Kozushi — Restaurant in Yamanouchi

For foreigners who don't know anything about Japanese food, this place may seem like sushi nirvana, but honestly people, if you know anything at all about "Edo-mae" sushi (which this place claims to be, but isn't) you'll agree with us that the sushi here is just average. Certainly not terrible, and perfectly fine for standard run-of-the-mill sushi, but please don't go here thinking you're going to have the best sushi in Japan. Especially considering it's in the middle of the MOUNTAINS people, which is a long, long way away from the nearest fish market. The sushi chef is a perfectly friendly guy, but it's just him making the sushi and he serves one table at a time, so if you go there during a rush, you'll have to wait quite a long time for him to get to you. Also, he doesn't know how to post his store hours up on Google, so we're helping him out by publishing his actual, correct hours of operation. Here's the deal: he opens at 5pm every day he's able to, but if something comes up or if he's not feeling well, he doesn't open. It's just him running the show, so if he's not up for it, the restaurant won't open. Also, he told us that lunch is a crap shoot - sometimes he's too busy prepping for dinner service and he's not able to open for lunch. So your best bet is to go for an early dinner around 5 or 6pm and hope there's not a bunch of other customers there at the same time. And please - if you want proper top-shelf sushi, for crying out loud go to Tsukiji in Tokyo, or anywhere else in Japan near the ocean. Don't go expecting 5-star sushi in the middle of a...

Kozushi was AMAZING! Hands down the best sushi we've ever had! From the moment we walked in, we could feel the warmth and passion of the owners. They are truly incredible people who clearly love what they do, and it shows in every detail, from the welcoming atmosphere to the meticulous care in preparing each dish.

The food was absolutely phenomenal, fresh and bursting with flavor. You can tell the ingredients are top quality, yet the prices were extremely reasonable. It felt like a hidden gem.

We loved it so much, we ended up going two nights in a row, and honestly, we would’ve gone a third if we had more time in town! It’s rare to find a place that delivers both unforgettable food and such a heartfelt experience.

We cannot recommend Kozushi highly enough. If you’re anywhere nearby, this is an absolute must-visit. A truly memorable dining experience we’ll be talking about for...

This chef is a sushi master! You feel like you walk right into his living room and are welcomed like a friend. Take your shoes off, sit down on a pillow in the traditional Japanese way and order from the “photo menu”. Don’t speak Japanese? No problem, he will try his best to understand and even serves fully vegan platter with avocado, cucumber and natto if you manage to tell him your needs. We had two beer to go when we left and everything was perfect. Highly recommended. Bring some time though as it’s a family business and probably very busy with...