お鮨T ARO

I recently visited Sushi Hashimoto, a Michelin-starred restaurant that carries on the legacy of the top sushi restaurant in Japan, Kakigara-cho Sugita (formerly Miyako Sushi). Among the high-end sushi spots in Tokyo, this place stands out for its attentive staff and the warm hospitality of Mr. Hashimoto. The meal follows a traditional format, starting with appetizers before moving on to nigiri. That day’s appetizers included sashimi, eel with celery rice, and sea bream rolled in seaweed, all of which paired wonderfully with the drinks. The nigiri is prepared in the style of Kakigara-cho Sugita, beginning with kohada (gizzard shad), and the flavorful red rice is universally appealing. I am always impressed by the deliciousness of this rice at their second location, Miyuki. Mr. Hashimoto’s nigiri reflects his gentle personality—firm yet perfectly shaped. The aori ika (squid) and the well-prepared madai (sea bream) with skin were particularly delicious that day. It was significantly better than my last visit, and I definitely want to return soon. ◆ Appetizers ◇ Nigiri ◆ Mozuku Seaweed ◆ Hirame (Flounder) ◆ Hiragai (Surf Clam) ◆ Torigai (Cockle) ◆ Hairy Crab and Asparagus Chawanmushi (Savory Egg Custard) ◆ Katsuo (Bonito) with Straw Fire ◆ Eel with Celery Rice ◆ Saba (Mackerel) Rolled in Seaweed ◆ Ankimo (Monkfish Liver) ◆ Shako (Mantis Shrimp) ◆ Hotaru Ika (Firefly Squid) ◇ Kohada (Gizzard Shad) ◇ Isaki (Snapper) ◇ Chutoro (Medium Fatty Tuna) ◇ Aori Ika (Squid) ◇ Kitakuri (Surf Clam) ◇ Zuke (Marinated Fish) ◇ Otoro (Fatty Tuna) ◇ Aji (Horse Mackerel) ◇ Kuruma Ebi (Tiger Prawn) ◇ Sakura Masu (Cherry Salmon) ◇ Bafun Uni (Sea Urchin) ◆ Dry Gourd ◇ Anago (Sea Eel) ◇ Haruko Tai (Spring Sea Bream) ◇ Madai (Sea Bream) ◇ Akagai (Red Clam) ◇ Kinmedai (Golden Eye Snapper) ◇ Boiled Clam ◇ Himo Kyuu (Cucumber with Seaweed) ◆ Tamago (Egg) ◆ Soup Less

Sushi Ikkou, a renowned restaurant that has earned two Michelin stars in Sapporo, has relocated to Ginza and is currently ranked 3rd in the Tokyo sushi category on Tabelog. After about a year, I finally had the opportunity to attend the highly popular May Shako event!Upon entering, I was amazed by the grand space featuring a stunning waiting bar, despite being in Ginza. The black dragon Ikkou bottle and knives are on display. Here, I enjoyed complimentary champagne.The main counter is a beautifully spacious area that feels luxurious, far beyond what one would expect in the city center.The fish served at Sushi Ikkou is the cream of the crop, selected from hundreds of thousands, featuring only the Olympic-level seafood, regardless of the source or fishermen. Master Kudo personally chooses the best ingredients with an expert eye, pairing them with versatile rice that changes its character to complement the seasoned toppings.Not only do they offer unique items like stuffed baby spear squid and soft-boiled egg shako, but even the more common ingredients like spring sea bream and anago are prepared with a level of expertise that makes them truly special. Everything here is a specialty, and each piece of sushi is one-of-a-kind. (I have tweeted more details about the shako separately.)The effort put into each piece of stuffed shako is astounding. For just one piece, the chef abstains from alcohol for a month and travels to Hokkaido weekly without breaks, ensuring that the freshly caught shako is prepared and airlifted to Tokyo within an hour. Out of all the shako, only half meets Ikkou's standards, which means immense labor and cost are invested in each piece. Normally, female shako can feel tough due to being boiled on the beach, but at Ikkou, the eggs are soft and serve as a sauce for the shako, creating a rich and flavorful experience that melds beautifully with the rice and fish in your mouth. It completely changes the concept of shako as I knew it. This is truly the ultimate piece that cannot be found elsewhere, and I feel incredibly fortunate to have experienced it before I die!The presentation is elegant, and Master Kudo's conversation is surprisingly lively, maintaining a perfect balance of lightheartedness and tension, filled with laughter.I will definitely be returning to this sushi restaurant!◆ Appetizers, ◇ Nigiri◆ Sea Bream◆ Surf Clam◆ Kinmedai Shabu-Shabu◆ Stuffed Baby Spear Squid◆ Bachi Ko◇ Spring Sea Bream◇ Sayori◇ Sardine◇ Red Meat◇ Toro◇ Sea Urchin◆ Nodoguro Rice Bowl◇ Kohada◇ Soft-Boiled Egg Shako◇ Sumi Ika◇ Anago◆ Tamago◇ Kinmedai◇ Horse Mackerel◇ Tekka Maki◇ Goya Maki Less