A deal so good locals want to keep this place a secret for themselves.
When you’re in Japan and you feel like having sushi for lunch with just 1,100 yen (US$9.52) in your pocket, you might think your options are limited to supermarkets and budget conveyor belt restaurant chains.
However, if you know where to go, there are some amazing deals to be found, like over in Kanagawa Prefecture, at a place in Yokohama called Tokiwa Sushi.
From the outside, this restaurant appears totally unassuming, located at the bottom of an apartment block in a quiet residential district.
It might look quiet in the Google Street View image above, but come opening time, hungry diners appear, lining up outside to ensure they get a spot inside the restaurant, which seats around 20 people.
The reason why this place is so popular, particularly at lunchtime, is because of its three incredible lunch specials — the “small nigiri” for 880 yen, the “large nigiri” for 1,100 yen and the “top nigiri” for 2,200 yen.
The 1,100 yen deal is the most popular option for diners here, and it’s easy to see why. The photo below, which recently went viral and drew everyone’s attention to the restaurant, shows that this option consists of 16 — yes, 16! — pieces of nigiri (hand-moulded) sushi, along with green tea and soup.
▼ What you get for 1,100 yen is absolutely mind-blowing.
That works out to around 69 yen for each piece of sushi, hand-moulded by the sushi chef behind the counter at the restaurant. When you consider that the cost of a piece of sushi rolling around at a conveyor belt sushi chain starts at around 55 yen, the freshly made sushi at Tokiwa is an amazing deal.
▼ The 880 yen option is just as satisfying.
And if you really want to splurge, the 2,200 yen option also gets rave reviews. While it doesn’t contain more pieces than the 1,100-yen set, the “top nigiri” or “jou nigiri” as it’s known at sushi restaurants, uses more expensive cuts of fish and more expensive varieties, which accounts for the higher price tag.
It’s not just the quantity that’s impressing people, but the quality of the sushi on the plate. This diner, for instance, says the tuna was delicious, the conger eel was plump and tasty and the scallop melted on the tongue.
As photos of the incredible lunch deals went viral online, sushi lovers couldn’t hold back their surprise at the great value-for-money meals.
“This is too cheap!”
“Sushi this good would cost 100 pounds in the U.K., no doubt about it!”
“Restaurant-quality sushi at conveyor belt sushi prices! Unbelievable!”
“Omg I have to go here!!”
“What a great deal! I envy the locals who live nearby!”
The buzz surrounding the restaurant prompted more and more people to ask for details on the restaurant’s name and location. However, Tokiwa’s regular patrons were understandably protective of their secret sushi joint, asking people to keep the place hush-hush.
▼ “Don’t spread the word too much! Lol”
So if you’re thinking of heading over to Tokiwa — shhhhh. Don’t let anyone know we told you about it, and keep it on the down-low between you and your sushi-loving friends.
Otherwise you’ll have to fight the crowds to get into the tiny restaurant. But if that happens, don’t worry — you can always rent out this kit from Kappa Sushi to turn your home into a mini conveyor belt sushi restaurant instead.
Restaurant Information
Tokiwa Sushi / 盤和寿し
Address: Kanagawa-ken, Yokohama-shi, Minami-ku, Nagatasannodai 33-13
神奈川県横浜市南区永田山王台33-13
Hours: 11:00 a.m.- 9:00 p.m.
Closed Thursdays at dinnertime only
Source: Jin
Featured image: Pakutaso
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