After work, I made last-minute reservations for three people and managed to secure a seat. We ordered a boat platter and tried all the sashimi at the tuna fair. We also ordered fried horse mackerel and some other dishes. The sashimi was typical of the Sushiro chain, but the hot horse mackerel fry was delicious with its crispy texture. The clientele was mostly young, so older customers may feel a bit out of place, but it's a free-for-all when it comes to having a good time. Even in these times, the staff were kind. It's quite a hidden gem. I will visit again.

I was surprised to see that there were no other customers when I entered the restaurant for Sunday lunch at Shijo-Kobashi. I ordered a sushi set and found out that the taste was average. Even though the sushi rice was mixed with balsamic vinegar, it tasted similar to a regular conveyor belt sushi restaurant. As an izakaya, it may be a decent option for its affordable price in the area.

I made a reservation at a restaurant I had never been to before, and it turned out to be a great experience. The place was bustling with customers, both those with reservations and walk-ins, forming a line to wait. The sushi was original and full of creativity, with large, fresh and delicious toppings. The atmosphere inside was lively, with young staff members working hard. I wrote a request in the reservation notes, but unfortunately it was not acknowledged. The restaurant is located underground, so there are no windows which may feel a bit closed off, but the lively vibe makes up for it. However, the dishes other than sushi were on the salty side, more suited for pairing with alcohol. It would be nice to have menu descriptions indicating the level of seasoning. Apologies for not taking photos of the dishes as I was too busy eating.

I felt like eating sushi or seafood, so I decided to try this restaurant. It's a izakaya located underground, but they also serve lunch. I ordered the Tempura Sushi Set meal for 1,210 yen, which came with sushi and tempura. It seems to be affiliated with the Sushiro chain, and for some reason, it tastes better and offers better value than Sushiro. I'm curious about their dinner menu as well, which seems to have dishes perfect for ending the night with a light meal.

Tendon for 1000 yen (tax included). I feel like I see Sugitama everywhere without realizing it... haha. The delicate counter-style tempura is different from regular tempura, but it's really handy for satisfying my cravings for tempura and sushi at a reasonable price. The tendon here also surprised me with a mountain of tempura for 1000 yen. I couldn't finish it and ended up leaving some. The restaurant is located underground, so it might be a bit hard to find at first, but I think it's a convenient place to eat!

I visited the Kawaramachi store this time after being very satisfied with the Nishiiin store the other day. The place was crowded and the operation seemed a bit overwhelmed. It took some time to place an order, and the popular lunch items were sold out, which was disappointing. However, the cost performance was excellent, so I still give this place a high rating. It's a reliable restaurant. It's hard to believe it's a Sushiro. The skills of the chefs are genuine. They offer not only sushi but also various side dishes that are loved by everyone. It's great to have sushi with tempura or sushi with udon for less than 1,000 yen. I couldn't resist and ended up ordering the Mega High (corner).

A sushi restaurant opened in the place where there used to be a conveyor belt sushi. It's reasonably priced and quite popular. I ordered seared foie gras with ponzu sauce for 494 yen, squid ink black kimchi for 373 yen, drinkable salmon for 494 yen, drinkable seared enoki mushroom for 373 yen, and a gunkan sushi overflowing with sea urchin and salmon roe for 373 yen. I didn't really like the vinegared rice.

Sure, here is the translated review: "It's definitely part of the Kappa Sushi chain. There are probably many similar ones like Kappa Sushi. But it was good. The tempura sushi set was 1550 yen, with 3 pieces of sushi costing 373 yen. The sushi included tuna, fatty tuna, salmon, squid, shrimp, conger eel, whelk, and sea bream. You could also add octopus, horse mackerel, and minced tuna battleship sushi. The tempura included smelt, sweet potato, squid, and eggplant. The vinegared rice was brown, so they must be using red vinegar. I couldn't tell the difference in taste. They had regular soy sauce and dashi soy sauce, but I couldn't tell the difference in usage. The basic ingredients were good. The tempura was a bit greasy but crispy and delicious. You don't need matcha salt. When I had the fatty tuna, the wasabi was just right, but for the rest, they gave a bit too much. The salmon was fatty, and the conger eel had the right sauce. The squid and whelk were also delicious. The minced tuna instead of fatty tuna was a nice touch. The eggplant tempura was particularly good, with a juicy texture and a nice crunch. The squid was also firm and tasty. The staff were a bit funny. It was just before the last order on a Saturday afternoon, and when I asked about the 10 limited items, they said they would check. Serious. When I asked about the difference between the regular and upper tempura sets, they replied, "The ingredients are different," which made me laugh. Of course they are. What else could be different? Increase the amount of sushi rice? It would feel a bit vulgar. Changing the variety of rice might be better. After a short wait, they said, "I don't know the difference in ingredients," which was a funny response. Wait a minute. Don't be so confident (laughs). At a slightly higher price than conveyor belt sushi, with this quality of ingredients, they might have differentiated themselves. I think it's good. However, I didn't drink alcohol this time, so I'll judge after drinking next time. I was upset that there was no sake on the drink menu, as I wanted to drink sake while eating sushi. But then I realized it was written on the back. I was just being stupid. Sushi always makes me want to drink sake."

