#12 Sushi Benkei Umi(鮨弁慶 海) in Ginza(銀座), Tokyo
The sushi restaurant spreads attraction of fishes in Niigata prefecture
The owner-operator company of this sushi restaurant locates in Niigata prefecture. Niigata is known as a treasure house of delicious fish in Japan. And, no Japanese doesn't regard Niigata as one of the best producing districts of rice.
The features of Sushi Benkei Umi
The cookeries of Yamazaki oyakata, a master of a sushi restaurant, are so unique. For example, he smokes the very fatty part of tuna and harmonizes with shari, sushi rice, brilliantly. In addition, he uses a salted rice malt for the marinating of silver-skinned fishes. I think the sushi chef of genuine Edomae sushi in Japan needs to use the cookeries of Edomae sushi. The sushi in NYC shall not apply to this opinion. If the sushi chef uses the cookeries of Edomae sushi, no matter how much his sushi is unique or creative, his sushi is in the Edomae category.
The shari (sushi rice) of Sushi Benkei Umi
The hardness of rice: slightly hard
The temperature of shari: just right
Saltiness: slightly strong
Sourness: slightly strong
Sweetness: nothing, but you can feel the sweetness of rice
Cost: very affordable
My recommended menu: smoked otoro( very fatty part of tuna)
Details of Sushi Benkei Umi
Otoro, the very fatty meat of tuna
As I mentioned above, this is a mixture of smoked fish and sushi. The aroma is not smoky excessively but appetizing. It is the texture that is worthy of a special mention. Thanks to smoking, the extra fat was reduced and the texture is somehow crispy.
Kohada, gizzard shad
Oyakata marinates kohada strongly with salted rice malt and adds the peal of yuzu. It's so unique way. As a result, shari, kohada, and yuzu harmonized well. The sourness is less than an ordinary marinating way.
Amaebi, sweet shrimp
Amaebi is a local specialty of Niigata. As the name suggests, the sweetness is strong. Oyakata doesn't serve raw fish. He cures with kelp, and this is the cookery of Edomae sushi. The meat is dehydrated, so you can enjoy the condensed texture and sweeter meat of shrimp, and the aroma and umami of kelp at the same time.
Kue, longtooth grouper
Some kinds of big fishes caught in Niigata have a reputation for their mellow tastes. Kue has both strong taste and texture. However, just raw meat is too hard to bite, so a sushi chef let it age for several days. Yamazaki oyakata brings out more taste of kue, at the same time, doesn't kill its texture. Therefore, you can enjoy the umami of kue as you chew.
Chutoro, medium fatty tuna
Zuke, being steeped in nikiri sauce, is general. But, Yamazaki oyakata leaves chutoro in garlic soy sauce. Using garlic is a borderline prohibited technique in Edomae sushi. So, I hesitated a little bit when I put sushi in my mouth. However, the aroma of garlic is quite less so the taste is sophisticated.
Tamago, sushi omelet
The texture is chewy and moist as if it is a premium fish cake. Sushi omelet is made from egg, shrimp and Japanese yam usually. But, Yamazaki oyakata uses brandy, too. OMG!
Name：Sushi Benkei Umi
Budget：Lunch 15 pieces ¥5,000, Dinner omakase ¥10,000
Details:
TEL：+81-3-3-6278-7050
Address：GINZA12 bldg. 5F, 4-12-1 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Opening hours：11:30～14:00, 17:30～23:00
Closed：Sunday, Japanese public holidays
Japanese website
#11 Sushi Mitomi(鮨み富) in Ginza(銀座), Tokyo
The old-school Edomae sushi in central Ginza
In the last couple of years, several sushi restaurants with a long history have closed. Japan faces a shrinking population and super-aging society problem, so elderly chefs, farmers, and fishers quit their jobs without successors.
In Ginza in 2018, a very famous sushi restaurant closed suddenly, which is Shintomi Sushi. Nevertheless, successor carries on the techniques of Shintomi Sushi fortunately and has opened own sushi restaurant in July 2018, whose name is Mitsuhashi who has worked as long as 22 years at Shintomi Sushi.
The features of Sushi Mitomi
It is amazing, Mitsuhashi oyakata (master) opens his restaurant for 10 straight hours from 11:30. Moreover, he opens almost all year round! Only the New Year holidays and Japanese Obon holidays are closed. And, you can order single item sushi though most of the expensive sushi restaurant offers only omakase (full course meal).
The sushi of Mitsuhashi oyakata is traditional. However, he doesn't take the totally same way of tradition. His shari, sushi rice, is not classical taste, namely, the temperature of rice isn't low and the viscosity is low. You can enjoy traditional Edomae-sushi with appetizing modern taste shari.
