Hyperlocal Tokyo

This sushi restaurant is located on the 10th floor of Marunouchi KITTE. I went there on a Friday afternoon at 3 pm, and there were about 16 groups waiting. The reception is automated, so you don't have to stand in line the whole time, which is great. I was seated after about 30 minutes. If you browse the shops in the building, the time will pass by quickly. The sushi was fresh and high quality, with ingredients like Hokkaido sardines and herring. The cheapest items were around 100 yen, and the most expensive were around 600 yen. However, each order comes with two pieces (or one for some items). It was simply delicious. I've been to many different kaiten-zushi (conveyor belt sushi) restaurants in the past, but honestly, this was better than any Hokkaido kaiten-zushi I've tried. The drinks are a bit pricey, so if you drink a lot, the bill will add up, but even with food and drinks, it was less than 10,000 yen for two people. Personally, I love salmon, and I was very satisfied with the high-quality, thick slices. The aburi engawa (sea eel fin) tasted like meat.

I went to Kaitenzushi Nemuro Hanamaru. Be warned, it's easy to overeat! Everything is so fresh, it's impossible not to smile with each bite. It's definitely in my top 3 for kaitenzushi. Personally, I recommend the akami honmaguro (lean tuna), uni (sea urchin), squid, sujiko (salmon roe), and the arajiru (fish bone soup) was amazing. You'll need to line up in the lobby on the first floor before they open.

Last year, when I went to Tokyo on a weekday around 6:30 PM, there was a huge line, so this time I went before 5 PM on a weekday. There were only 10 groups waiting, and I was seated in about 30 minutes. Everything was fresh, and there were some ingredients I don't usually eat, so it was very delicious. Not only the sushi but also the dessert was delicious. Since there's no branch of this restaurant in my area, I want to go there again when I visit Tokyo.

I arrived before 3 PM on a weekday and got the 13th ticket number. The line moved quickly, and I was able to enter the restaurant within 20 minutes. The store information allows you to see how many groups are waiting in real time, so it's helpful to check before you go to get an idea of when it might be less crowded. The tuna, even the lean cuts, was incredibly fatty and delicious, almost like medium fatty tuna. The famous two-story scallops were incredibly satisfying. The fatty flounder was very rich and large, so it was a bit too much to eat towards the end of the meal.

We arrived around 4 PM and had to wait for 2 hours before being seated at around 6 PM! Despite being a conveyor belt sushi restaurant, the quality was high and the food was incredibly delicious! They give you a ticket with a QR code that lets you see how many groups are ahead of you, so you can easily spend time at another store while you wait. It's very convenient!