"Itamae Sushi", a popular sushi restaurant in Tokyo that offers outstanding value for money Edomae Sushi. As of November 1, 2023, the names of 7 out of its 10 stores have been changed to "Tokyo Sushi ITAMAE SUSHI", and the grand menu has also been revamped. You can enjoy fresh hand-rolled sushi at a reasonable price in a shop located in the heart of Tokyo, without having to go to a port town or market!
This time, the FUN! JAPAN editorial team conducted an on-site coverage at "Tokyo Sushi ITAMAE SUSHI Akasaka branch"! We will also introduce the recommended new menu too.
※The products and their prices (including tax) featured in this article are all as of October 2023. The content may have changed, so please check the official website of each store for details.
"If you come to Tokyo, go to ITAMAE SUSHI" is a common concept! Offering delicious "Edomae Sushi" using fish from Tokyo Bay
Since the opening of "Itamae Sushi Akasaka" in 2007, "Itamae Sushi" has been expanding sushi restaurants mainly in Tokyo, such as Shinjuku, Ginza, and Odaiba. From November 1, 2023, a total of 10 stores will be divided into three brands: "EDOWAN CHOKUSO SUSHI TRAIN TOKYO SUSHI-KAIDO ROAD BY ITAMAE SUSHI", "Itamae Sushi", and "Tokyo Sushi ITAMAE SUSHI", and they are evolving more and more.
These three brands are operated in different ways according to consumer needs. "EDOWAN CHOKUSO SUSHI TRAIN TOKYO SUSHI-KAIDO ROAD BY ITAMAE SUSHI" (Odaiba store) is a conveyor belt sushi restaurant. "Itamae Sushi" (Ginza Water Tower store and Akasaka Misuji Street store) is a high-end sushi restaurant offering a chef's choice (omakase) course that can be ordered from an average of about 10,000 yen. The "Tokyo Sushi ITAMAE SUSHI" (the other 7 stores mentioned above), which we visited this time, is a sushi restaurant that mainly offers hand-rolled sushi at an affordable price (around 5,000 yen).
"If you come to Tokyo, go to ITAMAE SUSHI" is a common concept for all three brands. Once called "Edo Bay", Tokyo Bay is blessed with nature, and is home to a variety of fish, from high-end to everyday table fish, all rich in fat. However, there are not many sushi restaurants that mainly deal with fish caught in Tokyo Bay. Therefore, in these three brands, the chefs use their high skills to bring out the best taste of the fish from Tokyo Bay and make it into sushi. This is truly the realization of "eating delicious fish from Tokyo in Tokyo"!
The charm of "Tokyo Sushi ITAMAE SUSHI" that has evolved towards a new stage
This time, the traditional restaurant name "Itamae Sushi" has been changed to "Tokyo Sushi ITAMAE SUSHI", and the high skills of the craftsmen and the commitment to tuna have been further upgraded.
'Edomae Sushi' made with the skills of craftsmen and fish from Tokyo Bay
At "Tokyo Sushi ITAMAE SUSHI", craftsmen work on fish from Tokyo Bay to bring out the deliciousness of the fish.
For example, the traditional techniques passed down from the Edo period by sushi chefs, such as 'Yushimo' to bring out the flavor under the skin, 'Tsuke' to marinate in special soy sauce, 'Aburi' to scorch with fire, 'Niru' to finish the ingredients plumply, 'Kombu-shime' to add the flavor and aroma of kelp, 'Su-shime & Shio-shime' to finish refreshingly and lock in the flavor of the fish, etc., are the points where the deliciousness of the ingredients is further enhanced by high skills. The sushi made with the skills of craftsmen using fish from Tokyo Bay is called 'Edomae Sushi'.
Commitment to natural bluefin tuna
In order to enhance the original taste, aroma, and quality of the tuna the restaurant offer, they source their tuna from Toyosu Market's tuna wholesaler "Ishiji", and furthermore, all the tuna handled by the restaurant is natural bluefin tuna. Natural tuna, which is fatty and sweet, is different from farmed tuna, allowing you to taste the original umami and acidity of tuna in the summer, and the rich fat and sweetness in the winter. You can enjoy the different tastes of tuna that change with the seasons, which is unique to natural products.
Recommended menu of "Tokyo Sushi ITAMAE SUSHI"
Bottom left: Wagyu sirloin steak (grilled), Bottom right: Itamae's bluefin tuna sashimi platter for 5-6 people
"Tokyo Sushi ITAMAE SUSHI", which is deployed in 7 stores, offers nigiri sushi that can be ordered from one piece, not in a conveyor belt format. You can choose sushi made with the skills of each craftsman, such as "Yushimo", "Tsuke", "Kombu-shime", and others from more than 10 types of fish, including kinmedai (alfonsino), eel, kuromutsu (Scombrops gilberti), and horse mackerel, carefully selected from the fish caught in Tokyo Bay.
If you're unsure, you can't go wrong with a nigiri set with salad and miso soup! In addition, the restaurant also offers meat sushi using Japanese Black beef, hand-rolled sushi, sashimi, and other dishes.
