SaitoAraiRyujiroDo you know what these names refer to?If you're a sushi addict in Tokyo, you might be familiar with them.Yamaguchi, the president of Yamako, deeply trusts and frequently visits this sushi restaurant himself.It’s also a place where the finest tuna from Yamako is sourced.They are said to be the three brothers of Yamako.Now that I think about it, the faces of the chefs do look somewhat similar.Well, they are quite the impressive lineup.However, in a certain TV program, President Yamaguchi mentioned,"The best goes to Mei!"Mei refers to the current owner of "Sushi Mei no," Yukimori Matoi.Well, that’s fine.As someone who isn’t as obsessed with tuna as a true Edokko, I’ve been pondering this for a while.I’ve visited Saito multiple times since he was in his early 30s, and I’ve had experiences at Arai as well.The only one left was Ryujiro, so I thought I’d casually drop by at least once.Ten minutes before opening, a young apprentice raised the noren (curtain), and guests began to enter according to the reservation list.While many sushi restaurants have everything set up for the promised time, Chef Ryujiro was already in position, greeting us with a lively,"Welcome!"Following his lead, many of the apprentices were also full of energy.Even in the sweltering heat exceeding 36°C, the lively atmosphere lifted my spirits.I really like this vibe.The trust and bond between the head chef and the apprentices are immediately conveyed to the customers.The relationship between them permeates the restaurant's atmosphere, creating a wonderful energy that can be found in a few sushi places.For example,"Sushi Sanshin" in Osaka,"Sushi Juubei" in Fukui,"Sushi Miyagawa" in Sapporo.While "Ryujiro" has a more masculine vibe, it seems to have a similar good energy flowing through it.Today, I was seated at a private counter.The sushi chef is Mori Rei, who has trained with "Kyuhibiki" and "Arai" and is now walking the path of a top-tier chef, aiming for complete independence.The five-seat, compact L-shaped counter had a young female duo, a young couple, and me, all Japanese—a rather rare mix.I dislike the style of mixing appetizers and sushi.I prefer to finish the appetizers before starting the sushi.This is because sushi is something you eat with a certain mindset, and the flow of sushi is like a melody that should never be interrupted.Yet, here they serve the first piece as a "business card."This makes the role of this piece extremely important in my mind.Mediocre sushi restaurants should not attempt to imitate this.Expectations and disappointments are determined before the sushi flow begins.So, I cannot accept anything mediocre.It seems this restaurant intends to capture hearts with its signature item.Then, I resolve to expect a masterful piece of sushi.Chef Ryujiro inherits the style of the renowned restaurant "Umi." Indeed, it’s the medium fatty tuna.Before the pure and perfect aroma of tuna, free of any off-flavors or excesses, I can feel my heart clear.An invincible, complete life form.In the world of Japanese sweets, it’s "chestnut."In Western sweets, it’s "strawberry."In the sushi world, it’s "medium fatty tuna."The tuna here is like a tuna that corrects the taste buds, as if it were a watch adjusting the second hand,Or like a metronome, tuning the slightly misaligned taste back to neutral.Do you understand what I mean?Like an atomic clock of taste?Indeed, it’s a remarkable piece worthy of its reputation.It doesn’t disappoint expectations and sometimes goes beyond imagination; this is why the top-tier chefs are top-tier.Sushi is a culinary art that combines the "coolness" of Edo and the skill of sushi chefs into a singular focus.The ideal sushi harmonizes the rice, the topping, the aroma, and the temperature at a high level.Among these, what I value the most is the rice.The rice is overwhelmingly important, and I love it.Delicious aromas are certainly delightful, but delicious rice is even more so.I love the exquisite balance of vinegar and salt in the rice from the "Kanesaka" school led by Saito.I adore the rice from "Namba," which has a refreshing aroma like a spring breeze.I appreciate the crisp vinegar and the rich, robust rice from "Kuruma Sushi."I enjoy the rice from "Sanshin," which has a strong presence of vinegar and salt while still feeling mellow and elegant.And then, the masculine rice from "Ryujiro" clearly conveys the chef's message of what he wants to express and how he wants you to feel.The grains are distinct.A refreshing and strong vinegar aroma wafts through the nostrils, with a solid saltiness.The rice is cooked firm, enhancing the aroma of the toppings.I really like this rice.It’s clear to anyone’s palate that this rice was created to reach the highest point through its marriage with the tuna.Certainly, if the tuna served today is the standard for this restaurant, it is undoubtedly the finest in Japan, and thus the world’s best, an extraordinarily hyper tuna.As someone who loves summer tuna, I am thrilled with this exceptional quality.On the day of my visit, there were no pieces of white fish,Out of the nine pieces of sushi, excluding rolls, four were tuna.The different cuts of tuna filled the palate with their unique flavors.It’s a mutual relationship of affection between a restaurant wanting to delight its customers with tuna and customers wanting to be delighted.No one is allowed to voice dissent; this is true confidence.This is a sushi restaurant with a strong message.The rice is cooked in a traditional pot to bring out the aroma, flavor, and strength of Yamako's finest tuna, using a blend of several types of red vinegar and rice vinegar.This is not a skill that can be mastered overnight.The restaurant gradually heals customers with marinated, medium fatty, and back fatty tuna, leading them up the stairs of the tuna palace,The endless cycle of taste awakens with medium fatty tuna, breaks through limits with red meat, and culminates in a full burst with fatty tuna.The sense of loss and emptiness after everything is over...And the feeling of tranquility.With the stigma of the tuna shape engraved in your soul, from today on, you will become a slave to taste, enduring irreversible withdrawal symptoms.This is the "trap of Ryujiro."However, Ryujiro, while seemingly obsessed with tuna, doesn’t show any weaknesses.The squid, with its sea salt, sudachi, and sweetness of the topping, somehow evokes a buttery nuance.The bonito, with its intense aroma, fat, and umami, surprises even the tuna.The kohada, with its pleasant aging aroma, salt, vinegar, and roasted notes from amino acids, is rich in complex nuances and umami from the finishing.Even the non-tuna dishes are quite impressive.No, they are incredibly delicious.The appetizers are also quite remarkable.It seems they timed the dishes perfectly for this scorching day, interspersing refreshing cold dishes that cool the taste buds and brain between the hot dishes.Despite the masculine vibe, there’s a refreshing breeze and attentive hospitality.Starting with hot towels, they served three times, and at the end, they brought a cold towel with the aroma of hinoki wood. What kind of consideration is this, like a beautiful innkeeper from a long-established ryokan?!There’s no slacking off or shortcuts; these are truly nice gentlemen.Each appetizer and sushi detail is captioned in the photos, so please refer to them.A total of 20 dishes, including seven appetizers, nine pieces of sushi, and one additional piece.I also enjoyed four glasses of about 120ml of sake, totaling around JPY 38,000.For a sushi restaurant of this level in the city center, it’s quite astonishing.This place is one of the top sushi restaurants in Tokyo, even having earned a Michelin star!It’s a lively and energetic sushi restaurant that showcases skills and spirit centered around tuna.The two chefs saw me off until the very end,"Looks like I’ll be coming back here often..."I murmured as I headed to Aoyama Street.Ryujiro is great.I highly recommend it.♿ Wheelchair Accessibility DifficultyDifficulty level over 70.If you can enjoy this place alone, you’re S-rank.♿ Interior LayoutCounter only.♿ ServiceEnergetic, lively, and attentive hospitality.As expected.---Thank you for reading this lengthy review.I’ve been traveling around the country, mainly visiting sushi restaurants, in a wheelchair.It’s been three years since I started Tabelog.I hope this helps everyone in choosing restaurants.