushi eateries that originated during the 19th century.
The method involves marinating the fish for preservation without the use of a refrigerator so as to enhance the softness of the fish.
It is a sensory experience dining here because of the magical techniques culinary techniques of Chef Setsuo Funahashi, whose expertise gives a delightful impression.
The traditional method also follows using salting, simmering, vinegar soaking, marinating, and steaming by only taking items from local seafood markets to create sushi.
Location and Contact
- 1-4-31 Adachi, Kokurakita-Ku, Kitakyushu Fukuoka Prefecture
- Phone:- +81 93-531-2442
4. Sushinoma (Ehime)
Why it’s a must visit?
The Sushinoma restaurant is a luxury Japanese sushi restaurant in Japan that has won several awards for its exquisite fusions and combinations.
The restaurant is run and owned by chef Shogo Noma who has served for 16 years as an apprentice at the well-known place Ken Sushi and opened his own restaurant in 2010.
The restaurant is one of the cool places to eat sushi in Japan because of the unique combination that it uses in creating exquisite creations.
Chef’s choice
The restaurant takes pride and its Setouchi-mae sushi way of serving unique styled sushi dishes with a combination of Edomae sushi and Ehime sushi.
By using locally caught Ehime fish, the restaurant serves Ehime sushi seasoned with sugar, vinegar, and salt with rice.
It also offers original sushi that is made with sun-dried sargassum salt and Ehime Sudachi and employs only all-natural seafood in its preparation process.
It is also famous for its Kuruma prawns and thereby has made it one of the must-eat places for sushi in Japan.
Location and Contact
- 1-5-18 Nibancho Avenir Kobe-Kan 1F, Matsuyama 790-0002 Ehime Prefecture
- Phone:- +81 89-932-6101
5. Sushidokoro Tsukuta (Saga)
Why it’s a must visit?
The Sushidokoro Tsukuta restaurant is only five minutes away from the Karatsu station and is known for its specialization in Karatsu-mae sushi.
This restaurant serves intricately made dishes in Japan through the excellence of chef Chef Yuji Matsuo.
By using some of the nicest ingredients in creating sushi, this restaurant extraordinarily achieves heights by creating not on great sushi but also quality sake.
Chef’s choice
The restaurant owner was inspired by trying the decadent conger eel nigiri sushi in Tokyo, which made him pursue his dreams.
The majority of ingredients that are used here are all locally sourced and combine well with their high-quality sake drinks.
They also have an English menu which makes it very accommodating to foreigners who want to try its sushi.
Location and Contact
- 1879-1 Nakamachi, Karatsu 847-0051 Saga Prefecture
- Phone:- +81 955-74-6665
6. Kobikicho Tomoki (Tokyo)
Why it’s a must visit?
The Kobikicho Tomoki restaurant brings the best of two worlds together by combining the famous Edomae traditions and adding its own personal creative touches.
It is a 2-star restaurant in Tokyo that features elaborate dishes with its incredible location in Higashi Ginza.
The interior has wooden accents, and the menu for drinks here is entirely in English so that international people don’t have trouble ordering.
It’s also one of the best family restaurants in Japan for sushi, as the variety here is abundant.
Chef’s choice
The restaurant has an elaborative menu with tons of snacks and daily recommendations featuring nigiri and red uni that goes exceptionally well with their sake lees pickled veggies.
A unique trait of this restaurant is its Tomoki-styled Omakase which features incredible buffet AYCE selections as per customer’s preferences.
Chef Kobayashi here uses his genius by gathering ingredients mainly from the renowned Toyosu markets and creating a delicate source of sushi.
Location and Contact
- 4-12-2, Ginza, Chuo 104-0061 Tokyo Prefecture
- Phone:- +81 3-5550-3401
7. Sushi HARASHO
Why it’s a must visit?
The Sushi HARASHO restaurant is spearheaded by the experienced chef Takumi Ishikawa, who offers people the fascinating Omakase experience all over Japan.
The restaurant here proudly calls itself the “flow of Omakase” because of so many gracious choices that it offers.
It has a two-star Michelin rating but somehow feels like a 5-star restaurant because of how excellent it is.
It is often fully booked, so reservations are recommended to be made in advance, much before the specified date.
Chef’s choice
The restaurant features not only an outstanding Omakase menu but also side dishes like steamed items and grilled items that are served on antique tableware and glassware.
By emphasizing the graciousness of light flavors, this restaurant offers people a healthy sushi dining experience without any sugar in their vinegared rice.
Location and Contact
- 3-30 Uenomiyacho, Tennoji-ku, Osaka 543-0037 Osaka Prefecture
- Phone:- +81 6-6773-5518
8. Sushi Shunbi Nishikawa (Aichi)
Why it’s a must visit?
