The internet may have you believe that Japan is super expensive for food. Not even! With so many different Japanese foods to try, there are plenty of options on a budget. One of the quirkiest, and easiest for lower Japanese language abilities are sushi-go-round or conveyor belt sushi as they are often translated. Find yourself in Kanagawa Prefectures Yokosuka? There are plenty of quick kaitenzushi (回転寿司) or sushi-go-round in Yokosuka!

Quick Japanese Lesson

寿司 – sushi.  When you throw the first noun on the front like in ‘kaitenzushi’, it changes the “s” sound to a “z”. Sushi actually only refers to the vinegar rice.

回転寿司, kaitenzushi – literally ‘revolving sushi’. 回 is a counter of occurrences, and 転 means to revolve. American’s switched it to sushi-go-round.  I’m going to throw a guess due to another go-round we have.

握り寿司, nigirizushi ( sushi is pronounced “zushi” in this case due to a “noun-noun” combination) – Nigiri means to squeeze and refers to the motions necessary to construct the sushi.

魚, sakana – Generic term for fish.

屋, ya – One of the many different words that means “store”

The Concept of Sushi-go-round

Kaitenzushi is great for not having to talk to anyone if you are worried about your Japanese skills. You’d think that might be weird but it seems to becoming more prevalent as time goes on with many restaurants using computer screen ordering over human interaction. (Though I don’t know if I can fault them on saving on the extra cost).

Remember, Kaitenzushi (回転寿司), broken down into parts is literally “how many times-revolving-sushi”. If you want, just wait for a plate to come around that looks good, and grab it. A note for the budget item places, if it is on a special “platform-esque” plate, it’s been special ordered, so don’t take that!

Want something specific? You’ll either have the option to order on the screen or “sumimasen” to the chef and place your order.

The History of Kaitenzushi

What this all boils down to? A sushi chef in need of some staff to help him! Yoshiaki Shiraishi, understaffed and not able to keep up with his shop, got the idea from watching beers being bottled at an Asahi plant. He opened the first ever conveyor belt sushi, Mawaru Genroku Sushi in Higashiosaka, in 1958. After which he went on to open them all over the country.

Now you can find sushi-go-rounds all over the world, in varying degrees of price ranges.

Budget Sushi-go-round in Yokosuka Options

For a quick and inexpensive meal, go to a 100 yen sushi shop. Each plate is conveniently the same price. You’ll either need to stack up your conquest at the end or some have a game-type appeal where you slide your plate down a shoot and after 5 plates, you may win a prize. Ingenius in getting you to buy a few more plates even though you may be full.

Some will have deals during the week where you may be able to find 90 yen plates. Depending on the cut of fish, that will mean two or one pieces of nigirizushi a plate. Easily filling you up after not that much money.

Chain Options in Downtown Yokosuka

For 100 yen sushi plates, you have the options of Sushiro or Hamazushi. There are some of the other big chain options as well but you will need a car to get to those.

Sushiro (スシロー)

The full name is actually Akindo Sushiro but it’s colliqually referred to as “Sushiro”, and is the #1 selling chain in Japan. The building the Sushiro currently resides in, a long time ago, use to be a hamburger place. Now it’s a frequently to capacity sushi-go-round option. If you can navigate Japanese, there is an app available to call ahead your seating reservation. When you enter, like most 100 yen option places, you’ll enter and go to a kiosk.

From there, place how many people you have in your party and choose “table” or “whatevers quicker”. Whatever is quicker will default to a counter seat vs. a table option. If your party is small, that probably doesn’t matter.

It has quirky mascots (as most of Japan does) and decent tasting fish products for the price. You also have options of ramen, actually pretty on-point desserts and some sides. The screen makes it easy and you can place it into “English” mode.

Location

Easy walk from Shioiri Station and one of the first restaurant options you’ll come across from the JR Yokosuka station. You’ll just need to walk over the pedestrian overpass on Route 16 (one of the few numbered streets in Japan).

Hamazushi (はま寿司)

While this was my first introduction of 100 yen sushi in town, the quality in recent years to me has gone down. It has many of the same features as Sushiro and if you are closer to Yokosuka-chuo and looking for some cheap sushi, this is your place. And if you super like it? There are over 400 locations around Japan.

