1. Bentenyama Miyakozushi (Asakusa)

The first to introduce, "Bentenyama Miyakozushi," is a shop that carries on the flavor of orthodox Edomae sushi, now rare even within Tokyo. Founded in 1866 (Keio 2), it is currently in its fifth generation.

The first-generation owner is said to have trained at "Senju Miyako Sushi," which descends from the line of Hanaya Yohei, the founder of Edomae sushi. It was an age without refrigerators. Simmering, steaming, boiling, marinating, kelp-curing, vinegar-washing, and other preparations were applied to sushi toppings so they could be eaten safely.

"Bentenyama Miyakozushi," which boasts a history of over 100 years, is the patronized shop of the kabuki actor Matsumoto Koshiro and his family. Since the time of the first-generation Matsumoto Hakuo, they have reportedly ordered osechi New Year's dishes containing kohada awa-zuke (gizzard shad pickled in millet), marinated tuna, saimaki shrimp, and the like every year.

Besides them, eminent figures in the entertainment world, such as the couple Mr. Akira Nakao and Ms. Shino Ikenami, visit as regulars; Mr. Nakao has even given many noren curtains he painted himself.

The hallmark of "Bentenyama Miyakozushi," patronized by such major celebrities, is that it continues to protect long-standing traditional techniques and is thoroughly particular about every single element—sushi toppings, vinegared rice, wasabi, nikiri soy sauce, and more.

The recommendation is the "Bentenyama Course" at 7,500 yen, where you can fully enjoy seasonal nigiri sushi. There is also the 7-piece "Matsu" at 2,200 yen, and you can order your favorite toppings individually, so it's nice that it's easy to visit even if you're not used to high-end sushi restaurants.

Reservations are mostly filled on weekends, so a reservation in advance is necessary, but if you get the chance, why not stop by?

Bentenyama Miyakozushi

Phone: 03-3844-0034
Address: 2-1-16 Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Map: https://goo.gl/maps/21yFw4Xtzs8mKgNC9
Hours:
[Lunch] 12:00–14:30 (last entry 14:00)
[Dinner] 17:00–21:00 (last entry 20:00)
[Sunday] 11:30–18:30 (last entry 18:00)
Closed: Monday and the 3rd Sunday
Budget: [Dinner] ¥10,000–¥15,000 [Lunch] ¥10,000–¥15,000
Website: http://www.bentenyama-miyakosushi.com/ja/
*Please confirm the latest information with the shop before visiting.

2. Yushima Tenjinshita Sushihatsu (Yushima Tenjinshita)

Next to introduce, "Yushima Tenjinshita Sushihatsu," is the favorite sushi restaurant of actress Maki Mizuno, who shares gourmet information on MBS's "Maki Mizuno's Magic Restaurant."

For Maki Mizuno, Yushima is a town of memories where she strolled with her family in search of delicious shops, and it was while wandering around like that that she apparently came across this shop.

"Yushima Tenjinshita Sushihatsu" was founded in 1921 (Taisho 10). The young master who now stands in the shop is the easygoing fourth generation, a kikizake-shi (sake sommelier) who selects sake and advises on delicious ways to drink it. He shares plenty of sake-related information on social media, too.

Setting up the concept of "the harmony and exquisite fusion of Japanese sake with cuisine centered on Edomae sushi," he lines up sake that perfectly matches the deliciousness of seasonal ingredients. Simmered dishes like conger eel and hamaguri made with fresh toppings and time-honored preparation, and hikarimono (shiny-skinned fish) such as kohada and vinegar-cured mackerel, are points of pride.

Maki Mizuno's favorite is the "Omakase Sushi with Soup" at 3,130 yen, full of in-season toppings. The "Tokujo Chirashi" is 2,800 yen, and even a course is around 10,000 yen—an affordable price range among high-end sushi restaurants.

It is a shop you'll definitely want to visit when in Yushima, but it is often fully booked even on weekday evenings, so a reservation is essential.

