Fujisawa: Sushi Omakase of Around 25 Rice-Based Courses

Fujisawa (ふじさわ) builds almost every one of its roughly 25 courses around sushi rice, including the small opening dishes. White rice-vinegar rice is mixed fresh at the counter for the starters, and red-vinegar rice is used for the nigiri. Soy sauce and miso are made in-house from selected beans. The setting is a wooden house built by a master Takayama carpenter, with a sunken counter that sits level with a garden pond.

Most reviewers single out the saba bōzushi, pressed mackerel sushi seared over charcoal in front of you. Other recurring favourites are the torotaku roll of fatty tuna and pickled radish that opens the meal, finely cut, airy aji, and kohada with an egg-yolk vinegar crumble. The chef's pride is the anago, crisp outside and melting within. Many also enjoy the warm, joking exchange between the chef and his wife, who chooses the wines.

The criticism comes from a minority. Some found it overpriced, felt ingredient quality trails rival high-end counters, or found the portions heavy. Summer tuna is Indian bluefin from New Zealand or Australia rather than Japanese bluefin. Several noted that regulars get the conversation while newcomers get little beyond dish explanations, and one reviewer found the room's talk vulgar.

There is no lunch service. Dinner is a single omakase. In 2025 reviewers paid around ¥40,000 for the course, which includes the saba bōzushi, the anago and everything else, or about ¥47,000 per person with drinks. Another reviewer paid ¥45,000. A 5% service charge applies. One reviewer recalled it costing ¥10,000–20,000 seven years ago.

For most reviewers it is good value. The number of courses and the level of craft justify the price, and some rate it above rivals at the same cost. A few experienced diners disagree on ingredient quality.

• Getting there: about 5 minutes by car from Hoshigaoka Station or Higashiyama Koen Station on the Higashiyama Line. Reviewers put a taxi from Nagoya Station at around ¥5,000.
• Booking: reservation only (052-782-1048), so you cannot walk in. Seats are extremely hard to get. Reviewers advise watching the OMAKASE site for cancellations, months ahead.
• Timing: dinner starts at 18:00 and lasts about three hours. Closed Mondays.
• Seating: 8 counter seats, and shoes come off. No private rooms, but the whole restaurant can be hired.
• Payment: VISA, Mastercard, JCB, AMEX and Diners are accepted. Electronic money and QR payments are not accepted. 5% service charge.
• Children are welcome. The restaurant is non-smoking and has no parking.
• You can ask for smaller rice portions, and leftovers can be wrapped to take away.
• No English menu has been reported, and conversation with the chef is in Japanese.