Omakase course with beer and sake. The steamed clam in sake was delicious. The swordfish tataki with liver and the oysters with Tabasco were also good. The sushi with uni and aji was excellent. The apple sushi was a unique touch. Overall, eating sushi with good sake is the best. I realized I prefer sushi over other dishes when drinking. I could eat the white fish marinated in Shaoxing wine forever.

Located off Ningyocho Street, down a side alley next to Hamano-in. Ah, the height of this threshold caught my attention, but I never had the courage to enter without knowing what was inside. The elegant font outside surely indicates high class. The prices must be steep here! But today is the end of the year, so anything goes! Stepping inside, I saw there were table seats, but for sushi, the counter is a must. The atmosphere, the decor, the counter... it's intimidating. Thankfully, the kind smile of the proprietress saved me. With no menu in sight, I had no idea what to order. But hey, it's the second stop of the night. I decided to go for the chef's choice sushi course. But how much will it cost? The silent master chef began preparing the ingredients, exuding an aura of a hitman. Chef Kakizaki, who previously worked at renowned establishments like Ginza Kyubei, Nada-man, and Sushi Rokuryoku at the Grand Hyatt Tokyo, has now opened his own place in Ningyocho. Surprisingly, he was friendly and put me at ease. Starting with the herring roe appetizer, the seasoning was perfect and delicious. With pickled ginger and fresh wasabi at the ready, we were set to begin! I recalled reading "Shota no Sushi" in my student days, where a ten-piece sushi course was like a drama unfolding. I wondered what kind of drama I would witness today. And so, the chef's omakase course began! Starting with marinated sea bream, it was exquisite. The freshness of the ingredients and the subtle kelp aroma were delightful. Red tuna, always a favorite. Medium fatty tuna, a luxurious treat. Sea urchin and purple sea urchin sushi, a burst of flavor. Clam soup, heartwarming. Taking a short break, we continued with squid, bonito, scallop, mackerel, and finally, rolled sushi (tuna and cucumber). The nori flavor was delightful. Finishing with cucumber was refreshing and satisfying. When the bill came, I was shocked at the price. Not cheap, but considering the quality of the sushi, it was worth every penny. The satisfaction I felt made me want to come back on a special occasion. I'll work hard so I can visit this place more often!

I visited the restaurant "Sushi Kakizaki" with a rating of 3.18 on Tabelog. It is located in Ningyocho, right next to Sukiyaki Imafuku. The exterior of the restaurant is quiet and hidden, while the interior is decorated with a single board of cypress wood for the L-shaped counter seats, creating a stylish atmosphere. The walls inside and outside the restaurant are coated with plaster, giving a unified and stylish look. The owner's motto is to serve with sincerity, which is reflected in the wooden and plaster walls surrounding the space. The restaurant was opened in 2008 by Yuhei Kakizaki in Ningyocho. He gained experience at Ginza Kyubei, Nada Sushi-bu, and Rokuryoku at the Grand Hyatt Tokyo before starting his own business. The restaurant is relatively quiet and has a high rate of regular customers. The owner, although seemingly quiet, provides detailed explanations of the dishes. The meal included various appetizers, grilled items, and sushi such as oysters, cutlassfish, bonito, red snapper, tuna, toro, sea urchin, squid, ark shell, shrimp, conger eel, clam soup, and rolls. The quality of the ingredients and the meticulous preparation stood out, especially the oysters, cutlassfish, and bonito. The sushi was also excellent, with large, firm grains of rice seasoned with salt only, enhancing the flavor of the toppings. This hidden gem of an Edo-style sushi restaurant in the downtown area is definitely worth a visit.

I suddenly felt like having sushi and decided to visit this restaurant after making a same-day reservation. The restaurant had a simple and luxurious appearance, with a sliding door leading to a cozy interior featuring a 4-person table and an L-shaped counter with 8 seats. The owner was the sushi chef, while his wife took care of the service. As soon as I sat down, I was asked about my drink preferences and any dislikes, indicating that it was likely an omakase course only. - Appetizers - "Black abalone / Boiled peanuts" ○△ "Seared mackerel" ○ (oily and tender) "Simmered octopus" ○ "Fresh oysters with vinegar" ○ (melts in your mouth) "Bonito with mustard soy sauce" ○ (perfect balance of lean meat and fat) "Mozuku seaweed with vinegar" ○△ "Grilled conger eel with yuzu pepper" △ "Blanched tomorrow's leaf" ○△ "Edamame" ○△ - Sushi - "Red snapper (from Akashi)" ○ "Tuna lean meat (from Oma)" ○ "Medium fatty tuna (from Oma)" ○ "Fatty tuna (from Oma)" ○ "Sea urchin (from Bafun and Murasaki)" ○ "Scallop" ○ "Fresh salmon roe" ◎ "Baby gizzard shad" ○△ - Additional - "Conger eel (with yuzu pepper)" △ "Kanpyo roll" ○△ We also had 2 glasses of draft beer, 5 glasses of wheat shochu, and 1 serving of chilled sake for two people. The total cost was around 21,000 yen per person, with the course likely priced at around 15,000 yen. The sushi had a unique texture with a crumbly rice base, and the flavors were quite good overall. The portions were on the smaller side, with a strong saltiness in the rice. The service was polite and attentive, with the owner providing detailed explanations about the sushi. The clientele seemed to be upper-class working individuals, with a high rate of regular customers. Overall, it was a decent dining experience.