Yushima Tenjinshita Sushihatsu

Phone: 03-3831-4467
Address: Core Yushima 1F, 3-35-8 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo
Map: https://goo.gl/maps/TF8LPySxPwK6xUJm6
Hours:
[Mon–Sat] 11:30–14:00, 16:30–22:00 (LO 21:15)
[Holidays] 11:30–22:00 (LO 21:15)
[Lunch] 11:30–14:00
Closed: Sunday
Budget: [Dinner] ¥10,000–¥15,000 [Lunch] ¥6,000–¥8,000
Website: http://www.yushima-shiraume.jp/shop/post_393/
*Please confirm the latest information with the shop before visiting.

Iroha Sushi Nakameguro Main Shop (Nakameguro)

The third to introduce, "Iroha Sushi Nakameguro Main Shop," is not a so-called high-end shop but a sushi restaurant famous for being very reasonable and open at any hour. It is frequently featured on TV, so many people may have seen it.

Nakameguro has many stylish cafes, restaurants, and bars, making it a perfect town for bar-hopping. Amid this, "Iroha Sushi Nakameguro Main Shop," open even on New Year's Day and until around 4 a.m., is a sushi restaurant beloved by many drinkers as a place to finish the night with sushi rather than the customary closing ramen.

Nakameguro, within about a 15-minute taxi ride of each of Tokyo's TV stations, has many talent agencies. In the entertainment world, where there are many people who love to drink and have many social obligations, "Iroha Sushi Nakameguro Main Shop," open late and all year round, is hugely popular, and the interior is covered in celebrities' autograph boards!

Many celebrities, such as Takashi Okamura, Shinobu Sakagami, Osamu Mukai, and Tsuyoshi Muro, have visited. Members of EXILE also use it, and since it has a tatami room that seats several dozen people, it is sometimes booked out entirely for wrap parties.

The nigiri at "Iroha Sushi Nakameguro Main Shop" starts at 60 yen per piece, and although it is reasonable, it is known for its large sushi toppings. The most popular is the "Matsu Nigiri" at 2,700 yen, generously loaded with 2 pieces of toro, sea urchin and salmon roe gunkan-maki, herring roe, toro tekka-maki, and more—yet still affordable.

Another convenient point is that it also stocks over 200 kinds of sashimi and à la carte dishes. It is a popular, down-to-earth shop that many use like an izakaya, so it gets especially crowded on weekends, but weekday evenings, just after opening at 17:00, and the late-night hours are relatively empty and worth aiming for.

It's a sushi restaurant you'll definitely want to go to for finishing sushi after drinking in Nakameguro.

Iroha Sushi Nakameguro Main Shop

Phone: 03-3794-6879
Address: 2F, 1-30-10 Aobadai, Meguro-ku, Tokyo
Map: https://goo.gl/maps/DmZTU1RaYGo2E8pe8
Hours: 17:00–4:00 the next day (L.O. 3:30)
Closed: Open every day
Budget: [Dinner] ¥4,000–¥5,000 [Lunch] ¥1,000–¥2,000
Website: http://www.irohasushi.com/honten/
*Please confirm the latest information with the shop before visiting.

4. Sushi Shinobu (Ebisu)

The fourth to introduce is "Sushi Shinobu," a favorite of actress Satomi Ishihara.

It became a star shop overnight when actress Satomi Ishihara introduced it as her favorite shop during her appearance on TBS's "Life's Best Restaurant." Located in a corner of Ebisu, it has the appearance of a hideaway.

"Sushi Shinobu" is a shop opened in 2017 by an owner who trained in Ginza and Ebisu. With the concept of "a sushi restaurant where you can eat what you like, the way you like," the style is to ask about the customer's mood that day and provide dishes that meet their needs as much as possible.

For that reason, the cuisine is omakase only at 18,150 yen for both lunch and dinner. Of course there is sushi, but you can also leisurely enjoy à la carte dishes that pair well with sake.

