#2 Sushi Mizukami(鮨みずかみ) in Hanzo-mon(半蔵門), Tokyo
Traditional, but modern works.
Mizukami Oyakata (master) worked at Sukiyabashi Jiro, one of the most famous sushi restaurants in the world, for as long as 15 years. 15 years in Jiro is much longer than you think because the training of Jiro is known as quite strict. Therefore, it can be said that Mizukami Oyakata has carried on the techniques of Sukiyabashi Jiro.
The features of Sushi Mizukami
Sushi Mizukami is located in Hanzomon area which is closed to Imperial Palace and British Embassy. Hence, its interior and atmosphere are quite sophisticated. The customers are also.
As I mentioned above, Mizukami Oyakata has carried on the techniques of Sukiyabashi Jiro, however he makes adjustments to traditional work, and succeeds at differentiating from other sushi chefs from Jiro.
His nigiri re-finds us the importance of shari in regards to sushi. A balance of shari and tane (cooked sushi fish) is remarkable and each sushi has a great presence.
The shari (sushi rice) of Sushi Mizukami
The hardness of rice: medium
The temperature of shari: just right
Saltiness: slightly strong
Sourness: strong
Sweetness: slightly strong (just pure sweetness from rice)
Cost: It costs more than JPY20,000, but the course is included 20 pieces of sushi and the quality of each sushi fishes is high quality, so it is appropriate.
My recommended menu: Hikarimono (silver-skinned fish), especially Kohada (gizzard shad)
Details of Sushi Mizukami
小鰭 (kohada, gizzard shad)
Marinade in vinegar is just right. Though he uses the traditional way of marinating, it is never old‐fashioned. His kohada has strong umami, so you can enjoy every bite. Gradually, umami and flavor get higher and higher, and you'll be invited to a profound sushi world.
鰯 (iwashi, sardine)
The fatty sardines are so suitable for sushi marinating and shari. Flesh melts in your mouth in a moment. You'll bask in the sweet afterglow and would like to applaud to oyakata.
鯖 (saba, mackerel)
Mackerel is also marinated deeply. You’ve probably noticed by now, marinating of Mizukami oyakata is original at its strongness.
鰹 (katsuo, bonito)
Jiro oyakata invented toasting the surface of bonitos lightly with burning straw. Mizukami oyakata carrying out its cookery perfectly. The flavor of toasting is great and it emphasizes bonitos' strong taste.
鮪 (maguro, tuna)
He procures tunas from a small but competent middle trader of tuna. Its quality is incredible and fits his shari. The tunas which have strong taste and flavor go great with sour shari.
Japanese website
Sightseeing spots around Sushi Mizukami
千鳥ヶ淵公園：famous for its cherry blossoms
国立劇場：Traditional Japanese performing arts, such as Kabuki and Bunraku, are held.
Name：Sushi Mizukami
Budget：Only nigiri ¥20,000, Tsumami & Nigiri ¥25,000
TEL：+81-3-3230-0326
Address：3-8, Ichiban-cho, Tiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Opening hours：11:30～14:00、17:30～21:00
Closed：Sun
#1 Bentenyama-miyako sushi(弁天山美家古寿司) in Asakusa(浅草), Tokyo
The most traditional sushi restaurant.
Do you know the origin of Edomae sushi? Old works in Edo period tell Hanaya Yohei(華屋 與兵衛) at Yohei Sushi is the founder of Edomae sushi.
And, Bentenyama-miyako, which I’ll introduce this time, is one of the oldest sushi restaurants in Tokyo and was founded in 1866. Therefore, you can simulate an experience of taste in Edo period.
The features of Bentenyama-miyako Sushi
At Bentenyama-miyako sushi, all sushi fish is cooked. Just raw fish never be served. Shellfish, squid, and octopus are boiled. Tuna (akami, chutoro, ootoro) is marinated in nikiri sauce based on soy sauce. Silver-skinned fishes are marinated in salt and vinegar.
Moreover, battleship roll isn’t served because it doesn’t exist in Edo period. Battleship roll was created in Showa period at Ginza Kyubei, a famous sushi restaurant.
Bentenyama-miyako’s traditional sushi is fascinating, owing to such an age that many new cooking methods are tried to sushi. I recommend you to visit this sushi restaurant not only visiting current famous sushi restaurants. Even after you’ve visited several sushi restaurants, you can find novelty and originality of this sushi restaurant.
The shari (sushi rice) of Bentenyama-miyako Sushi
The hardness of rice: medium
The temperature of shari: a little bit low
Saltiness: slightly weak
Sourness: slightly weak
Sweetness: slightly strong
Cost: affordable
My recommended menu: Anago, Conger eels
Details of Bentenyama-miyako Sushi
穴子 (anago, conger eels)
Even out of the best season, the chef brings out the good points of anago. At the same time, nitsume is made from not only conger eels but also squids, so its taste is rich. It’s a very rare sushi restaurant because most of the sushi chef makes nitsume only from conger eels currently.
