Introduction
Sushi is the symbol of Japanese culture, and the most beloved Japanese food in the world.
But the sushi you eat in Japan might be nothing like the sushi you know. There are no California rolls. Salmon isn't always the star. And the price range is staggeringly wide — from ¥50 per piece at a conveyor belt restaurant to ¥5,000 per piece at a high-end counter.
"Should I go to a conveyor belt place or a high-end restaurant?" "Are there rules for dipping in soy sauce?" "Do I put wasabi on everything?" "Can I go without a reservation?"
Read this guide and you'll feel confident at any level of sushi restaurant. Whether it's a ¥1,000 conveyor belt meal or a ¥30,000 omakase experience.
1. Types of Sushi — Know the Basics First
Japanese sushi is classified by its shape and form.
① Nigiri (Hand-Pressed Sushi)
- A slice of fish or seafood placed on top of shari (vinegared rice)
- The quintessential sushi. When people say "sushi," this is what they mean
- Each piece is individually shaped by the chef's hands
② Maki (Rolled Sushi)
- Rice and fillings wrapped in nori (seaweed)
- Includes hosomaki (thin rolls like tekka-maki/tuna and kappa-maki/cucumber) and futomaki (thick rolls)
- Temaki is the cone-shaped hand roll style
③ Chirashi (Scattered Sushi)
- A bowl of shari topped with an assortment of sashimi and ingredients
- Lets you enjoy many different toppings at once
- A staple lunch menu item at sushi restaurants
④ Oshi (Pressed Sushi)
- Shari and toppings pressed together in a wooden mold
- Osaka and the Kansai region are its home. Battera (pressed mackerel sushi) is the most famous
⑤ Gunkan (Battleship Roll)
- Shari wrapped in a strip of nori with toppings placed on top
- Used for soft, loose toppings like ikura (salmon roe) and uni (sea urchin)
2. Conveyor Belt Sushi — Japan's Greatest Food Entertainment
If it's your first time eating sushi, start with a conveyor belt restaurant.
How the system works:
- Plates of sushi travel around on a conveyor belt. Grab whatever looks good
- Plate color indicates price (¥100–500 per plate)
- You can also order via touchscreen tablet (this is the modern standard)
- When you're done, staff count your plates for the bill
Recommended chains:
| Chain | Features | Price Range |
|-------|----------|-------------|
| Sushiro | Japan's largest chain. Excellent freshness | ¥100–300/plate |
| Kura Sushi | Fun gacha system — every 5 plates, you play a prize game | ¥100–300/plate |
| Hama Sushi | Around ¥100/plate on weekdays. Among the cheapest | ¥100–250/plate |
| Uobei | Express lane delivery. No rotating belt — the new style | ¥100–350/plate |
How to order at conveyor belt sushi:
- Enter the number of guests on the touchscreen at the entrance and wait to be seated
- Once seated, grab plates from the belt or order via the touchscreen
- Miso soup and side dishes can also be ordered from the touchscreen
- When finished, press the "Check" button
- Pay at the register (staff count plates or the system calculates automatically)
Local advice: Conveyor belt sushi is NOT "cheap and low quality." The quality at Sushiro and Kura Sushi can rival expensive sushi restaurants overseas. You can eat until you're full for ¥2,000–3,000. Japan's conveyor belt sushi is the best value for money in the world.
3. High-End Sushi — The Ultimate Counter Experience
A Japanese high-end sushi counter is something everyone should experience at least once.
What makes it special:
- Just 8–12 seats at the counter. The chef prepares sushi right in front of you
- Omakase — you leave everything to the chef's selection
- The chef selects the best seasonal ingredients and serves them at peak quality
- Price: ¥15,000–50,000+ per person
- Reservations required. Popular restaurants have months-long waiting lists
The omakase flow:
- Tsumami (appetizers) — 2–3 small dishes
- Nigiri — 10–15 pieces
- Maki (roll)
- Miso soup
- Dessert (sometimes tamagoyaki/egg is served last)
Etiquette at high-end sushi:
- Don't wear perfume. It interferes with the delicate aroma of the fish
- Eat each piece immediately after it's served. It's presented at the perfect temperature and condition
- Ask before taking photos. "Shashin wo totte mo ii desu ka?"
