Himawari Sushi Shintoshin

Disclosure: This is an English friendly restaurant. English menus are available and some of the staff speak enough English to make everything work. They are super friendly as well!

For those new to conveyor belt sushi restaurants this is how it works.

When you walk in, take a seat at the counter. There will be clean mugs on the counter along with soy sauce, pickled ginger and a little short ceramic container. Open the short little container and spoon yourself a few scoops of green tea power into a mug. There will be a spigot (tap) on the counter near you for hot water, push the black button with the mug and hot water will pour out. Green tea is free.

For food, plates of sushi and other items will move by you at the counter on a conveyor belt. Plates are colour or design coordinated to a price. There will be a legend on the counter which will tell you how much each colour costs. The prices ranged from ¥150 to ¥500. When you spot something you like to eat, take the plate off the conveyor belt (if the plate is on a little riser tray or its a plate with a little sign on it leave those on there). There is usually a plate with a sign on it with a picture of sushi and words telling you what it is (English mainly but there was French and Spanish on some as well) and then the plates following will have that item on it.

There's also an English menu for those who ask for it which will have pictures, the English name and how to say it in Japanese. This is handy because if there is something you want and it hasn't come around on the conveyor belt you can just order it from the chefs in the centre of the sushi counter.

When you are done with eating, ask on of the wait staff ( it the chefs) for the bill (not the cheque, they didn't understand what I meant when I asked for the cheque) and they will tally up the plates to calculate your bill. You take the little slip they will give you to the front where there a cash register and pay there.

Now for the review on the food!

There is a lot of variety and selection of sushi all of which taste good. It's an inexpensive restaurant so with that taken into consideration the quality is good for the price. You are getting good value and a fun time & atmosphere. Two people can eat well under ¥3,500. We did it in ¥2,700.