The Sushi Shunbi Nishikawa restaurant is one of the highly acclaimed sushi restaurants in Nagoya, Japan that serves outstanding sushi quality but has limited seating.
The restaurant is one of the must-eat places for sushi in Japan because of its exuberant rating, as it remains in high demand, and it is hard to grab a seat here.
The restaurant follows its mission of providing people with a rejuvenating dining experience and leaving an unforgettable impression on its customers by bringing a smile to their faces.
Chef’s choice
The restaurant ensures the most exceptional quality ever and only accommodates eight people.
The restaurant follows its philosophy of using only locally sourced ingredients that are super fresh and can be served in a small intimate space.
It serves one of the best sushi in all of the Aichi region and strives it’s best to achieve the highest standards of sushi preparation by becoming a premier sushi diner.
Location and Contact
- 2 Chome-29-19 Meieki, Nakamura Ward, Nagoya, Aichi 450-0002, Japan
- Phone:- +81 90-2183-4927
9. Isezushi (Hokkaido)
Why it’s a must visit?
The Isezushi restaurant has become a place providing double entertainment by getting a live performance of the chef’s skills in creating sushi and the other being a fun place to hang out.
It’s a great place to enjoy reunions by coming in large groups with your friends while having relaxing conversations and exchanging stories.
The restaurant’s unique atmosphere has rendered it one of the fun places to eat sushi in Japan as it carefully balances the interaction between the two.
The restaurant is super accommodating towards large groups, with two tables for four people and wheelchair access to the private room also.
Chef’s choice
The restaurant leaves a blissful memory in the minds of people because of its beautiful oceanic delights as well as exciting food choices.
The beverages here are also fantastic, like sake and other drinks that pair exceptionally with their snacks and sashimi.
All these drinks enhance the flavors of the dishes and transport one to an epic culinary adventure.
Location and Contact
- 3-15-3 Inaho, Otaru Hokkaido
- Phone:- +81 134-23-1425
- Email:- isezushi@gmail.com
10. Sushi Tadayasu (Kyoto)
Why it’s a must visit?
The Sushi Tadayasu restaurant is widely known for its fascinating edomae-styled sushi dishes located in the heart of Japan in Gion, Kyoto.
It’s a fabulous restaurant that was opened in 2017 and created a fun atmosphere to keep the customers engaged as they savor the sushi dishes.
The chef here, Tadayasu Morita, also has a fascinating history of his parents being fishmongers in Japan and somehow pushing his dream of opening his own sushi restaurant in Kyoto.
With selected flavors and ingredients, this restaurant serves excellent quality and has counter-seats available for date and casual gatherings.
He has a private also that can accommodate 4-6 people.
Chef’s choice
The restaurant uses fine ingredients in creating its tasty aged fish dishes and uses high-quality vinegar rice to bring out the flavors of the fish.
By using locally sourced sake, and high-quality goods, this restaurant simply is perfect in every sense and compliments well with the seasonal sushi.
Location and Contact
- 572-9 Gionmachi Minamigawa, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto 605-0074 Kyoto Prefecture
- Phone:- +81 75-541-6611
11. Sushi Daimon (Toyama)
Why it’s a must visit?
The Sushi Daimon restaurant is situated in Toyama, Japan, and also has a fascinating history of being born out of the childhood dreams of chef Taro Daimon.
After years of training from an early age and developing expertise in Hokkaido, the chef opened this restaurant in 2012 and became a favorite of many.
With its luxury location in Toyama Bay, this restaurant provides the freshest seafood dishes ever imaginable.
It has won so much praise all over the world that it’s also earned a Michelin star rating for its excellent skills and qualities.
Chef’s choice
The restaurant provides the freshest seafood varieties from the Tsukiji market or from Hokkaido.
The chef makes sure the key carefully and delicately balances vinegar to achieve the quintessential taste needed for quality sushi.
Location and Contact
- 1-2-3 Shakado, Uozu Toyama Prefecture
- Phone:- +81 765-32-5868
12. Sushi M
Why it’s a must visit?
The Sushi M restaurant is known for its quirkiness and uniqueness from other traditional restaurants by exploring various creative features of sushi.
Its owner is Yoshinobu Kimura, who launched this restaurant and achieved worldwide fame for its premium wines and sake.
It is simply one of the best restaurants in Japan and in all of Asia, as it pays a lot of attention to the chemistry of bringing out exquisite flavors.
Chef’s choice
The restaurant serves fusion dishes in seafood by using international influences and contemporary techniques.
This restaurant exceeds expectations by making dishes like grilled corn and swordfish with the topping of caviar, along with traditional specials like vinegar-marinated gizzard shad.
By further pairing Kimora with Domaine Chad skin dive, which is a natural Orange wine from Japan, the dish becomes a true delight in every sense.
It’s the beverages that win this restaurant’s reputation.
