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    Home » World Travel » Japan » Tokyo

    Sushi Ya Tokyo (すし家)

    Published: Oct 27, 2016 · Modified: May 19, 2018 by Jennifer Che

    Sushi-Ya-Tokyo-31.jpg
    This is the thirtieth post in the Around the World Birthday Extravaganza Series. Please scroll to the bottom to see all the other posts in this series.

    The name "Sushi Ya" (すし家) translates to "sushi house" or "sushi shop". It is an ironically generic name for a restaurant that is producing some of the best sushi in Tokyo.

    Young chef Takao Ishyama opened Sushi Ya in 2012 after training for years at some of the top sushi spots in Tokyo: Sushi Kanesaka (2-Michelin stars) and impossible-to-reserve Sushi Saito (3 Michelin stars). His technique is excellent, and he has quickly risen in fame over the last several years. Words used to describe him include "genius", "meteoric success", and "darling of bloggers".Sushi-Ya-Tokyo-18.jpg Sushi-Ya-Tokyo-20.jpg
    I fell in love with the sushi at this tiny 8-seater restaurant. The rice was just the right temperature, the fish was exquisitely seasoned, and the overall experience was perfect. It was particularly noticeable to me because I had just eaten at Sushi Harutaka (one of Jiro Ono's best proteges) the night before.

    I immediate found that I much preferred the delicate, balanced style of Chef Ishyama compared to the aggressive, boldly flavored style of Chef Harutaka. Better yet, our meal at Sushi Ya was about ⅓ of the price of Sushi Harutaka (to be fair, our meal at Sushi Ya was a lunch).
    Sushi-Ya-Tokyo-30.jpg
    During lunch time, if you want a sushi-only meal, you can choose between an 11-piece option and a 14-piece option. You can also do a fuller omakase that includes sashimi. I went with the 11-piece option, and Bryan went with the 14-piece option. I will indicate below which pieces were part of the 14-piece option.
    Sushi-Ya-Tokyo-29.jpg
    We both started with hirame (halibut). I loved the slightly warm rice that wasn't too vinegary. I also found the salt level to be spot on. All in all, it was a perfect bite.
    Sushi-Ya-Tokyo-27.jpg
    Kampachi (yellowtail)
    Sushi-Ya-Tokyo-26.jpg Sushi-Ya-Tokyo-25.jpg
    Both of us had a tasting of tuna: chutoro (fatty tuna) and maguro (tuna). As part of the 14-piece tasting, Bryan also got a piece of otoro (super fatty tuna).
    Sushi-Ya-Tokyo-23.jpg Sushi-Ya-Tokyo-21.jpg
    The ika (squid) served with salt and lime was sublime. I loved the texture of the squid. The kohada (gizzard shad) was also very good.
    Sushi-Ya-Tokyo-22.jpg
    Bryan got the ebi (prawn) as part of the 14-course option.
    Sushi-Ya-Tokyo-17.jpg Sushi-Ya-Tokyo-16.jpg
    Aji (horse mackerel) came with a green herb-like "pesto" topping; Katsuo (skipjack tuna) is one of my favorites and came with a small burst of flavor from another "pesto"-like topping.
    Sushi-Ya-Tokyo-15.jpg
    One of my favorites - the ikura (salmon roe) was beautiful, tossed with lemon zest and a dark colored liquid at the bottom.

    Sushi-Ya-Tokyo-13.jpg
    The stunning uni (sea urchin) only came with the larger tasting, so I didn't get one.
    Sushi-Ya-Tokyo-12.jpg
    Bryan thought it was fantastic.
    Sushi-Ya-Tokyo-11.jpg Sushi-Ya-Tokyo-14.jpg
    I thought the hamaguri (clam) was phenomenal, and anago (salt water eel) was solid but not the best I've had.
    Sushi-Ya-Tokyo-9.jpg Sushi-Ya-Tokyo-10.jpg
    We ended with a miso seaweed soup and some hot green tea.
    Sushi-Ya-Tokyo-8.jpg Sushi-Ya-Tokyo-7.jpg
    On a left, a simple kampyo (pickled gourd) maki sushi; on the right, lightly charred katsuo (skipjack tuna), one of my favorite things to eat in Japan.
    Sushi-Ya-Tokyo-6.jpg
    We ended with tamago, or egg custard, a dessert that tastes more like a very refined cake than an omelet.
    Sushi-Ya-Tokyo-5.jpg
    Our entire meal (for two!) came to $140 including sake, tax, and gratuity. This was a phenomenal deal compared to our ~$400 dinner at Sushi Harutaka the night before. Some say that the prices at Sushi Ya are a bit lower because he doesn't use as many exotic, expensive cuts of fish. However, he more than makes up for it with his sushi making skills, which are among the best in Tokyo right now.
    Sushi-Ya-Tokyo-2.jpg
    The restaurant is surprisingly difficult to find, tucked away in a narrow, easily-missed alley. Even after you go down the alley, it's still hard to find the door since the sign is not written in English.