- Keep conversation quiet. Be considerate of other guests
- If ordering omakase, mention dislikes upfront. "○○ ga nigate desu"
How to make reservations:
- Omakase.com — English-friendly luxury sushi reservation site
- TableCheck / Pocket Concierge — Reservation platforms designed for foreign visitors
- Hotel concierge — High-end hotels will make reservations on your behalf
- Phone reservation — Requires Japanese. Ask hotel staff for help
4. The Sushi Topping Guide — Know These and You'll Never Be Lost
Here are the essential toppings to know when ordering sushi.
White Fish (Light and Elegant):
| Topping | Japanese | English | Characteristics |
|---------|----------|---------|-----------------|
| 鯛 | Tai | Sea bream | The king of white fish. Refined sweetness |
| ヒラメ | Hirame | Flounder | Delicate texture. Best in winter |
| スズキ | Suzuki | Sea bass | Clean, light flavor |
Red Fish (Bold Flavor):
| Topping | Japanese | English | Characteristics |
|---------|----------|---------|-----------------|
| マグロ赤身 | Maguro | Tuna (lean) | The ultimate sushi classic |
| 中トロ | Chutoro | Medium fatty tuna | Perfect balance of lean and fat |
| 大トロ | Otoro | Fatty tuna | Melts in your mouth. The premium cut |
Hikari-mono (Silver-Skinned Fish):
| Topping | Japanese | English | Characteristics |
|---------|----------|---------|-----------------|
| サバ | Saba | Mackerel | Usually vinegar-cured. Rich flavor |
| アジ | Aji | Horse mackerel | Fresh ones served raw. Best in summer |
| コハダ | Kohada | Gizzard shad | A connoisseur's delicacy |
Popular Favorites:
| Topping | Japanese | English | Characteristics |
|---------|----------|---------|-----------------|
| サーモン | Sāmon | Salmon | #1 favorite among foreign visitors. Rich and fatty |
| エビ | Ebi | Shrimp | Available as sweet shrimp (raw) or boiled |
| イカ | Ika | Squid | Satisfying chewy texture |
| タコ | Tako | Octopus | Boiled. Pleasantly firm bite |
| ホタテ | Hotate | Scallop | Sweet and creamy |
| ウニ | Uni | Sea urchin | Rich and creamy. A luxury topping |
| いくら | Ikura | Salmon roe | Popping texture. Served as gunkan |
| 穴子 | Anago | Conger eel | Typically simmered. Soft and fluffy |
| 玉子 | Tamago | Egg | Sweet egg omelet. Reveals the chef's true skill |
5. Soy Sauce and Wasabi — The Right Way to Use Them
There are actually rules for eating sushi.
How to dip in soy sauce:
- Dip the topping side, not the rice. Dipping the shari (rice) side will make it crumble
- Turn the piece over and lightly touch the topping to the soy sauce
- Don't over-dip. Too much soy sauce drowns out the topping's flavor
- For gunkan rolls, dip a piece of gari (ginger) in soy sauce and brush it on top
About wasabi:
- At high-end restaurants, the chef applies the perfect amount of wasabi to each piece
- At conveyor belt restaurants, add wasabi yourself (small packets are available on the table)
- If you don't like wasabi, say "Sabi-nuki de" for wasabi-free
- Mixing wasabi into soy sauce is OK at casual places, but a no-go at high-end restaurants
Hands or chopsticks?
- Either is perfectly fine. This is genuinely a matter of preference
- At high-end restaurants, many people eat with their hands (the chef shaped it with his hands, after all)
- At conveyor belt restaurants, chopsticks are the norm
- If eating with hands, wipe them with the oshibori (wet towel) first
The role of gari (pickled ginger):
- Eaten between different pieces as a "palate cleanser"
- Resets your taste buds so you can fully appreciate the next piece
- Eating gari nonstop isn't technically bad manners, but it does look a bit odd
🔒 Sections 7–12 cover 6 more essential topics — Tsukiji & Toyosu markets, conveyor belt vs high-end comparison, seasonal sushi calendar, supermarket & convenience store sushi, sushi trivia & history, and why every piece of sushi contains Japan itself.
Read the full article on Ghost → https://shogunjapan.ghost.io/en/the-complete-sushi-guide-from-conveyor-belt-to-high-end-counter-how-to-enjoy-sushi-in-japan-100x-more/
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