Location and Contact
- 4-24-8 Minamiaoyama At Home Square 2F, Minato 107-0062 Tokyo Prefecture
- Phone:- +81 3-6803-8436
- Email:- hello@sushi-m.com
13. Rozan Ginza
Why it’s a must visit?
The Rozan Ginza restaurant is a hidden sushi gem situated in plain sight in Japan and is located on the 12th floor of the Mitsukoshi department store in Ginza.
It’s a perfect budget restaurant for those who are looking for quality sushi at cheap prices.
The value for money here has won the hearts of a lot of people, and the chef, Yusuke Maruyama, uses Edo-style techniques to bring a conventional touch to the dishes.
Chef’s choice
The restaurant serves unbeatable quality in creating dishes like kobujime, which are made from marinated seafood with blades of kombu kelp.
The dish feels heavenly by adding modern touches to the dishes, like using a sheet of Nori within a slice of squid.
Or one can try their tasty raw sardine ground fish with yummy purple seashell flowers and grated ginger that makes for incredibly juicy meals.
Location and Contact
14. Sugita
Why it’s a must visit?
The Sugita restaurant is run by Chef Takaaki Sugita, who has years of experience since high school and has spent 20 years as a chef; he’s one of the best entrepreneurs in the sushi business.
The subtle innovative techniques that he uses in creating traditional plus experimental sushi are evident in the richness that can be seen in the dishes.
It’s a perfect place to try something different than your usual sushi and give a treat to your taste buds.
Chef’s choice
This restaurant is known for its innovative contemporary plus traditional techniques through experimentation with fish maturation and buttery texture.
This dish becomes a luxurious meal by using the silky texture of their thin slice sardine.
The heavenly delight with monkfish liver that is slathered with soy sauce and wasabi go incredibly well with their sake.
Besides that, their rolls are also pretty good here, like the shiso nori roll and time-saba.
Location and Contact
- 1-33-6 Nihonbashikakigaracho B1F View Heights Nihombashi, Chuo 103-0014 Tokyo Prefecture
- Phone:- +81 3-3669-3855
15. Sushi Tokyo Yoshida
Why it’s a must visit?
The Sushi Tokyo Yoshida restaurant has a unique location in Japan and is located on a rustic shopping street on the offbeat track of Hatagaya.
The restaurant serves appetizing dishes inside its luxurious interior with beautiful Japanese gilded screens with wooden furnishings that feel ethereal.
It has several young and talented chefs who have started on a great note and have years of experience in creating some of the best sushi creations.
Chef’s choice
The restaurant serves dishes like fillets of golden-eye bream and tasty Japanese blue fish that come with blazing charcoal embers.
It also uses a rice wafer that comes filled with monkfish liver pate, cashew nuts, and sweet narazuke pickles.
Also, the sake-tasty wine pairings here take the experience to the next level with several luscious seafood options.
Location and Contact
- 2-5-5 Hatagaya, Shibuya 151-0072 Tokyo Prefecture
- Phone:- +81 3-3320-5401
- Email:- info@sushi-yoshida.jp
16. Sushi-Ya
Why it’s a must visit?
The Sushi Tokyo Yoshida restaurant has a literal translation meaning ‘sushi shop’ and is one of the most famous sushi restaurants in Japan.
It is a humble restaurant that is situated along the narrow alley of the Ginza District with a landmark near the fetish bar.
Thanks to the chef Mamoru Hashimoto and the owner, the restaurant provides people with a marvelous dining experience with a minimalist design and an elegant atmosphere overall.
The beautiful unpretentious atmosphere of the restaurant, with blonde wood and light-walled designs with beautiful flower arrangements, makes it a romantic spot.
Chef’s choice
The food near me at this restaurant has become a darling for many food vloggers around the world who satisfy their inner culinary desires here.
Even though it is a humble restaurant, it is far from ordinary because of its unique presentation and flavors.
It is a unique little sushi shop that focuses mainly on fish varieties that are made in a refined manner.
Location and Contact
- 8 Martin St, Milton, Ontario L9T 2P9 Canada
- Phone:- +1 905-878-9666
- Email:- info@mannalandkorean.com
17. Sushisho Masa
Why it’s a must visit?
The Sushisho Masa restaurant is an intimate designed and seven-seater restaurant that is located in the basement of a building in Nishi-Azabu.
The restaurant does not feel out of place but has a special feeling to it because of its unique and peaceful atmosphere.
The ceramics are beautifully covered with paper screens which gives it a traditional look and a divine feel.
Chef’s choice
The restaurant but its simple cypress counter and the extraordinary chef Masakatsu Oka make it an excellent sushi dining destination.
The fish dishes here are beautifully served in polished wooden boxes with elegant presentation.