From here, we will introduce the grand menu that "Tokyo Sushi ITAMAE SUSHI" is proud of, which we actually tasted it first-hand.
Kinmedai, madai, and squid sushi
The "Edomae Kinmedai Yushimo" (298 yen), finished with a technique called "Yuzumi" on the moderately fatty alfonsino, is completely different from the frozen ones, with both the flesh and skin being soft, allowing you to taste the deliciousness of the fresh alfonsino.
The "Edomae Tennen Madai Kombu Shime" (288 yen), which brings out the flavor of the red sea bream with the artisan technique "Kombu Shime (Kombu finishing)", was delicious with a slight sweetness and a texture that is not too soft but has a bite.
The squid of "Edomae Sumiika" (298 yen) has a good bite and is easy to eat! It's a piece that lets you enjoy the deliciousness of squid to the fullest with its sweetness and texture.
Iwashi, Kuromutsu, and eel nigiri sushi
The "Edomae Iwashi Kombu-nose" (298 yen) had a perfect balance of the sardine's umami and the sweetness of the kombu. The single piece of kombu enhances the umami of the sardine, creating a deep flavor. It is recommended to eat it without soy sauce.
The "Edomae Kuromutsu Tsuke" (368 yen) is a dish that brings out the umami of the kuromutsu, a rare and high-quality fish with a rich fat content, by pickling it in a special soy sauce. The freshness of the fish gives it a firm texture, and the unique flavor of the pickling is well absorbed, making it even more delicious.
The sushi restaurant's staple menu item, "Edomae Ni Anago (Tare & Sansho)" (328 yen), is made by simmering high-quality anago sea eel caught in the Honmoku to Koshiba area of Tokyo Bay. This results in a fluffy texture and allows you to enjoy the flavor enhanced by the sharp aroma and spiciness of sansho.
Tennen Honmaguro Nigiri Sushi and Temaki Sushi
Bottom: Tennen Honmaguro Otoro Tekka Kontobi Temaki
The "Tennen Honmaguro Chutoro" (458 yen) is a charming sushi with a vibrant color and a perfect balance of fat. It's soft, and when you take a bite, the fat slowly melts in your mouth, but it's not greasy. It's amazing that you can eat fresh and high-quality medium fatty tuna at this price!
The "Tennen Honmaguro Akami Tsuke" (328 yen) has a sourness and richness, and you can fully enjoy the umami unique to lean tuna.
The "Tennen Honmaguro Otoro Tekka Kontobi Temaki" (1,580 yen) spreads the sweetness of fatty tuna and the fine-grained fat umami in your mouth.
In this coverage, the commitment of the restaurant using "Natural Tuna" (Tennen Honmaguro) that is not farmed or frozen was the most impressive. Don't miss it if you love tuna!
Reserve "Tokyo Sushi ITAMAE SUSHI Akasaka Branch" and try "Edomae Sushi"!
Bottom left: Semi-private room style table BOX seats, Bottom right: Table BOX seats
The "Tokyo Sushi ITAMAE SUSHI Akasaka branch" we visited this time has a total of 65 seats, including a counter seat with a traditional Japanese design based on Japanese style, a semi-private table BOX seat for up to 5 people, a table seat where 2 to 8 people can sit, and an outdoor terrace seat.
On the menu, there are descriptions in English, Chinese (simplified), and Korean next to Japanese, so it's easy to order directly from the staff. Furthermore, there are multilingual explanations of the characteristics of each sushi, the skills of the craftsmen, and the procurement of ingredients, so you can easily compare and eat even fish species you have never eaten before.
You can also get a numbered ticket at the restaurant and line up, but since you can make a reservation on the Internet, let's make a reservation on the designated reservation site instead once you have decided on a meal plan at "Tokyo Sushi ITAMAE SUSHI". In addition, there is a TAKE OUT corner, so it is also recommended to purchase take-out sushi and eat it at your hotel.
Spot Information
- Name: Tokyo Sushi ITAMAE SUSHI Akasaka branch, Tokyo
- Address: 1F, Taishukan Building, 3-10-1 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo
- Access: 1 minute walk from Akasaka-Mitsuke Subway Station / 6 minutes walk from Akasaka Station Exit 2 on the Chiyoda Subway Line
- Business hours:
- In-store: (Tue-Sat) 11:30 to 03:30 the next day, (Sun, holidays, Mon) 11:30 to 23:00 *Lunch 11:30 to 14:00
- Takeout: (Tue-Sat) 11:30 to 03:00 the next day, (Sun, holidays, Mon) 11:30 to 22:00
- Closed: Irregular
- Budget: (Lunch) About 1,500 yen, (Dinner) About 3,000 to 5,000 yen
- Credit card use: Available
- Official site & reservation site:
- Tokyo Sushi ITAMAE SUSHI Akasaka branch: https://itamae.co.jp/shop/akasaka.html
- Tokyo Sushi ITAMAE SUSHI: https://itamae.co.jp/
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