Recommended Sushi Restaurants in Otaru, Town of Sushi, from Long-established to New Restaurants
Otaru faces the Sea of Japan, and the waters near the city are one of Hokkaido's richest fishing grounds. Naturally blessed with fresh seafood, the city is lined with some 120 sushi restaurants. Some of them are called "Sushi-ya-dori," a street full of famous sushi restaurants that attracts sushi connoisseurs from all over the country. Here are five popular local sushi restaurants with a reputation for their craftsmanship and quality ingredients, from long-established names to more intimate establishments.
1Otaru Masazushi Zen-an
Enjoy the taste of Otaru's famous restaurants
This is a sister restaurant of Otaru Masazushi, a long-established sushi restaurant representing Otaru. We purchase mainly seafood from our own fresh fish store, including inshore and other seafood from the Hokkaido area, and offer a lineup of fresh items unique to Otaru, such as natural tuna that we buy in bulk, shrimps picked in the morning, sea urchins, and other fresh items. In addition to the real thrill of eating the nigiri of your choice or omakase, the restaurant also offers a variety of nigiri sets, such as the 12-piece "Takumi" nigiri set that condenses the charm of Hokkaido's sushi. The restaurant also offers popular a la carte dishes such as "Kaisen Nidanju," "Uni Ikura Donburi," a bowl of rice topped with sea urchin and salmon roe, a children's menu, sashimi, and the famous original squid somen noodles served with a special sauce containing sea urchin.
Enjoy the luxury of enjoying the finest flavors while gazing at the Otaru Canal.
Another attraction of the restaurant is its location facing the Otaru Canal. In a peaceful space designed with light, you can enjoy the flavors of the famous restaurant while admiring the scenery around the canal. Surrounded by large glass windows, the restaurant has a bright, modern atmosphere that is easy to enter for women and families. In addition to table seating, there is a large counter where you can fully enjoy the exquisite flavors while watching the skillful craftsmanship of the chefs.
The owner's carefully selected sake, including local sake from Otaru's only sake brewery, Tanaka Sake Brewery, and 80 kinds of awamori from Okinawa, will complement the delicious sushi and dishes.
- Otaru Masazushi Zen-an
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1-2-1 Shikinai, Otaru-shi, Hokkaido MAP
12 min. walk from JR Otaru Station
11:00-15:00 (L.O.14:30), 17:00-21:00 (L.O.20:30)
Closed on Thursdays and irregular holidays
0134-22-0011
Free of charge
Prices to be revised soon
2Otaru Sushi-ya-dori Nihonbashi
A famous sushi restaurant on Sushi-ya Dori where the chefs who grew up on the beach show off their skills.
Otaru is a sushi town with about 120 sushi restaurants in the city. This famous restaurant faces "Sushi-ya-dori," a street where many long-established and famous sushi restaurants are gathered. The owner, who was born and raised in a fisherman's house, and all the other craftsmen are from Otaru, Yoichi, and other areas of Otaru. He is confident that his fish connoisseurship and passion for fish is second to none. The taste of nigiri (hand-formed sushi) made with top-notch techniques using seasonal ingredients from the waters around Otaru, such as sea urchin, salmon roe, hokki, and squids, is exceptional. You can enjoy the delicacies of the northern sea.
The lively atmosphere typical of a seaside town and the personality of the proprietress are also attractive.
In addition to omakase (hand-rolled sushi) and nigiri of your choice, we also offer a wide variety of kaisendon (rice bowls with fresh seafood) and set menus. A la carte dishes that take a little extra effort to prepare the freshest seafood are also available. The chef's workmanship will arouse your expectations for a gastronomic experience, and the personality of the proprietress, whose attentive and thoughtful service will make you happy. In addition to the counter and table seating on the first floor, the spacious restaurant is equipped with banquet rooms on the second and third floors. It is one of the larger restaurants on Sushi-ya-dori, where you can relax and enjoy the bustling atmosphere of the local people.
- Otaru Sushi-ya Dori Nihonbashi
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- 1-1-4 Inaho, Otaru-shi, Hokkaido MAP
- 15 min. walk from JR Otaru Station
- 11:00 - 15:00 (L.O. 14:30), 17:00 - 21:00 (L.O. 20:30)
- 1st and 3rd Wednesdays, Thursdays (occasional closing)
- 0134-33-3773
- Free of charge
3Otaru Takenozushi
Enjoy the fresh taste of sushi at a reasonable price!
This sushi restaurant faces Sakai-machi-dori, the main street for sightseeing in Otaru. The owner purchases fresh seafood from the market every morning, including fish from the waters around Otaru and other fresh seafood from the Hokkaido coast, and the rice is a blend of Hokkaido rice. Nigiri is available as an individual item, as well as in sets such as "Otaru Nigiri," "Sapporo Nigiri," and "Hakodate Nigiri," which are named after places in Hokkaido, or in six-piece mini portions for those who want to try a variety of different restaurants.
