In Asakusa, there is a sushi restaurant that caught my attention called Kan Sushi! It's been about 10 years since I visited, but I still have a vivid memory of it! Nestled among the distinguished restaurants in this area is Kibun Sushi! Right next to it is the modest Kan Sushi! The atmosphere inside is somewhat old-fashioned, and the proprietress is still there to make the sushi! The interior seems a bit more cluttered than before!? Anyway, I took a swig of bottled beer! Let's begin! Firefly squid! The fresh firefly squid is firm and delicious! The eyes, beak, and backbone are all neatly prepared, and it tastes great! It's a generous portion and makes a perfect appetizer between sushi pieces! Nigiri sushi! Otoro (fatty tuna belly)! The fatty tuna belly is rich and sweet! It may not look perfect, but the quality of the tuna is high! Akami (lean tuna)! This is also excellent tuna! It has a glossy appearance, thick slices, and a moist texture with a smooth mouthfeel! Live scallop! With freshness that feels like it was just prepared, the sweetness spreads in your mouth! The thick meat and firm texture of the scallop add to the experience! Kibinago (silver-stripe round herring)! A refreshing and mild taste with a subtle bitter aftertaste that feels elegant! White fish! The fresh white fish with a crunchy texture is a seasonal delight! It overflows with a great texture in the gunkan style! Botan shrimp! Although the way it's cut doesn't look refined, the thick and flavorful botan shrimp is delicious! Marinated herring roe! With a vibrant color and a perfect saltiness, this marinated herring roe is exquisite! It seems like it would go well with a bit of sake, but I had to resist... The sushi rice is slightly larger in size, satisfying the stomach quite well! The atmosphere of the restaurant is where opinions may differ... The quality of the ingredients is good, but some may not like the feeling of eating at a fish market! Despite feeling a bit out of place, I had a good time chatting with the lively proprietress and reminiscing about old Asakusa. I won't give a rating, as it would be presumptuous!

I visited Kin Sushi in Asakusa after reading about it in the book "Shokutaku no Jokei" by Kotaro Ikuhara, which featured a rare female chef making delicious sushi. When I arrived, the elderly lady who runs the place welcomed me despite the late hour and led me to a counter seat. The restaurant was a bit messy, but the food was amazing. I ordered the top sushi set for 2000 yen and was served various fresh and large sushi pieces, including red abalone, hotaru squid from Toyama, scallops from Hokkaido, and more. The highlight was the huge and delicious cherry shrimp from Shizuoka, head-on shrimp from Okayama, and sweet shrimp from Kagoshima. The lady also served a giant clam from Mie in miso soup, which was fantastic. She shared stories about sourcing ingredients from Tsukiji and Toyosu markets, and her dedication to running the sushi restaurant. The experience was truly memorable, and I highly recommend Kin Sushi for a unique and delicious sushi experience.

I left the S&R Hot Sandwich Cafe and on my way home, I passed by Kin Sushi on the way back to Calissima. It seemed to be open, so I couldn't resist going in. I ordered the regular sushi set (1000 yen). An old lady with white hair was making the sushi. The interior of the restaurant was a bit messy, but looking at the sushi that the regular customers were eating with their drinks, it seemed quite delicious. The regular set included 7 pieces of nigiri and half a seaweed roll. It was served in two rounds. First, I had Kohada, octopus, sea bream, and tuna. Considering the price, the quality was not top-notch, but the freshness was decent. There was a note saying that the sushi rice was seasoned with red vinegar, but the rice was white. However, it was a firm and slightly tangy sushi rice. The sushi pieces were not consistent in size and a bit messy, reminiscent of the sushi from the old days when it was more like fast food. The second round included raw white fish battleship, squid, flying fish roe battleship, and tamagoyaki (Japanese rolled omelet). The seaweed roll had been replaced with battleship style, which I found more enjoyable than the nigiri. The tamagoyaki felt like something bought from a store. Perhaps, like the regular customers enjoying it with drinks, this place is more suitable for a casual and affordable sushi experience. They were snacking on abalone and mackerel sushi. There was a sign saying no photography allowed inside the restaurant.