Hamazushi Yokosuka-chuo Location

From the station, it’s a quick walk down “blue street”.

Pay by the color of your plate

Stepping it up a notch but still want something fast? Hit Sakanayasan no Shinsen (魚屋さんの新鮮 under the Yokosuka-chuo station on the Keikyu Line.

Sakanayasan no Shinsen (魚屋さんの新鮮)

If you want a step above the many 100 yen sushi-go-rounds in town, but still want the quick meal aspect, by far, the best sushi-go-round in Yokosuka is Sakanayasan no Shinsen (魚屋さんの新鮮).  Located underneath the Yokosuka-chuo station it is very convenient if you take the train.  For those of us in town, it’s right in the mix of it all.

What makes it the Best sushi-go-round in Yokosuka?

Sakanayasan no Shinsen (魚屋さんの新鮮) wins by the quality.  You can’t go wrong with sushi in Japan (what we rightly call nigiri in the states) but there’s definitely level’s to contend with.  Higher quality sushi-go-rounds will have different colored plates with the more expensive fish, costing more.

Here they range from 108 円 a plate to 712 円.  I have been here when they’ve had something super special that’s been a bit more too.  Sakanayasan no Shinsen (魚屋さんの新鮮)is part of a conglomerate, Uoko, which includes the fish dealer itself, you’ll see “Uoko” on the plates.  You know that the sushi here is FRESH.

There’s always specials to be had.  If you can read, you can just shout out your order to the chef.  The “every day” menu is your placemat and has the English translations.  Otherwise, just wait for the plate to come around and pick your choices.

Note: the signs near the plates are not always the fish they are near.

How’s this work?

If it’s your first time in a sushi-go-round, you’ll be seated at the counter when its available.  This isn’t normally seen as a languishing meal, so don’t set up shop, but meant to be a good quick meal.  They will bring you a cup of green tea, to which, if you need a refill you can say “お代わりをください” (o-ka-wa-ri-o-ku-da-sai).  This means “a second helping, please” and you only use this for refilling water or tea.  If you want another beer (which when you sit down you can say “ビールをください”, “bi-ru-o-ku-da-sai”), you need to ask for another glass. You wouldn’t refill a beer because it’s not free. (Unless your in an all-you-can-drink scenario, Japanese, it’s complicated sometimes).

Chop sticks will be in a box like this one the counter so no need to ask for them.  Soy sauce and dishes are also provided. Extra wasabi will be on the conveyor but normally, if the fish is “meant” to be served with wasabi, it will already have it.

Ginger to cleanse your pallet between bites is also provided.  Just use the tongs to put some on one of your sushi plates.

Let’s Eat!

Usually, there is always a three fish special, generally of different cuts of tuna but they also had shell fish going this day.

This just looked amazing so I had to try it.  If you don’t know what sometime is, and you are close enough to the chef you can say “すみません、このさかなはなんですか？” (su-mi-ma-sen, kono sakana wa nan desu ka), “what is this fish?” to learn.  Or you can just go in blind.  Asking is better for when you want it again in the future!  This actually is aji (horse mackerel), which surprised me.

There’s also a take out option.

If the line is too long or you just don’t want to wait, there is also the take out option.  Super reasonably priced. You won’t see this in the states!

Looking for something fancier?

The hands-down the best option for sushi in Yokosuka is Sushi Bar Enji. Expect to spend some of your dollar bills (they aren’t actually one of the places that takes dollars in the city) and be amazed by some delicious food.

What’s your favorite sushi-go-round in Yokosuka?

Which do you think is the best sushi-go-round in Yokosuka? Let me know in the comments!

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Yokosuka has a lot of 回転寿司 (Kaiten-zushi, the “s” in sushi becomes a “z” sound in this case) or Sushi-go-round restaurants but I had yet to find a local “real” sushi restaurant until a good friend of mine mentioned he’d been introduced to Sushi Enji. What makes it real? In my opinion, it’s the omakase sushi experience.

To be honest, I went twice in the first month as I loved it and it quickly became a regular splurge. Sushi Bar + Dining Enji (or just 鮨 Enji) opened in August of 2015 in a building that was previously a little izakaya (Japanese bar) which you grilled your own shell fish. There are izakaya ( 居酒屋 ) everywhere and you’ll be so much happier that Enji exists!