The shari (sushi rice) of Sushi Mitomi
The hardness of rice: medium
The temperature of shari: standard
Saltiness: weak
Sourness: weak
Sweetness: slightly sweat
Cost: affordable
My recommended menu: Inro-zume of yari-ika, spear squid
Details of Sushi Mitomi
Inro-zume of yari-ika, spear squid
"Inro" stands for a pillbox used in feudal Japan. This is the sushi stuffing shari to a squid. Spear squid caught from February to March holds its roe, the texture is the one and only. You cannot have "Inro-zume" at every sushi restaurant. It's a rare sushi item. I guess "Inro-zume" of Sushi Mitomi please most of the travelers.
Tako, octopus
Thanks to boiling way, the meat remains chewy texture like raw fish, but you can just easily bite off. At the same time, the aroma is appetizing.
Hamaguri, hard clam
Hamaguri is left in the condensed liquid made by boiling mixture of sugar, soy sauce, and sake. The flavoring is strong, but the big hamaguri has bitterness and mellow taste, so the balance is nice.
Kohada, gizzard shad
It is marinated salt and vinegar deeply, but the meat is not so hard. At this point, the way of Mitsuhasi oyakata is not old-fashioned.
Kasugo, young sea bream
The skin of fish is marinated strongly, at the same time, the meat is so soft. It's a skillful marinating way.
Name：Sushi Mitomi
Budget：Lunch ¥4,000, Omakase ¥8,000
Details:
TEL：+81-3-6263-9889
Address：Kawashima bldg. 2F, 5-10-11 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Opening hours：11:30～21:30
Closed：New Year holidays and Japanese obon holidays
Japanese website
#10 Sushi Isshin(鮨 一新) in Asakusa(浅草), Tokyo
The secret hideaway for sushi-lovers in Asakusa
Even for Japanese, this sushi restaurant isn't known so well. As it were, it can be said that this restaurant is a secret hideaway for sushi-lovers. Oyakata, master of a sushi restaurant, prepares many kinds of sushi fish, and, of course, all fishes are not raw but cooked by the techniques of Edomae sushi.
The features of Sushi Isshin
The atmosphere of this sushi restaurant is very classical. You can feel the longness of the restaurant's history and coziness from the counter table made from white hinoki wood. But, BGM is jazz music. This gap makes you comfortable soon.
Oyakata of Sushi Isshin has over as long as 40 years career. Therefore, his techniques are outstanding. If you want to be a connoisseur of sushi, I recommend you to visit this sushi restaurant and have more than 15 pieces! When you leave the restaurant, you've become familiar with the techniques of traditional Edomae sushi such as shime (marinating), ni (simmering) and zuke (leaving in a seasoned mixture).
The shari (sushi rice) of Sushi Isshin
The hardness of rice: medium
The temperature of shari: just right
Saltiness: slightly strong
Sourness: strong, but not too sour
Sweetness: weak
Cost: so affordable
My recommended menu: Kohada, gizzard shad
Details of Sushi Isshin
Kohada, gizzard shad
It is summer that the taste of kohada is the weakest in a year. However, the taste of Sushi Isshin is awesome. Why? The reason is the techniques of marinating. Its meat is soft but brought out more taste.
Aji, horse mackerel
As soon as you put it in your mouth, the deliciousness of fatty meat just fills your mouth. Oyakata serves aji not raw but is marinated with salt. Therefore, the meat is dehydrated for increasing the umami.
Makogarei, marbled sole
It is cured with kelp, and the flavor of kelp goes well with shari.
Akami, red meat of tuna
By being steeped in nikiri-sauce, the sweetness of akami is enhanced.
Shako, mantis shrimp
The aroma is awesome. Though the appearance is as if extraterrestrial life, the aroma forces us to be hungry. Moreover, meat is luscious.
Name：Sushi Isshin
Budget：¥14,000〜¥17,000
TEL：+81-3-3-5603-1108
Address：4-11-3 Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Opening hours：18:00～22:00
Closed：Sun., public holiday
Japanese website
#9 Sushi Hisaichi(鮨 久いち) in Asakusa(浅草), Tokyo
The unique sushi restaurant developing the techniques of the most famous sushi restaurant in Japan
Maybe, "Ginza Kyubey" is the sushi restaurant every sushi lovers know right, isn't it? Kyubey is famous as well as "Sukiyabashi Jiro", however, the numbers of employed sushi chefs are totally different. Namely, so many sushi chefs come to work at Kyubey for training from all over Japan. And, Deguchi oyakata(master) in Sushi Hisaichi worked at Kyubey over as long as 17 years.
The features of Sushi Hisaichi
I can recommend this restaurant to everyone. Because, the oyakata's techniques are always high and stable, and the mood is so friendly and cozy. Deguchi oyakata continues to try to develop the cookery of classical Edomae sushi, so you can enjoy both modern sushi and traditional sushi based on Kyubey. The strongest point of Deguchi oyakata is his sense of arrangement.