I felt like having some sushi after work, so I stopped by a sushi restaurant with a traditional curtain at the entrance. Once inside, I transcended the world of ratings and evaluations. I ordered the "nigiri set." The first piece was made with fresh cherry shrimp from Yui that just arrived yesterday. It was followed by sand lance and then salmon roe, spear squid, and more. The old lady making the sushi talked cheerfully about her dedication to each piece, saying things like "I don't want to charge too much," "I prefer to see customers happy," and "I get excited when I find good or rare ingredients at the market." She really enjoyed talking to us and made the experience very pleasant. As a novice, I couldn't possibly give her a score – it was just beyond my abilities.

A long-established sushi restaurant located along a narrow alley behind the Kaminarimon-dori in Asakusa. The preparation is done using tables on the customer side, so it can be a bit messy depending on the time. The elderly proprietress runs the place, sticking to traditional methods while keeping prices low. I had some errands to run in Asakusa, so I thought I'd stop by my favorite sushi restaurant on the way back. However, the timing was off, and they were still getting ready. So, I decided to head towards the subway when I spotted a sushi restaurant with a cool appearance that rivaled Kibun Sushi. (*￣ー￣) It seemed to be open, so I went in right away. Inside, I saw the proprietress preparing something on the customer side. She had just finished the lunch service and was getting ready for the evening, but she had forgotten to put up the curtain. Nevertheless, she welcomed me in. Upon closer inspection, it looked like the proprietress was preparing horse mackerel. There was a faint trickle of blood from the cutting board, and there seemed to be something like cotton wool in a bucket at her feet. (*￣ー￣) Quite cool. Anyway, I ordered some hot sake. They poured the sake from the tokkuri into a kettle, which was a nice touch. There was a large pot on a stove in the customer area, where whelks for the appetizer were being boiled. Along with the hot sake, a plate of boiled whelks was served as a snack. It seemed to be lightly seasoned, so I added a drop of soy sauce from the table. When the tokkuri was about half empty, I ordered another round of nigiri. They had three levels: regular, medium, and premium, with the premium set at 2,000 yen, which was quite reasonable. The proprietress prepared the ingredients and skillfully made the nigiri. For the premium nigiri set at 2,000 yen, I got two pieces of fatty tuna, yellowtail, horse mackerel, and sujiko. The first four pieces and a ball of pickled radish were served. The rice and fish were quite large, making it difficult for a woman to eat in one bite. Perhaps due to the time of day, the rice was cool and sticky, without the taste of vinegar. It seemed more like rice balls. The second round was a battleship roll of ark shell and raw shirasu. The ark shell was impressive and had a pleasant texture. They also served boiled ark shell liver on the side, and the hot sake disappeared without a trace. Lastly, I had another serving of saury, sea bream, and kohada. The fish that looked like lean tuna turned out to be a mentaiko topping. (*￣ー￣) Another sake, please. While the rice may not have been perfect, the portion size of each serving was quite generous. With two bottles of hot sake and the appetizer included, the total came to around 3,000 yen, which was quite reasonable. The restaurant has been operating as a sushi restaurant since the early Showa period, and as soon as the curtain went up, familiar faces started to appear one by one. The atmosphere of a community-oriented long-standing establishment was palpable even to a first-time visitor.