The texture and flavor of the sushi rice, where you can feel each grain, really complemented the toppings and made the sushi delicious.

A sushi restaurant full of hospitality. Thank you, Mr. KakiZaki.

The cost is somewhat high. The taste is average. Wish it was better.

Around 6:20 pm, I arrived at the restaurant with a very impressive entrance gate, which had a small peephole on the door. I cautiously entered as there were no other customers inside. I asked if it was okay to dine alone and waited for the hostess to seat me, rather than choosing my own seat at the counter. I find it difficult to enjoy sushi restaurants where regular customers dominate the space. I ordered a draft beer and the chef's choice set. I wish that sushi restaurants would make their prices and service charges clearer, such as listing the omakase set at 12,000 yen, beer at 1,000 yen, sake at 1,000 yen, plus a 10% service charge and tax. This transparency would encourage more visits from ordinary people like me when we have extra money from bonuses or investments. However, I heard that they intentionally do not disclose prices because many customers use the restaurant for business entertainment purposes. I paid with cash, but checked if they accepted cards and would pay by card if they did, to collect miles. I had edamame and kazunoko as appetizers, followed by rare Ara fish sashimi and Ishigaki clam. The sashimi was served with young shoots, daikon, and myoga. The octopus simmered in a tender manner was delicious but a bit too cold. The marinated large oyster was sprinkled with Tabasco or jalapeno. The bonito had a topping, possibly sesame oil. The salt-grilled conger eel with yuzu pepper was exceptional. The best dish of the day was the fatty tuna nigiri, perfectly prepared with excellent flavor. I also enjoyed the pickled Mozuku seaweed, grilled conger eel, and anago nigiri with yuzu pepper. The meal concluded with water eggplant. The sushi was of high quality, with various toppings and carefully prepared by the skilled chef. I appreciated the effort put into the dishes. The nigiri sushi included white fish with kelp, medium fatty tuna, fatty tuna, purple sea urchin, and horse mackerel. Each piece was delicious, especially the sweet Ishigaki clam and white squid. The sushi rice was slightly firm, and the vinegar had a unique blend. Overall, I enjoyed the nigiri sushi and the creative appetizers. The restaurant is unique in its approach to sushi, and I would consider visiting again.

Visited Sushi Kakizaki on my birthday, a place I had been wanting to go for a while. According to the head chef at Ukihasu, the quality of the fish here is good. The restaurant has a clean atmosphere, with a striking white wooden counter. The first dish, Hamachi, should be excellent if the freshness is good, but I'm not a big fan of this fish so it was just okay for me. The next dish, Oma tuna, was not as exceptional as expected for Oma tuna. Overall, there were no standout pieces. The sushi was far from outstanding, rather on the tough side. Among the appetizers, the grilled conger eel with yuzu pepper was quite enjoyable. It might be a good place to drink sake and have some snacks, but I don't think it's a sushi restaurant. Having a beer and trying 15 dishes for around 12,000 yen per person might offer good value for money.

Tokyo last night! Sushi, right?! I tried to visit Ota Sushi before 9 pm, but was turned away because it was full. So, I decided to look for a restaurant similar to Ota Sushi, and while wandering around, I saw a man in a suit who looked like a company president getting into a taxi. I asked a woman nearby how much it would cost for a similar experience, and she said around 10,000 yen. I peeked into the restaurant and saw that it was empty. I decided to sit at the counter and ordered the omakase. Before the sushi arrived, I was served about 5 dishes that looked like Kyoto kaiseki or obanzai. I started to worry if the chef had misunderstood my order. However, the dishes were unique and delicious. The chef's behavior made me a bit nervous, as he seemed to be playing some kind of mystery game. When pickles were served, I got a bit anxious because in Kyoto, serving pickles first means "please leave soon." I couldn't help but blurt out, "I have 30,000 yen and credit cards with me." It turned out that this gesture didn't have the same meaning in Tokyo, which relieved me. I enjoyed about 10 different types of sushi, but the highlight was the Bafun Uni nigiri. The chef skillfully crafted large purple sea urchins into nigiri without crushing them, which requires a high level of expertise. As someone who used to dive for sea urchins as a child, I know the rarity and value of large purple sea urchins. So, I was extremely happy when the chef casually presented them to me.

