#4 Kizushi(喜寿司) in Ningyo-cho(人形町), Tokyo
The signature of Edomae sushi (Tokyo style sushi)
"Kizushi" stands for "the sushi of delight" in Japanese. This sushi restaurant was founded in 1923 and now regarded as "the three founders of Edomae sushi". Bentenyama-miyako sushi, which I introduced before, is also "the three founders of Edomae sushi". Therefore, it's worth visiting if you are interested in traditional sushi.
The features of Kizushi
Everyone who visits this sushi restaurant says that its atmosphere is incredibly great. The building is almost 70 years old and its interiors are unique styles early in Showa era.
And, its cookery is absolutely traditional. The temperature of shari is lower than those of current young sushi chefs, but the balance of sushi toppings are good. Together with its building, this sushi restaurant is as if it's the museum of sushi. It is not an exaggeration to say that it is a miracle, you can enjoy this sushi restaurant at least JPY3,500.
The shari (sushi rice) of Kizushi
The hardness of rice: medium
The temperature of shari: low
Saltiness: slightly weak
Sourness: slightly weak
Sweetness: slightly weak
Cost: Very affordable for lunchtime
My recommended menu: 真梶木(makajiki, striped marlin)
Details of Kizushi
真梶木(makajiki, striped marlin)
This is seasonal sushi fish in late winter. A long time ago, makajiki was used instead of tuna, at the point of its strong flavor. However, many young sushi chefs aren't willing to use it. Having makajiki is one of the attraction when visiting sushi restaurants which have a long history.
墨烏賊(sumi-ika, cuttlefish)
Sumi-ika is a traditional and major sushi topping of Edomae sushi. The texture is harder than aori-ika (oval squid) or Kensaki-ika (swordtip squid), and the most crispy. Therefore, it goes great with shari's grains of rice. At Kizushi, if you are lucky, you can have a sumi-ika caught in Tokyo Bay, namely genuine Edomae (in front of Tokyo city).
縞鯵 (shimaaji, striped jack)
This is seasonal sushi fish in summer. Its tough texture, fatty flesh, and strong flavor are unique tastes.
穴子(anago, conger eel)
The anago of Kizushi is white. The way of simmering is unique, so you can enjoy the texture melting in your mouth. The nitsume sauce is a deep taste. This way is common in the old days but uncommon at present.
玉子(tamago, sushi omelette)
This serving style is called "Kuragake", which is "saddle", the same as Bentenyama-miyako sushi. The texture of Kizushi's tamago is condensed but not hard, just moist.
Sightseeing spots around Kizushi
Ningyocho is a very old town in Tokyo, so just taking a walk is a lot enjoyable.
Dorayaki of Seijuken is awesome.
Name：Kizushi
Budget：Lunch¥3,500~, Dinner¥5,000~
TEL：+81-3-3666-1682
Address：2-7-13, Nihonbashi-ningyocho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Opening hours：Weekday 11:45～14:30, 17:00～21:30 Sat. 11:45～21:00
Closed：Sun., public holiday
Japanese site