This is a historic Edo-style sushi restaurant on Asakusa Chuo Street. It's my third visit. I heard that it was established around the Meiji era. Although it became a sushi restaurant later on, it is still considered a long-standing establishment. I heard that the female owner took over at some point. I went to meet her. Even though it's on Asakusa Chuo Street, it doesn't feel very central anymore. There are other famous sushi restaurants like "Kibun Sushi" on the same street. When you walk north from Kaminarimon Street towards Denboin Street, you tend to overshoot the location. Why? Because it's hard to find. No, that's not quite right. It's not that it's hard to find, but rather it's in an unexpected place. You must see the photos. It may sound like an exaggeration, but depending on the season, it really does have that kind of atmosphere. Just this place. Even the entrance is confusing, and you're not sure where to go in from. Right now, the days are short so the lights are on, making it easier to find, but during the summer meeting at 6:00 or 6:30, you're likely to get lost. Finally finding the place, when you go inside, it's like a jungle. It smells more like a fish market than a sushi restaurant, giving off an Amazon-like vibe. If you don't like that kind of smell, you may not enjoy it. I ordered the "Nigiri-jo" (2,000 yen) - as shown in the photos. It starts with homemade ginger and specialty tea. The basic set includes 10 pieces of nigiri and sometimes regular customers or as a service, you might get three pieces of maki. I won't go into details about each type of fish, but they are sourced from trusted suppliers and exceed the price in terms of quality. Just by looking at the photos, you can tell. If this was a fancier place in Ginza, they could easily charge close to 5,000 yen. That's because they're using the same quality ingredients as those high-end places. The vinegar rice is made with traditional red vinegar, giving it a unique taste that defines this restaurant. The flavors are not sweet, but rather quite sour. Just the two pieces of raw tuna, Okayama's Kasokayama shrimp, and sand lance alone would cost over 2,000 yen. This is a great place to enjoy traditional Edo-style sushi from a long-standing establishment at a reasonable price. As long as you don't mind the jungle-like atmosphere. (laughs) Thank you for the meal. This place is one of the few in Asakusa that still has a well that was in use until recently. Oh, that's right, I just remembered. I think I heard last time that it used to be a tofu shop. Recently, there has been a lot of discussion about women making sushi, but this restaurant is run by a female owner who makes Edo-style sushi. There are several such places in the Ikebukuro area as well. Rather than focusing on delicate details like hand temperature and size, there are many other important aspects to preserve in Edo-style sushi. This restaurant teaches you that. Also, for those who take photos, it is important to obtain permission and follow the rules for photography. (By Kyo Natsushu, 2019.11.9) (15 reviews/3.03)

I visited this place for the second time in the Reiwa era, more than 10 years after the first visit, as it is said to have been frequented by Ryotaro Shiba. As others have mentioned, the smell was quite strong... but if you're a bit tipsy, it's bearable (^^;) The sushi rice seasoned with red vinegar was large in size, and one serving filled me up completely. Well, it was delicious. It's like a relic from the Showa era. I wonder if this place will still be here the next time I visit Asakusa...

I wandered around Asakusa and found a sushi restaurant. An old lady was making sushi. It was my first time seeing a woman making sushi. They served marinated salmon cartilage as an appetizer. I ordered a chirashi sushi and a burdock roll. The sushi was delicious, but the best part was talking to the old lady. I would love to visit this restaurant again.

Every time I visit Asakusa, I make sure to stop by this restaurant. If you want to eat at a fancy place, you can go to a different restaurant... However, this place is small but cozy, where you can relax and listen to the landlady talk about the old days of Asakusa. Her stories about herself are also very interesting. It's a great place to enjoy delicious sashimi and sake slowly. They only serve beer and sake.

It had been a while since I visited Asakusa, so I decided to challenge myself by trying a new restaurant that I had been wanting to go to for a while. One reason I had been putting it off was because the restaurant was located on a corner with entrances on both sides, and I wasn't sure which entrance to use. Another reason was that I expected the inside to be in a shocking condition. Summoning up my courage, I opened the sliding door and found a man and a woman already seated inside. The lady in front seemed to be the owner, and the man behind the counter appeared to be the chef. I was directed to take a seat, and the man behind the counter seemed to be the one in charge of making the sushi. On the menu, I saw my favorite shellfish dishes lined up - boiled clams, flat clams, and ark shells - but I decided to go with a classic sushi set in the middle. As advertised outside, I was served tiny baby shrimp. There was a sign inside prohibiting photography. The sushi was served on long plates, with about four pieces each served in two separate rounds. It was the rumored sushi with red vinegar. The previous customer was chatting a lot with the chef, so I never got the chance to order more dishes. I thought it wasn't very considerate, but I quietly finished my meal and left. Having been trained in the etiquette of being a customer at a traditional bar, I found it difficult to deal with customers who only thought about themselves. I wished the staff had asked if I wanted to order more, but oh well. I decided to rate the experience, including the atmosphere created by the restaurant, as a whole.