I visited on Sunday night. Despite being a Sunday, there were many customers. It seemed like there were a lot of young people. Since it's a chain restaurant, the food was average. It's close to the station, so if I get lost again, I will visit. Thank you for the meal ☺︎

On Sunday around 6pm, I was able to be seated right away without a reservation. I ordered dishes like raw salmon similar to liver sashimi, yuzu daikon, engawa changja, a greedy selection of sushi (tuna/negitoro sushi/yellowtail negitoro sushi), greedy seared dishes (salmon/anago/fatty mackerel), aosa agodashi tofu, and dashimaki tamago. The ordering process was done by scanning a QR code with a mobile phone. The raw salmon dish similar to liver sashimi had a sesame oil flavor and was delicious. I really liked the yuzu daikon and ended up ordering two portions. The sushi was melt-in-your-mouth delicious.

I went to "Sugitama," a seafood izakaya in Kyoto's Kiyamachi area! I had the lunch-only Sugitama set meal (1280 yen) and the boat-shaped sashimi bowl (990 yen). Best value for money! #KyotoSeafood #KyotoGourmet #KyotoGourmetTrip #KyotoSeafoodBowl #KyotoGourmetTour #KyotoGourmetClub #KyotoGourmetInfo #KyotoLunch #KawaramachiLunch #KyotoLunchRecommendation #KyotoTravel #KyotoExploration #KiyamachiGourmet #KiyamachiIzakaya #KyotoSushi #DeliciousKyoto #Foodstagram #KyotoSushiLunch #KyotoGourmetInfo #KyotoLunchRecommendation #KyotoLunchTrip #KyotoLunchScene #Sugitama #SugitamaLunch

On the third day of my trip to Kyoto, after walking around, I came across a beautiful cherry blossom tree-lined street. I decided to have lunch there. I had originally planned to go eat udon, but I was drawn to a cute mural on the wall and decided to go to the restaurant next to it. The restaurant led underground, where there was a spacious interior with counter seats. We were told to sit wherever we liked, so we chose a booth seat. Since we didn't do any research beforehand, it felt like a bit of a gamble trying out an unknown restaurant in an unfamiliar place. When we looked at the menu, we were pleasantly surprised. I ordered the limited edition "Sashimi Boat Bowl" while my partner ordered the "Tempura Sushi Set (Deluxe)". The bowl had lightly colored rice with salmon roe on the side. The sashimi on the boat included 8 different kinds, which allowed me to enjoy the sashimi without eating too much rice. The tempura in my partner's set included fish and vegetables. The sushi also looked delicious. Despite it being lunchtime, my partner even ordered a beer. It turned out to be a very delicious lunch. There were many appealing menu signs on the wall. Stumbling upon a tasty restaurant like this really lifts your spirits! When I looked it up later, I found out that "Sugidama" is actually a nationwide chain. There's one near my home, so I plan to visit soon. Thank you for the meal!

I went for lunch on Sunday. It seems like Sugi Tama is part of a conveyor belt sushi chain. I've seen it in Osaka before, but this is my first time in Kyoto. The restaurant is located underground, so when you go down the stairs, the staff will guide you. I sat at a table and looked at the menu. They offer lunch sets and you can also drink during the day. I started with a draft beer. I was surprised by the prices. Nigiri sushi is 3 pieces for 329 yen, and premium items like fatty tuna or eel are 2 pieces for 329 yen. The prices are very reasonable. The rice is red, so maybe it's red vinegar rice? Well, it's quite tasty, so if the cost performance is this good, I am very satisfied.

I went to my workplace this Saturday. I finished my business in the morning and decided to have lunch in Kawaramachi. My workplace is in Kyoto, so I go out every day, but it's been about six months since I last visited Kawaramachi at lunchtime. I noticed that a place called "Sugidama" had opened along the Takase River, one street east of Shijo Kawaramachi. It seems to have been opening since last December. The restaurant is located underground. It wasn't too crowded, so I was seated at the counter without waiting. When I looked at the menu, I saw they had a "boat sashimi bowl" limited to 10 people. I was told it was the last one, so I ordered it without hesitation. The dishes looked delicious, and there was also a lunchtime drinking menu, but I passed on it this time. After a short wait, the food arrived. It was more generous than I expected. There were plenty of salmon roe on top of the vinegar rice. It included horse mackerel, minced tuna with green onions, salmon, tuna, yellowtail, squid, and egg. I started by eating the vinegar rice dipped in black vinegar. It was warm and delicious, and the salmon roe added a nice touch. I finished it in no time. It was delicious, and I would like to come back next time to enjoy a leisurely drink in the evening.

