Tucked away in a cozy basement in the fashionable Ginza district, Sushi Kanezaka should be on every sushi lover's hit list. This Michelin starred restaurant serves sushi that is delicious and delicately balanced.

The sushi at Kanesaka is served in Tokyo's traditional "Edomae" style. Instead of fresh, caught-the-same-day fish that you might imagine when you think of sushi, Edomae sushi traditionally uses fish that has been marinated for several days. This tradition goes back to a time before refrigeration when the fish had to be preserved so it wouldn't spoil. The fish is then sliced and made into a single "nigiri" piece of sushi that is placed right in front of the customer and eaten on the spot (if you've seen the movie 'Jiro Dreams of Sushi,' then you already know what Edomae sushi looks like).

Watching the chefs at Kanesaka form the sushi in front of you is an amazingly important part of the experience. They move with fluidity and grace, efficiently and masterfully forming each nigiri before placing it in front of you. The taste is, of course, fantastic, and it is only enhanced by being able to see the process of creation.

At Kanesaka, diners eat a course menu that will be determined by the chef based on the best ingredients available. Of course, if you have any allergies or items that you really can't eat, you can let the chef know, otherwise just sit back and enjoy the chef's delicious choices.

At the original location, the dinner course is from ¥30,000.
At the Palace Hotel location, you can choose from the standard dinner course for ¥15,000, or the omakase course for ¥ 22,000.

Lunch is very affordable, with options as low as ¥5,000 at the original location. This is a great deal, considering the amazing quality (remember, it has a Michelin star)!

Both the original location and The Palace Hotel location have cozy, personal dining rooms, with just 16 and 20 seats, respectively. Both are impeccably designed and decorated in a classic, simple Japanese style. You will feel like part of a beautiful performance, as you eat each sushi off of the elegant earthenware.

Kanesaka's original location is a 5-minute walk from either of Ginza or Shimbashi stations. It is down a flight of stairs from the street level, so you'll need to be on the lookout for the square white sign shown in the above picture.

The Palace Hotel location is --you guessed it-- on the 6th floor of the Palace hotel, just outside of Ootemachi Station.


If you plan to visit either of the Kanesaka locations, you will need to make a reservation (well in advance). Note that the restaurant does not take reservations from overseas, so if you are not already in Japan, you'd be best to get a friend or your hotel to book a seat for you.