I entered the shop thinking it was an old-established place because of its old appearance. As I opened the sliding door, a terrible smell hit me. I thought about leaving, but my companion had already entered, so I reluctantly ordered a sushi set. It included sea bream, tuna, shrimp, prawn, roe, and fresh young sardines on vinegared rice, with quite large pieces. Unfortunately, the strong unpleasant smell in the shop affected my dining experience, making the sushi disappointing. I wonder if the staff are not bothered by the smell. They should do something about it for the regular customers.

The attention to detail in sushi making and the commitment to pricing are both excellent. In terms of taste, value for money, and service, this restaurant is equivalent to a 4-star rating. However, due to various reasons, I have rated it as 1 star. For various reasons, I do not recommend it for family outings, dates, or hanging out with friends. If you are interested, I suggest going alone first.

This small restaurant, located near the back of the Kaminarimon in Asakusa, may have a typical storefront found in any town, but the sake here is truly excellent. There is only one sushi chef, and she is a woman. Today, I met with a teacher from a certain school and we waited at Kin Sushi, where the owner and the teacher have had a relationship for 40 years. It seems that many literary figures, such as Junnosuke Yoshiyuki and Shitaro Ishihara, used to frequent this place. The current proprietress is the same female artisan mentioned in Shitaro Ishihara's books, and she now runs the restaurant with her younger brother. The history of the restaurant dates back 140 years, with over 100 years of sushi history alone. The ambiance and interior of the restaurant exude a sense of history, and the regular customers seem to be drawn by the interesting stories and conversations with the proprietress. The dishes, such as simmered abalone, pickled hizunamasu, salted squid ovaries, seaweed from the Shimanto River, and grilled conger eel liver, perfectly complement the sake. The atmosphere may remind you of the Nagasaki-ya branch in Sengoku-Uyama, but this is all part of the historical charm. For those who consider themselves gourmet connoisseurs, those seeking extreme tension, or those who are a bit eccentric, why not try having Chinese food at the Nagasaki-ya branch and then finishing off at Asakusa Kin Sushi? Nowadays, due to strict regulations, I cannot write any further, but seeing is believing. It may take courage to step into this unique dining experience, but why not open the door to this time tunnel?

I was taken to Kin Sushi by an acquaintance for the first time. I had heard rumors about this place and was very excited to visit. There were comments about a strong smell inside the restaurant, but I am sensitive to smells and prepared myself before entering. However, the smell was not as bad as I had expected. It was mentioned that there was a fishy smell from processing fish, but I believe it was the lingering aroma of grilled saury. The hostess, who had beautiful skin that did not match her age, served us a white clam appetizer. It was cooked just right and even the liver was delicious. We then enjoyed scallops, white shrimp, raw baby sardines, and sakura shrimp, all with a salty flavor. They were fresh and tasty. We also tried delicious sea cucumber and shirako. The sea cucumber, usually tough, was surprisingly tender due to being marinated in vinegar. The abalone, although small, had a flavorful taste. We were also served a special blue seaweed from the Shimanto River as a palate cleanser. Following that, we had a large clam soup with seaweed, which was both delicious and luxurious. The highlight was the finale - the pickled mackerel. The hostess taught us to "finish it after looking at its face," and the pickled mackerel at Kin Sushi was the best I have ever had. It was incredibly delicious with soft flesh and no overpowering vinegar taste. The hama sushi, which was suggested by the hostess, was also outstanding. Each dish was exceptional and reasonably priced. This is definitely a restaurant recommended by the famous author Shota Ikenami. The atmosphere may not be for everyone, so it's best to judge for yourself. Despite that, I would rate this place a 4.0. Thank you for the wonderful meal.

