Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, travelers from both domestic and international locations have disappeared. At one point, even the most difficult-to-book restaurants became accessible if you persevered. This led me to visit various renowned establishments, and thanks to an invitation from a friend I met during this time, I finally had the opportunity to sit at the chef's counter at Sushi Arai! I am truly grateful.Previously, I had enjoyed dishes prepared by Yuki Usui, who took over the counter on the first floor when the chef moved to the second floor. Now, I have finally made it to the second floor. The layout of the floor somewhat resembles that of the first floor. After exiting the elevator, there is a noren (curtain) hanging at the far left of the corridor, leading to the counter. On the first floor, there were six counter seats directly facing the entrance, but on the second floor, there are eight counter seats to the left upon entering, with the kitchen at the back.So, I opted for the omakase course featuring appetizers and sushi prepared by the chef.- Fried tofu and mitsuba simmered in dashi- True flounder and turban shell Enjoyed with soy sauce, salt, or ponzu. All were delicious!- Myoga and wakame- Octopus The seasoning was fantastic! It was delicious even without any condiments!- Bachi-ko Semi-raw bachi-ko. It was served hot and was incredibly tasty!- Ankimo and Nara-zuke I sliced the block of ankimo with chopsticks and enjoyed it with the sliced Nara-zuke. Perfect for pairing with sake!- Sardine whale The temperature control was excellent. (ﾟдﾟ) Delicious!!- Grilled white sweetfish The seasoning and cooking were spot on. It was tender and sweet, very enjoyable.- Soft-shell crab marinated in Japanese sake Wow! This is delicious! I was concerned that the brandy-marinated version from another restaurant might be too strong before the sushi, but this sake-marinated one was delightful. It paired perfectly with the sushi. Outstanding!!Now, onto the sushi.- Chutoro- Chutoro- Kohada (gizzard shad) - the pickling was just right.- Sumi-ika (cuttlefish)- Kisu (whiting)- Akagai (red clam) - Is this a fruit?!- Kuruma-ebi (sweet shrimp)- Aji (horse mackerel)- Akami (lean tuna)- Otoro (fatty tuna)- Murasaki uni (purple sea urchin)- Anago (sea eel) The sushi was served promptly and at a great pace. Each piece was delicious, and the chef was quite entertaining, but I was too nervous to provide individual comments, so please forgive me for that.- Gourd roll - made by the apprentice. The chef joked that if it was bad, he would make it himself!- Tamagoyaki (Japanese omelet)Here are the drinks I enjoyed:- Draft beer- Miyagi - Hakurakusei- Yamagata - Juyondai, about half a go?- Fukushima - Hiropiki- Yamagata - Yukimaman- Shizuoka - Kikusui- Miyagi - KenkonichiPhotography is prohibited for everything except tuna at this restaurant. While it’s challenging to describe without pictures, the temperature control and seasoning were superb, and both the appetizers and sushi were delicious! It was wonderful! It was a great meal!