Waiting in line for an hour is just the basics — a must-try “Yamato Sushi” at Tsukiji Market in Tokyo

Photos and text by / Unrestrained

If you’re in Tokyo and craving seafood and nigiri sushi, what’s the first place that comes to mind? Right, most people would immediately think of “Tsukiji Market.” But foodies, pay attention — in mid-2015, the Tokyo government announcedthat the famed “Tsukiji Market,” known as the “Kitchen of Tokyo,” will be relocated to Koto Ward on November 3, 2016, and renamed “Toyosu Market.”By then, Tsukiji Market, which has been in operation since 1935 and boasts over 80 years of history, will officially become a thing of the past.

Doesn’t that sound a bit sad? Then be sure to visit before the move and take the chance to enjoy some amazing food at Tsukiji. Today, we’re introducing “Yamato Sushi” — a place that will absolutely leave you feeling satisfied.

▲ Map of Tsukiji Inner Market (Image /http://www.tsukijigourmet.or.jp/list.htm).

Tsukiji Market is huge,and is generally divided into the “Tsukiji Inner Market” and the “Tsukiji Outer Market.”In fact,only the Inner Market — the wholesale and auction area for seafood — is relocating this time. The many food stalls associated with the Inner Market, such as Sushi Dai and Yamato Sushi, will mostly move as well, though not all.Either way, enjoying delicious food in such a historic market adds a special atmosphere, and it’s also more convenient to visit multiple famous shops when they’re all clustered together.

▲ Scene of the food stall street in the Tsukiji Inner Market.

The two famously popular sushi restaurants, “Sushi Dai” and “Yamato Sushi,” are located in Building 6 of the Inner Market(see map above). Both have very long lines, but “Sushi Dai” has only one shop, while “Yamato Sushi” has two, so the queue at Yamato moves a bit faster. Plus, the quality of both is said to be equally excellent — so let’s go with Yamato Sushi.

▲ Sushi Dai and Yamato Sushi are just a few shops apart.

▲ The queue in front of Yamato Sushi.

Even though “Yamato Sushi” has two locations and the lines move a bit faster than “Sushi Dai,” each shop can only accommodate about 10 diners at a time, so you still end up waiting quite a while. I visited Tsukiji around 10 AM and started queuing at Yamato Sushi — and it still took me an hour to get in!! Truly, enjoying the fare at a famous restaurant comes at a price.

▲ Menu showing the prices of nigiri sushi.

The prices for various nigiri sushi are listed on the signboard at the entrance. It’s a good way to kill time while waiting in line and to decide what to order once inside.

The restaurant also offers a set meal for one person, which includes “7 pieces of nigiri sushi + 6 tekkadon (tuna sashimi rice bowls) + 1 tamagoyaki (Japanese omelet).” The price before tax is 3,500 yen. Honestly, if you don’t want to think too hard, just go for the set meal.

▲ After lining up for an hour, I didn’t care about the price or my budget anymore — I went straight for the one-person set meal. Once seated, the staff serves hot tea and miso soup, and sets out the wooden plate for the sushi, along with some pickled ginger.

▲ Each guest sits at the counter, so the chef is right in front of you making the sushi, and the refrigerated display cases with various fish and seafood are also right there.

The chef works quickly — the first items to arrive were

“tuna nigiri” and “squid nigiri.”Just looking at the glossy, thick slices of fish is satisfying enough, and they taste even better once you take a bite.The fresh tuna has rich marbling, the flesh is tender and soft, melting in your mouth. The squid is also extremely fresh, with a sweet and chewy texture. It really makes you look forward to the next piece of nigiri.

The fresh tuna has rich fat content, tender and soft meat that's easy to bite into and melts in your mouth. The squid is also incredibly fresh, offering a sweet and springy texture. It makes you even more excited for the nigiri sushi that’s coming up next～

Next up are"Sea Urchin Sushi" and "Tamagoyaki". The sea urchin is so generous it’s almost overflowing, with an incredibly fresh, rich flavor—absolutely no fishiness—and the salty taste blends perfectly with the sushi rice. Absolutely delicious!!

The tamagoyaki is cooked to perfection—soft, fluffy, and thick, with a cool, sweet flavor that goes down smoothly. It feels like a little palate cleanser between richer bites, helping to cut through any greasiness from earlier.

In the middle,"Raw Shrimp Nigiri"is also amazing. The shrimp is sweet, tender, and icy cold, and when a bit of soy sauce is drizzled on and you take a bite, my friend said it tasted just like freshly caught shrimp—so ocean-fresh... so good!!

Finally, there's"Red Snapper Nigiri" and "Conger Eel (or Anago) Nigiri".

The already poached conger eel is brushed with soy sauce, and its soft, tender flesh pairs wonderfully with the slightly sweet sushi rice. The salty-sweet combo is fantastic. As for the red snapper, it’s quite generous—a thick slice spread over the rice. The flesh has a nice bounce and is fairly fresh, offering a refreshing taste.

"Tekkamaki"comes in three flavors: salmon, tuna, and salmon roe. The one that stood out most to me was the salmon roe—it has a nice salty-sweet umami flavor.

Because we couldn’t get enough, we went ahead and generously ordered four more:"Sweet Shrimp Nigiri," "Octopus Nigiri," "Eel Nigiri," and "The richest and most expensive Tuna Nigiri".

The single-order 700-yen"Sweet Shrimp Nigiri"truly lives up to its name—big and super sweet. Not only is the portion large, but the shrimp has a firm, springy texture. With a touch of soy sauce, it’s incredibly delicious. I wanted to order several more, but alas, my wallet wasn’t having it, ORZ!!

The single-order 300-yen"Octopus Nigiri"has thick, slippery, chewy octopus. Eating it with a bit of wasabi really brings out its sweetness.

The single-order 300-yen"Eel Nigiri"is different in texture from the conger eel earlier, but just as tasty. The eel, repeatedly brushed with sauce and grilled, has a very soft, flavorful texture. Eating it alone with some sauce-drizzled white rice basically makes it like regular unagi don!!

And finally, the grand finale—the 800-yen"Tuna Nigiri". When you take a big bite, it’s like eating a piece of tuna sushi worth about 200 Taiwan dollars, and you almost hesitate to take the bite it’s so luxurious.

Single-order tuna nigiri comes in three price tiers: 300 yen, 700 yen, and 800 yen. The pricing depends on the fat content, and the 800-yen one is the richest, oiliest tuna nigiri. Just looking at the photo, you can tell how fatty it is.

One bite, and the fat just bursts in your mouth—the texture is super soft and melt-in-your-mouth. It’s delicious!! But it’s a bit too rich, and can get a bit heavy after a while.

After this meal, although the cost might be a bit steep, seafood and nigiri lovers will undoubtedly feel extremely satisfied, their faces unconsciously wearing the same joyful expressions as the foreign friends sitting next to Fuyuki in the photo above (that guy in glasses is just so expressive XDDD).

Before the Tsukiji Market moves, hurry over to “Daiwa Sushi” for a pilgrimage experience. By the way, check in advance which days the inner market of Tsukiji is closed to avoid a wasted trip.

※Related Information
Tsukiji Inner Market Closing Days Inquiry:http://www.tsukijigourmet.or.jp/calender.htm.
Daiwa Sushi Address: Building 6, 5-2-1, Tsukiji Inner Market.
Business Hours: 05:30–13:30.
Transportation: (1) Take the Oedo Line subway to “Tsukiji Market Station (E18),” exit via Exit A1 and walk about 2 minutes to arrive; (2) Take the Hibiya Line subway to “Tsukiji Station (H10),” exit via Exit 1 and walk about 10 minutes.

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