After Sushizanmai, I thought about trying different sushi, so I came across Kindairo Sushi on a corner. It's a place that some reviewers have visited before. The reviews weren't great, but it's my second stop, so why not give it a try! When I entered, there was only one older lady there. I wasn't sure if she was an employee. I decided to sit down, but there was a strange smell. Since I was the only customer, I thought, well, let's just get some sake! They brought out an appetizer. I didn't really want to eat it. I was wondering when the head chef would appear, but to my surprise, the older lady was the head chef... and she was very chatty! Thanks to her, I managed to spend about 30 minutes on the appetizer. Something felt off. I kept thinking about it. Then I realized, the name of this place is Kin Sushi. The neighboring restaurant is Kindairo Sushi... I checked on Tabelog and it seems like everyone had a similar experience, being told the same stories. The bill came out to 900 yen.

Five days have passed since the last review of the Southern cover band. I had to fly to Tokyo urgently due to a serious contract violation at work. I managed to get a seat on a plane departing from Itami Airport in Osaka at 8 p.m. The company I needed to visit near Nihonbashi Station was my first stop the next morning, so I chose a hotel in Asakusa. Despite being told that I could get there directly from Haneda Airport, I made a mistake and got off at Asakusabashi before Asakusa, feeling lost. I got back on the subway and this time got off at Asakusa properly. The illuminated Senso-ji Temple was beautiful. I was hungry and wanted to grab dinner before checking into the hotel. Of course, I also wanted to have a beer. I was trying to find a restaurant on the way to the hotel, but I couldn't figure out the direction to the hotel. A friendly guy was handing out flyers saying, "Newly opened sushi restaurant." It was a bit further inside, so he was distributing flyers on the main street. "Alright! Let's eat sushi!" I saw a large sushi restaurant with bright lights in the distance and hurried towards it. I suddenly heard the refreshing sound of traditional Edo wind chimes. I stopped abruptly and looked in that direction, where I found a sushi restaurant named "Kin Sushi." It had an old-fashioned vibe. However, it wasn't about having a quaint atmosphere. It simply looked like it had been operating for a long time. I had completely forgotten about the flyer and my reviewer spirit was ignited. I opened the creaky sliding door. An elderly lady at the counter looked at me suspiciously. "Um... Are you still open?" "Yes, we're still open. Please come in." It seemed like this lady was the proprietress. As I stepped further into the restaurant, I was hit by a distinct "old smell" typical of old eateries. If an old establishment maintains cleanliness, it shouldn't have that smell. To be honest, I hesitated whether to turn back or not. I was at a loss. Normally, I wouldn't have entered. But the elderly proprietress stood up as if to say, "Come in," and walked towards the counter, and I couldn't turn back. I couldn't escape in front of the enemy. "Would you like some tea?" "Huh?" "Tea! About the beer?" "Oh, can I have a beer?" "Oh, you're going to drink. Sure, please have a seat." The elderly lady's husband came out from the back with a towel and beer. "Welcome." He was wearing a polo shirt and old-fashioned Bermuda shorts, barefoot in sandals. The proprietress wore a white coat like a craftsman. (Wait, does this lady make sushi here?) The ingrained "old smell" of the restaurant clung to my nostrils even more. I was about to leave, but the elderly proprietress stood up and said, "Here, try this. It's the meat from inside a shrimp claw." "It's unusual! I've never eaten this before!" "When you peel a shrimp, you use scissors to cut the legs and extract the meat. Nowadays, no one does that anymore." "The bill doesn't add up." "Look, this is the shrimp claw. Have you seen this before?" He showed me a huge raw shrimp. "Gross! I've never seen this before! Can I try eating it?" "Oh! You want to eat it? It's a hassle, but okay? It's sweet and delicious. I'll cook it for you now." "Then, please let me have sushi until that shrimp is ready." "Sure! Since you're from Osaka, you must try conger eel and young yellowtail."

