Sushi, one of Japan’s most popular foods, is a dish that enjoys great popularity around the world.
Although most guidebooks for foreigners introduce upscale restaurants, there are many recommended sushi restaurants in Tokyo with good cost performance.
In this page, I would like to introduce some of the sushi restaurants in Tokyo that I, as the administrator of this site, feel are “highly recommended.
5 restaurants in Tokyo with great sushi
| 銀座 久兵衛（中央区） Ginza Kyubei (Chuo-ku, Tokyo) Shinbashi/Sushi  A famous restaurant loved by many celebrities. It is the first name that comes to mind when talking about sushi restaurants in Ginza. Lunch: ￥8,000~￥9,999 Dinner: ￥20,000~￥29,999 |
| 吉野鮨本店（中央区） Yoshino Zushi Honten (Chuo-ku, Tokyo) Nihonbashi/Sushi  Founded in 1879. It is a famous restaurant in Nihonbashi known as the birthplace of Toro Nigiri. Lunch: ￥2,000~￥2,999 Dinner: ￥10,000~￥14,999 |
| 鮨 逸喜優（世田谷区） Sushi Ikyu (Setagaya-ku, Tokyo) Futakotamagawa/Sushi  A famous restaurant with a relaxed atmosphere in Futakotamagawa, the town of celebrities. Celebrities also visit the restaurant on their own. Lunch: ￥2,000~￥2,999 Dinner: ￥15,000~￥19,999 |
| 鮨 一喜（世田谷区） Sushi Ikki (Setagaya-ku, Tokyo) Chitose Funabashi／Sushi  The first Michelin-listed restaurant in Chitose Funabashi. You can enjoy authentic sushi without being stiff-necked. Lunch: ￥8,000~￥9,999 Dinner: ￥15,000~￥19,999 |
| 鮨 せいざん（中野区） Sushi Seizan (Nakano-ku, Tokyo) Nakano/Sushi  This is the place to eat delicious sushi in Nakano at a reasonable price! Amazingly good value for money. Lunch: ￥2,000~￥4,999 Dinner: ￥12,000~￥14,999 |
The Origin of Edomae Sushi
〇The Origin of Sushi
Sushi is believed to have originated in Southeast Asia as narezushi.
Nare-zushi is a fermented food, characterized by fermenting the rice grains until they become mushy.
Unlike today’s sushi, nare-zushi is similar to pickles, which is also the origin of funa-zushi in Shiga Prefecture.
〇Nigiri-zushi appeared in the Edo period!
It is believed that it was not until the late Edo period (1603-1867) that nigirizushi came to be eaten as nigirizushi as we know it today.
Nigiri-zushi was created at yatai (food stalls) that were popular in Edo (present-day Tokyo) and could be eaten immediately after nigiri-zushi was made.
This nigirizushi came to be called “Edomae-zushi” because it was made with fresh seafood caught in front of Edo (present-day Tokyo Bay) and to distinguish it from Kansai sushi, where pressed sushi was a big success at the time.
Nigiri-zushi at that time was two to three times larger than today’s sushi, so it was cut into pieces and eaten separately.
The style of serving two pieces of sushi on one plate is said to be a remnant of those days when sushi was cut into pieces and eaten separately.
〇Three Sushi Restaurants Known as Edo San Sushi
Edo San Sushi refers to three famous restaurants that were considered specialties during the Edo period (1603-1868), when sushi culture was first popular: Sasamaki-Kenuki-zushi, Yohee-zushi, and Matsuga-zushi.
It is unknown who invented nigirizushi, but it is believed to have been invented by Hanaya Yohee I, the owner of Yoheezushi in Ryogoku, Edo.
Other well-known restaurants that carry on the tradition of Yohee Sushi include Futaba Sushi (Ginza), Ki Sushi (Ningyocho), and Yoshino Sushi (Nihonbashi).
