We have been in Japan for a long time and still haven’t had any sushi. It’s true: there are many other good things to eat. It’s true: from many sides comes the warning that the sushi fashion –becoming more and more popular all over the world- is endangering the survival of many marine species. It’s true: the rising pollution of the oceans casts not just a few doubts on whether this food is really healthy. True. But, since we are in Japan, we still might want to eat sushi once in a while.
Sushi can be rarely found in normal restaurants. It is also difficult to find in izakayas. We will have to go to restaurants specialized in sushi – the sushi-ya. And here we face two options. We can opt for the normal sushi-ya, probably a rather refined place with an upper-middle class to business clientele. A simple but elegant place with a relaxed atmosphere. Opening the menu might make your heart beat faster in these times of strong yen, as you will see that every single piece of sushi can cost 1 to 3 euro and sometimes even more, like the rare high quality fatty tuna ootoro. If your budget is adequate you can have fun trying the infinite variety of sushi that the place offers. You will hardly find predefined sets of sushi like it is normal to find abroad: Japanese customers know perfectly well the different species of fish and decide on their own which kind and how many pieces they want to order. If you are given an English menu that will not be very helpful to you. It is never easy to understand the differences between the various species of tuna, eel or swordfish and you will have to try them to understand.
If you do not want to spend a fortune but still do not want to renounce to the pleasure of sushi the kaitenzushi is the way for you to go –and it can also be a lot of fun. Kaitenzushi can be barbarically translated as sushi on the conveyer belt. In a kaitenzushi you will find an oval counter. On the inner side of the oval a couple of cooks making sushi, on the outer side the customers sitting. Between the two there is a conveyer belt, slowly moving and exposing many plates carrying two pieces of sushi each. When you enter you will be warmly welcomed by the staff, who will assign you a seat. You will find a small plate that you are supposed to fill with soy sauce. You can also add wasabi –the funnily green sauce made of horseradish that must be used very carefully as it might make you cry for days. You will also find chopsticks –or hashi in Japanese- and a glass that you can fill with water or tea using one of the many taps that go around the counter. If this is one of your first times just look at the plates marching in front of you and take those that inspire you the most. Unlike in normal sushi-yas, here you can see what you can eat and you will not find yourself in the difficult situation of having to know the Japanese names of what you want to order. Nor you will find yourself ordering something because it has an intriguing name, only to find some weird sea creature in your plate. If you are a kaitenzushi experts you can audaciously talk directly to the cook to order what you want to eat or just asking for suggestions.
Kaitenzushi is relatively cheap: the bill is calculated by counting the small plates that remain on your table. Normally each plate costs around one euro and contains at least two pieces of sushi. It is also a very relaxed place with a varied clientele. A very Japanese experience that will delight those Westerners who come to Japan looking for Japanese crazy stuff.
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