Quick Japanese Lesson

Because it’s in the name, I thought I would point out that the shop uses a more obscure kanji for the word “sushi”, Japan’s yummy vinegared rice with toppings. There are three ways you’ll see sushi written:

• 寿司
• 鮨
• or just plain hiragana of すし

The first is the most common but it’s possible when you are out or on a menu to see the second. It’s normally combine as in ” 鮨種 ” (sushidane, sushi toppings) but in of itself, it means sushi. Therefore ” 鮨 Enji ” is read “Sushi Enji”, so there you have it!

What is Omakase Sushi anyway?

お任せ (おまかせ, omakase) translates to “I’ll leave it up to you” and is the chef recommendations for the day.  It’s not only a sushi thing but can also be found at Kushikatsu (literally, fried things on a stick) and robatayaki (炉端焼き, literally, fire-side cooking) restaurants. However, the concept definitely goes hand in hand at sushi bars and sometimes you won’t even see a menu.

Manners at a Sushi Restaurant

There are some things to note at sushi restaurants. One nice thing here at Sushi Enji is that the owner’s Chef Taka and his wife Tomoko are very friendly and both speak English. So if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask! They lived in the states for several years, the chef at no other but a sushi restaurant.  

Don’t add your own soy sauce!

You usually won’t see any お手塩 or otesho at higher quality sushi restaurants. These are the little dishes you use for soy sauce and can be literally translated as ‘hand salt’. The chef will have figured out the perfect way to season the fish so it’s best to leave it to them (see what I did there?).

That being said, if you have the option, you’ll want to dip the fish side, not the しゃり (shari, or sushi rice, which can also be referred to as 寿司米, sushimai) side.

To chop stick or to not chop stick

お箸 (ohashi, chop sticks) will be offered but you don’t need to use them if you don’t want. It’s perfectly ok to pick up your sushi with your fingers! But at Sushi Enji, you’ll definitely want them for all the appetizers!

Worried about getting your fingers dirty? You’ll be given an お絞り (oshibori) which is a moist towel.

Securing your reservation

There are two seatings every night. One at 6 pm and one at half past 8. You can make your reservation on their Facebook page and will be asked to choose between three options. 10,000 yen, 12,000 yen, or 15,000 yen. Yes, omakase sushi (and quality sushi in general) is expensive.

What’s the difference in price? The number of dishes and the quality of the fish. The most expensive will obviously have the best there was to offer at the market!

For the full omakase experience, there are about 6-8 seats at the bar.  

If you have allergies, make sure to shoot them a quick message to let them know!

Drink Options

For drinks, they have Suntory Premium Malts Master’s Dream on tap or a wide selection of wine, sho-chu and sake.  When I’m feeling like a Japanese spirit, I get self concious because there is so much I don’t know about it. Never fear, they will definitely help you pick out something tasty here!

Omakase, “I leave it up to you”: What to expect

Come hungry. You will get a lot of food, especially if you have the more expensive option. I believe I had over 20 different plates (one sushi piece is one dish) the last time I was there.

Interspersed with the fish will be many おつまみ (otsumami) which can be translated as a snack you have while drinking but can also mean a side dish. Consider them like appetizers.

A likely pick will be a traditional Japanese dish called 茶碗蒸し, chawanmushi, or literally “tea cup steam”. It is a savory egg custard dish with different ingredients inside of it, normally seafood. In fact, expect all of the side dishes to be inspired by the local catches of the day! The chef makes regular trips to Tsukiji Market as well as some other fish markets on the Miura Peninsula.

The omakase sushi will each be placed individually on your plate, you won’t get more until you finished the last.  

A soup will come near the end of the meal which is more common in Japan. And finally, dessert to top it off! You’re not going to want to ask for the check you’ll be so happy.

Where to find Sushi Bar + Dining Enji

Head out the main gate of the Yokosuka Naval base towards the Hotel New Yokosuka, hang a left and an immediate right and they are a few doors down on your right. Wood and glass sliding door.  

Alternatively, they are near equidistant from the Shioiri Station (汐入駅) and the Yokosuka-Chuo Station (横須賀中央駅) on the Keikyu Line. Yes, I’d go far enough to send travellers down during their trips in Japan.

Have you been to Sushi Bar + Dining Enji yet?

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