What has a reputation as "so meltingly good it's amazing!" is the squid sushi. By cutting the squid into fine strips to widen the surface area that touches the tongue, the vinegared rice and squid become one in the mouth, achieving a melt-in-your-mouth texture. This squid is said to be a favorite of Satomi Ishihara, too.

Lunch is Sundays only and requires a reservation by the day before, and reservations have become even harder to get since the TV feature; but it is a renowned shop that can be recommended not only to squid lovers but also to sushi connoisseurs, so do try without giving up.

Sushi Shinobu

Phone: 070-3356-8877
Address: Core Yushima 1F, 3-35-8 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo
Map: https://goo.gl/maps/pqQ3y68UkZYh3VLz5
Hours:
[Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri, Sat] 18:00–22:00, closes 23:00
[Sun] 12:00–14:30, 18:30–22:00, closes 23:00
Closed: Wednesday
Budget: [Dinner] ¥15,000–¥20,000 [Lunch] ¥15,000–¥20,000
Website: https://www.sushi-shinobu.jp
*Please confirm the latest information with the shop before visiting.

5. Sushi Saito (Tameike-Sanno)

Ken Watabe of Ungirls, known in the entertainment world not only as a comedian but also as a gourmet king. He has introduced many renowned shops on his blog, and the sushi restaurant Ken Watabe most strongly recommends is the last one we introduce this time, "Sushi Saito."

"Sushi Saito" is, needless to say, one of Japan's foremost super-famous shops where reservations cannot be obtained. After long maintaining the No. 1 spot in the sushi category on Tabelog and winning three Michelin stars for 10 consecutive years, it became members-only because of too many reservations and declined Michelin from 2020 onward—a master among masters of the sushi industry.

Ken Watabe first visited "Sushi Saito" in 2013 when it was in Akasaka, while general reservations were still possible; but general reservations were already difficult, and he reportedly managed to visit miraculously at the invitation of a gourmet senior. He praised the amazingness of the shari and the perfectly controlled sushi, and visited a remarkable 18 times by 2018!

The appeal of "Sushi Saito," so strongly recommended by Ken Watabe of Ungirls, is the "shari" and the "seasonal ingredients" pursued down to the smallest detail. The "shari" in particular is thoroughly perfected, to the point that the owner, Mr. Saito, says shari can make or break sushi.

Also, the hospitality of the easygoing owner, Mr. Saito, is very well regarded and adds momentum to the popularity of "Sushi Saito."

The budget guideline for "Sushi Saito" is around 20,000 to 30,000 yen for dinner, but it is a phantom sushi restaurant you cannot go to unless you have a member acquaintance, so it can truly be called a VIP, celebrity-patronized sushi restaurant.

It is very unfortunate that ordinary people have almost no chance to go, but it is a sushi restaurant you'd want to visit once in your life by any means.

Sushi Saito

Phone: 03-3589-4412
Address: Ark Hills South Tower 1F, 1-4-5 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Map: https://goo.gl/maps/kwx4SBdLoFcNBEGj7
Hours: 12:00–14:00, 17:00–23:00 *Fully reservation-based
Closed: Irregular
Budget: ¥20,000–¥30,000
Website: https://www.arkhills.com/shops_restaurants/restaurants/00010.html
*Please confirm the latest information with the shop before visiting.

Celebrity-Patronized Sushi Restaurants Really Are Amazing!

That was our careful selection of 5 sushi restaurants in Tokyo that celebrities love to frequent—from value-priced shops that even ordinary people can easily visit, to phantom renowned shops!

Each shop has its own style. Yet whether in history, dedication to ingredients, the craftsman's honed skill, or the shop's concept, every one was a shop fully worthy of being called celebrity-patronized.

The fact that celebrities—who, given their work, are presumed to be in regular contact with high-quality things—visit these shops can serve as one yardstick for choosing a sushi restaurant. If you'd like to eat the same sushi as a celebrity and satisfy both palate and heart, why not pay a visit?

If you're lucky, you might just run into your favorite celebrity!