Location and Contact
- 4-1-15 B1F Seven Nishiazabu, Nishiazabu, Minato 106-0031 Tokyo Prefecture
- Phone:- +81 3-3499-9178
18. Hisashi Udatsu
Why it’s a must visit?
Traditionalists love the Hisahi Udatsu restaurant because of its unique generational touches as well as creativity in presenting mouthwatering sushi dishes.
The beautiful and minimalist atmosphere of the restaurant makes dining here feel royal and divine.
It’s a perfect place for those who are looking for simplicity as well as creative sushi options with quality.
It is also extremely popular among local and international customers and has been visited by famous figures like Dave Chapelle and Kanye West.
Chef’s choice
The simplicity and high standard of sushi of this restaurant is the reason why it is so heavily appreciated across the world.
It has a lovely vegetarian menu that is available during booking.
But when it comes to its specialization, like seafood, its dishes like hay-scented tuna with a glass of their doom of smoke make for a refreshing delight.
They also have various tasty rule options that come filled with veggies and fresh herbs from their local farms and Wagyu meat options.
They are all made on charcoals here and served with nigiri.
Location and Contact
- 2 Chome-48-10 Kamimeguro, Meguro City, Tokyo 153-0051, Japan
- Phone:- +81 50-3550-5938
19. Hakkoku
Why it’s a must visit?
The Hakkoku restaurant is undescribable because of its rather unique hospitality and six-seat arrangement with a counter in the main dining complex.
It has two other rooms too that are monitored by the chef’s apprentices and a sushi bar also that has wooden furnishings.
The chef Hiroyuki Sato is the one who takes care of all the fastidious work while making sushi and serves personalized culinary creations to the customers.
Chef’s choice
The restaurant has an Omakase menu that has 30 individual pieces of sushi in buffet form with maki and Nigiri choices.
Every single one of them is a culinary masterpiece, and the opening salvo is a particular Nori roll that comes embedded with finely chopped tuna with a single string.
Location and Contact
- 6-7-6 Lape Bldg. 3F, Ginza, Chuo 104-0061 Tokyo Prefecture
- Phone:- +81 3-6280-6555
- Email:- sushihakkoku@gmail.com
20. Sushi Kanesaka
Why it’s a must visit?
The Sushi Kanesaka restaurant is a casual sushi restaurant in Japan that office workers often visit after a hectic day of work.
It has a 12-seat sushi counter and is very welcoming to foreign travelers.
It is situated in the palace hotel, and it’s a perfect place for meetings and small reunions.
Chef’s choice
The restaurant serves textbook sushi dishes made with a unique technique that renders them extraordinary.
It has some specials like its Otsumami small bites, which is a special highlight of the menu that is made with sliced yellowtail fish with daikon radish ribbons wrapped around it.
The nigiri here is also exquisitely balanced and tastes yummy.
Location and Contact
- 8-10-3, Ginza, Chuo Tokyo Prefecture
- Phone:- +81 3-5568-4411
21. Sushi Sho
Why it’s a must visit?
The Otsumami restaurant is known for its relaxed tone atmosphere and Japanese-covered screens that are reminiscent of the tea ceremony room.
It’s a beautiful and peaceful restaurant that is perfect for calm dining in an elegant way.
Even though the original chef isn’t here anymore, the restaurant still follows the actual recipes of Chef Nakazawa and keeps his techniques alive.
Chef’s choice
The restaurant has a 30-dish tasting menu with a series of delicious otsumami small plates containing both nigiri and sashimi options.
The rotating sake drinks are also one of the best in Japan and can be complimented with your personal choice of seafood.
Location and Contact
- 1-11 1F Minami Nozomu Hall, Yotsuya, Shinjuku 160-0004 Tokyo Prefecture
- Phone:- +81 3-3351-6387
Final Thoughts
Japan is not only a magnificent place full of beautiful city life and anime shops, but it also has one of the most exciting culinary influences known globally.
Traveling to Japan is a dream come true for many, be it for exploring cyberpunk cityscapes or exploring its cuisine hotspots and places to eat.
A lot of sushi enthusiasts don’t want to miss out on some extraordinary sushi restaurants whose quality cannot be replicated in other countries.
That’s why searching for a good restaurant has become a priority for many.
By keeping that in mind, we created this list of some of the best sushi restaurants in Japan that you can explore to get an actual taste of sushi that can’t be compared anywhere else.
Bon appétit!
Faqs
Nigiri sushi remains one of the most famous sushi dishes in Japan and comes in unique shapes with seared vinegared rice made in oval shape containing thin fish pieces.
Sushi restaurants in Japan are known mainly by the name of Sushi-ya, which only specialize exclusively in sushi and are less expensive than gourmet sushi restaurants.
Japan is the birthplace of sushi, and it quickly became one of its most famous dishes that is also made all over the world with Japanese influences.