The seafood rice bowl menu is also abundant, the most popular being the "Ainori-don," in which you can choose three types of ingredients from a selection of about 20, including salmon roe, scallops, tuna, and sweet shrimp, according to your preference. You can enjoy the taste of freshness at a reasonable price.
Enjoy the retro-modern atmosphere and conversation with the owner
Renovated from the "old Nakayama warehouse house" built in the early Taisho period (1912-1926), the restaurant has a retro-modern atmosphere, with counter and table seating on the first floor and tables that can accommodate about 20 people at a time on the second floor. The owner has been a sushi chef for 30 years, having honed his skills at a long-established sushi restaurant nearby and opened his own restaurant 10 years ago. He has been a sushi chef for 30 years. His motto is "dining should be fun," and he places great importance on communication with customers. Sushi restaurants tend to be intimidating, but there is no need to worry at this restaurant. The conversation with the friendly owner is part of the experience.
- Takeno-zushi
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- 2-22 Sakai-cho, Otaru-shi, Hokkaido MAP
- 12 min. walk from JR Minami-Otaru Stn.
Approx. 15 min. walk from JR Otaru Sta. - 11:00-15:00, 17:00-21:00 (L.O. 20:00)
- Thursdays
December 31st: Take-out by reservation only - 0134-25-1505
- No parking (use nearby toll parking)
4Sushi Restaurant Hamaya
The master chef carefully selects the best ingredients and techniques.
The owner, who trained in Otaru, where he was born and raised, opened his own sushi restaurant in 2011. Before opening for lunch and dinner, the owner personally visits the market to purchase fresh fish, mainly from the waters around Hokkaido. At Sushidokoro Hamatani, you can enjoy seasonal items such as hokki, scallops, oysters, and salt water sea urchins, which are unique to Otaru. The skillful use of a decorative knife produces a pleasant texture and beautiful finish, and the skilled chefs' technique shines through. The rice is made from "Hoshi-no-Yume" rice produced in Hokkaido, which has excellent graininess and a well-balanced taste. The slightly smaller size of the rice enhances the texture and flavor of the fish.
Taste the best of the day's delicacies at omakase.
The restaurant is tucked away in a narrow alley near Otaru Station, creating the atmosphere of a hideout for those in the know. The menu offers a wide variety of dishes, including nigiri for one and kaisendon (bowls of rice topped with seafood), but for a true taste of Hamaya Sushi Restaurant, we recommend the omakase of the day served at the polished cypress counter. The restaurant selects the best ingredients of the day and serves them in the most delicious way, such as sashimi, sake snacks, or nigiri. We also have an extensive lineup of Hokkaido's locally brewed sake and local Otaru wines. Enjoy the marriage of local production and local consumption and savor a night in Otaru that slowly fades away.
- Sushi Restaurant Hamaya
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- 2-10-3 Inaho, Otaru City, Hokkaido MAP
- 3 minutes walk from JR Otaru Station
- 11:00-15:00 (L.O.14:30), 17:00-21:30 (L.O.21:00)
- Wednesday
- 0134-33-2323
- No parking (use nearby toll parking)
5Sushi Restaurant Maeda
Enjoy the "unique taste" of the specialties
The owner, who trained for many years at a famous sushi restaurant in Otaru and also worked at a standing sushi restaurant in Otaru Station, opened his own restaurant in May 2022. He personally visits the market and purchases fish items with a keen eye, mainly from Hokkaido, to offer the seasonal flavors. For local customers who are accustomed to eating fresh seafood, the restaurant proposes a unique way to eat it with a little extra care. Depending on the item, black pepper may be sprinkled on it, or a dash of soy sauce may be added to the boiled-down soy sauce.
Stop by and enjoy the skill of our chefs in a casual atmosphere.
Sushi can be ordered by the piece or as a set, and the Kaisendon, a bowl of rice topped with six to eight different kinds of ingredients, and the Tokushaisendon, a bowl of rice topped with 10 different kinds of ingredients, are also popular. Sipping a glass of local Hokkaido sake with fresh sashimi before enjoying nigiri is also a sophisticated adult pleasure.
The restaurant is small, with only seven seats at the counter, but even if it is full, there is no need to worry. In the center of the Otaru Yataimura Romain Yokocho floor, where the restaurant is located, there is a common space that can be used like a food court. Stop by for a quick bite of sushi at the next party before going out for a drink or to finish up after a night of drinking. Enjoy the freshness unique to Otaru at this casual sushi restaurant where you can casually have fun in such a casual manner.
- Sushi Restaurant Maeda
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- 1-3-9 Inaho, Otaru-shi, Hokkaido Otaru Yataimura Romanyokocho MAP
- Approx. 9 min. walk from JR Otaru Stn.
- 17:00-22:30 (L.O. 22:00)
- Wednesday
- 080-4508-6300
- None
