Naniwa Sushi — Restaurant in Takayama

Went to the sushi restaurant because of the reviews and it was close to our hotel. We were warned by the owner that we had to wait for our meal to be prepared because it was busy. We didn’t mind that so sat at the counter. The atmosphere is really nice and we had a nice chat with the older couple next to us. The owners are super sweet and welcoming.

We ordered each our own sushi set, miso soup, a sashimi plate and the fresh water eal. The rice was hard like it was prepared a long time ago and kept open. It tasted old without seasoning. The rice to fish ratio was off. The chef uses very small amounts of fish on the nigiri’s like half of a scallop or very thin slices of tuna. We didn’t take pictures but if you look at the pictures of others you can see that too. The quality of the fish is outstanding though but this was definitely one of the more pricey sushi experiences we’ve had without the satisfaction of have eaten a lot of fish. We paid a bit over 10k yen.

I’m giving 2 stars because many people in Japan give 3 stars when they find it a...

This place is a local gem, you can feel genuine Japanese night life here, where people comes to eat, drink, greet and meet fellow neighbors. The sushi dishes are simple and standard with high quality ingredients, the Hida beef sushi is spot on and a must try with hot sake, they cook with perfect temp and seasoning! The old couple who run the shop is also very accommodating and English menu is available. Special tips: You can order whatever you like as long as it is named on the shelve behind the chief (these are not on the menu!), take a picture with google lens and have it translated, you will know what ingredient is...

I found this place on a random search on Google maps and was super impressed by the reviews. I decided to give it a shot and because of the reviews, I was expecting a big line at the door (as all well rated restaurants in japan have) so came a bit before opening. Plot twist: no lines! The owners welcomed us in right away and it’s like a lot of previous customers claimed: all local people inside, the owners are super friendly and kind and the sushi is simply amazing! Bear in mind that “by default” all pieces include wasabi! If I ever come back to Takayama, I’ll be back...