Tokyo Sushi

**Michelin reservations:** Three-star restaurants (Sukiyabashi Jiro, Sushi Yoshitake, Saito) book 2-3 months out through hotel concierges or members-only reservation services. Jiro doesn't take foreign tourists anymore after a 2019 policy change — the son's shop in Roppongi still does, but expect ¥40,000+ and a waiting list. One-star shops give you 1-2 weeks of lead time and some take online reservations through TableCheck or Omakase apps (both have English interfaces). Sushi Tokami (鮨 とかみ) in Ginza is the sweet spot: one Michelin star, ¥15,000-22,000 omakase, online reservations via TableCheck two weeks ahead, English-speaking chef. The fish quality matches three-star spots, the rice is aged red vinegar shari, and the atmosphere is formal without being stuffy. Another option: Sushi Arai (鮨 あらい) in Shimbashi, no Michelin star but frequented by sushi chefs on their nights off, ¥12,000 omakase, reservations by phone (Japanese required or have your hotel call). **Counter etiquette breakdown:** Sit at the counter, not the tables. Tables are for people who don't care about sushi. The counter seats 8-12 people facing the chef. You watch him work, he watches you eat, and the interaction dictates the pacing. Eat each piece within 10 seconds of it landing in front of you — the rice is body temperature (37°C), the fish is room temp or lightly chilled, and the window of optimal texture is narrow. If you let it sit for 60 seconds, the rice cools, the fish warms, and the whole composition falls apart. Use chopsticks or your hands — both are acceptable, though hands are traditional. If using chopsticks, pick up the nigiri by the sides, turn it 90 degrees, and dip the fish (not the rice) into soy sauce. The rice will disintegrate if it touches soy. If using hands, pick up the nigiri, flip it fish-side down, dab it in soy sauce, and eat it in one bite. Two bites is acceptable for large pieces, but one bite is the goal. The chef pre-applies nikiri (soy-based glaze), salt, or yuzu to most pieces. Don't add soy sauce until you've tasted it plain. Some pieces (otoro, uni, ikura) don't need soy at all. The wasabi is already between the fish and rice — don't ask for extra, and definitely don't mix wasabi into soy sauce. That's the fastest way to mark yourself as a tourist. Ginger (gari) sits in a small dish at your spot. Eat it between pieces to reset your palate, not with the sushi. Green tea (agari) is free and unlimited — ask for refills by making eye contact with the chef or saying 'agari kudasai.' Don't order sake during omakase unless the chef offers pairing — it's a distraction. Drink sake after the meal finishes. **Mid-range alternatives:** Sushi Zanmai (すしざんまい) is a 24-hour chain with 15+ Tokyo locations (Tsukiji, Shibuya, Shinjuku). Open late, no reservations, ¥3,000-6,000 for a solid meal, fresh fish from Toyosu Market daily. The quality is mid-range — better than conveyor belt, worse than Michelin, but you can walk in at 2am and eat tuna that was swimming yesterday. Order the omakase set (¥5,000 for 12 pieces) or go a la carte. Uogashi Nihonichi (魚がし日本一) is standing sushi inside train stations (Shinagawa, Tokyo Station, Shibuya). You stand at a counter, order from a laminated menu, eat 6-8 pieces in 15 minutes, pay ¥2,000-3,500, and leave. The fish is Toyosu-sourced, the rice is decent, and the whole transaction takes less time than sitting in a restaurant. It's not an experience; it's efficient sushi. Conveyor belt sushi (Sushiro, Kura Sushi, Hamazushi) runs ¥100-300 per plate, two pieces per plate. The fish is fine — not great, not terrible, perfectly calibrated to hit the ¥100 price point. Tuna tastes like tuna. Salmon tastes like salmon. Nothing is aged, nothing is cured, the rice is machine-formed. You tap a tablet to order, plates arrive on a conveyor belt, you stack your empty plates, the system counts them, you pay, you leave. It's McDonald's-level sushi, which has its place if you're hungry and broke. **Seasonal fish calendar:** Winter (December-February) brings toro (fatty tuna belly, the fat content peaks in cold water), yellowtail (buri, rich and oily), and fugu (pufferfish, thinly sliced, served with ponzu, more about the texture than flavor). Spring (March-May) is katsuo (bonito, lightly seared, eaten with ginger and scallions), clams (hamaguri, sweet and briny), and aji (horse mackerel, small and silver-skinned). Summer (June-August) is uni (sea urchin, creamy and ocean-sweet if it's fresh, bitter and metallic if it's not) and unagi (freshwater eel, grilled with sweet soy glaze). Autumn (September-November) is sanma (pacific saury, oily and mackerel-like), salmon, and ikura (salmon roe, which pops in your mouth). The chef adjusts the menu based on what's good at market that morning. If you want the seasonal highlights, say 'osusume wa nan desu ka' (what do you recommend) or just point at something another customer is eating. **Dress code and duration:** High-end shops enforce smart casual minimum: no shorts, no sandals, no t-shirts with logos. Collared shirt and long pants are safe. Mid-range shops don't care — show up in jeans and a hoodie. The meal lasts 45-90 minutes depending on the restaurant's pacing. You're expected to leave within 15 minutes of finishing the last piece. Don't linger. The chef has another seating. Tipping is not done — it confuses staff and implies they're not paid fairly.