The shari (sushi rice) of Sushi Hisaichi
The hardness of rice: just right
The temperature of shari: just right
Saltiness: slightly strong
Sourness: medium
Sweetness: only natural sweetness come from rice
Cost: so affordable
My recommended menu: Anago, conger eel
Deguchi oyakata offers two different tastes of anago, which is salty and sauce.
Details of Sushi Hisaichi
Anago, conger eel
The meat is just soft, but you can enjoy the texture of the fiber. At the same time, the aroma of broiling is very good. It's perfect! Oyakata brings out more taste of anago, at the point of sweetness, aroma, and texture.
Kinmedai, splendid alfonsino
Deguchi oyakata does not broil kinmedai but cures with kelp. Broiling a little bit is a standard way currently. So, curing with kelp is unique and it succeeds to express different attractions of kinmedai. Namely, the meat is moist and chewy, and umami is condensed by kelp.
Sumi-ika, cuttlefish
Deguchi oyakata uses sumi-ika only transported by "shita-gori", which stands for the way of transportation spreading the ice under the sumi-ika in a box for shipping seafood without water. This transportation makes a difference to the taste and texture. One of the attractions of Sumi-ika is the texture. You can feel the difference as soon as you bite it.
Ebo-dai, Japanese butterfish
Choosing ebo-dai is also rare in sushi restaurant, however, the cookery is rarer and very unique, which is broiling after marinating in sweet vinegar. The sweetness enhances the juicy fat of ebo-dai, in addition, the aroma of broiling after marinating is also good taste.
Hamaguri, Japanese hard clam
In addition to anago, hamaguri is also a highly recommended item. Hamaguri is steeped in broth. And, both broth and nitsume sauce is very rich taste.
Name：Sushi Hisaichi
Budget：Nigiri course is from ¥3,800 to ¥8,800
TEL：+81-3-3874-2921
Address：3-18-8 Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Opening hours：12:00～14:00, 17:30～23:00
Closed：Mon.
Japanese site
#8 Sushi Kanesho(鮓かね庄) in Asakusa(浅草), Tokyo
The traditional Edomae sushi expressed by young and energetic sushi chef
This sushi restaurant is a little bit far from Asakusa station. Therefore, so many travelers don't visit or even don't know its existence. However, Watanabe oyakata (master) carries on the traditional techniques of Edomae sushi and offers sushi at a very reasonable price, which is rare nowadays.
The features of Sushi Kanesho
Watanabe oyakata has worked in Kanpachi, the famous old sushi restaurant existed in Ueno past, for as long as16 years. Therefore, maybe it is a little bit rude to call him "young sushi chef". Anyway, he opened his own sushi restaurant in 2017 at last, taking advantage of classical cookery.
The shari of Sushi Kanesho
The hardness of rice: hard
The temperature of shari: just right
Saltiness: medium
Sourness: medium
Sweetness: week
Cost: very affordable
Those characteristics of shari are rare even in "classical Edomae sushi". Because that of most sushi restaurants that have a long history is soft, cold, sweet, roughly speaking.
My recommended menu: The classic tane (sushi ingredients) of Edomae sushi
The following 5 sushi ingredients are all classical.
Details of Sushi Kanesho
Hoshi-karei, spotted flatfish
Hoshi-karei is known as an expensive sushi ingredient and the most delicious Japanese flatfish. Therefore, I was so surprised that oyakata offered this tane at a reasonable price. Of course, not only good cost performance but also the taste was impressive. Oyakata cures hoshi-karei with kelp for dehydration in order to enhance its umami.
Maguro akami, red meat of tuna
The red meat of maguro in summer is very fresh taste and flavor. It isn't fishy at all, so you can enjoy its aroma. Moreover, it contains less fat but rich umami. The tastes of maguro between summer and winter are quite different, which is interesting.
Kohada, gizzard shad
By appropriate marinating with salt and vinegar, Kohada got more savory and flavorful. The meat has both moisture and condensation. After a faint scent, the flavor is getting higher and higher.
Kurumaebi, Japanese tiger prawn
Boiling right before reserving. Because of this, the sweetness and aroma are increased by heat.
Anago, conger eel
The serving temperature is not hot, nevertheless, you can feel its aroma and sweetness. Usually, sushi chefs broil anagos before serving. So, the classical cookery like this tells us the attraction of tradition.
Name：Sushi Kanesho
Budget：The lunch omakase is ¥1,900 or ¥2,800
TEL：+81-3-3871-6081
Address： 3-33-9 Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Opening hours：Weekdays and Sat. 11:30〜14:00(LO.13:30), 17:00～23:00（LO.22:30), Sun. 11:30〜14:00(13:30)17:00～22:00（LO.21:30）
Closed：Mon., the 1st and 3rd Sun.
