Everything You Need to Know About Jiro Sushi in Tokyo

Sukiyabashi Jiro Honten can’t be booked online — but worry not! The Roppongi branch, an ultra-exclusive Michelin two-star restaurant in its own right, run by Jiro’s eldest son, is still available.

Not many people know this, but Sukiyabashi Jiro has four branches altogether. The most famous one, the honten (main branch), is in Ginza, run by Jiro himself and his eldest son, Yoshikazu. The other branches are in Roppongi Hills (owned by Jiro’s second eldest, Takashi), Nihonbashi Takashimaya and Toyosu.

Securing a reservation at the main Jiro branch is a phenomenally difficult task. As of 2018, Jiro is no longer accepting reservations by phone. Only regular customers or people with special means of securing a booking can now dine at the main branch in Ginza. It was this, not the quality of the food, that led to Michelin’s decision to delist the restaurant.

However, in 2020, they resumed accepting reservations by phone for customers in Japan. For those who are traveling to Japan from abroad, reservations can only be made through the concierge of the hotel you will be staying at.

Jiro takes special care not to injure his hands and to protect them from sun damage by wearing gloves even during summer, a habit formed when he was around 40 years old. His son, Yoshikazu, once mentioned in an interview that when he touched his father’s hands as a kid, he was surprised to find that they were softer than his mother’s.

Jiro is the oldest chef to be awarded three stars on the Michelin Guide. He left home at age 9 and got his first apprenticeship at a Japanese restaurant in his hometown Shizuoka. He became a sushi chef in 1951 and has been honing his craft ever since.

Jiro was the recipient of the Beauty & Lifestyle Award at the first Men’s Beauty Awards in the Japan Drugstore Show 2019. The Beauty & Lifestyle Award is awarded to exemplary senior citizens with outstanding accomplishments. At 93 years young, Jiro has climbed Mt. Fuji 13 times in his life and still takes the subway to work, a shining example of successful aging (at the time when this article was originally published).

With a high price tag comes all sorts of unspoken code. In order to have a pleasant experience, here are some rules that you should definitely observe when dining.

Although there is no special dress code, you may be turned away if you wear a collarless shirt, shorts, or sandals. Business casual dress (jacket + white or blue shirt for men) would be your safest bet. And whatever you do, do NOT wear perfume. No one wants to smell Chanel Coco when savoring world-famous sushi.

Previously, taking photos inside was allowed, but sometime in 2015 the restaurant adopted a strict no-photography policy. This is, of course, to ensure that customers don’t spend too much time in the already overbooked establishment, but more importantly so that you can enjoy Jiro’s sushi at peak taste. However, Jiro and his staff will happily oblige to a commemorative photo at the doorway when you’re finished.

If you’re hell-bent on documenting every step of your meal, then head over to the Roppongi branch instead, which is more relaxed.

1.    Spill the sushi topping. Fortunately, with sushi, it is perfectly fine to eat with your hands if you’re not confident enough to use chopsticks. Be gentle though!
2.    Dip the shari (sushi rice) in soy sauce. Since Jiro’s shari has a sharp taste, adding soy sauce to the rice will ruin the flavor.
3.    Turn your sushi upside down.
4.    Break your sushi into two. Sushi should be eaten whole.
5.    Pull the fish off the sushi. #bannedforever

For an in-depth guide to sushi eating etiquette, check out Jiro’s official website.

Letting sushi sit is a big no-no, and even more so at Jiro. Once the sushi is on your plate, it should be eaten immediately. Take a breather when you need to, but save your chit-chat and praise for when you’re done.

Keep in mind that Jiro only serves omakase style, meaning the entire meal is curated by the head chef (the gist of omakase is “I’ll leave the decision up to you”). The menu changes depending on what is freshest or available at the market that day.

Seasonality also plays a large part, as Japan values eating with the seasons. An example omakase course in spring might include hirame (flounder), shima-aji (striped jack), kuruma-ebi (Japanese tiger prawn), anago (salt-water eel), and so on.

While you never know what’s on the menu until you show up, the general consensus seems to be that the meal always starts with a shiromi (white) fish such as karei (flatfish).

If you’re on a budget or can’t afford to schedule your trip around a luxurious dinner, does that mean you have to postpone your dreams of enjoying Jiro’s sushi? Not at all!

An often forgotten, but nonetheless delicious, Jiro branch exists in Toyosu, where the famous fish market resides. Sukiyabashi Jiro Toyosu offers 25 “service lunch” sets per day (number may vary depending on day) Monday through Saturday (no reservations taken).

The lunch set includes a 1.5 serving size of sushi for only about ¥1,800 ($12.03 USD), less than 1/25th of a full meal at the honten. Pretty amazing right?

If you’re wondering about how the taste compares to the other branches, the taisho (大将) or owner-chef of the restaurant was an apprentice of Jiro for 10+ years, so you can trust that the sushi tastes good!

Unlike the main Jiro branch, the rules here are pretty relaxed. The only rule you have to observe is the “one-photo-per-meal” rule, meaning you can’t go on an Instagram Story rampage. But at this price, it’s much easier to become a repeat customer.

No matter which branch you dine at, Sukiyabashi Jiro is bound to be a memorable experience. After experiencing fresh over-the-counter sushi, you may never look at conveyor belt sushi the same way again.

Sukiyabashi Jiro / すきやばし次郎

Sukiyabashi Jiro Nihonbashi / すきやばし次郎 日本橋店

Address

 6-12-2 Roppongi, Minato City, Tokyo 106-0032

Phone

03-5413-6626

Business hours

11:30 am–2:00 pm (lunch), 5:30 pm–9:00 pm (dinner)

Closed on

Wednesdays

Sukiyabashi Jiro Toyosu / すきやばし次郎 豊洲店