Janome sushi — Restaurant in Tokyo

If you are seeking an authentic neighborhood sushi restaurant this is an amazing opportunity to get a taste of traditional Tokyo life. Tucked into a side street in a residential neighborhood, the older couple who own it (3rd gen) are very welcoming to non-Japanese speaking guests. Bring an attitude of good will, a respect for Japanese culture (bowing, smiling, speaking quietly and liberal use of arigato will go a long way) and have your translation app ready. This is not a tourist destination. They only have 15-20 seats max - some narrow tables and a row of seats at the bar. Service is not rushed. Not suitable for groups.

We were already nearby at 5 pm when we did a google search and they stood out with a high star rating. We navigated through a few narrow alleys to find their door. It felt very auspicious and it proved to be an excellent travel experience. Because we arrived just as they opened, they asked very kindly (google translate is a wonderful thing) if we would mind waiting to order while they completed their evening’s pre-orders to be delivered. We enjoyed a beer and the wife served us a small amuse bouche (a few bites of a julienned vegetable salad) while we watched the husband build reusable to-go containers of sushi. My husband then ordered the 10 piece set menu while I ordered a la cart - 2x tuna, 1 shrimp and 1 egg. All were excellent and super fresh - no fishy smell. Great flavors! Both of us also were served a nice miso soup with clams in the broth. After he finished preparing our food only one other patron had arrived, so he came from behind the bar and played a few songs on his guitar. John Denver’s “Country Roads” is truly an international song. It particularly resonates for me as I grew up in KY and some family lived in WV. I can see those roads in my mind. After he played a few songs he had to go back behind the bar since the place was starting to fill up and it’s just the two of them.

A young local couple sat down at the bar next to us and it turned out he regularly traveled to the US on business. We chatted for a few minutes as we waited for our check. Cash only. He mentioned this was an “old fashioned” restaurant to them (late 20’s), but that it was fun for them too. We watched them converse in depth with the chef about different dry aged fish options.

The wife walked us out the door and gave us a gracious goodbye. Its experiences like this that make the effort of...

Let’s start with saying this is the best Sushi I’ve had in the world. Incredible quality of fish, wasabi was full of flavor, the soy sauce was deep and rich, the green tea was refreshing and flavorful without being too bitter or earthy. The cost was close to nothing for the experience that will resonate with me for the rest of my life.

The owners of the restaurant are the most wonderful hosts you can experience. The menu is traditionally made for two pieces per order but the chef was more than happy to modify the experience so that my two friends and I could all experience the same thing together. He said it’s important for people to have a memorable experience instead of the cost or the inconvenience of changing the menu for us.

After making our food he sat and spoke with us when he saw that we could speak Japanese even if it was broken and limited he still sat with us and patiently spoke to us and listened as well. This shop is 116 years old, he is the third generation owner and he grew up on the exact tables he serves on but you couldn’t tell the age of the store based on the care placed into maintaining the store. He brought out his guitar and sang songs for us even with others in the store. His wife was also a wonderful lady who treated us so kindly. It is no overstatement to say this was the BEST experience I have ever had in a restaurant in my life, coming from a foodie from Los Angeles.

I hope everyone at some point in their life can enjoy this as...

My last night in Japan and a random casual night out for dinner turned into a spectacular highlight of my entire trip! In short, the food, phenomenal, by far the BEST sushi I’ve ever had in my entire life, and I’ve had a lot of sushi. But this place is so much more. This hole-in-a-wall place truly captures the essence of the cuisine and the culture. The place speaks nothing further than casual, but that’s what makes this place so special. The owners, husband and wife (I wish I remember their names but the beer got in the way) are legendary! They are the 3rd generation of this over 110 years old restaurant.

We sat down in this narrow 4-5 tables and bar seats spot and were greeted with a warm welcome. Our Japanese were next to zero and their English was just the same, we relied solely on Google translate but we somehow kept exchanging conversation. It was warm and genuine. The chef then politely asked if he could play his guitar and sing, and it was amazing. I love the high-tech, the fancy, and the flashiness, but this, this tops everything. The food is undoubtedly good, but the interaction shows how much they love what they do, and it was such a pleasure I had the chance to visit. I would, in a heartbeat, visit this place...