    It looks like this.
    Sushi-Ya-Tokyo-4.jpg Sushi-Ya-Tokyo-1.jpg
    I would highly, highly recommend coming here. The sushi is phenomenal, the prices are hard to beat, and Chef Ishyama speaks excellent English, which helps a lot! He does have a more serious personality, so the environment is friendly, but definitely a bit more quiet. There's less chatting with the chef. It is definitely different from the warm, jovial personality of Chef Sawada or the theatrics we saw at Kyubey.

    Nevertheless, it was one of my favorite sushi restaurants we visited this trip (that and Yoshitake). When I go back to Japan, I most definitely want to return to try the longer tasting menus during dinner.

    Sushi Ya
    6-3-17 Ginza Chuo
    Tokyo

    All Posts In This Series
    Around the World Birthday Extravaganza
    Alba White Truffle Fair
    Osteria Dei Sognatori - A Traditional Piedmontese Dinner
    Italy Wine Tour - Barbaresco
    Lunch at Donna Selvatica in Neive, Italy
    Dinner at a Truffle Hunter's Inn - Tra Art e Querce
    G.D.Vajra Winery
    Trattoria Della Posta in Montfort D'Alba
    Nighttime Truffle Hunting with a Dog in Alba
    Osteria della Arco - last dinner in Alba
    Stunning Images of La Morra and Barolo, Italy
    First Day In Bordeaux, France - Une Cuisine en Ville
    Chateau Haut-Brion Tour in Bordeaux France
    Restaurant Le St. James
    Touring Bordeaux Wineries - Day 1 - Left Bank
    La Tupina, Bordeaux (traditional French dinner)
    Cos d'Estournel Tour
    Touring Bordeaux - Pauillac, Chateau Lynch-Bages
    Chateau Cordeillan-Bages
    A Different Paris
    Le Relais de l'Entrecote
    Pirouette Paris
    L'Ambroisie Paris
    Hiking at Mount Takao in Japan
    Florilege
    Sushi Harutaka
    Rokurinsha ramen breakfast (六厘舎)
    Azabu Kadowaki
    Nakameguro Iguchi yakitori (中目黒いぐち)

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    Trackbacks

    1. Sushi Ya Tokyo (すし家) – Boston Metro Bugle says:
      October 27, 2016 at 6:09 pm

      […] by jennifer che • October 27, 2016 • 0 Comments Read the full article […]

      Log in to Reply
    2. Sushi Ya Tokyo - Tiny Urban Kitchen says:
      July 15, 2017 at 4:18 pm

      […] his skills are top notch, and the sushi is excellent. I visited during lunch and fell in love with the […]

      Log in to Reply
    3. Easter in Japan - Trip Report - Tiny Urban Kitchen says:
      January 8, 2020 at 8:49 am

      […] have been following Chef Ishiyama for close to 10 years, since his days at Sushi Kanesaka and then Sushi Ya. We enjoyed a lovely lunch […]

      Log in to Reply
    4. Sushi Ishiyama 鮨 いしやま - Tiny Urban Kitchen says:
      January 9, 2020 at 11:30 am

      […] years later in late 2015 we visited Sushi Ya because we had heard really good things about it. We were shocked when we walked in the door […]

      Log in to Reply
    5. How To Spend An Incredible Two Weeks in Japan: A First-Timer's Guide - It's Five O'Clock Here says:
      January 13, 2020 at 2:30 am

      […] and it seems like he’s an up and comer in sushi. This was without a doubt the best meal we had on our trip. Definitely make a reservation here in advance — we somehow magically got […]

      Log in to Reply
    6. Around the World Birthday Trip Extravaganza says:
      December 6, 2020 at 10:33 am

      […] good, but a bit too salty for me), and a lovely lunch at Florilege. I loved my sushi lunch at Sushi Ya, a relatively new sushi place opened by Takao Ishiyama, an alum of Sushi Kanesaka. Funny thing is, […]

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    Jennifer Che Tiny Urban Kitchen

    Hi, my name's Jen and welcome to my cooking, eating, and travel site! I am an expat who moved from Boston to Hong Kong 5 years ago. Born and raised in Ohio to Taiwanese immigrant parents, I am a chemistry nerd, patent attorney by day, blogger by night, church musician on weekends, and food enthusiast always. Feel free to explore away, maybe starting with the Recipe Index or one of the travel pages! I hope you enjoy this site!

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