"Sushiro, a major conveyor belt sushi chain, operates a sushi izakaya called "Sugitama" in Kyoto Kawaramachi, offering reasonably priced sushi, creative dishes, and a variety of Japanese sake from all over the country. Sugitama refers to a ball-shaped ornament made by gathering cedar leaves (tips). It is traditionally hung outside sake breweries to announce the completion of new sake. Leveraging the sourcing network of the conveyor belt sushi chain, Sugitama offers fresh sushi and dishes starting from 299 yen to 499 yen each. Due to the current inability to serve alcohol, the restaurant is focusing on sushi and other menu items. During lunchtime, you can enjoy options like seafood bowls, sashimi set meals, and the limited 10 servings "boat platter bowl" for 990 yen, which is a hearty and generous dish with thickly sliced seafood. Any leftover ingredients that don't fit on the bowl can be enjoyed as sashimi. A satisfying meal indeed!"

This year, the series "Straightforward Topics 2021" has been continuing with a focus on meat and seafood. Starting with the "30 Matchups of Meat (Beef & Pork) and Fish," the series has featured "10 Matchups of Chicken," "A Week of Roast Beef Bowls," "A Week of Seafood Bowls," "A Meat-Heavy Week," "A Week of Chicken," and "A Week of Thick Tamago Sandwiches." Now, we will be changing things up a bit and focusing on dining in Kyoto. Currently, the series "2021 Spring New Store Festival" is also ongoing, featuring the opening of new and noteworthy restaurants. Therefore, we would like to feature some Kyoto dining experiences. Let's eat in Kyoto at "Kaiten Sushi CHOJIRO Shijo Kiya-cho Store" and the newly opened "Sushi Sakana Sakagyu Kyoto Kawaramachi" (Kyoto, Kawaramachi), a restaurant under the Sushiro Group. For lunch, we ordered the Nigiri Futo 14-piece set for 990 yen.

At 4:30 PM, I was looking for a place to drink and stumbled upon "Sugidama" which just opened on April 8th. It's located on the corner of Shijo Kiya-cho, at the former site of Nagajiro. The interior is decorated with colorful hand-drawn fish and sea motifs, very lovely! As a special opening gift, I received a piece of fatty tuna sushi, which was delicious. The menu mostly consists of sushi, with a limited selection of sashimi and the option to have sushi without rice. The sashimi tasted like the 200 yen plates at Sushiro. The best was the fatty tuna sushi they gave as a service. The uni and ikura gunkan sushi for 299 yen was visually appealing and tasty. The menu is text-only, so I had to ask the staff about the dishes, but they were still getting used to it. There was confusion with a complicated menu item, but they kindly offered an apology with a bread basket. The service is still improving, but I believe it will get better as the restaurant gains popularity. Good luck!

This year, the series of straight ball topics 2021 started with a 30-match challenge of meat & seafood, followed by a series of beef & pork and fish topics. We continued with "Chicken 10-match challenge," "Roast Beef Bowl for a Week," "Seafood Bowl for a Week," "Meaty Week," "Chicken Week," and "Thick Tamago Sandwich Week." Now, we are changing things up a bit and focusing on dining in Kyoto. Currently, we are also covering the "2021 Spring New Restaurant Festival," featuring upcoming restaurant openings. It's a good opportunity to explore Kyoto's dining scene and share some Instagram-worthy moments. One of the featured restaurants is "Kaiten Sushi CHOJIRO Shijo Kiya-cho Store," followed by the newly opened "Sushi Sakana Sugi Tama Kyoto Kawaramachi" on April 8th in Kyoto's Kawaramachi area. This is a sushi restaurant under the Sushiro Group, offering a special limited boat-shaped sushi bowl for 990 yen. The restaurant is known for its visually appealing sushi, similar to "AWOMB" in Kyoto's Karasuma area. While the prices are reasonable at this chain restaurant, be prepared for a potentially longer wait time for your order to arrive, as they are still adjusting their operations. It's recommended to visit with the mindset that it's okay to wait 20-30 minutes for your order, especially during the lunch rush.

In April 2021, after visiting a live bar in Gion JTN, I came across this sign here! "Sugitama seems to be a new concept sushi izakaya from Sushiro!" So I decided to go there on a whim. "Wow, it just opened, looks great!" The interior of the store is sparkling clean. I had always wanted to try Sugitama. I was so happy! Apparently, there was a special offer for the grand opening - one free medium fatty tuna nigiri per person. My husband ordered the special assorted sushi, while I enjoyed lots of my favorite tuna. It was a wonderful day filled with a lovely live performance, delicious tuna, and overall, a great experience.

The portions were a bit on the larger side. The tempura was crispy and good, but I wish there were shrimp included. Overall, it was a decent restaurant in terms of cost performance.