鮃 (hirame, sole)
It’s served as kobujime (marinated with kelp).
小鰭 (kohada, gizzard shad)
It’s marinated in vinegar deeply, so goes great with sweet shari.
車海老 (ebi, Japanese tiger prawn)
Dip it in the sweet vinegar after boiling.
針魚 (sayori, half beak)
Decorative cut called warabi, bracken, is interesting.
鮪中トロ (chu-toro, medium fatty tuna)
It’s marinated in nikiri sauce, so fish is condensed and fat gets less.
玉子 (tamago, sushi omelette)
This serving style is called “Kuragake”, which is “saddle”, and traditional way. And, oboro (mashed and seasoned fish, the flesh of whitefish and shrimp that has been boiled, shredded, parched, and seasoned) is put between tamago and shari. Double sweetness consisted of tamago and oboro is nice. I regard tamago as sweets of sushi restaurant.
Japanese website
Sightseeing spots around Bentenyama-miyako sushi
浅草寺: The oldest temple in Tokyo
隅田川: Unique scenery
合羽橋: Kitchen town
Name：Bentenyama-miyako sushi
Budget：¥5,500〜
Details:http://www.bentenyama-miyakosushi.com/お品書き/
TEL：+81-3-3844-0034
Address：2-1-16, Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Opening hours：12:00～14:30、17:00～21:00、Sun 11:30～18:30
Closed：Mon, 3rd Sun
Japanese website
About me and sushi restaurants in Japan
About me and this blog
Sometimes in Japan, I'm asked for directions to sushi and other restaurants by international travelers on the street. And in many cases, I feel an urge to tell them , “There are much better restaurants!”
There is plenty of information about sushi online. However, most of the information is not helpful for the genuine gourmet. Even for us Japanese, it requires trained eyes to choose restaurants worth visiting. But, don't worry. You are in luck, because I will introduce you to sushi restaurants that won’t let you down.
Who am I?
I run a Japanese website called “Sushi-Log", which gets around 100,000 monthly page views. And, on this website, I write about sushi and other Japanese restaurants, as well as Japanese sweets shops.
I live in Tokyo. I love sushi, Japanese food, cooking, traveling and discovering hidden gems. I've visited over 6,000 restaurants throughout Japan. I pay for all my meals so that I can review the food objectively. I also study the art and history of cooking.
I have a day job, but that doesn't keep me from traveling all over the world in search of good food. That's why many in Japan call me a “food fanatic.”
Rules at sushi restaurants
Many travelers to Japan feel the anxious when they visit sushi restaurants, much less high-end ones. However, most Japanese people also feel hesitant to visit such a restaurant because of its unique and exclusive atmosphere. Yes, some unspoken rules do exist in the sushi world. However, they are quite simple.
Here are a few things to keep in mind on your next visit:
* Never cancel your reservation on the day of or the day before.
* If you will be late for your reservation, call the restaurant ASAP.
* Before taking photos, get permission.
* Eat sushi as soon as it's served!
* Don’t wear any perfume.
Sushi fish are very expensive and rare. Chefs go to the Toyosu fish market (previously, in Tsukiji) to procure them in the early morning. After that, they spend hours preparing the food to best serve their guests.
FAQ
Q1. Should I eat sushi with my hands or chopsticks?
A1. Either's fine. In my opinion, eating with your fingers is easier and more traditional.
Q2. Can I dip sushi in soy sauce?
A2. In many cases, it's unnecessary because most chefs at high-end restaurants apply sauce called "nikiri" or "nitsume" to their sushi before they're served. "Nitsume" -- used for conger eels, hard-shell clams and so on -- is made from broth, soy sauce sake, and sweet sake or sugar.
Q3. Can I order sushi without wasabi?
A3. No problem. Just tell the chef.
Q4. Is it OK to tell chefs the types of sushi I don’t like?
A4. No problem. But, it's better to let the sushi chef know when you reserve the restaurant. You can either tell the name of the fish or the kind of fish you cannot eat. As to the kind of fish, you can say akami (red fish), shiromi (white fish), hikarimono (silver-skinned fish) or kai (shellfish).
Sushi may appear easy to cook, like fast food. However, sushi is created based on chefs' ingenuity through trial and error. It is not just "raw fish with vinegar rice" but a generalized art form that consists of cooked fish and delicious vinegar rice. Excellent sushi chefs must bring out the essence of each fish, and I'm confident that sushi is the best way to enjoy the most delicious fish from all over the world.
I hope this site will help you discover awesome sushi on your next trip to Japan!