I had been curious about Kakizaki for a while now. It must have been open for about 2 years already. I usually end up going to Tsukiji Sushi when I want sushi, and have trouble trying out other restaurants. But on this day, I decided to take the plunge and visit Kakizaki. The interior of the restaurant has a small counter with 8 seats and one table. I didn't have a reservation, but luckily there was a seat available. I guess it's different on Fridays, but Saturdays in Ningyocho are different. When I go to a sushi restaurant, I always order sake. On this day, I asked for sake and was told they only have hot or cold sake, without specifying the brand. It's tough for a sake lover when there's no choice of brand. The appetizer was whale intestine called "hyakuhiro". It's rare to have whale at a sushi restaurant. This hyakuhiro had no fishy smell and was delicious. Even my friend who doesn't like internal organs had no problem eating it. This time, I decided to only have nigiri sushi. I asked for the chef's choice, and after a fluke with kombu, I had chutoro, otoro, and akami zuke, three types of tuna in a row. This is tuna from Oma, apparently. It's the first time I've been served tuna consecutively like this. They must be really confident. The quality is good and it's delicious, but it didn't leave me feeling amazed. The akami zuke also lacked a certain depth of flavor. But it was still delicious. Next was akagai from Yuyake. It seems they have a variety of high-quality ingredients. This one had a crunchy texture and was rich in flavor. Then I had kobashira, hotate, kohada, and shima aji, all of which showcased the high quality of the ingredients. However, when the ingredients were too worked on, the appeal was reduced by half. The shari had a distinctive salty taste. It's the kind of thing that could be a love it or hate it situation, but I found it tolerable. Overall, the quality of the ingredients is good and delicious, but as someone who prefers less worked on ingredients, I found it slightly lacking. But I would like to visit again when the seasons change.

As the end of the year approaches, I visited this sushi restaurant after a long time. Personally, I felt that it was close to my ideal sushi restaurant. One of the reasons is that you can easily make a reservation even on the same day. It's difficult to use a restaurant regularly if you have to make a reservation weeks in advance. This restaurant allows you to call and make a reservation for the same day most of the time. Some may think, "Isn't that place unpopular?" but I think it means that the restaurant hasn't been "discovered" much in the media or online yet. There are still many restaurants like this in Tokyo. Comparing it to other popular sushi restaurants like Kisushi or Miyako Sushi in Nihonbashi, Kisushi has a mixed clientele and a bustling atmosphere, while Miyako Sushi is popular and may not always have same-day reservations available. The quality of the sushi at Miyako Sushi is better, to be honest. Overall, it depends on what you are looking for in a restaurant. In simple terms, for lunch (even though they are not open), go to Miyako Sushi for sushi, and for dinner, go to this place for a great experience!

About half a year ago, or maybe a little longer ago, while riding my bicycle down a street one block away from Ningyocho Street, a sign caught my eye. At first glance, I saw the word "sushi" and upon closer inspection, it read "Sushi Kakizaki". The exterior had a small entrance with no menu displayed, giving off the impression of a high-end sushi restaurant. After hearing good reviews about it, I decided it was worth a visit. Fast forward to over half a year later, the opportunity suddenly arose. It was around 9 PM and I found myself needing to eat dinner alone. I came across the Kakizaki sign and decided it was the perfect chance to finally try it out. I quickly checked their phone number on the mobile version of Tabelog and confirmed that they were open. I parked my bike in front of the shop, opened the sliding door, and entered. The interior was surprisingly spacious, with all seats occupied except for one at the corner near the entrance. Lucky me! I ordered a beer and requested a chef's choice of sashimi followed by nigiri sushi. The menu was not visible, so I left it up to the chef to decide. I was served a variety of sashimi including autumn salmon, fresh ikura, white shrimp, flounder, Oma tuna belly, and grilled clams. Each dish was presented one by one, keeping me excited for what would come next. The simplicity of the shop was evident, with only a minimal selection of fish displayed on the counter. When it came to the nigiri, I noticed they were smaller in size compared to other places I've been to. The chef, Mr. Kakizaki, asked if I wanted them larger, and after a few bites, he even offered to make them bigger. The rice texture and vinegar seasoning were just right. I must have had around 8 pieces before he asked if I wanted more, to which I requested a couple more. The final piece was a kanpyo roll, concluding my meal. It was delicious. The total bill for the day came to 14,500 yen. I look forward to going back. Thank you for the meal.

★Yoshiharu Doi's Gourmet Exploration★ A renowned Edomae sushi restaurant with only 8 counter seats! The omakase menu includes 9 appetizers and 9 pieces of nigiri.