Tokyo Asakusa, now, I finished my errands and got hungry. Also, I want to find a drawstring bag that I like. Well, let's take a stroll. I'm thinking of a traditional Japanese-style one, maybe Asakusa is the place to go. It's still early, so I can have a drink and meal. I quickly found the drawstring bag I wanted. Now, it's time for food and drinks at Asakusa's "Kan Sushi". This sushi restaurant has been around since the early Showa period, and the current building was built around 1950. It's a deep sushi restaurant that many people know about. The sushi sets are priced for the common people: one serving of nigiri sushi (regular) costs 1000 yen, (medium) 1500 yen, and (premium) 2000 yen. The chirashi sushi sets are also priced the same. You can also order individual pieces of sushi. The counter has no sushi on display, which was surprising on this day. I started with a drink (not sure of the brand), and the appetizer was "shinko" (baby herring). What!? Baby herring as an appetizer!? It is said that the world of shinko is all about pride and showing off. Shinko is a high-quality fish that is in season in early August. Some restaurants even charge 1000 yen for one piece of shinko sushi. It's a delicacy. The sushi chef at Kan Sushi is a woman, which is rare. She quietly and skillfully prepares the sushi. I enjoyed the fresh shinko with my drink. Finally, my sushi set (regular) arrived: tuna (2 pieces), yellowtail, salmon roe, egg, shinko, and shrimp. This is true "common people's sushi", simple and unpretentious. I also ordered a sake, not knowing the brand, and there was only one type of sake available. There was no shochu or beer, just one type of bottled beer. That's all they had. This place is deep in its simplicity. It is said that the famous author, Ikenami Shotaro, also enjoyed this sushi at the counter. Those who know, know. This is a truly deep sushi restaurant.

On this day, I stayed in Asakusa. As usual, I arrived at Asakusa from Kanda on the Ginza subway line. I passed by the Kaminarimon gate and headed to the hotel. Before entering the hotel, I wanted to have a drink and a light snack. I was deciding between Sushizanmai and a place called Coco that was still open in a side street. I was drawn to the run-down appearance of Coco, so I decided to choose it. However, as soon as I opened the sliding door, I regretted my decision. The interior of the restaurant was messy, with a dirt floor and only one table. The place had a strong smell that was hard to get used to. The husband was taking a break at a table in the back, while the wife was in charge of making sushi. I ordered a beer and a basic sushi set. The menu only had six types of sushi sets, and the options were limited. The appetizer was clams from Hokkaido, which was okay but nothing special. The beer was only available in bottles, and the sushi did not look very fresh. The rice was brown and seemed like barley rice. The tobiko was clumped together and hard to eat. I struggled to finish the sushi. After the other customer left, I ended up having a long conversation with the lady running the place about local eel restaurants in Asakusa. Although she was interesting to talk to, the sushi experience was not memorable. I would like to visit this place again for the conversation rather than the food. Visit date: February 4, 2013.

In my life, Asakusa is truly indispensable! However, back then, when I was just a young and inexperienced country bumpkin (still a country bumpkin now), the idea of having sushi in Asakusa was completely out of reach. But now, I've improved a bit since then, I guess? So, to welcome the new year, I visited Kin Sushi. About 20 years ago, I used to pass by this place but couldn't enter. With various emotions and my family, we entered the shop. The inside of the shop has a strong smell of fermented seafood. Well, to put it nicely, let's say it's the long-embedded aroma of seafood? Honestly, this alone can be a matter of personal preference! Ignoring that (although my family was quite bothered by it), I ordered a bottle of beer and sushi for the family. The beer that came was a large bottle of Kirin Lager. I poured a glass, looked around the shop, and raised a toast while gazing at the counter where Mr. Ikebana was said to have sat. Cheers! Ah, refreshing. But my family's stares are killing me. Then the sushi arrived, and I happily indulged. Thank you for the meal. Describing this shop is difficult, and I ended up writing about it now even though I went there during New Year. For those who want to know, "Just go without hesitation. You'll understand when you go!" That's the feeling. Personally, I want to go back alone next time, sit at the counter, enjoy sushi, and talk about the various things that have happened in the past 20 years.